Lists in Microsoft Lists (your own or those in SharePoint) offer a great way to store and manage data. One useful feature is the ability to add attachments to list items – think photos in maintenance requests, or screenshots in IT Support requests. The Attachments column is built into every list automatically (though it can be disabled if you’d like). However, you might want to rename this column to something more descriptive or relevant to a particular business process such as Supporting Documentation or Content for Review. Or maybe you’d just like to match the naming conventions or style guide recommendations already used in your organization.
Unlike other columns, the attachments column cannot be deleted or renamed using the list settings page, or by using the column header menu when viewing the list. However, you can rename the attachments column by modifying the URL of the generic column settings page, as described in the following section.
How to rename the attachments column in SharePoint lists
Go to the SharePoint list for which you’d like to rename the Attachments column.
Click on the settings (gear) icon and select List settings.
Scroll down to the Columns section on the List settings page and click on any column name listed.
In your browser’s address bar, replace the selected column’s name in the URL with Attachments after &Field= and press Enter to navigate to the column settings for the attachments column. Here, you’ll rename the column in the Column name box.
Please note that some of the new list templates (Employee onboarding, Issue tracker, Content scheduler, etc.) come with the Attachment column already renamed to something else, but you can still get to its settings page by using Attachments for its field name in Step 4’s URL.
In this blog post, I have shown you how to rename the attachments column in SharePoint lists. I hope you found this helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below.
SharePoint enables us to collect information in ways beyond paper forms or even digitized Word or PDF forms. As we use it for more processes, you’re likely to run into situations where you wish for a higher level of customization but don’t want to go so far as using Power Apps for a simple need. One such need, as suggested by Jacqueline Vo on LinkedIn, was for moving the Attachments field on the default SharePoint form. And in this post, we’ll do just that.
By default, the attachments field is always at the bottom of the SharePoint new item form. However, there may be cases where you want to move the attachments field up to improve the flow of data entry or consumption. For example, if you are creating a reimbursement request, you may want to enter the request title and description, upload receipts, and then describe the receipts and amounts after.
How to rearrange fields on the SharePoint new item form using JSON
Click the New button in the SharePoint list where you want to move the attachments field up.
Click the Edit form button in the upper right corner of the form.
Click Configure layout.
Location of the new form’s Configure layout option | Click to enlarge
Select Body from the dropdown menu and paste the JSON code (see below) into the JSON editor
The Configure layout panel for the form body section | Click to enlarge
Replace the sample column names in the JSON code below with your own columns’ display names.
Click Save.
Important: Copy + Paste, then update for your own column names
Replace the sample column names in the JSON code below with your own column names. Be sure to use the column’s display names (how they appear as column headers and field names on the form), not their internal names. If the display name of the column changes at some point, your JSON will need updated as well or mismatched columns will be placed at the bottom.
The following two sections will give you two examples of ways you can use this method to customize your form:
One basic, three-section form layout
One four-section form layout with section headers
Without Section Headers
Here is an example of the JSON code you might use to simply rearrange the fields on the form into three sections – particularly, in our example, the Attachments column into a middle section:
Here’s an example of how this code, with a few additional columns, might look. Notice I added an Images column in the same section so all “attachment-like” content is done in one spot on the form.
JSON-formatted SharePoint form with Attachments in a middle section | Click to enlarge
With Section Headers
Here is an example of the JSON code you might use to customize a SharePoint new item form that includes section headers to help break the form into four logical groupings. The main difference is the inclusion of a value (the heading) between the double quotes that follow "displayname":
Here’s a visual example of how this form might look. Notice the attachments field is now below the Trip description section, but above Airfare.
A customized form and its JSON formatting | Click to enlarge
Working with additional columns and sections
The examples provided above will get you started – but you may want more than three or four sections, or have fewer or more columns in your list. Here are some general tips for adjusting this code to suit your needs:
Basically, each additional column must:
Be inside double quotes
Be separated from the next column by a comma
The last column listed in a section doesn’t need a comma after its quotes
Have a comma between each section’s code (except after the last one)
Also keep in mind that columns added later, or left out of the code, will be added to the bottom of your form automatically. Don’t forget to update your code to place it in the section you’d like.
Why do I need sections if I just want all fields in one?
If you’re not working with the Attachments column specifically, you can bypass the JSON code altogether and simply use the Edit columns feature to rearrange, show, and hide columns as you please. The attachments column will always appear last in this case.
