Applying Required Metadata To Bulk Uploads In Sharepoint

Why Metadata Matters for Bulk Uploads

Metadata enables organization, searchability, and governance of bulk uploaded content in SharePoint. Structured metadata allows users to easily find and manage files uploaded in bulk. Lack of standardized metadata creates information silos, leading to discovery issues and inefficient search.

Preparing Metadata Before Uploading

Before bulk uploading files, site owners should map content types to columns, defining mandatory metadata fields. This builds reusable content type hubs for governing metadata.

Assigning Metadata During Upload

The SharePoint Upload Center provides options for tagging files on upload. Site owners can configure default metadata values and require users to classify content during the upload process.

Table of Contents

Automating Metadata Assignment

PowerShell scripts allow automatic metadata assignment on upload. Event receivers can tag content in real time as it gets added to SharePoint. Workflows standardize metadata application across libraries.

Best Practices for Governing Metadata

Standardizing SharePoint metadata enables governance. Site owners should establish metadata schemas, train users on proper descriptive tagging, and regularly audit quality.

Example Script for Auto-Tagging Uploads

// PowerShell script to add metadata during upload

$list = Get-PnPList // gets reference to target list


$eventReceiver = Add-PnPListEventReceiver // creates event receiver
$eventReceiver.EventReceiverName = "SetMetadata"

$eventReceiver.Synchronization = [Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.EventReceiverSynchronization]::Synchronous

$eventReceiver.EventType = "ItemAdded"
Register-PnPListEventReceiver -List $list -EventReceiver $eventReceiver
// Setmetadata function automatically adds metadata when items are added  
Function SetMetadata {
  $item = $EventData.ListItem

  $item["Sensitivity"] = "Confidential"

  $item["DocumentType"] = "Report"  
  $item.Update()

}