10 reasons to avoid folders in sharepoint

10 Reasons to

Avoid Folders

in SharePointBobby Chang

@bobbyschang

2 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bchang | bobbyspworld.com

About Me

Contact Info

• slideshare.net/bobbyschang

• linkedin.com/in/bchang

• @bobbyschang

• bobbyspworld.com

Bobby Chang

SharePoint Consultant at Planet Technologies

3 | @bobbyschang | bobbyspworld.com

NO FOLDER FOR YOU !!

Provide Value to Your End Users

Photo Credit – Matthew Keagle & Creative Commons

Folder = Physical Location• SharePoint appends all folders into

URL• URL encoding applies, e.g.: Space =

%20Team Alpha Site Project

Document Library Project SOW

Proposal

Draft Copies from Team

My Personal Original Copies

I Very Much like Subfolders

http://mycompany.com/sites/TeamAlpha/ProjectDocuments/Project%20SOW/Proposal/Draft%20Copiesfrom%20Team…

/MyPersonal%20Original%20Copies/I%20Very%20Much%20Like%20Subfolders/My%20Favorite%20Document.docx

My Favorite Document.docx

Linear Structure

Reason # 1

A Linear Structure• Requires drilling down to sub-folders• Rigid structure leads to difficulty in finding

content• Can be inefficient during file upload

Number of clicks

Forced Grouping

Reason # 2

Multiple Categories?• Every file HAS to belong to a folder• Cannot account for file that falls into multiple

categories

Company A Company B

Document forCompany A & B Merger

Moving Document = URL Change

Reason # 3

Your links don’t work!!

SharePoint is broken

I HATE SharePoint!!!

Higher Chance of Running into Error

Reason # 4

Deep Folder Structure• Folder is directly correlated with URLs

– Deep Folder Structure = Long URL

• System Constraint– MS Office restriction of 259 characters max for

URL links– User may not be able to save, open, or update

the files

Threshold Error• Renaming folder may result in Threshold

• Generally occurs when total number of files in all sub-folders are greater than 5,000 files

Metadata / Document Tag

Solution

Picture listening to a song in iTunes

What do you see?

Recap Reason #1 thru #41. Linear folder structure

2. Inability to account for multiple categories

3. Risk in broken links upon document move

4. Higher chance of running into error

Metadata / Document Tag

Lack of Flexibility in Display

Reason # 5

Photo Credit - Mind Yourself

You’re at the mercy of the

person who created

the folder structure

• Folder presents only one way of grouping info

• Users have different preference to consume info

• Provides for a taxonomy challenge

Lack of Display Options

Region > Year > Project Phase > Document Category

Year > Document Category > Region > Project Phase

Custom Filters & Key Filters

SharePoint View

Inability to Track Synonym

Reason # 6

Limitations with Synonym• Synonyms are typically appended

• E.g.: “Status / Progress Report / Project Team Update”

• Folder names can’t contain special characters (e.g.: /)

• Adding Synonym Folder Name Change URL Change

Managed Metadata

Lack of Control Over Taxonomy

Reason # 7

”Is she changing our spectacularly designed folder

structure?”

• Contributors have too much control– Create, Delete, or Move

folders

– Rename folders

• Folder structure could be altered by team members

Contributors and Folders

Governance Concern• With folders, contributors have free

reign over taxonomy management

• Reserve capability for selective individuals– i.e.: Content Manager or Site Manager

• Avoid the Wild Wild West scenario

Termstore Management

Loss of Office Integration Functions

Reason # 8

Document Information Panel

Quick Parts

No Standard or Reusability

Reason # 9

Southeast

Project Status

Weekly Status ReportsTeam A

M A N U A L C O P Y P R O C E S S

Status

ProjectReports

WeeklyProjectStatus

Southeast

Project Status

Weekly Status Reports

Status Reports

Team B Team C Team D

Inconsistent

Content Type• Foundation of SharePoint Content Management

• Even if you’re not aware of Content Type, you most likely have already interacted with it

• Provide standardization:

• Consistent set of tags or metadata

• Ability to attach standard document template

• Associate automated business workflow process

Weekly Status Reports Content Type

Team A Team B Team C Team D

A U T O M A T E D

Content Type

No Folder Workflow or Automation

Reason # 10

Document Set

No. Not necessarily.

Should I then NEVER use folder?

Why You May Consider Folders

• People are comfortable with folders

• Metadata is a Huge Mind Shift– Expect Resistance & Initial Uphill Battle– Requires Continuous Education and Training

Risk of Low User Adoption

Nice to meet you

Metadat

Varying Permission Model• Permissions can be set at the folder

• Documents residing in a folder would inherit the permissions of that folder

• Fantastic for complex permission requirements within a single repository

Bulk Upload Native Tools

1. OneDrive for Business sync client err… Document Sync

2. Drag and Drop Feature

3. Open with Explorer

What do they have in common?

Where do I tag??

No Metadata SupportJust

uploaded TONS of

More Bulk Update Limitations• Content Type unsupported in Datasheet/Quick

• In SharePoint 2010:– Managed Metadata unsupported in Datasheet

– Content Type unsupported in Inline Editing

How to Use Folders Effectively

Using Folders Effectively• Combine Folders with Metadata

• Utilize “Common Default Values”– Metadata value can be automatically assigned– Each folder can have different default values

• Create “Without Folders” SharePoint View– Hides folder structure when displaying

documents– Eliminates hierarchy issue when browsing

Contributors vs. Visitors View• Different options for different

audience

• Display Folder View for Contributors– More efficient for upload– Auto-assigns tags via Common Default

Values

Contributors vs. Visitors View• Display Non-Folder View for Visitors

– Removes reliance on navigating by folders

– Leverages power of metadata

Should I NEVER use folder?

No. Not necessarily.

But Folder should be the Exception

NOT the Rule

linkedin.com/in/bchang bobbyspworld.com

@bobbyschang

Questions? Feel Free to Contact Me

Bobby Changtwitter.com/bobbyschangslideshare.net/bobbyschang

10 reasons to avoid folders in sharepoint

bobbyschang bobbyspworld

cominbchang bobbyspworld

netbobbyschang linkedin

folders folder structure

team b team c team d37

deep folder structure

thefolder structure

synonym folder

Technology

case study - m-files: intelligent information management...

sharepoint folders vs. metadata

microsoft sharepoint 2013 · 2016. 1. 27. · uploading...

folders and creasers - plockmaticgroup.com · folders...

sharepoint worst practices: 5 common mistakes to avoid

hyper-v backup &...

research resources · select public folders g:\public...

xerox workcentre 7800 series multifunction … ® workcentre...

sharepoint tips and tricks to avoid migration headaches

tag folders user...

sharepoint folders vs. metadata best practices

nintex workflows best practices for development - … ·...

with dispatcher phoenix onedrive and onedrive … dispatcher...

http file shares sharepoint user profiles lotus notes...

document navigator essentials - konica … predefined...

document import kit for sharepoint 2007 user …document...

-folders will by automatically synched ... scan . pin to...

folders vs. metadata: sharepoint engage oct. 20, 2015

how to use sharepoint and onedrive - ministry of education...

1 administering shared folders understanding shared folders...