SharePoint Online Document Library Ghost Activity (poltergeist)

Question

What is with editing metadata in a document library using the 'Details pane'?? I encountered this the first time I started editing metadata in a modern site document library using the details pane and thought "[What's going on. ?]"

For example:

• You select a document with the radio button,
• invoke on the details pane,
• start choosing an item from a metadata field, look away for a second and the whole screen has jumped up to the top of the list and displaying the Activity list.
• this also happens even when you're in the middle of selecting a metadata data item. ZOOM, the page is slipped right out from under the mouse and I didn't even touch or do anything.
• I can't reproduce it, it just does it on it's own and have no idea what the trigger is.
• A similar issue is when you select one metadata item then select the next metadata field then ZOOM, the field is ripped out from under the mouse again as the previous selected metadata field expands to show the "Saving" text.

Is there any way to get around this ridiculous behavior? I know if you employ a custom PowerApps form will prevent this stupid behavior but then I would lose the document preview at the top of the Details pane.

SPO is pretty good now but really, this behavior is very very unnecessary.

Answer 1

Thanks Gloria. I'll attempt that although I seem to typically receive only a song and a dance wherever I go these days.

No one seems to be able to help with anything and everything is out of every department's scope mandate.

Answer 2

Hi Carl,

Thanks for posting back and sharing the updates with us, I did the test again by editing the file with a hundred times, then go to activity as you mentioned, but it won’t jump up and throw everything off.

Given this case, we are sorry for the inconvenience caused, and please check the new site with such behavior.

Moreover, it seems that we cannot reproduce it for your scenario, to further help you, as our forum has limited resources, your issue need to fix it from the back end, so we sincerely recommend youcreate a support ticket about this issue to the related team who have more resources for troubleshooting it. Please ask your admin to go to Office 365 admin center>Support>New service request.

We also really hope this can be resolved ASAP.

Appreciate again for your understanding and cooperation. 😊

Best regards,

Gloria

Answer 3

Hi Gloria. Yes you got it.

The reason it's not jumping around is because you're only editing one record so you only have one "Activity' item. Try it with a hundred and see what you get.

Browsers have nothing to do with it and it doesn't have anything to do with a particular list. It's the modern UI trying to be too fancy.

I like the new edit on the fly like that but definitely not with that activity list constantly jumping up and throwing everything off. TADA!!!!! This is your activity list, look what your activity has been the past couple of minutes. Hey I didn't screw anything up did I?

It's just the same as that old irritating paper clip guy. "Hey, it looks like you're editing a record. Let me screw that up for you."

I would edit them in grid view but there I cant see a preview of the document but at least that .................................g activity list wont pop up.

Give us the option of turning that blasted activity list off.

Answer 4

Hi Carl,

Thanks for choosing Microsoft.

According to your description, it seems that you created a Managed Metadata column in SharePoint document library, while you chose an item form a metadata filed which jumped up to the top of the list and displayed the Activity list. May I know this is your scenario?

I follow your detailed steps and create a Managed Metadata column, when I go to the details pane, select the item from the metadata tag, it won’t jump up to the list as you mentioned.

May I know my steps are same as yours? If not, please correct me.

To narrow down it, you may switch different browsers or an InPrivate window mode to see the result.

Besides, could you please provide some information to further investigate your issue?

1. Do other SharePoint sites also encounter the same behavior? Please create a new site and check the result.
2. Whether all document libraries or just this specific document library has the issue?
3. If you receive any prompt or error, please capture the screenshot of it.
4. Please capture the screenshot of “the whole screen has jumped up to the top of the list and displaying the Activity list”, if possible, a reproduced video about your scenario is highly appreciated.

Welcome to share any information with us. 😊

Best regards,

Gloria