10 Reasons to Avoid Folders in SharePoint 2013/2010

1. Bobby Chang @bobbyschang

2. 2 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Contact Info • slideshare.net/bobbyschang • linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang • @bobbyschang • bobbyschang.com Bobby Chang Consultant, Microsoft Certified Trainer er er

3. 3 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com

5. 5 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bchang | bobbyschang.com

6. 6 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bchang | bobbyschang.com Provide Value to Your End Users Photo Credit – Matthew Keagle & Creative Commons

7. 7 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • SharePoint appends all folders into URL • URL encoding applies, e.g.: Space = %20 Team 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

8. 8 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Reason # 1

9. 9 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • Requires drilling down to sub-folders • Rigid structure leads to difficulty in finding content • Can be inefficient during file upload Number of clicks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

11. 11 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • Every file HAS to belong to a folder • Cannot account for file that falls into multiple categories Company A Company B Document for Company A & B Merger

13. 13 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Your links don’t work!! SharePoint is broken I HATE SharePoint!!!

14. 14 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com SharePoint 2016

15. 15 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com new NOT activated automatically Photo Credit – ScienceDaily LLC

16. 16 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Photo Credit – Julie de Waroquier

18. 18 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • 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

19. 19 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • Renaming folder may result in Threshold Error • Generally occurs when total number of files in all sub-folders are greater than 5,000 files

20. 20 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Solution

21. 21 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Picture listening to a song in iTunes What do you see?

22. 22 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com 1. 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

23. 23 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Demo

25. 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

26. 26 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Region > Year > Project Phase > Document Category vs. Year > Document Category > Region > Project Phase

30. 30 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • 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

33. ”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

34. 34 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • 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

40. 40 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com 2012 Southeast Project Status Weekly Status Reports Team A M A N U A L C O P Y P R O C E S S 2012 Status ProjectReports WeeklyProjectStatus Southeast 2012 Project Status Weekly Status Reports 2012 Status Reports Team B Team C Team D Inconsistent

41. 41 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • 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

42. 42 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Weekly Status Reports Content Type Team A Team B Team C Team D A U T O M A T E D

46. 46 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com No. NEVER

48. 48 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • People are comfortable with folders • Metadata is a Huge Mind Shift – Expect Resistance & Initial Uphill Battle – Requires Continuous Education and Training Nice to meet you Meta data

49. 49 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • Permissions can be set at the folder level • Documents residing in a folder would inherit the permissions of that folder • Fantastic for complex permission requirements within a single repository

50. 50 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com 1. Document Sync 2. Drag and Drop Feature 3. Open with Explorer What do they have in common?

51. 51 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Where do I tag?? Just uploaded TONS of files

52. 52 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • Content Type unsupported in Datasheet/Quick Edit • In SharePoint 2010: – Managed Metadata unsupported in Datasheet View – Content Type unsupported in Inline Editing

54. 54 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • 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

55. 55 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • Different options for different audience • Display Folder View for Contributors – More efficient for upload – Auto-assigns tags via Common Default Values

56. 56 | @bobbyschang | linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com • Display Non-Folder View for Visitors – Removes reliance on navigating by folders – Leverages power of metadata

57. 57 | @bobbyschang | bobbyschang.com Should I NEVER use folder? No. Not necessarily. But Folder should be the Exception NOT the Rule

58. linkedin.com/in/bobbyschang bobbyschang.com @bobbyschang Questions? Feel Free to Contact Me Bobby Chang twitter.com/bobbyschang slideshare.net/bobbyschang