Metataxis
Can you really
implement taxonomies
in native SharePoint?
Marc Stephenson
March 2017
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 1 of 21
About Metataxis
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Information architecture/management consultancy
Technology independent - not a Microsoft partner
Formed in 2002
6 staff and many associates
Worked on 40+ SharePoint projects
Consult and implement
Private, public and third sector
SMEs (10 staff) to large organisations (100,000+ staff)
Training programmes for SharePoint, IA and IM
We like and use SharePoint…2003, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016 (Office 365)
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 2 of 21
Just some of our (150+) clients
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 3 of 21
Agenda
•
•
•
•
•
Overview
Columns (metadata)
Content types
Term sets (taxonomies)
Wrap-up
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 4 of 21
What is SharePoint?
•
•
An Enterprise Content Management environment/platform/application suite:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Web content management
Document management
Records management
Knowledge management
Enterprise search
Social media
Workflows
Electronic-Forms
Business intelligence
Data integration
All of which use metadata and taxonomies
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 5 of 21
Columns
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment since 2002
Slide 6 of 21
Column Overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Column” is the term mostly used for metadata in SharePoint, also “Property”
Metadata is used with any list or library
Each item in the list uses the metadata. For example:
• Files in a document library
• Web pages in a web page library
• Days in a calendar
Columns are defined at global or local levels
Defined columns are used locally (in a list)
Defined columns are usually placed within a content type
Defined columns are easily re-used
Columns configure views
• Allows grouping, filtering, and sorting of items in a list/library
• Views are easy to define and use
• Views make SharePoint powerful and flexible
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 7 of 21
Types of Columns
•
•
•
•
System columns (automatically populated by SharePoint, unchangeable)
Custom columns (information architect defined, changeable in any way)
Columns may be mandatory/optional/hidden
Many columns data types:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Text – various kinds
Numeric – various kinds
Choice (pick-list)
People/group (Active Directory)
Date/time
Managed metadata (use taxonomies, or parts of taxonomies)
Keyword (use folksonomy)
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 8 of 21
Content Types
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment since 2002
Slide 9 of 21
Content Types Overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
A content type defines and encapsulates:
•
•
•
•
Set of columns
Office template (optional) and icon
Workflow (optional)
Information Management Policy (optional)
For example:
• Agenda, Policy, Press Release, Contract, Correspondence, etc.
Used by SharePoint internally, but also extensively customisable
Content types are defined at global or local levels
Content types are used locally (in a list)
Content types can inherit from other content types
Many default, built-in content types
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 10 of 21
Term Sets
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment since 2002
Slide 11 of 21
Term Set Overview
•
•
•
•
“Term”:
• A word or phrase that can be associated with an item of content
• A term can be a managed term or a managed keyword
Managed Terms or Term Sets (taxonomies)
•
•
•
•
Collections of related terms, usually hierarchically structured
Can be open (add only) or closed to users
Created and managed by an information architect/taxonomist
Many term sets can be created
Managed Keywords (folksonomy)
•
•
•
•
Collections of terms in a non-hierarchical list
Always open to users (add only)
Created by users, and managed by an information architect/taxonomist
Only 1 keyword set exists
All managed via the Term Store Manager
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 12 of 21
Term Store Manager Functions
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
“Re-use” terms – bi-directional reuse of terms/branches in other term sets
“Pin” terms – uni-directional reuse of terms/branches in other term sets
Terms can have “Other labels” (synonyms)
“Merge” terms - synonym and “re-use” combined
No poly-hierarchy, within a term set
Terms can be deleted (no!) or deprecated
Terms may/may not be used for tagging
Terms and term sets may have properties
• Local and Custom term properties
• Properties free format – no property re-use
Term sets may have a custom sort order
Managed keywords can become managed terms
Various implementation limits
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 13 of 21
Managed Metadata Service
•
•
•
•
•
Manages:
• Columns
• Content type hub (centralised store)
• Term Store
Update and propagation of changes automatic
• 1 hour to days, depending in nature of change
• In SharePoint Online, time can’t be changed
• Log of what, how and when
Access must be controlled – information architect/taxonomist only
Mistakes can cause wide-spread issues
All changes need careful planning
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 14 of 21
Managed Metadata Service Limits
Content Type
Hub (1…n)
Only 1 in SharePoint Online
Any number in SharePoint on-premise
Term Store
(1…n)
Only 1 in SharePoint Online
Any number in SharePoint on-premise
1 million terms per term Store
Term Groups
(1…n)
Administration boundary
Term Sets
(1…n)
1,000 terms sets per term store
Terms (1…n)
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
30,000 Terms per Term Set
Slide 15 of 21
Term Management
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
All terms have a GUID, system generated, hidden to the user
A taxonomist can change the term label at any time
• Wherever the label is used, it is automatically updated (system timer job)
If terms are deleted, items that used the term will have a metadata error
• Needs manual user fixing
If terms are deprecated, items that used the term will fine
• No longer available to tag with, but remain searchable
Can’t have same label at the same term set level
Tagged terms can show the end term (leaf) or full-path (all branches and leaf)
• Full-path allows searching within all branch labels
• But uses too much screen space, especially in views
Columns can have single or multiple term values
• Multiple values disables view sort and group features
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 16 of 21
Management Issues
•
•
•
•
•
•
Term set import functions exist – via csv in import format
No term set export – need bespoke scripts (simple)
Simple re-import does not work (same label, different GUID)
Making SharePoint the master taxonomy repository does not work well
•
•
•
•
GUID issues
Loss of richness of taxonomy – no scope notes etc.
No reporting or analysis (with bespoke scripts)
Need “String and glue” integration via Excel, VBA, etc.
May need companion taxonomy products within SharePoint
• For example: Smartlogic and Concept Search
May need companion taxonomy products outside SharePoint
• For example: PoolParty, Synaptica and MultiTes
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 17 of 21
Wrap up
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment since 2002
Slide 18 of 21
Penultimate Thoughts
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
SharePoint metadata management is good
SharePoint taxonomy management is “good enough”, but…
Not suitable for (very?) large implementations
Not suitable for complex implementations
Not suitable for ongoing management
Anything vaguely sophisticated, needs “extras”
But…
• SharePoint is not going away
• Make use of it the best you can – especially if you have nothing else
• Something is better than nothing
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 19 of 21
Final Thoughts
Can you really implement taxonomies in native SharePoint?
Yes, just about.
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 20 of 21
Metataxis
Metataxis
Questions?
[email protected]
www.metataxis.com
© Metataxis 2017
Designing the information-centric environment
Slide 21 of 21