A SharePoint filter list is normally used in SharePoint to connect to a website web parts which may contain multiple sets of data. If you have a SharePoint website, you can configure SharePoint filter lists to pass value to a “list-View-Web-Part”. For example if you want to display a list of products that contain the same information, you can use a “list-View-Web-Part” to display product information that corresponds to that order. Some SharePoint filter-web-parts can filter data automatically while others require users to add values on a website page or post. .

The Complete SharePoint Filter List Guide

Types of Filters

There are different types of filters that can be used in SharePoint. The type of filter you will use in your site will depend on the type of data source that you will use. Office SharePoint 2010, 2007 and 2013 comes with different integrated filters platforms. SharePoint filters are mainly grouped into two categories; filter-web-parts that allow web-parts pages to manually specify different values and filter-web-parts that allow users to automatically filter web pages.

Automatic Filter Web Parts Examples

1.  Page-Field filter – This filter provides the ultimate value of columns on a list row that is associated with a particular page.
2.  Query-string (URL) Filter- This type of filter is mainly used in ecommerce websites and complex sites that require a tool panel.
3. Current-user Filter- This filter provides current users login-name or profile details.

Manual Web-Part Filters

1. The Text Filter – This filter web part requires users to enter text on the text-box provided by default.
2. Query-String – This filter web part allows filters to be added to a URL when administrators or users are adding links to different web-pages in the sites Dashboard.
3. Date Filter – This filter is provided by default and users are allowed to pick a date by clicking on a drop down calendar that uses different date, month and year format.

You can use the following “Filter-Web-Part” pages to pick values from a list

1. SharePoint-list Filter – Once you configure this filter, you can use it to point and specify the value of a column such as a site description, title and date. Users can browse your website and choose different type of items that you have specified.
2. SQL Server Analysis-services – This filter helps sharepoint administrators and users to select a data-connection from a specified web part located with a sharepoint page or post. The filter can connect with the library and display specified information on a user web page.
3. Business-Data – With this filter web part, users are only allowed to choose one entity from the business-data catalog column.
4. Choice Filter– this filter is used to specify different values in the tool-panel of a web part. Normally users select one value from a drop down menu that appears on the screen.

How to connect a “Filter-Web-Part” to a “list-View-Web-part”

With a SharePoint filter list you can easily connect filter-web-parts with list-view-web parts to customize how your sharepoint web pages look. On your SharePoint Dashboard, you can configure one of your site filter-web-part to pass a certain value that will change the view of data in a browser.

When Using a SharePoint filter list in an ecommerce website, you can adjust and modify how customers buy products from your website. Filter web parts can be used to add values on payment options such as Paypal, master cards, Visa Cards and all types of credit cards. Once the payment option is chosen by a customer or client, the web filter part will verify that all details have been entered correctly and none of the information is missing in the page. Incase the client or customer enters incorrect values, the web filter will recognize the values entered and will display an error message on the screen.

How to choose the right web-part-page template for a SharePoint filter list

If you don’t know how to create web-parts that can be integrated with sharepoint filter list, use web part templates that resembles your web page design. In most scenarios, SharePoint site administrators uses saved web part templates to display different information in a SharePoint website. With a saved web part template, you can edit some few information and integrate the template with your SharePoint filter list.

How to remove unused web parts from a SharePoint filter list

If you don’t remove unused web parts from your site, they will accumulate a lot of space and make the site to load very slowly. By default, unused web parts remain in the web page as hidden documents. Too many unused web parts can create many noodles and files that can make the server to load web pages slowly. Most SQL servers will be able to back up between 250,000 files to 600,000 files. If you have subscribed for a private virtual server, your site can hold up to 2,500,000 files.

How to connect a text-filter-web-part with an existing list-view-web-part

In order to add a text-filter-web-part to a list you must have some administrative privilages that will allow you to modify the sharepoint website. If you don’t have the required administrative privilages, contact the sharepoint administrator and request for permission to modify the site.

Steps for connecting the text-web-part with the list-view web-part

1. Locate one of the SharePoint Page and click on the “Page-Tab”. Locate the “edit-Command” and click on it.
2. Click on page section that you would like to insert the “text-filter-web-part” and the “list-view” web part.
3. In the ribbon click on the “insert-tab” and then click on “web-Parts”
4. Under the categories, click on the libraries and locate the list-view web-part that you would like to add.
5. Click on the drop down arrow for the list-view Web-part and then point it to “Modify_Shared_Web_part”
6. In the web-part control panel, locate the custom bar and click on the edit button to change the properties of the list-view web-part.
7. After you have added the properties, click on the OK button to save the changes you have made.
8. When you have verified that you have correctly configured the list-view web-part click on the save and close button to view and save the page.

SharePoint filter lists can be used to customize SharePoint site in a way that adds value to the site. If you want to build an Ecommerce website with SharePoint, consider adding a good SharePoint filter list that will make the site look more professional and easy to navigate.