Left-Aligning Html Output From Sharepoint Calculated Columns

Understanding Calculated Columns in SharePoint

SharePoint calculated columns enable users to carry out computations and transform data within SharePoint lists and libraries. The output text from calculated columns is right-aligned by default within SharePoint views and reports.

Key Attributes of Calculated Columns

Allow calculations using mathematical and logical operators
Enable data transformations such as concatenation, substrings, replacements
Output values into views and reports for end users
Format output values using text, numbers, currencies, dates, etc.
Reference other columns and metadata values

Default Alignment Behavior

The formatted text output from SharePoint calculated columns is right-aligned by default in both views and reports. This default alignment applies when displaying calculated columns in:

List and library views
SharePoint web part pages
Report Center reports and charts
Power BI and Excel reports connected to SharePoint

Why Left Align Output?

The right-aligned output from SharePoint calculated columns can look unprofessional and out of place in many scenarios. Left-aligning the formatted text matches the alignment of other types of column data.

Table of Contents

Improving Readability

In views, reports, and charts with multiple data fields, having a right-aligned calculated column disrupts scannability and readability. Left-alignment provides a more uniform structure for the eye to scan each row.

Professional Presentation

Right alignment causes calculated columns to stick out in an unappealing manner when presenting SharePoint list data in reports and dashboards. Left alignment makes the view more aesthetically pleasing.

Matching Other Columns

Since most text-based columns in SharePoint have left-aligned output, calculated columns with right-aligned text look inconsistent. Left aligning enables calculated columns to blend in visually.

Using HTML to Left Align Calculated Column Output

By using HTML tags and alignment styles within the calculated column formula, users can override the default right alignment. SharePoint calculated columns allow the use of a wide range of HTML formatting.

HTML Tags Allowed in Formulas

The key HTML tags that can be utilized in calculated column formulas for alignment and formatting include:

<div> – Block element for applying alignment and styles
– Inline element for applying styles
– Bold text
– Italic text
– Font face and color

Alignment Styles

The main CSS style property that controls text alignment in HTML is:

text-align – Values of left, right, center, justify

This can be applied in a few ways:

Inline style attribute on elements – <div style=”text-align:left”>
Internal CSS style block
Classes and IDs referring to external CSS files

Example Left-Aligned Calculated Column

Here is a sample calculated column formula that left-aligns the output while allowing other transformations and calculations:

"<div style='text-align:left'>"+[Column1]+"</div>"

Formula Breakdown

Encloses the column reference in a div with a left-aligned style
Column1 value is concatenated with the HTML tags
Allows additional formatting or logic around Column1
Works with multiple columns and complex formulas

Usage Considerations

Some key points about using the HTML alignment technique in SharePoint calculated columns:

Validate formulas to catch HTML errors
Test alignment rendering in different reports and views
Refactor very long formulas for readability

Additional Tips for Formatting Output

Besides aligning text, other formatting can improve calculated column output such as fonts, bolding, and colors.

Commonly Used HTML Tags

and – Bold font weight
and – Italic font style
– Underline text decoration
– Font face and color styles

View Formatting Options

In SharePoint views, conditional formatting and JSON-based view formatting enable more advanced styling and layout options for calculated columns and their HTML output.

Summary

Left align calculated column output with the HTML div tag and text-align style
Improves readability compared to default right alignment
HTML formulas allow calculations while controlling alignment
Additional formatting via HTML tags increases display quality