SharePoint document libraries can be defined as “superfolders”. They are very useful for separating your files and folders and always having an impeccable tree structure in a SharePoint site. In this post, we will introduce you to some very useful features of the libraries and tell you why you should use them with Microsoft Development firm. Libraries are not just a way to replace old shared drives or network drives, far from it: they offer major improvements over old file sharing systems.
Here’s a helpful little pictorial reminder of what document libraries are capable of, and we’ll give you a little more detail below.
1. Folders
I grant you that at first glance, this is not a very new function! But it’s a featur
e you’re used to, and one that makes the experience on SharePoint quite similar to one you’ve known for a while if you’re still working on network drives. Organize your files into folders and subfolders so everything is always in its place. And if that convinces you of the interest of using SharePoint, that will already be a very good point!
2. Co-authoring
Have you ever encountered the dreaded error message: “this file is locked for editing by another user”? Thanks to co-editing, this is now ancient history. Co-authoring — available in SharePoint 2013, 2016, and online with Office 2013 or 2016 — lets you edit the same file as your colleagues, at the same time as them. At first, you will sometimes feel like you are losing control. But this is not the case. Co-authoring greatly facilitates collaboration and the editing process. And if you’re worried about others changing your files, consider keeping them in OneDrive or limiting permissions until you’re ready to share them.
3. Offline synchronization
If you’re using SharePoint 2016 or Online, you can sync files from a document library to your computer, tablet, or other mobile device using the OneDrive app . So you can work on shared files even if you don’t have Wi-Fi (on the plane, for example), and OneDrive will automatically switch the updated file to the cloud the next time you connect.
4. Groups, Yammer and Teams
If you use Outlook groups, Yammer feeds, or Microsoft Teams, you know they all have a place to save files. But did you know that those file folders are on a SharePoint site specifically created for that group, stream, or team? Well it is! . Although many SharePoint features are not (yet) directly available in these apps, you can still open the library in SharePoint to find all the new features discussed in this post.
5. Metadata
You are often required to classify your files according to various criteria. Sometimes by year, by geographical location or by type of document, for example. If you use folders, you are “stuck” in this arbitrary scheme. For example, you may prefer the following path: Geographic Location > Year > Document Type, while your colleague prefers the path: Year > Document Type > Geographic Location. It really depends on your way of thinking and the nature of your job. But thanks to metadata, you can “tag” files with all these notions, then sort and filter your library to display the files in the way you prefer. To learn the basics of metadata,
6. Displays
If you’re used to big data and like the ability to sort and filter to show what you want and how you want it, you’ll love that SharePoint gives you the option to save that view configuration. Once you have created a view, you will no longer need to sort and filter each time you load the library. To learn more about displays, click here .
7. Version history
Have you ever saved a file and immediately regretted it because you weren’t satisfied with the work done? And to tell you “I want to recover the old version! » On a shared file, you cannot go back. But document libraries can. Version history lets you restore old versions, delete versions that are no longer relevant. And even discard changes made by others that you don’t want to keep.
8. Alerts
Did you know you can receive automatic notification emails. If someone changes a file, uploads a new file, or deletes a file from your library? This feature is very useful when one of your documents. Is under review and you want to know when your reviewers have made their comments. To learn more about alerts, click here .
9. Links
Rather than downloading files, it is sometimes more interesting. To quickly access links that direct you to other websites (including public sites). SharePoint 2013 document libraries allow you to activate links quickly and easily ; SharePoint 2016 and Online libraries include these links on first use. So use them without moderation!
Conclusion
I hope you enjoy these features as much as I do. I use them all at least once in a while when dealing with document libraries, and find them very handy. Especially when I think of all the amazing things a simple document library can do. They are also very useful for infographic presentations, and pleasantly remind you of everything you can do!
One final tip: If you’re still using SharePoint 2010 or 2013. It’s time to nag your IT department to upgrade to SharePoint 2016 or SharePoint Online. Most of these features are only available in these versions (or are significantly improved on them)… You will not regret your choice!
