SharePoint Thing-A-Day #003 – Information Architecture. Folders are evil.
SharePoint Thing a Day – Lesson 003 – Information Architecture. Folders are evil. Use metadata.
- Folders are evil.
- On a fileshare, all you have is path and filename. That’s the only axis by which you can classify your stuff.
- So you nest folders, within folders, within folders. Then you pack the filename with extra bits of information – like the initials of the last editor, or the version number.
- You don’t need to do this in SharePoint. Use metadata.
- Add columns to your libraries. Text columns, number columns, choice columns, managed metadata columns.
- Each file can have several of these values simultaneously.
- But a file can only live in one folder at a time.
- Use metadata.
About SharePoint Thing-a-Day
SharePoint Thing-a-Day is a series of short, informative videos on SharePoint, SharePoint Online and Office 365, written and presented by Joel Jeffery, Director of JFDI’s SharePoint Consultancy Practice.
We hope you find them informative and maybe even inspiring.
More SP Things:
SharePoint Thing-A-Day #001 – Governance. Avoid death by fileshare.- SharePoint Thing-A-Day #002 – Don’t stifle innovation.
- SharePoint Thing-A-Day #004 – Information Architecture. Folders aren’t evil!
- SharePoint Thing-A-Day #005 – Information Architecture – Metadata.
- SharePoint Thing-A-Day #006 – Information Architecture – Site Columns.
- SharePoint Thing-A-Day #007 – Information Architecture – Content Types.
The Administrator keeps the web site going, and does an invaluable job.