At the client where I am working at the moment, most users have Windows 7 and the standard browser still is Internet Explorer 11. We are starting with the Modern experience of SharePoint Online, And that is not a good combination.
The Modern experience of SharePoint is quite powerful. For example, our users are clamouring for the functionality to download multiple files in one go. In the Modern interface, the Download button does work like that; in the Classic experience it does not. But Modern SharePoint does not work smoothly in Windows 7 in any browser and works badly with Internet Explorer 11 (IE11).
So what can we do from IT?
Keep up to date
Of course the key thing is to provide users with a modern version of Windows, in this case replacing the antiquated Windows 7 with Windows 10. We all need to upgrade anyway, because Micosoft announced Windows 7 support will end on January 14, 2020.
This obviously is not easy in a large company with many legacy applications. But we can no longer get away with leaving a fossil Windows version on everyone’s computers…
Allow a browser that does work
Internet Explorer 11 is terrible with Modern SharePoint, as well as many modern websites You cannot get Edge on Windows 7. So you have to allow users to use another browser, like Chrome or Firefox.
Even if you insist that the official standard browser is the old school Internet Explorer 11, make sure you have a consistent story for the alternative: which browser should they use, in which situations. Especially if the company has doubts about the security of a browser like Chrome. Ok, then tell us what we should use.
Plan the roll-out of Modern SharePoint carefully
Don’t push the Modern experience of SharePoint while the users are still on Windows 7 and Internet Explorer if you don’t have to. If they are already using SharePoint in the classic mode, keep it until Windows 10 and a modern browser has been rolled out.
For example, we are currently updating a project site template for one of our units. Our key users were very clear on it: we keep it classic. They have many innocent users, who won’t be able to handle the bad experience with the Modern version on the old computers. We will transition to Modern some time next year, when everyone has Windows 10 and a reasonable browser…
What can the end-users do?
Switch to a different browser when IE11 does not work
As long as you don’t need support from somebody who adheres to the official story of Internet Explorer as the standard browser, switch another browser (like Chrome of Firefox) for some tasks. In particular, editing site pages in a Communication site.
Switch to the classic view when the modern does not work
In document libraries and lists, you can switch back to the classic view if the modern gets stuck. The views tend to be “sticky” when you expand a group for example. This trick is useful for people who have worked with the classic SharePoint and who don’t mind experimenting with views. I know I use it from time to time..
Link to return to classic SharePoint from a modern library
Enter metadata via ’i’ > ‘Edit all’
In classic SharePoint, conscientious user uploading a document filled in their metadata in a dialog box presented automatically as step 2 of the upload. In modern SharePoint, the user no longer gets prompted to fill in the metadata in such a dialog screen. Even if some fields are required, the uploaded document just lands in the library, The fields that are required are marked with an orange ‘Required info’ label though.
You then need to select the document and click on the I-icon to set the metadata. In the pane that opens on the right hand side of the screen, you can enter the metadata directly. However, the fields in these panes are “sticky”. Sometimes, the value you enter does not get saved… If you want to enter several fields, it works more robustly if you click ‘Edit all’.
To enter metadata, select a document and click the i in the top right corner. To make sure the metadata are properly saved, click Edit all.