But moving the Attachments field within the form requires that you place it in a section strategically. Simply listing it in a specific order all in one section will still place it at the bottom of your form as seen here. On the right, it’s listed in the code in the middle, but since it’s in the same section as all other fields, it still gets placed at the bottom due to the column ordering (Edit columns settings) taking precedence.
A single-section form demonstrating column order taking precedence over formatting | Click to enlarge
This is a good thing, really, because your want your JSON formatting to cooperate with the column ordering functionality for easier updates later. In other words, you and your colleagues can reorder, show, and hide columns as you normally would using the Edit columns option on the form and your JSON sections will still be respected. You’d simply be rearranging the fields within each respective section you set up in the code.
Edit columns option for adjusting column order and visibility | Click to enlarge
So, if you only want to move the Attachments column, consider an approach like the first example in this post: Section 1 is a few general fields, Section 2 is only Attachments, and Section 3 is the rest of the fields. Don’t use any headers, and your form will still feel like a single-sectioned form.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I have shown you how to move the attachments field up on a SharePoint new item form using JSON. This technique can be used to rearrange all of the columns on the form into as many, or as few, sections as you want. Just remember that you need at least three sections if you intend for Attachments to be somewhere in the middle. If you want to learn more about customizing SharePoint forms, check out Configure the list form | Microsoft Learn.
If you’ve ever tried to create a new item on a SharePoint list, you may have noticed that the form always includes an Attachments field that can’t be hidden like other columns. If your process doesn’t require attachments or you’d like to prevent users from uploading documents to the list, you’re likely wondering how to get past this obstacle.
End of a SharePoint form with the Attachments field | Click to enlarge
Note Be aware that if users previously utilized the Attachments field, this action would delete all attachments they’ve already uploaded on all list items.
In this post, I’ll highlight the 5 simple steps involved in removing the attachments field for a list’s new item form.
How to remove the attachments field from a list’s new item form
Click Settings | List Settings
Location of List settings | Click to enlarge
Select Advanced settings
Location of Advanced settings in List Settings | Click to enlarge
Set the Attachments radio button to Disabled
Advanced list settings showing the Attachments setting as Disabled | Click to enlarge
Click OK
You’ll receive a warning making sure you’re aware that this action deletes all attachments (if there are any). Click OK.
Warning when saving Attachments setting as Disabled | Click to enlarge
And that’s it! Now your forms will only show fields you’ve created and configured.
End of a SharePoint form without the Attachments field | Click to enlarge
If you’re not able to access or modify List settings, you may not have high enough permissions to modify the list. Check with your site owner to see if they can assist.
Attachments are secondary to the list/form data itself and should be used for specific business processes, such as attaching receipts for reimbursement requests or perhaps photos or screenshots for facility or issue trackers. If the document is independently important, it should be stored in a document library.
Also keep in mind that attachments don’t have version history, cannot be renamed or reorganized without downloading/re-uploading, and they are not searchable in Microsoft 365. If you need to search for attachments, you should store them in a document library instead of a list – and you can always use a lookup column or hyperlink column to connect the list and library.
SharePoint is the leading digital workplace platform that lets you create, manage, and share content with your team and your audience (among many other abilities). One of the best features for everyday users when creating content in SharePoint is the ability to easily add web parts to your pages and news. Web parts are like building blocks that let you add different features and functions in a single context alongside other building blocks – for example, Documents next to instructional text or policy reminders for using the library.
But how do you choose the right web parts for your pages and news? Well, it depends on what you want to do and who you want to reach. You should pick web parts that help you achieve your goals and communicate your message clearly and effectively. You should also keep your page design simple and neat, using only the web parts that you really need.
The add web part dialog | Click to enlarge
Here are some of the best web parts to use when creating SharePoint pages and news:
Web Part
What it does
Highlighted content
Shows content that matches certain criteria or attributes, such as content type, location, custom metdata, or search term. I like this web part a lot because it gives me plenty of flexibility and helps me surface the right content when I need it.
News
Displays the latest news on your SharePoint page, and can include news from multiple sites as well.
Hero
Shows up to five items with images, text, and links to make them stand out. You can use it to add some flair and visual interest to your SharePoint page.
Events
Creates and shows events on your page. You can use it to share important dates, deadlines, meetings, or celebrations with your audience.
