Forum Discussion
How to use SharePoint Team Site files on a day-to-day-basis
I whole heartedly agree. In theory.
But in reality getting those people to change their way of working to a slower browser based experience with metadata can be quite painful.
I'm not saying it can't be done. I'm just saying it it's never as easy we make it out.
Would obviously love to be shown differently because I do think Lists/Libraries + Views with metadata is such a better method of slicing up information.
This is especially true if you are responsible for the adoption of users that were working with folders on drive-letter-mapped file shares for hundreds of years. :) Metadata is a fantastic thing, but using them exclusively in a folderless document library requires a huge mindset change for the majority of users, which can eventually undermine the success of the whole Sharepoint adoption. So this should be handled carefully in such a typical situations when you are migrating from file shares to Sharepoint, and providing some 'classic way of access' to documents is inevitable in certain cases.
I often set up "folder people" with folders that have default metadata set and then make a couple of views. I have seen some great "ah ha" moments and people starting leverage the power of metdata.
Not that folders are evil (like I used to believe). Metadata is just such a powerful feature.
I'm with Eric on that one. I use folders to 'get docs in'. I've built doc libraries with folders to allow users to upload docs in the right place. I've set those folders with default metadata. I've also used document sets in the same way (which can be very powerful). You then of course can change the views to 'hide' the folders.
Now I hate folders in SharePoint. But that is what many users are used to so you have to work with them to help them make the most of SP.
I am in two minds about syncing locally and having an Explorer view of their docs. Again it is what users are familiar with when they see a folder structure on their PC.
- I'm very much onboard with setting up default metadata for folders. It's a lot of work if the structure is very complex but you're right. the "Ah-ha" moment for a client is worth it. Though hiding folders only works if they're one deep right?
Each person who starts using metadata instead of folders is some time redeemed.
