If you are a user of Microsoft SharePoint, it is likely you are making use of SharePoint list types. As we’ve discussed before, a SharePoint list is a collection of same items that one shares with their team members; thus, it is clear what SharePoint list types involve.
Usually, one creates a sheet to track a calendar event or the progress of a specified task. SharePoint 2010 consists of various lists and compatible Microsoft packages such as internet explorer and excel. Accordingly, SharePoint lists have fields defining data schemas. It is worth mentioning that a particular list has the same schema. Additionally, the SharePoint lists resemble tables in Access database; hence, the lists have row and columns, which allows individuals to track everything.
Examples of SharePoint List Types
As earlier mentioned, the SharePoint 2010 has many list types. In this discussion, we’ll have a look at the common list types. Of importance, the categories are not exhaustive. Let us first consider the main categories before we proceed to specific divisions.
A. Internal and external list types
Internal list types refer to the normal lists in a SharePoint while the external lists refer to those lists with external source of data.
B. Communication, custom and tracking lists
Another broad category of SharePoint list types is the communication, custom and tracking lists. The communication lists allow you to track contacts, announcements and discussion boards. The second group, custom list, enables you to have lists of the actual desired number of columns while the tracking lists help in tracking tasks, surveys, issues and calendars.
As I earlier mentioned to you, the above major groups can further be broken to have at least one of the following types. Firstly, the contact lists rank highly on the list because they allow you to track contacts particularly if you wish to enter data using the Outlook because you can delete the unnecessary columns. Secondly, we have the link lists that utilize hyperlinks’ column to track hyperlinks and formats texts into HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language).
If you are a researcher, you can use the survey list since it enables you to create questions that your target groups have to answer; hence, it helps in taking polls. Many organizations use discussion board list to create an avenue where members can exchange ideas; thus, you can evaluate the effectiveness of a group discussion in problem solving.
Additionally, these organizations adopt the use of task lists to allow the users summarize tasks in the due processing of tracking their progression. In fact, to avoid redundancy, firms use the import spreadsheet list stems out of using an existing excel sheet. Issue tracking lists have been effective if the named issue has the three states namely closed, open and resolved. Therefore, the lists aid in tracking trouble tickets.
The use of key performance indicator (KPI) lists enables you to evaluate data and graphically display as, say, dashboards and scorecards.Occasionally, firm make regular use of the announcement lists because they have an expiry date, and allow you to have brief announcements on their homepage.
Empirically, project task lists are lifesavers because researchers can track their project work items as well as use the Gantt charts. Closely related to project list is the calendar because it allows the researchers track their calendar of events; thus, developing an appropriate method of handling the recurrent events particularly if scrutinized with Outlook. Lastly but importantly, library lists are very helpful because they play two major roles. Firstly, they aid in tracking items or files. Secondly, the lists help in storing these files.
Conclusion
Notably, when utilizing any list type, you have to understand that the data column is of a specified data type. Thus, you can use queries, filter your data or even alphabetically sort the data. However, the usage is dependent on the field data type such as text or numerals. Generally, it is important that every department in your organization understands the SharePoint list types in place.