Quick links
Adds links to your page for easy access. You can use it to direct your audience to other pages, sites, or external resources that are relevant to your content.
People
Shows information about people on your page. You can use it to introduce your team members, collaborators, or contacts to your audience. You can also display their profile pictures, names, roles, and contact information.
Document library
Shows documents on your page. You can use it to upload or link to files that you want to share with your audience. You can set it to only show a specific view of a library to manage your space better (perhaps a view with minimal columns shown).
List
Displays a list from your site. This surfaces a view of a particular list as a web part. Consider using views that filter a person field to [Me] (the signed in user). This is a great way to personalize pages (your requests, your tasks, etc.) and surface relevant information alongside related resources (countdowns, calendars, files, policies, etc.).
File viewer
Shows files on your page. You can use it to display files such as videos, images, PDFs, or Microsoft 365 app files like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files. You can also adjust the size and position of the file viewer on the page.
Embed
Shows content from other sites that allow embedding. You can use it to add content from sites like YouTube, Twitter, or Spotify to your page. You can also customize the appearance and behavior of the embedded content on the page.
Table of 10 SharePoint Online web parts to consider for your pages and news
Each web part can be customized to suit your needs and preferences. Ready to start building better pages? Check out this video, Create pages in SharePoint Online sites, to see the process:
Sometimes you may have SharePoint news posts edited and ready to go, but have to wait for an official announcement or date to arrive before you can share the news. Rather than wait for that date and manually publish, we can schedule news posts to go live at a date and time we specify.
In order for this to work, we have to turn on a setting for the Site Pages library in which we’re creating the news.
Note
Only site owners can enable page and news publishing for their site. If you’re a site member, ask your site owner to follow the steps in the first section.
How to enable scheduling for your site’s SharePoint pages and news
Go to your Site Contents (settings wheel | Site Contents) and select your Site Pages library (this is where your site’s pages and news are created and stored).
Site Pages library location in SharePoint | Click to enlarge
Select Scheduling at the top
Scheduling option at the top of the Site Pages library | Click to enlarge
Toggle on the Enable scheduling option
Now your site’s members can use the scheduling feature for their pages and news. The next section shares user steps to do so.
How to schedule SharePoint pages and news
Create your page or news post as you normally would (Site’s home page | New | Page or News post)
Location of new page and news post options on a site | Click to enlarge
When you’re ready to schedule the post, click Page details | Enable Scheduling and add the Publish Start Date/time | Schedule (this button changes from Post/Publish to Schedule after you’ve entered the publish start date)
Scheduling steps for SharePoint pages and news | Click to enlarge
In Power Automate, setting an already-populated SharePoint list or library field to blank isn’t as simple as leaving the field blank in your flow. Luckily, it’s just a couple extra steps to make it possible.
In this post I’ll cover multiple column types as they’re a bit different.
How to set text, date, number, and yes/no column values to blank
How to set single choice column values to blank
How to reset multi-choice column values to blank
How to reset person column values to blank
How to set SharePoint text, date, number, and yes/no column values to blank
The steps in this section will work for these column types:
Single line of text
Multiline text
Date
Number
Yes/No
Click into the field you want to reset to blank
Select Expression
Type Null in the expression box (not case-sensitive)
Click OK
Adding a Null expression in Power Automate | Click to enlarge
Test your flow and it should reset the field value(s) to blank wherever you used the Null expression.
Showing the fields that were reset using Power Automate | Click to enlarge
How to set SharePoint single choice field values to blank
To set a choice field back to blank (no selection) follow these steps:
Add a step before updating the item that initializes a variable. The step is called Initialize Variable.
Set the variable name to Blank, and the type to String. Do not set a value.
In your update action, set the choice field value to the new variable from dynamic content.
Creating a blank variable in Power Automate | Click to enlarge
Test your flow, and you should see your single choice field reset to no choice.
Result of a Power Automate flow resetting a choice field | Click to enlarge
How to reset SharePoint multi-choice column values to blank
A normal choice column in SharePoint has more options that allow it to be set to multiple choice.
Multiple selection option for a choice field in SharePoint | Click to enlarge
Changing a single-select choice column to a multi-choice field alters how Power Automate resets the field, but it’s still similar to the steps involved for a single choice field.
