What is Metadata?

Overview

Metadata is information describing the document and is stored along with the document. This provides a clear understanding of what exactly the document is, what is contained in the document, when it was last updated and by whom. Customized metadata is developed to help describe and "file" the document. 

The metadata and document types can be seen as a type of pre-defined folders.  Think of the columns associated with the document as acting like folders. Rather than organizing your documents into folders, you organize them according to metadata. You can then set up views that enable you to group, sort and combine the metadata into different ways of looking at it. SharePoint creates the folders for you. 

Example of Metadata

Think of an online shopping site. When you go to an Amazon website and start shopping, how do you search and filter for an item? A particular brand, colour, size or price? These are all pieces of metadata associated with the item. 

The same concept applies to document libraries. If you are searching for a given policy document, how would you find it? What criteria will you want to filter or sort by? May be things like a policy owner (i.e. HR or IT) or policy renewal date (January 2017 or March 2018) would be important as they would allow you to zoom in on a handful of policies and sort by renewal date.  

There is a limit to metadata. Limit yourself to the properties that are truly important or will be used in search. If you wouldn't search for it, never need to know it, it’s not a necessary piece of metadata.  

Acadia Metadata

There are several pieces of metadata associated with the Acadia Document. The Acadia Document is the default for all departments on campus.  Site Owners may create additional pieces of metadata for their particular libraries. 

*Name:  the file name associated with the document and file type (word, excel, pdf etc)  

Title: free form title of document, more descriptive than the Name.  

*Document Type:  Categorizes the content of the document (i.e. Agenda).  The current Document Types are found in Job Aid 3, associated with this article.  Document Types are controlled centrally.  Additional document types can be added by creating a Service Request. 

*Classification: Categorizes the functional unit with which the document is associated (i.e. Technology Services).  This will default based on the department site.  This field will allow for multiple values. The current Classifications are found in Job Aid 3, associated with this article.  Classifications are controlled centrally.  Additional Classifications can be added by creating a Service Request. 

Academic Year: Academic Year will default based on the current Academic Year. This will be changed centrally in September of each year.  There is an "on-going" option for those documents that are not associated with a particular Academic Year. 

Fiscal Year: Fiscal Year will default based on the current Fiscal Year. This will be changed centrally in April of each year.  There is an "on-going" option for those documents that are not associated with a particular Fiscal Year. 

Degree: Degree is available for tagging, if required.  The current Degrees are found in Job Aid 3, associated with this article.  Degrees are controlled centrally.  Additional Degrees can be added by creating a Service Request

 

Please Note: An asterisk (*) associated with the above means a required piece of metadata. 

Details

Article ID: 523
Created
Tue 11/28/17 2:19 PM
Modified
Tue 3/22/22 9:31 AM