Is there a way to set up default metadata fields such as tags, categories, company to use managed metadata/term store?

Question

Hi
I have noticed if I go to save an office document to sharepoint in the info field there are properties such as tags, categories, subject, company etc. These seem to be default metadata fields? I want users in my team to be able to use these but using a set of tags already created ie managed metadata or a term storm. Is this possible?

I have seen i can create my own custom columns with managed metadata but I find that these custom columns don't appear when creating a new document and requires the document to be open a closed a few times to use which clearly not practical when trying to persuade users to use metadata, therefore would prefer if it can use the default Property fields.

Answer 1

Hello @James Philbey ,

Welcome to Q&A Forum!

According to my research, we cannot add custom columns in SharePoint to the Word properties panel.

Here is a workaround to add custom columns in SharePoint to the document:

1.Go to the Site Settings page as an admin, and create custom Site columns. For example: In my test, I create Training ID(Single line of text) and Training Type(Choice) column

2.Go back the Site settings page, and create custom Site Content type. Eg: In my test, I create Training Document content type

3.Add custom Site columns to Site Content type

4.Navigation to the Document library as an admin, Library settings >> Advanced settings >> Enbale "Allow management of content types" option

5.Go back Library Settings page, scroll to the Content Types section, click "Add from existing site content types" to add custom Site Content Type

6.Create a Traing Document file and open it in Office app

7.Add custom columns to the document and rename this document. Make this document as a template. Eg. In my test, this document template named "Training-Document-Template.docx"

8.Go back Library Settings page, scroll to the Content Types and select the custom Site Content Type.

9.On the Content Type page, Advanced settings >> entry the URL of document template, in this format: http://[the-url-of-your-document-library]/Training-Document-Template.docx

10.On the Library Settings page, scroll to the Views section, check the columns you want to display

11.Here is my test:

Thanks,
Echo Du

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Answer 2

You can use the property promotion and mapping capabilities for Office files. For non-Office files such as msg, PDF, zip, jpg, ... this will not work OOTB.

There are external apps that provide this capability irrespective of the file format. They allow you to set metadata (e.g. project number) and extract properties from files (GPS location photo, keyword PDF, ...) and capture them into SharePoint columns. For example,

So if you only have to cater for Office files then problem solved. If not, use manual instructions or use tools.

Paul | SLIM Applications