To set a multiple-choice field back to blank (no selections) follow these steps:
Add a step before updating the item that initializes a variable. The step is called Initialize Variable.
Set the variable name to BlankArray, and the type to Array. Do not set a value.
In your update action, select the T icon next to your multiple-choice field.
Set the multi-choice field value to the new variable from dynamic content.
Power Automate actions resetting a multiple-choice field to blank | Click to enlarge
Test your flow and your multi-choice fields should now reset to blank.
Result of a Power Automate flow resetting multiple-choice fields to blank | Click to enlarge
How to reset SharePoint person column values to blank
Perhaps one of the more complicated column types to reset, a person field takes a bit more work to reset. To accomplish this, we can use an HTTP request. Follow these steps to empty a SharePoint person column’s value.
Add the Send an HTTP request to SharePoint step
Following the screenshot below, set the fields as follows (you must replace all red items with your own values):
Site Address (select your site)
Method: POST
Uri: _api/web/lists/getbytitle(‘YOUR LIST TITLE‘)/items(YOUR ITEM ID FROM DYNAMIC CONTENT)
If your list name has a space, replace it with _x0020_ such as Null_x0020_demo.
Field names are different than display names. Even if your field displays with a space (Person field) it is likely Personfield on the backend. You can verify your column’s actual name by going to List settings (gear icon) and selecting your column from the Columns section. Your field’s actual name will be displayed in your browser’s URL.
How your HTTP request should look when finished | Click to enlarge
Test your flow and you’ll find that your person column has been reset.
Sometimes people need to move or copy many files at once from their OneDrive to a shared folder or location. This is sometimes simply for reorganizing and sharing content more efficiently. Other times, it’s because a user learns that OneDrive is tied to individual employees so when they leave, their OneDrive will be gone as well. What files do you currently have in your OneDrive that others would need if you left the company?
Does your team use Microsoft Teams regularly? Every team in Microsoft Teams has a SharePoint site that supports it – so moving files to a site connected to a team makes those files more easily accessible via Teams as well.
If you need to perform a bulk move like this, you can individually select what you want to move or select all files in your OneDrive for Business and move or copy them to a shared location, such as your team’s SharePoint site. The steps are listed below, or a video demonstration is available at the bottom of the post.
How to move all your files from OneDrive to SharePoint
Multi-select the files you intend to move or copy, or “select all”
Select Move to (or Copy to if you wish to keep a version of your own)
Select all files | Move to actions (click to enlarge)
Find the site/team under Quick Access to which you’re moving files (you may need to click More places…)
You can create a new folder (as seen in video at bottom of post) if there’s not a great existing option for keeping them organized
Each site/team may have multiple libraries – use the library switcher next to the site name at the top to choose a different library
Document library switcher when moving or copying files (click to enlarge)
Select Move here and wait for the move to complete before closing your browser
In this video, I’ll show you how to move all OneDrive for Business files to a document library on a team-connected SharePoint site.
I had the honor of presenting one of my favorite Microsoft 365 features for the Baltimore SharePoint User Group’s regular meeting last week. You may have seen this particular feature on your lists (individual or in SharePoint): the ability to visualize a list or library’s data using the Power BI service.
Visualize the list menu option for lists and libraries | Click to enlarge
This newer feature of convenient Power BI integration for lists gives you an automatic report based on your list’s data. We explored how to create a report, customize it, and save it back to the list for future one-click access.
Automatically generated report | Click to enlarge
Even if you haven’t used Power BI (yet), this presentation was made for all experience levels and will provide a proper introduction. In this one-hour session, I specifically covered:
How to create an automatic report/dashboard from your list in just a few clicks
How to edit and publish the auto-generated report for others to use
I recently had someone ask me how you could remove the Recycle Bin from a modern SharePoint team site’s left-hand navigation menu. Even if you click Edit on the navigation menu, Recycle Bin disappears as an option you can change. So how can it be done?
While it’s not the most straightforward process, it is possible to remove Recycle bin from a site’s navigation menu but it will require activating the SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure site collection feature.
You can change your SharePoint site’s navigation menus and overall theme. This lesson demonstrates how to get started.
This video is part of my FREE 30+ lesson self-paced online training course called Collaboration in Microsoft 365 (OneDrive, SharePoint, and Teams). Enroll today at https://www.NateTheTrainer.com for the full learning experience including lesson discussions, quizzes, exams, and a completion certificate.