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Microsoft SharePoint Blog
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SharePoint filters pane updates – filtering and metadata navigation for lists and libraries

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Chris McNulty
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May 31, 2017

As we continue to update user experiences and customizability in SharePoint document libraries, we are pleased to announce the inclusion of metadata-driven filtering to the filters pane, originally introduced in late 2016. 

 

The filters pane provides a powerful way to find content in modern lists and libraries. Columns configured in metadata navigation settings will now appear in the filters pane automatically. The pane also uses machine learning to suggest the most likely columns to be used for filtering.

 

You can also permanently add chosen columns to persist in the filters pane view. Clicking the options menu (“…”) next to the name of each field in the pane, opens a context menu that lets a user pin the field permanently to the filters pane.

 

The filters pane allows you to filter on one or more column values, and if the column is based on Managed Metadata term hierarchies, you can also filter on parent terms in addition to single terms.

 

Filters pane with metadata hierarchy

Starting in June, we will roll out the updated filters pane to support metadata navigation in modern lists and libraries.   For more details, please see our help article,  Use filters to change your view of files or list items.

 

Classic document libraries have used page elements on the left side of each page to enable hierarchical “drill-down” and “Key Filters” on live view of document libraries.  However, the classic metadata navigation elements are incompatible with modern user experiences. The updated filters pane now makes metadata navigation compatible with modern list and document library experiences.

 

Any metadata navigation configured in classic lists/libraries will be automatically added to the filters pane for modern lists and libraries.

 

This will unlock modern experiences for thousands of users who were previously restricted to classic experience on these lists and libraries because of the lack of metadata navigation support.  Prior to this change, lists and libraries would automatically fall back to classic mode when this feature was enabled.   Now, these lists and libraries will stay in modern mode and reflect the metadata navigation configuration in the filters pane.    Administrators can choose to remain in classic mode in advance of the rollout by implementing the steps in this support article, Switch the default experience for lists or document libraries from new or classic

 

We expect to start the rollout of this feature around June 12, 2017.  Please continue to watch the TechCommunity for the latest rollout news.  Thanks.

 

Updated May 31, 2017
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