Now that metadata has been reviewed in detail, the initially confusing concept of content types should make more sense. Just as site columns were accessed from the Site Settings page, Site Column link, Content Types are accessed from the Site Content Types link. Each content type can contain the following settings and components:
• Name, description, and group.
• Advanced settings, including the URL of an existing document template or a new document template that can be uploaded. The option to set the content type as read only is provided, and the option to update all content types inheriting from this content type is provided.
• Workflow settings allow the addition of a workflow to the content type. Workflows available in SharePoint Server 2010 will be affected by site collection features enabled, but can include Disposition Approval, Three-State, Approval, Collect Signatures, Publishing Approval, and Collect Feedback.
• Document Information panel settings. These setting allow the administrator to use the existing template, point to an existing .xsn template to use (which can be created in InfoPath), or upload a new .xsn template. In addition, the Document Information panel can be set to always show on document open and initial save.
• Information management policy settings provide options including the following: policy statement that displays when the item is opened, enabling retention and definition of retention stage, enabling auditing of interactions between end users and the documents, enabling barcodes, and enabling labels.
• Columns can be added from existing site columns, or created for the content type.
• When creating a new content type, a parent content type can be defined to which additions or changes are made.
As with site columns, there are a large number of content types already in place to include the following groupings:
• Business Intelligence
• Content Organizer Content Types
• Digital Asset Content Types
• Document Content Types
• Folder Content Types
• Group Work Content Types
• List Content Types
• Page Layout Content Types
• Publishing Content Types
• Report Server Content Types
• Special Content Types
This list may vary based on the version of SharePoint 2010 in place and the site collection features enabled.
These content types can be associated with lists or libraries, and when this has taken place the content type will be available for selection from the New menu. If a content type is added after content already exists in the list or library, it can then be assigned to items.
Follow these steps to add the site column created in the previous section to an existing content type:
Company ABC Task
), select List Content Types from the Select Parent Content Type drop-down, and select Task from the Parent Content Type drop-down menu.Figure 22.21. Creating a new content type based on a parent content type.
Figure 22.22. New Content Type Management page showing added site column.
New Tasks List
.Task Testing New Content Type
and scroll down to the Project Name field and verify that the expected choices from the site column are shown (in this example, Project ABC, Project DEF, and Project GHI), as shown in Figure 22.23. Select one of these values and click OK.
Figure 22.23. Adding a new item to a Tasks list that uses the new content type.