Ultimate Guide: How to Use Lists in SharePoint to Boost Productivity

SharePoint lists are essential tools for organizing, managing, and sharing information within an organization. Understanding how to use lists in SharePoint can significantly enhance your team's productivity and collaboration.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Lists

Creating a list in SharePoint Online is straightforward and flexible, allowing for various customization options to fit your needs.

1. Navigate to your SharePoint site and click on the "Settings" gear icon.

2. Select "Site contents" and then "New" >"List".

3. Choose from a template or start from scratch.

4. Name your list and configure additional settings as needed.

5. Click "Create" to finalize your new list.

Further Manage SharePoint List Items

After creating your list, you can add items by clicking "New" and filling out the fields. Managing list items in SharePoint involves several key tasks that help keep your lists up-to-date, organized, and relevant. Here are detailed steps on how to effectively manage your list items:

Edit List Items

• Inline Editing: Navigate to the list where you want to edit items. Click on the item you wish to edit directly in the list view. Make your changes in the fields that appear. Click **"Save"** to update the item.
• Edit Form: Select the item you want to edit by clicking the checkbox next to it.  Click the **"Edit"** button in the command bar. Modify the necessary fields in the edit form that appears. Click **"Save"** to apply your changes.
• Bulk Editing: Select multiple items by checking the boxes next to each item.  Click the **"Edit"** button in the command bar.  Modify the common fields for all selected items in the bulk edit form.  Click **"Save"** to update all selected items.

Delete List Items

• Single Item Deletion: Select the item you wish to delete by clicking the checkbox next to it. Click the **"Delete"** button in the command bar. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
• Bulk Deletion: Select multiple items by checking the boxes next to each item. Click the **"Delete"** button in the command bar.  Confirm the deletion of all selected items.
• Automated Deletion: Set up retention policies to automatically delete items after a certain period. Use Power Automate to create workflows that delete items based on specific conditions.

Organize Data

• Using Columns: Add custom columns to capture different types of data relevant to your list. Configure column settings to enforce data types, default values, and validation rules.
• Sorting and Filtering: Use the sort and filter options in the list view to organize data based on different criteria. Save filtered views to quickly access frequently used data subsets.
• Grouping: Group items by columns to create collapsible sections within your list. Use the group by option in the list settings to enable this feature.
• Creating Views: Create custom views to display data in different formats such as lists, calendars, or Gantt charts. Use standard views, datasheet views, or calendar views based on your needs. Configure the view settings to include specific columns, sort orders, and filters.
• Using Folders: Create folders within your list to organize items into categories or projects. Drag and drop items into folders for better structure. Enable folder view to navigate through different sections easily.
• Metadata and Tagging: Apply metadata to list items to enhance searchability and organization. Use managed metadata columns to tag items with predefined terms.

Automate List Management

• Workflows: Use Power Automate to set up workflows that automate routine tasks like notifications, approvals, and updates. 2. Create custom workflows to match your specific business processes.
• Alerts: Set up alerts to receive notifications when items are added, modified, or deleted. 2. Customize alert settings to control the frequency and type of notifications.
• Regular Audits: Periodically review and clean up list items to remove outdated or irrelevant data. 2. Use data validation and consistency checks to ensure data accuracy.

Set up List Permissions

• Go to your list settings.
• Click "Permissions for this list".
• Customize permissions by adding or removing users and assigning appropriate access levels.

Transfer List between Different SharePoint Sites

To move list between SharePoint sites, you can select the list, then select "Move to" or "Copy to" from the command bar. From there, you can choose a destination in the current library, or another SharePoint site.

Or, you can turn to MultCloud, which can help you more easily transfer data from one cloud to another, without the need to download them first and then re-upload. By far, it supports more than 30 personal cloud drives (Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, iCloud Drive, iCloud Photos, 4Shared, icedrive, iDrive, MEGA, Dropbox, etc) and 5 business cloud drives  (Google Workspace, OneDrive for Business, Dropbox for Business, Box for Business, Shared Drive). It is also continuously striving to develop support for more cloud drives to enhance user experience and its own competitiveness.