SharePoint Libraries

SharePoint library is quite similar to a list. It provides a place in the site where you can create, update, upload, and share files with team members. SharePoint library mainly used to display a list of files and information about the files, such as who created the file, and who last modified a file, etc.

Example: A document library is used to organize and share documents with your team members.

There are the following tasks that you can perform in the library.

• Creating a document library
• Upload files to a document library
• Add column and edit view in the document library
• Edit a file in a document library
• Add a link in a document Library
• Creating a Picture library
• Upload files to a picture library
• Search and Filter in a document library
• Collaboration in the document library
• SharePoint Alerts
• Delete file from a document library

Creating a document library

A document library provides a secure place to store files, so that you and your team members can find those files easily, and can access from any device at any time.

There are the following steps to create a document library -

Step 1: Go to the home page of your site.

Step 2: Click on the + New and select Document Library from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Enter a name for the document library that you want to create and enter the Description about the library (Description is optional), then click on the Create.

Now, you see that a document library "About" is created.

Uploading files to a document library

Once you create the library, you can upload files, folders, and Templates in it.

There are the following two main methods to upload files to a library.

Method 1: Using the Upload button

Using upload option, you can upload a single file or multiple files.

Step 1: Click on the Upload and select files from the drop-down menu.

Step 2: Browse the file that you want to upload and click on the Open.

Now, you will see that the file University Overview is uploaded in the library.

Method 2: Using Drag and Drop

Drag and Drop is the easiest way to upload files in the library.

Drag the file that you want to upload and drop it to the SharePoint library.

The given screenshot shows that the file is uploaded in the library.

Add column and edit view in the document library:

Add Column

Step 1: Go to your working library. In our case, the working library is About. Click on the file in which you want to add a column, a drop-down menu opens, select a Single line of text and then click on the +Add column.

Step 2: The following window appears, in which enter the Column name and Description (Description is optional), then click on the Save.

The following screenshot shows that a new column Notes is created.

Edit view

Edit view is one of the most important operations in the document library, to edit the view. First, click on the All Documents, a drop-down menu appears, click on the Edit current view.

You can see that an Edit view window appears with the Column Name and Position from the left. Using the drop-down, you can change the position of the column according to your requirement.

Once you set the Position, click on OK at the top of the screen.

Now, you can see that Notes is in the third position, which was previously in the fourth position.

Edit a file in Document Library

There are the following steps to edit a file in the document library:

Step 1: Go to the Home page ->Site content.

Step 2: Select the file that you want to edit.

Step 3: If the selected file type is supported for previewing, it will open in online mode. If not, then you will get a download prompt. Once the file is opened or downloaded in an online app, you can edit and save the file.

Note: When you edit the file in Office 365, your file is saved automatically. If you edit a file offline, you will need to upload it back to the library.

Add a link in the library

To add a link in the document library, use the following steps:

Step 1: Go to the library in which you want to add the link.

Step 2: Click on the +New, and select "Link"from the drop-down menu.

Step 3:A "Create link to" window pops up in which enter the link and enter the name in "File name" option that you want to add and click on the Create.

The below screenshot shows that the link is successfully added to the document library.

Creating a Picture library

SharePoint picture library allows you to store and upload pictures that can be used in your site or shared with others.

There are the following steps to create a picture library –

Step 1: Go to the Home page of your site, click on the +New, select App from the drop-down menu.

Step 2: Search for a picture library, once you find the picture library, click on it.

Step 3: Provide the name for the picture library and click on the Create.

Now, you can see that a picture library "University" is created.

Upload files to a picture library

Once the picture library is created, you need to upload the documents in it.

There are the following two methods to upload files in a picture library –

1) Using Drag and Drop

Drag and Drop is the easiest way to upload files in the picture library. Drag the file that you want to upload and drop it into the picture library.

Now, you can see that a file is uploaded to the picture library.

2) Using the upload button

Upload button is the most frequently used method to upload the multiple files and documents in the picture library.

Click on the Upload at the top of the screen and select Files from the drop-down menu.

Browse the location where the file is stored. Select the file that you want to upload and click on the Open.

Now, you can see that a file is uploaded to the picture library.

Search and Filter files in a document library

Search files

A library may contain many different items, and there may be a chance that you cannot see all these items in the library on one screen. SharePoint searching tools allow you to easily search the files according to their name, modified time, and name of the person who has modified the files.

In the document library, a search bar is present at the upper left corner of the screen. Type the term that you want to search in the search box and press the enter key on the keyboard to search.

Filter files

To filter the file, first, go to the document library, and select the column that you want to filter. Click on the file name that you want to sort, a drop-down opens in which select the order in which you want to sort the files.

The below screenshot shows that files are filtered into Z to A order.

Collaboration in the document library

As you know, SharePoint is designed to make collaboration easy. It allows your team members to create, edit, and share documents with others.

Share a File

SharePoint allows you to share the file with someone who is not a member of the SharePoint site.

Step 1: Go to the document library, select the file that you want to share, and click on the Share at the top of the screen.

Step 2: Once you click on the Share, a small pop-up window appears, in which click on the "(>)" arrow.

Once you click on the "drop-down arrow (>)" the following options open on the screen.

Anyone with this link – Anyone can access this link with or without logging into office 356.

People in JavaTpoint with this link – Only people who worked at javaTpoint can access this link.

People with existing access – Send link to someone who already has access.

Specific people – Enter the email address for specific people whom you want to give permission for accessing the files.

Step 3: Select an option from the drop-down menu, tick on the Allow editing box, and click on the Apply button, as shown in the above screenshot.

Step 4: Enter the email address and click on the send.

The below screenshot shows that the link is Shared successfully.

SharePoint Alerts

SharePoint alerts are the notifications that allow you to monitor changes that are made on a site.

Setting an alert on a file will send you an email message or text message to your mobile phone when changes are made in a specific file.

Three are the following steps to setting up alerts on a file –

Step 1. Select the file in which you want to set up an alert.

Step 2.On the toolbar, click on the ellipsis (…) button and select Alert me.

Step 3: Alert me when items change window appears on the screen. Select the following information according to your requirement

i) Alert Title: Enter the title for alert.

ii) Send Alert to: Enter the user name or e-mail address of the person to whom you want to send the alert.

iii) Delivery Method: Specify which method is used to deliver the alert.

iv) Change Type: Specify the type of changes for that you want to be alerted.

v) Send alert for these changes: Specify whether to filter alerts based on specified criteria.

vi) When to send alert: It shows how frequently you want to send an alert.

Step 4: Select the items according to your requirement and click on OK at the bottom of the screen.

Now, when you create a new file or make any changes, an alert e-mail is sent to your outlook.

Delete file from a document library

Step 1: Click on the file that you want to delete.

Step 2: Click delete at the top of the screen.

Step 3: Now, you see a confirmation pop-up with the message, "Are you sure want to send the item (s) to the site Recycle Bin?" if yes, then click on the Delete, otherwise click on the Cancel.