Media Library as a single source of truth

Copper Contributor

I am new to SharePoint and I am planning to build a larger hub site for our company where there are several sub-sites. I have now created the hub site and assigned several sub-sites to the hub. In the next step I would like to upload many files (PDFs, PowerPoint, .jpgs etc.). The goal would be to create a "single source of truth", i.e. that I maintain all files in one place (hub library) and link them to the subpages. I have found out that I can embed a document link to a defined order on the subpages. However, I would like to embed the individual files within the page in defined sections. The aim is that when a document update is made in the (Hub Library), it is automatically updated on the subpages and displayed correctly.

 

What solutions are out there from your point of view?

 

In a second step, there are different language versions of many documents. I would like to integrate these on the subpages with the different language versions per subpage.

 

What do you think is the best solution to implement this?

3 Replies

Hello @doro_3000 

 

in M365 you can create an organization asset library:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/organization-assets-library

 

Other way is to use a third-party tool for document template management  like https://www.officeatwork.com/ .

 

Regards, Dave

@DaveMehr365 

There are a few different solutions that you can use to create a media library as a single source of truth in SharePoint. One option is to use a hub library. A hub library is a special type of library that can be used to store files that are shared across multiple sites. To create a hub library, you will need to create a new library on your hub site. Once you have created the library, you can add files to it just like you would any other library.

 

Another option is to use a central administration site. A central administration site is a site that is used to manage all of the settings for your SharePoint environment. To create a central administration site, you will need to create a new site collection and select the "Central Administration" site template. Once you have created the site, you can add a media library to it just like you would any other site.

 

Once you have created a media library, you can add files to it. You can then use the "Link to File" or "Embed File" command to add links or embeds of the files to your subpages. When you make a change to a file in the media library, the changes will be automatically updated on the subpages where the file is linked or embedded.

 

If you have different language versions of many documents, you can use the "Language Versioning" feature to store the different versions of the documents in the same library. To enable language versioning for a library, you will need to go to the library settings and select the "Language Versioning" option. Once you have enabled language versioning, you can add new language versions of documents to the library.

 

The best solution for you will depend on your specific needs. If you need to share files across multiple sites, then a hub library is a good option. If you need to manage all of the settings for your SharePoint environment, then a central administration site is a good option. If you have different language versions of many documents, then the "Language Versioning" feature is a good option.

 

Here are some additional tips for creating a media library as a single source of truth in SharePoint:

 

* Use descriptive names for your files and folders.

* Organize your files and folders in a logical way.

* Use metadata to tag your files and folders.

* Use views to filter and sort your files and folders.

* Use permissions to control who can access your files and folders.

* Back up your media library regularly.

 

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Dear Shijuraj,

I hope this message finds you well. Thank you for your reply regarding the library setup. I have a few questions and challenges that I would appreciate your guidance on:

Managing Multiple Locations:
I have successfully built a hub library and uploaded the initial 150 files. Now, I would like to link one file in multiple locations / websites to ensure that any updates made to the file will be reflected in all linked locations. You mentioned two options: "Link to File" and "Embed File" within the site. Considering our needs, what would be the best option? Should I go with links inside a site? Additionally, I haven't found an option to replace a file in SharePoint without uploading it as a new version with the same name. This creates confusion with version numbers. Is there a better way to handle file updates?

Language Version Challenge:
I have explored the language version feature in SharePoint, but due to resource constraints, manually translating all pages is not feasible for us. Is there an auto-translation option available that could help us overcome this language version challenge?

Your expertise and insights are highly valuable to us, and I sincerely appreciate any feedback you can provide.

Thank you and best regards Lukas