SharePoint is a user-friendly tool developed by Microsoft to enable collaborative, web-based workspace and content management environments. Document libraries are the main feature in SharePoint and allow for easy storing, sharing, collaboration and tracking of documents.
When a document is uploaded or saved to a document library, other users with access to that site and/or library can access the file as either a read-only copy or to edit. The changes made to the document will be stored in the library – not on individual computers. This allows for a group of people to work on a document and save the file to a location where all can view and access it.
Viewing Documents
To view a document stored in a library, users can enter the specific library by either clicking the link to the library on the quick launch menu or by going into View All Content and selecting the library from the site contents. By clicking on the name of the document it will launch on the a user's' computer in the program it was saved in.
A prompt will come up asking if the user would like to open a read-only or edit version. By selecting one of the options, the document will come up on the screen as a normal Microsoft Office or PDF document would from the users' own hard drive.
Uploading Files to a Document Library
Follow these directions to upload a file already saved to the computer to a document library on a SharePoint site:
- Go to the document library that where the file is to be added
- Click “Upload” from the options in the document library menu directly under the name of the library
- Click “Browse” to be taken to a menu of available areas on the computer to find the file to be uploaded. Just as one would normally navigate through the computer or a shared drive to find a file, select the document file that is to be uploaded and click “OK”.
- The option to overwrite existing files with that exact file name is automatically set to be checked off, but if there are other documents of that exact name in the library and a user does not wish to overwrite that file with the new one being currently uploaded, uncheck the option.
- The document will be uploaded to the library. If there are any settings on the document library that require files are identified by specific criteria (metadata), a page will come up prompting the user to enter the required information.
Uploading Multiple Documents at Once
To upload multiple documents all at once to the same document library, click the small arrow beside the “Upload” button and a drop down menu will appear. Select the option to upload multiple files. The user will be directed to a page that allows selection of multiple documents from the files on the computer or shared drive.
Another option to upload multiple files is to use the “drag and drop” feature. In the document library where the files need to be uploaded, click “Actions” and chose “Open with Windows Explorer.” A window will open with the contents of the document library visible.
The user will be able to then drag documents and even entire folders from their computer files into the document library window. Once the files are dropped, they will be automatically uploaded to the document library. This is also a feature that can be used to move files between SharePoint document libraries.
Saving a File Directly to a Document Library
To save a file directly to a document library, use the URL of the web page where the document library is located. The URL of the library is at the very top of the page, in the address bar. Copy the URL up until “Forms/AllItems.aspx.”
- https://www.sharepointsite/training/howtoguide/ (excluding Forms/AllItems.aspx)
When prompted to select a location to save the file, enter the URL into the document name field instead of selecting a location on the computer desktop or shared drive. The document library will appear in the save prompt window for you to save directly to the web site.
If there are folders within the document library, a user can navigate to them from the save prompt window, just as one would when saving to the computer hard drive. Name the file appropriately and click "OK" to save. If any metadata (required information about the specific document) is necessary in order to successfully save the file to the SharePoint document library, a prompt will alert you.
Additional Resources:
SharePoint Basics: How to Navigate a SharePoint Site
Microsoft Tech Net: Windows SharePoint Services 3.0
Microsoft Tech Net: Document Management Resource Centre for SharePoint Server 2007
Gemma Richardson - Gemma Richardson is a PhD student with a Master of Arts degree in Communication and Social Justice from the University of Windsor (2009) ...
