Ok, I’m not implying that now there are more than 2010 shortcuts. But I do mean that in SharePoint 2010 and Office 2010 we have some new and some improved shortcuts for editing the properties of documents stored in a team site. We want to edit these properties, for example, to provide or change a description and to select a category.
In the document library, we can now use the classical edit icon, drop-down menu and datasheet, as well as the new inline editing option. And in Word, we not only have the document information panel, but also the new backstage view.
Updated classics: Edit icon, drop-down menu and properties form in the Document Library
We still have the classic drop-down that already offered the Edit properties option in 2003. Now we have an updated version, which has more options.
Selecting the option Edit properties or clicking the Edit icon opens – as usual – the form where you can edit these properties. The update here is that the form is opened in a ‘pop-up layer’ instead of a separate page.
Updated classics: Datasheet view in the Document Library
To edit the properties of multiple documents at the same time, we still have the Datasheet view. This view now is offered as a button in the new ribbon.
New: Inline editing in the document library view
In the 2010 Document Library, we can edit the properties that are displayed in the view directly, by way of inline editing. The properties displayed in the view are the most important properties, which we want to change most often.
For that purpose we do need to enable inline editing in that view. In the ribbon, click Library > Modify View > Inline editing > Allow inline editing.
Modern classic: Document information panel in Word
When we create a new document from the document library, using the New Document button, Word opens with a Document Information Panel at the top. Hhere we can enter the properties straightaway. We already had that in 2007.
New: Backstage view in Word
In 2010, we have a new and improved ‘backstage view’. Here we can not only see the properties of the document, but we can also edit them inline. So we don’t have to go back to the document library to edit the properties, while we are working in Word.
We’ve always had more than one way to perform a task in a team site. That is a good thing, because the user does not always approach from the same angle, with exactly the same purpose. So the user can choose the method that best suits her needs at that time. And now we have some more options that allow us to get the job done more easily.