Contact Innovate Vancouver to help on your next project! Knowledge Management in Sharepoint - Article: https://innovatevancouver.org/2022/10/10/knowledge-management-in-sharepoint/ Travis Barker, MPA GCPM Consulting@innovatevancouver.org https://innovatevancouver.org

1. INSIDE
SHAREPOINT DESIGN &
CONFIGURATION BEST
PRACTICES & GUIDELINES
INNOVATE VANCOUVER
Site & Library Structures
Metadata & Labels
Sharing & Collaboration
Architecture Models
Inside

2. 1
I D E N T I F Y S I T E & L I B R A R Y
S T R U C T U R E
DESIGNING & MANAGING
YOUR SITES & ASSETS
I D E N T I F Y S T O R A G E T Y P E
I D E N T I F Y C O L L A B O R A T I O N N E E D S
I D E N T I F Y A C C E S S & P E R M I S S I O N S
M O D E L S
I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
R E F I N I N G T H E D O C U M E N T L I B R A R Y
S T R U C T U R E
I D E N T I F Y M E T A D A T A
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A P P L Y I N G L A B E L S A F T E R A S S E T S
A R E C R E A T E D
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This publication is the 2nd in a series. The first publication, "Enterprise SharePoint Program -
Brochure', provides a high level overview of the program and description of how SharePoint and
Microsoft Teams are used. That publication closes with an explanation of the process for submitting a
request for a new site, and the roadmap for validating and approving the requirements during the
build & implementation.
This publication, "SharePoint Design & Configuration Best Practices & Guidelines", provides a high
level overview of the design, build, and configuration roadmap for SharePoint, MSTeams, and
Document Libraries. The roadmap is depicted in the following bullet points.

3. Flexible, can be modified. Adapts to
changes in the organization and
department workflows/ structures
Each site inherits metadata and permissions
from other sites in the framework.
Permissions can be configured at the site,
library, folder, file, and asset level
Communication Sites, and associated sites,
are 'public facing'
Collaboration Sites, and associated sites,
are 'internal facing' and accessible only to
members added to the site
The site structure is also promoted on
headers, menus, and other navigation
elements. This makes it easier to navigate
Searches at the Hub level also locate
assets in other associates sites and pages
the 'member' has access to
The diagram depicts what is referred to as a
Hub n Spokes Architecture Model. This
framework is emphasized because it has the
following benefits:
SITE STRUCTURE
Record Management Taxonomy (Records,
Department, Security Requirements,
Access Requirements, etc.)
Library (container) passes permissions,
metadata, labels, and naming (Dept-A,
etc.) on to the folders and files within that
library
The library structure diagram (left)
emphasizes the following structural elements:
LIBRARY
STRUCTURE
I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
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4. STORAGE
How assets are shared extends beyond where the
storage 'lives.'
Location also influences what features, tools, and
applications are available to help manage it. This also
influences costs.
Assets stored within the SharePoint Framework
(Microsoft, Teams, OneDrive, Exchange, etc.) are able
to leverage shared resources, tools, features,
applications, and settings. This makes these assets
easier to manage and secure.
Each application is typically suited for specific use
cases. Each application also stores in specific locations.
This is the backbone of document storage.
The user interface includes the Communication &
Collaboration sites discussed earlier.
How we use and manage assets/documents is a primary
consideration when deciding where it is stored. The storage
used influences how we share and manage
documents/assets that live there.
Asset Location:
Storage by Application:
SharePoint:
I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
This application stores documents in
SharePoint, which is behind it.
These are often emphasized for use with
external collaboration and time limited
projects.
This application stores documents in the
cloud
OneDrive is not used for collaboration but
is instead emphasized for personal storage.
This application stores documents in the
exchange server.
This stores documents and emails.
This feature stores documents in your
personal OneDrive that were shared in a
Chat message.
Teams:
OneDrive:
Exchange:
Chat:
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5. SHARING & COLLABORATION
I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
User experience when sharing and collaborating
on documents and assets is not equal across
applications.
How departments share and collaborate is influenced
by where the documents/assets 'live.' Each application
and site type has it's best practices and use cases to
consider.
Reading previous pages, you already know how each
of the application and SharePoint Site types are often
used. These influence what permissions are readily
available for sharing and how long that sharing link
lasts.
Sharing by Application:
Each application is build for different user
requirements.
Not only is OneDrive not intended for department or
external collaboration, the link is configured to expire
in 7 days when shared externally.
SharePoint communication sites are configured and
used very differently than SharePoint collaboration
sites.
Just remember, permissions are passed on and
inherited by associated sites, pages, and assets.
A communication site is public facing. As a result, it is
not a site that is recommended for use for ongoing &
active collaboration or sharing of editable assets.
Each site has storage limits. Departments should
differentiate where its 'active' vs. 'archive' content
lives in order to maximize use of available storage
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This solution adds ext-guests as members to an
MSTeams site to support time limited collaboration
on all assets/documents within the site.
Noting, that in most instances adding an ext-guest
to a folder (instead of site), to collaborate, is more
often suggested.
The Site and Library Structure Models have been
identified to scale. These can be reused and configured
by each department as needed. Collaboration with
external vendors also has a model that can be
borrowed, and emphasizes the the components
depicted in the graphic.
EXTERNAL
COLLABORATION

