Forum Discussion
Document Sets - Want Subfolders (not just files) to inherit metadata
Trying to get subfolders (the actual subfolder) in a document set to inherit metadata. We have files and files in subfolders inheriting correctly but currently subfolders in the set do not inherit data.
We are using the metadata column for view filter between active/pending/completed job status.
What happens is the subfolders don't show in the filtered view so you cant traverse the subfolder structure.
Show flat structure is not suitable as its hundreds of files.
The shared columns settings in library settings, says it syncs for all 'documents' in the set. This excludes folders.
Have tried power automate, but it doesn't seem to work applying the metadata to a folder object.
We need to able to change a document set from Active > Pending and all the metadata change.
Any ideas on how we can get the subfolders in inherit (and update) the metadata of the document set.
Thanks in advance.
2 Replies
This behavior is by design in SharePoint: Document Set shared columns apply only to documents (files), not folders. Although folders can store limited metadata (Title and Name columns are by design), they do not support metadata inheritance in the same way as files. As a result, they do not participate in Document Set shared metadata behavior.
I use Document Sets extensively, but I recommend avoiding reliance on folders as primary items. Also, avoid using a single Document Set to store everything. Instead, consider organizing content using metadata such as process or stage, which can be used for grouping and filtering in flat structure.
While you can manually assign metadata to folders using Edit in Grid View (provided the status column is included in the view), the automatic metadata inheritance from the Document Set will not apply to folders.
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Thanks Virendrak. I understand its by design. Was looking for a way to action it, either via PowerAutomate or an extension to SPO somehow
The current hierarchy is document set as parent with subfolders. i.e.
Project (DS) > Admin (Folder)
> Working (Folder)
> Final (Folder)
Each of those folders could have hundreds of files and often subfolders in it.
The document set root Project folder has metadata like Status we were hoping to use a filter to control view numbers.
The files inherit the metadata fine, but without the folders inheriting metadata the filter becomes useless. (show all files is not practical given the number of files).
Not having any luck applying the metadata to the folder as the functions in PA only seem to apply operations to Lists or Files.
So looking for other ideas.....
