How to create editable columns without affecting the document version in SharePoint?

Question

Hello,

We have a requirement in SharePoint where we need to create columns in a document library that are not related to the document version. These columns would serve to track document revision and could be modified over time without necessarily generating a version change in the document.

My questions are:

Is it possible to create columns in SharePoint that are editable without affecting the document version?

Can we move this revision tracking to a separate list if necessary?

Is there a way for administrators to restore a previous version of the document if needed?

I appreciate any guidance or best practices for this case.

Thanks!

Answer 1

Dear Soporte-IT,

Thank you for reaching out to the Microsoft Community. We’re always here to assist you.

From your message, it appears that you’re looking to create editable columns without affecting the document version in SharePoint. Our forum primarily focuses on addressing issues related to SharePoint’s built-in features.

Unfortunately, with the current built-in features of SharePoint, it is not possible to create editable columns without affecting the document version. Therefore, we kindly suggest you visit the SharePoint Development - Microsoft Q&A. This platform specializes in customized design development for SharePoint and may be able to provide a custom solution for you. When asking a question, please use the SharePoint Development tag. The dedicated team of engineers will focus on your specific scenario and provide you with adequate assistance.

Please accept our sincere apologies for redirecting you to another platform. The moderators in this community have limited experience and resources to support customization issues. To ensure you receive prompt and appropriate assistance, we believe this is the best course of action.

We appreciate your patience and understanding and thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely, Ralph Chawatama | Microsoft Community Moderator

Answer 2

The response from Ralph Chawatama is correct: out-of-the-box SharePoint does not allow changing SharePoint column values without adding a new version. Even a rename of a file results in a new version.

There are SharePoint Apps that offer this functionality: edit SharePoint column values without adding a new version. See example.

Some of the Apps even support bulk editing and add additional logic for efficiently working with large choice (or lookup) columns.