6. ACCESS & PERMISSIONS
The goal of site, library, and asset management
is to make it as simple as possible. Automate
what is possible.
Support users to configure settings and
permissions where required. Identify best
practices and guidelines to support alignment
across the enterprise.
Access & Permissions are influenced by the site(s)
structure, where documents/assets live, and the
type of site(s) used. Managing access, permissions,
and sharing is different if the individual is already a
'member' or 'external' to the location where the
document/asset lives.
A scalable approach is needed that is easy to
manage and setup. The following best practices
have been identified for designing, implementing,
and managing access & permissions.
Best Practices for Applying Permissions and
Access:
I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
Apply permissions at the site level. Add members.
Manage assets and documents within that site that
they should have access to.
When sharing, can do this at the file level. But if
collaboration is ongoing, can also share at the
folder level.
Just remember to only add assets they should have
access to!
Permissions are assigned at the site level. But they
may also need to be configured at the library,
folder, and file level.
Particularly when sharing and providing access to
team members that are not also site members.
Permissions begin with identifying who can 'edit' or
'view' content on the site.
Additional permissions that can be established with
sharing or sensitivity labels include 'can share',
'can download,' 'can forward,' and others.
What permissions are needed:
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7. REFINING THE DOCUMENT LIBRARY STRUCTURE
Sites and libraries are often designed, and
structured, to support the workflows of the
team/ department that will be using them.
More complex workflows, or multiple
departments, often require a structure that is
different than a single team or department.
The assets managed and stored in the library
have a significant influence on permissions,
structure, and design of the library & site.
Financial, legal, regulatory, and risk
management assets require rigorous security
settings and protocols.
The document library structure is designed taking
into consideration the following requirements:
Who will be accessing the library:
What assets will be stored in the library:
I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
These may seem unrelated, but using standard
naming conventions can make assets easier to
locate as well as secure.
Structure of libraries and folder also support
the application of metadata, permissions, and
security settings.
Most users do not think of either of these, but
they are both critical in managing documents
and assets throughout their lifecycle.
Some assets are stored 'indefinitely' whereas
others only hold value for a short time, and are
deleted as soon as the project is over.
The records management taxonomy (finance,
legal, regulatory, etc.) influence the retention,
security, and permissions requirements.
Searchability & Security:
Retention Labels & Record Management
Taxonomy:
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8. Organize
Protect
Apply Labels, &
Manage Versions
Content creators to manage, share, and
secure their data
Content users to search, locate, and use
data
Metadata is data about data. More
specifically, it involves data or text that helps
us understand assets, it's type, how they are
used, where they are stored,
This information can be used to:
Metadata thus helps:
METADATA
I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
Retention Label: Identifies how long an asset
should be retained, and what happens after that
time period has ended.
Sensitivity Label: Further refines permissions
beyond edit/view (share, download, classification,
etc.)
Metadata can be viewed and managed at the following
levels: Site, Folder, File, Asset, & Labels.
SharePoint Labels are metadata that identify how a
document/asset is to be managed. Thoughtfully
identifying and adding descriptive metadata to your
assets makes it easier to identify and apply the labels
that are needed.
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Sensitivity Labels
Retention Labels
Columns within the document library can also be
configured to display metadata that is important to
the department. The following are often emphasized,
depending on the type of assets/ documents being
managed:
The above are emphasized so that users can manually
add labels that are not already applied at the site and
library levels.
COLUMN METADATA
Understanding of what information is needed to
manage documents/assets on the site
Identifying roles and responsibilities within the
team for managing these metadata
Identifying what column metadata to use is based
on:

