Document Metadata Capabilities

[havard114]

Hi All,

I'm trying to build a handful of custom metadata fields for better document management. 

I'd like to have [Product] and [Version] metadata fields on documents, but the values available in the [Version] field should be limited based on the Product type selected (i.e. if Product ABC is selected, the Version selections might be 1, 2, and 3; whereas Product XYZ Version selections should be 12.1, 12.2, and 12.3). Is my use-case possible via custom Site Columns, or is there a different recommended approach?

Thank you

[#2]

This isn't possible with a Site Column. In a SharePoint Online list you can customise the form using PowerApps, but this feature isn't available on Document Libraries yet unfortunately. 

There are a number of ways to create 'Cascading Drop Down' forms either with JavaScript or third-party add-ons. https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=sharepoint+cascading+dropdowns&ie=&oe= 

[#3]

Hi Havard114, 

I can think of a couple of routes that you could use for this, but would involve you having a look into Managed Metadata and Content Types if these are new concepts for you;

Option 1: If you create a Managed Metadata Field you will be able to link this to a hierarchical term store in which you create [Product] as a tag and then [Version] as a sub-tag. You can then define that only the [Version] tags are "available for tagging" via the relevant tick box so that metadata will be shown as "ABC:1.1" 

Option 2: Depending on how many types of [Product] you have, these could be created as Content Types (that are a collection of Site Columns). I would advise that you create a "Core Content Type" to host all the shared metadata and then inherit from this for a Content Type per [Product] - this allows you to add unique metadata for each [Product] that may be even more beneficial than just version. 

These routes are all out-of-the-box in SharePoint.

Hope this helps!

Steve G

Senior SharePoint Consultant, AMT Evolve