List/Library Settings - Columns

Owned by Liz Griffin (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Dec 21, 2016

Applies To Version(s): 3, 3.5 & 3.7

About - List/Library Settings - Columns

The Columns section of List/Library Settings stores all columns for all content types associated with a list or library. Certain core columns are added by default to every list and library created. These include Title, Created By and Modified By. Also added, though not shown in the Columns section, are the Created and Modified columns, indicating an item's creation and last modified date and time. These are fixed columns that cannot be edited. ShareVision automatically retrieves information for default columns and stamps the bottom of each record with it. Default columns cannot be deleted.  

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When management of content types is enabled, the information provided about included columns changes.











  1. Required indicates if a column must contain information in order to create and save a new record.
  2. Used in indicates the content type a column appears in. Default columns like Created By and Modified By are left blank because they are used in all content types.
  3. Indexed columns are only used in lists storing a high volume of data, such as those containing over 2000 items. Indexing helps filters perform better. Filtering data and setting an item limit may not be enough to alleviate system bog-down in views returning a large number of results. Indexing and filtering work together to improve the loading speed of views and the overall performance of large lists.
  4. Type indicates the column type.


Getting Here - List/Library Settings - Columns

  1. Open any list or library from the All Site Content page.
  2. Open the List Toolbar Settings menu or the Document Library Toolbar Settings menu.
  3. Select List Settings or Document Library Settings.
  4. Go to the Columns section.


How - To

 List/Document Library Setting - Create Column

 There are many different types of custom columns possible to create. See ColumnTypes. 

 List/Document Library Setting - Delete a column

 Go to the Columns section of List/Library Settings.

  1. Click on a column to load the Change Column page.
  2. Click Delete.
  3. Click OK on the pop-up confirmation window.

Note: Deleting a column used in a report will cause the report to generate an error. Exercise caution before proceeding or consult your project manager if you are unsure of the possible outcome.

 List/Document Library Setting - Edit a column name

 Go to the Columns section of List/Library Settings.

  1. Click on a column to load the Change Column page.
  2. Click OK when you're done to save your changes.

Note: Editing a column name used in a report may cause the report to generate an error. Exercise caution before proceeding or consult your project manager if you are unsure of the possible outcome.

 List/Document Library Setting - Reorder columns

 If management of content types is not enabled:

Click Column ordering below the columns in List/Library Settings.


If management of content types is enabled:

  1. First select a content type.
  2. Then click Column order, below the columns in Content Type Settings.
 List/Document Library Setting - Set required fields

 When creating a new record, required fields must be filled in order to successfully create the record and save the changes. Required fields are indicated by a red asterisk. 

  1. Go to the Columns section in List/Library Settings. Ensure management of content types is enabled.
  2. Select the content type in which the column is used.
  3. Click on the column to load the Change List Content Type Column page.
  4. Select Required, under Column Settings. 


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