9. I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
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The document and record types for your
department can be referenced when
identifying the taxonomy that can be used
for your department's document library.
The graphic below provides a high level
overview of Taxonomy examplars, within the
Langara College Record Taxonomy model.
RECORD
TAXONOMY AS
METADATA
Departments Taxonomy as Metadata: Case Example
The Records Taxonomy can be filtered into the
departments to which they generally will apply.
General Operations
Facilities
Ancillary Services
Institutional Research
Communications &
Marketing
Theatre Arts
Records Management &
Privacy
Board of Governors
Financial Services
Library Services
People & Culture
Selection Committee Chair
President & Executive
Safety & Security
Contracts Management
Continuing Studies
Registrar & Enrollment Services
Academic Deans
Office of Student Conduct &
Academic Integrity
International Education
Student Health Services
Homestay Program
Child Development Centre
Indigenous Education & Services
Office for Student Engagement
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10. I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
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Technical Contacts will need to validate
the retention actions, types, and
regulatory requirements for the document
library.
Users will be more interested in the site &
library structure, naming conventions, and
permission groups when managing,
sharing, and storing document/assets.
The metadata displayed on the right hand side
of this page are shortlisted and for illustrative
purposes only.
Definitions:
Retention Types: Identify when an action is
triggered.
Retention Actions: Identify what action is
triggered when the retention type conditions
are met.
Record Label: Identifies if the
document/asset is to be managed as a 'formal
record.' Not all records are regulatory records.
Regulatory Label: Identifies if the
document/asset is regulated as a record.
These need to be managed formally.
RETENTION &
SENSITIVITY
LABELS
TAXONOMY AS
METADATA
Examples: Labels, Citations, & Triggers as Taxonomy
The Records Taxonomy can be filtered into the
departments to which they generally will apply.
Retention Actions:
Delete
KeepAndDelete
CreationDate
LastModifiedDate
PermanentArchival
EmploymentEndDate
Retention Types:
CreationAgeInDays
ModificationAgeInDays
EventAgeInDays
Is Record Label:
False
True
Regulatory:
False
True
Controlled Record Citation:
College & Institution Act
Income Tax Act
Financial Information Act
Employment Standards Act
Labour Relations Code
Human Rights Code
Workers Compensation Act
Limitation Act
Copyright Act
Freedom of Information &
Protection of Privacy
College of Registered Massage
Therapists of BC Requirements
Standards of Practice for
Counsellors
Societies Act
Controlled Record Citation: Identifies additional
metadata, to help administrators understand what
regulation applies to the management of the asset.

11. Architecture,
Taxonomy,
Structure, and
Access requirements.
Steps 1-6 in this publication describe a high level
roadmap for designing your department's assets/
site structure from a systems view. Ideally,
consideration of what retention & sensitivity labels
will be incorporated into the:
When Designing New Sites
Organizational structure, and records management
Taxonomy models, are critical inputs into
identifying the structure & configuration of the
department's sites.
Designing the department's site(s) structure needs
to take into consideration existing workflows,
structures, roles, and security requirements.
Mapping the site structure against these will make
managing assets that live in these locations, and
applying labels, considerably easier.
APPLYING LABELS
Labels can then be applied at the site and library
levels. Everything added inherits those labels. This
is the easiest solution.
Labels can also be applied by users and content
owners within the library. This can be done as
content/assets are created. File level labels need to
align with the labels applied to the site and folder
levels.
Identify when many assets are deployed to a
department,
Associate these assets into a Hub n Spokes
Structure, and
Help the department to apply relevant labels and
metadata, etc., when needed.
When Sites Already Exist
If the sites have already been created, hopefully they
follow best practices discussed on previous pages.
Many sites/assets are being deployed in isolation. One
at a time. The roadmap for the SharePoint Program is
to:
APPLYING LABELS
I N N O V A T E V A N C O U V E R
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12. I
N
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V
A
T
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V
A
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C
O
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V
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An example of site & library
structure and retention labels
being applied within a larger
SharePoint & MSTeam Site
ecosystem
Many departments will use
additional SharePoint
Collaboration sites, instead of
MSTeam Sites.
The structure will vary depending
on the department, workflow,
and documents/ assets managed
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13. CONTACT INNOVATE
VANCOUVER FOR MORE
INFORMATION!