Best Practices For Updating Custom Master Pages And Page Layouts In Sharepoint

Why Updates Are Needed for Custom Master Pages and Page Layouts in SharePoint

Over time, many SharePoint sites undergo design changes to keep the look and feel fresh, incorporate new features and functionality that gets rolled out in SharePoint updates, or align to updated brand guidelines from the marketing team. As a result, the custom master pages and page layouts used across the SharePoint environment need to be updated accordingly.

Some common reasons why custom master pages and page layouts require periodic updates include:

• Site design changes like colors, fonts, or logos are rolled out by the creative team to maintain a modern aesthetic.
• New web parts, custom solutions, or structural site elements need to be accounted for in the master pages and layouts.
• Branding guidelines around color palettes, acceptable fonts, or logo treatments are updated by the marketing team.

Without updating the custom master pages and page layouts when changes like these occur, the SharePoint environment can quickly become outdated, fragmented, or incompatible with new solutions. Staying on top of necessary updates is crucial for maintaining consistency and quality across pages.

Prerequisites for Updating Custom Master Pages and Page Layouts

Before beginning any updates to custom master pages and page layouts, it’s import to ensure the core prerequisites are in place:

• Strong understanding of SharePoint master pages and page layouts – You need to comprehend what master pages and page layouts are used for, how they work, and how to edit them without negatively impacting site functionality or design.
• Access to SharePoint Designer – Master pages and page layouts are typically customized directly in SharePoint Designer, so you need access to this tool and knowledge of how to use it.

Best Practices for Updating Custom Master Pages and Page Layouts

When planning and executing updates to custom SharePoint master pages and page layouts, use these best practices:

• Always test extensively in a development environment first – Validate all changes work as intended before ever touching production. This protects real users from disruption.
• Schedule updates during off-peak or low traffic periods – Late nights or weekends will minimize the number of active users who could be impacted by changes as they are rolled out..
• Limit the scope of changes in each update – Big bang updates are risky. Incremental changes are easier to test and validate.
• Create backups before making any changes – Always protect the previous versions so you can revert if something goes wrong.
• Follow a numbering system for versions – This helps track changes over time and quickly identify the latest or any previous versions of a layout.

Making Master Pages and Layout Updates in SharePoint Designer

Once fully tested, new versions of custom master pages and page layouts can be updated in the production environment by following these steps in SharePoint Designer:

1. Open the target SharePoint site in SharePoint Designer – Click Open Site and navigate to the specific site you want to update.
2. Navigate to the Master Pages or Page Layouts sections – Find these options under the Site Objects menu.
3. Check out the file you intend to update This puts the file into edit mode and locks it from other potential editors.
4. Make all necessary edits to the file – Whether HTML, CSS, or design changes as needed.
5. Save the updated file locally and upload it back to the server – This overwrites the existing version.
6. Publish a major version of the updated file – This makes the changes official in SharePoint..

Verifying Custom Master and Layout Changes

After publishing updated versions or custom master pages and page layouts, it is crucial to rigorously test and validate that the changes have been correctly implemented, including:

• Confirm the correct new file version was successfully uploaded – Verify timestamps, version numbers, and changes.
• Spot check pages using the updated layouts – Scroll pages leveraging those layouts to confirm accurate display.
• Test all features, components and branding – Click around to catch any problems.
• Solicit user feedback on changes – Content owners, power users, and end users may catch issues designers missed.

Troubleshooting Issues with Custom Master and Layout Changes

Despite extensive testing, issues still tend to crop up after updating custom master pages and page layouts. Common problems, along with troubleshooting tips, include:

• Display problems – Check for typos or spacing problems in HTML or CSS. Compare to a known good version.
• Reverting changes – If major issues found, rollback by republishing a previous version until fixed.
• Comparing versions – Leverage version history to analyze differences between versions to identify fixes.
• Adjust scope/timing – If too many issues, consider splitting changes into smaller updates over longer periods.