Why is Sharepoint auto-populating value in a choice column when I create a document?

Copper Contributor

I am creating a new document by using a custom content type. When I create the document the "Urgent" field is auto-populating and should not be. I have it set to Optional and default value is blank. This is only happening on 2 out of 5 of my pages on the same sharepoint site. Help please!

8 Replies

Hi Tammy, was the 'Urgent' column created in the content type or the library columns? When you say it is happening on '2 out of 5 of my pages', do you mean as an embedded library on multiple pages? 

Also, what type of column is it - e.g., free text, choice etc? 

If you have configure the column in the way you describe, the choice column should not behave as you are describing...this is totally unexpected

Is there a way to tell if it was created under the content type or not? I believe it was. It is a choice column. When I say 2 of 5 I am speaking of libraries/lists.

I suggest you go to the Site Settings, then look under Site Columns to see if it is there. Then look under Site Content Types and see if the Content Type has that Site Column in it. 

Then, go to each library, library settings, and see if Content Types are enabled and that Content Type appears. Without content types enabled, you may only see 'Document' as the only content type. If enabled, you may see others. 

If the Content Type has the column and it has been added to the library, then you will (a) see the column in the library columns list and (b) the column will say where it is set. 

I think you should start with Site Settings - Site Columns and Site Content Types; if the column is not there, then it is likely to be a local library setting. But if it's set on 3 - 5 libraries, it sounds like it is a Site Column. 

Thanks Tammy. When you add a site column to a library, any default settings in the Site Column settings can be modified. Can you check each library and see if the 'Default value' (as shown below) is different? I added this site column to a different library, changed the default value in the library itself, and it added it when a document was uploaded. 

AutoPopulateDefaultSetting.PNG

They are all the same as the screen shot below.01-18-2019 1-54-16 PM.jpg