SharePoint Views: Sorting, Filtering, Grouping

Once you understand metadata and set up columns, you can now use that to update the way your content displays and create additional views.

In SharePoint, there is the default library view that a user sees when they open the library. In addition, you can create more views to display the information differently. You can also add libraries/lists to webpages as web parts and modify their display there.

Each view is showing the same information from the same library. The view settings may be different for each view thereby displaying the same data differently.

Examples of views and purposes:

1. Current vs Archive views: There is one library view that is filtered to only display documents not marked as Archive and a secondary view that displays all the archive documents. This helps the user easily find the most relevant documents without having to sift through old content.
2. All Departments vs Department Specific views: The default library view is grouped by Department with additional views per Department (filtered by department) tailored for the specific departments needs.
3. My Content vs All Content: The default library view only shows all items related to the user who is loading the page (filter on all items created by Me) and an admin view that shows all users’ items.

Modifying the library default view

On the library/list tab, select Modify view

This will take you to a new page where you can edit different parts of the view, each section allows you to edit a different part of the view.

View Settings:

1. Columns – This section allows you to select which columns to display in the view. Only ticked columns will display and the numbering allows you to order the columns.
2. Sort – You can sort on up to 2 columns. For each column, you can sort the metadata ascending or descending. For Example: Sort Ascending by Document Name or descending by Date Created.
   Note: This will sort the documents itself not the groupings.
3. Filter – You can filter the content to only display relevant data. You can filter on up to 10 columns. Example: Show all documents created by Me after the date 01/01/2017.
4. Tabular View – This displays a tick box to the left of the document name by default. Generally, this is left as is.
5. Group By – Groupings gives the view a folder like feel. You can group on up to 2 levels of folders. Each column you choose to group on can be sorted ascending or descending. You can show the groupings expanded or collapsed. In addition, you can specify how many group headings should display in one view before it displays a next arrow to view the remaining items.
6. Totals – Displays the total number of items with a value in the column. From the drop down menu, select count for the columns you want to count.
7. Style – Display the content in a different format then the default view.
8. Folders – If you have folders in your library, you can choose to display the content flat without folders.
9. Item Limit – Limits the amount of documents to display in a single screen. Once that number is reached a next arrow will display to view the remaining documents.
10. Mobile  – Configure the mobile view for the list.

The most common settings edited in the view is: Column display, Group by and filters.

Creating views

1. To create a view, select Create view from the library ribbon
   OR
   Navigate to the library/list settings, at the bottom there is a section for views, select create view
2. You can start from on existing view and modify it or you can start with a standard view.
   1. Standard view – Your default library view.
   2. Calendar View – Specific for calendars. Displays the Events in a Calendar format.
   3. Data Sheet view – displays the data like excel where you can drag and drop item across cells. This view is good for bulk editing data.
   4. Gantt View – Specific to tasks / project management lists. Displays the task/project schedule.
3. Then you will see the view settings as reviewed in the above section – View Settings
4. Enter the view name – this will become the URL of the view
5. Select the desired settings and create.
6. Your view will now be available.
7. To edit your view, select modify view from the library/list ribbon

Editing web part views on a webpage

1. Select the settings icon, at the top right corner of the page. Then select Edit page
2. If library is already on the page skip to the next step. Otherwise, on the Inset ribbon select webpage. In the Apps section select the library/list you want to ass
3. Get the drop down arrow to the right of the web part and select Edit Web part
4. In the properties box that will appear on the right side of the webpage, select Edit the current view
5. Then you will see the view settings as reviewed above.
6. Select the desired settings and OK