For any business to be successful in the long run, it is very important that it is organized when it comes to the system of management and storage of documents and files. This is where SharePoint comes into the picture. It is an excellent platform for any organization to have in its pocket, provided they have a clear idea of their document control requirements.
Though the necessities and needs of every organization may differ when it comes to listing requirements for SharePoint, however, there are some basic requirements that are a part of almost every Business document control requirement.
In this blog, we are going to talk about how to use SharePoint for document control and list some common requirements, which every business has. So, read along to know more!
What Will You Need To Build Document Management System In SharePoint?
Remember all of these:
- SharePoint Metadata
- SharePoint Content Types
- Meta Data Navigation
What’s The Type Of Documents That You Are Looking To Store In SharePoint DMS?
Remember this!
Never dump all of the company files and folders in a single library.
Can you tell me what the main point of SharePoint is?
That’s to arrange all of the documents in a particular order related to each other. Let’s consider an example of the types of documents that you would be storing in the library:
- Purchase Orders
- Invoice
- Estimates
- Quotes
- Invoices
And if you have documents that aren’t of the same departments, make sure
that you don’t save all of them in the same library.
Define Meta Data For Each Category Of Documents
It’s obvious!
Most of the categories will have their own metadata.
Every category will have its own unique one.
Let’s consider an example.
Suppose that you want to tag all of the Purchase orders against PO#, Vendor Name, and PO Date.
Invoices can be tagged against Invoice #, Name Of Client, Received Date, Paid Date.
Receipts might be tagged against Name Of Vendor, Date Of Receipt, Description as well as Name Of Employee.
Let’s take a look at what it will look like:
Invoice
- Invoice #
- Client
- Date Received
- Date Paid
Purchase Order
- PO #
- Vendor
- PO Date
Receipt
- Vendor
- Receipt Date
- Description
- Employee
Define Type Of Column/Property For Each Meta Data Type
Some examples are Choice/Drop-Down, free text field, or date.
And that’s what we will need in the next section.
Create Meta Data Columns
Well, the chances are that you might not know how to create metadata in SharePoint.
Let me help you with that.
How Can You Create A Meta Data In SharePoint
- You can always create a column at the library level. However, most of the times, it’s preferred to create at the site level. Why? If you create columns at the site level, you will be able to reuse them in other libraries and sites.
- For creating a Site Level Column, visit Site Gear Icon -> Site Settings -> Site Columns -> Create
- Create your Meta Data Column
- Repeat all of these steps for different columns.
Content Types
Let’s take a look at how you will be able to create SharePoint Content types:
- Visit Root Of Site Collection
- Site Settings -> Site Content-Type
- Go To Create Link
- And that’s the place you will be able to name as well as to characterize your content type. Fill the name from Step III. Choose “Document Content Types” for “Select Parent Content Type From.” Choose “Document” for Parent Content-Type. Are you able to see a group section at the very bottom? Choose the grouping. Select OK.
- In this screen, you will be able to associate your newly created content type with custom metadata. Click “Add From Existing Site Columns.”
- Are you able to see a “Select Columns From” option? Here, you need to select the group that you used to organize all of your site columns. Choose them from Available columns. Use the Add Button. You will able to see them added in the right selection screen.
Create A Document Library
The next step is to create a site. Add a document library to the site. Don’t make use of the default document library.
Prepare The Document Library For Custom Meta Data And Custom Content Types
Follow these steps:
- Library Tab _-> Library Settings.
- Advanced Settings
- Select “Yes” under “Allow Management Of Content Types?”
- Select “No” for “Make ‘New Folder’ command available?”
- Select “OK.”
- Go To Library Page. Select Versioning Settings.
- Is the “Create major version” option chosen? Make sure it is.
Add Custom Content Types To Your Document Library
It’s time that we added our custom content type to our document library.
Here’s how you can do it.
- Go to Library Settings Page. Can you observe a section named “Content-Type?” Select “Add From Existing Content Types.”
- Here, you will choose the custom contents created by you. Choose the custom content types. And press “Add” to add them to the right side. Select “OK.”
- This is how your middle section page will look like.
- Not only we added the document types, but also corresponding site columns were added as well. Take a look at them in the “Column section.”
Add MetaData Navigation
It’s time that we end our journey. We are so close to SharePoint Document Control System completion.
Make sure that you add the MetaData Navigation.
With this, you can even search the files/ items/ documents that are in the list with the help of cool-looking filters.
Set Limit For 5,000 Items
We are sure that you’d like to store a whole lot of documents, right?
And that’s the reason you should optimize the document library. Set the
limit for 5,000 items.
Upload
It’s time. Upload a document.
Conclusion
You might have heard about the document management according to the ISO 9001 standards, right?
And if you want to meet the ISO certification, SharePoint is the best tool that will help you do it.
It’s totally based on continual improvement.
ISO 9001 doesn’t define any kind of specific quality or customer needs that you need to meet. But instead, it defines themselves the objectives as well as improve the processes consistently in ordered to reach the highest quality of delivery.
Well, I hope that we were successfully able to help you with your problems related to this topic.
You can check our blog section to get more of your queries resolved.
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