Step 15: Adding Metadata When Uploading a Document to the MOSS Library

The addition of custom metadata or “meta tags” to documents uploaded to the MOSS library, while admittedly cumbersome, offers the promise of significantly enhancing what one can do with documents and other files targeted by the Google Search Appliance (GSA). The critical word here is “enhance,” since it is now accepted that, broadly speaking, metadata is not essential for search. That said, metadata remains one of the powerful building blocks for implementing searchable GSA collections, and more broadly controlling GSA search results by using metadata biasing (in addition to the GSA norm of bias based on source, URL or date).

But there is that “cumbersome” thing about how the addition of custom metadata works in MOSS. It leaves a lot to be desired but can be done. Here’s how:

• Go to the SharePoint home page and, at the upper-right of the page, click on Site Action, and then select Site Setting:
  
• Under Galleries, Select Site columns:
  
• This triggers the Site Column Gallery page. Click on Create…:
  
• … which in turn triggers display of a dialog for naming the column and characterizing the type of information it will contain:
  
• To attribute the column as one for custom metadata, give it an name that makes that clear; in this example we just go ahead and name it “Meta Data” and select “Single line of text” as the type of information the column will display:
  
• Calibrate the settings for this new custom column, which are straightforward; click OK to confirm your choices:
  
• Now, when users upload a document via the SharePoint interface, they will have the option to give the document not only a name and a title, but can also add “meta tags” to the document before they click Check In to complete the upload process…
  
• … and the meta tag information the user adds will now display in the Documents list:
  

Next » Step 16: Mapping a Sharepoint Web Drive

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