Forum Discussion

Shubham_Agrawal's avatar
Shubham_Agrawal
Copper Contributor
Sep 18, 2025

SharePoint Threshold Limit Mitigation via Indexing Strategy

To address the SharePoint list/library threshold limit issue, we implemented a structured indexing approach:

  • The document library contains 5000 items distributed across multiple libraries.
  • We created indexes on relevant columns to optimize query performance and enable filtering/sorting without triggering the threshold limit.
  • This indexing strategy allowed us to successfully access and manage the SharePoint site without performance degradation or errors due to the threshold limit.

This approach ensures scalability and maintains usability for end users, especially when working with large datasets in SharePoint Online.

Anyone has face the similar kind of situation and tried in a different way to fix that, then please share.

admin
Document Library
files
Lists
microsoft lists
Microsoft365
onedrive
Permissions
powershell
SharePoint Online

3 Replies

  • Manoj_Kumar1120's avatar
    Manoj_Kumar1120
    Brass Contributor
    Sep 19, 2025

    Shubham_Agrawal​ - you can see the different approaches for threshold limit issue. 

    Use Metadata and Filtered Views

    Instead of organizing files in folders, apply metadata tags such as document type, owner, or status. Then:

    Create views that filter based on these metadata fields.
    Ensure the filters use indexed columns and return fewer than 5,000 items to avoid threshold errors.
    Archive Old or Inactive Items

    To keep the active library lean:

    Move older documents to a separate archive library.
    Alternatively, store them in external systems like Azure Blob Storage. This helps maintain performance and keeps the main library focused on current content.
    Build a Power Apps Interface

    For more control over how data is accessed:

    Create a Power App that connects to your SharePoint lists or libraries.
    Use delegation-friendly queries to retrieve data in smaller, manageable batches. This avoids threshold issues and provides a tailored user experience.
    Use SharePoint Search Instead of Views

    Rather than relying on views that may exceed the item limit:

    Encourage users to use SharePoint’s built-in search.
    Enhance search results by tagging documents with metadata and configuring managed properties. Search is not subject to the same threshold limitations and can be more efficient.
    Automate Data Distribution with Power Automate

    To prevent libraries from growing too large:

    Set up flows that automatically move or copy items to different libraries based on metadata (e.g., date, category).
    This keeps each library within safe limits and reduces manual effort.
    Use Document Sets

    For managing related documents:

    Group them into document sets, which act like folders but offer better metadata support.
    This improves organization and makes it easier to manage multiple files as a single unit.

Resources