SharePoint – Key Concepts
An overview of Sites, Lists, Libraries,
Permissions, and more
Introduction to SharePoint
• Web-based collaboration and document management platform
• Helps teams share, manage, and organize information
• Core elements: Sites, Lists, Libraries, Permissions
Hub Site
• Acts as a central hub for connecting related sites
• Provides unified navigation and branding
• Rolls up content like news, events, and search results
• Best for organization-wide intranet structure
Site
• Container for lists, libraries, and pages
• Two types: Team Site (collaboration), Communication Site (broadcasting)
• Independent unit with own permissions and settings
Sub Site
• Created under another site (parent site)
• Inherits navigation and permissions
• Useful for structured hierarchies (e.g., HR site → Payroll sub-site)
• ⚠️Modern SharePoint recommends Hub Sites instead
Lists
• Store structured data in tabular form
• Similar to Excel but inside SharePoint
• Examples: Employee Directory, Issue Tracking, Task List
• Supports metadata, sorting, filtering, workflows
Libraries
• Special lists for storing files & documents
• Features: version control, check-in/check-out, metadata
• Supports co-authoring with Office apps
• Common types: Document, Picture, Asset libraries
Groups & Permissions
• Groups: Owners (Full Control), Members (Edit), Visitors (Read)
• Custom groups possible
• Permissions define who can view/edit/manage content
• Levels: Full Control, Edit, Contribute, Read, View Only
• Permissions cascade unless inheritance is broken
Columns
• Define fields for data storage in lists/libraries
• Types: Text, Number, Choice, Date/Time, Yes/No
• Advanced types: Person/Group, Lookup, Managed Metadata
• Help in filtering, searching, organizing data
Views
• Control how data is displayed in lists/libraries
• Types: Standard, Grid (Datasheet), Calendar, Gallery
• Apply filters, sorting, grouping, conditional formatting
• Personal or public views available
Forms
• Used to add, edit, and view items in lists
• Auto-generated by SharePoint
• Customizable with Power Apps (modern) or InfoPath (legacy)
• Improves user experience and enforces rules
