What is a SharePoint Online List? [Complete Guide]

This SharePoint Online tutorial explains everything related to the SharePoint Online list, like what is a list in SharePoint Online, the difference between SharePoint List and SharePoint Library, and where can SharePoint lists be created.

Also, we will learn how to create a simple SharePoint list, how to create a custom SharePoint Online list, how to create a list in Microsoft Teams, and many more:

• Create Custom fields or metadata in the SharePoint Online List
• SharePoint Online List Settings
  • Change the Name, Description, and Navigation of a SharePoint Online List
• SharePoint Online List Other Settings
  • SharePoint Online List Versioning settings
  • Advanced settings
  • Validation settings
  • Audience targeting settings
  • Form settings
• Delete a SharePoint Online List
• Restoring Deleted SharePoint List items
• Benefits of SharePoint Online List
• Limitations of SharePoint Online List

What is a List in SharePoint Online?

A SharePoint Online List is a collection of data that provides a way to organize information in rows and columns, similar to a table in a database or an Excel spreadsheet. Each row in the list represents an item, and the columns represent different properties or fields of that item.

Within a SharePoint site, users may create, modify, and manage lists that act like organized stores for various types of information.

There are many different templates available in SharePoint for building different types of lists, including:

1. Issue Tracker
2. Employee Onboarding
3. Event Itinerary
4. Asset manager
5. Recruitment Tracker
6. Travel Request
7. Work progress tracker
8. Content scheduler
9. Playlist
10. Gift ideas
11. Expense tracker
12. Recipe Tracker

You may also start from scratch and create a customized list if you require a different template.

SharePoint Lists vs. SharePoint Libraries

The table below represents all the main differences between SharePoint Lists and SharePoint Libraries.

Feature	SharePoint Online Lists	SharePoint Online Libraries
Purpose	Manage structured data like a database table	Manage files and documents
Stored Items	Items with columns of data (e.g., tasks, contacts)	Files (e.g., Word, Excel, PDF) with associated metadata
View	List view (rows and columns)	File view with optional thumbnail previews
Default App	Custom List	Document Library
Templates	Various list templates (tasks, calendar, etc.)	Centered around file types (e.g., Picture Library)
Versioning	Supported (mainly for the list data)	More advanced, allowing for versioning of documents
Check-in/Check-out	Not supported	Supported; useful for managing document edits
Content Approval	Supported	Supported
Integration with Office	Limited	Deep integration. Open/edit files directly in Office apps
Metadata	Columns in the list	Document properties and columns
Attachments	Supported. Each list item can have attachments	Not needed as the main content is files/documents themselves
Folders	Supported, but not as commonly used	Supported and commonly used for organization
File Storage	Not intended for file storage	Primarily for storing and managing files
Permissions	Item-level permissions are possible	Both item-level (file) and folder-level permissions
Workflow	Supported, can trigger on the list item changes	Not needed as the main content is files/documents themselves
Alerts	Supported. Users can be alerted on changes	Supported. Users can be alerted on changes

These are all about SharePoint Lists vs. SharePoint Libraries.

Where can SharePoint lists be created?

In Microsoft 365, you can create a list in three ways. Such as:

Ways	Description
Microsoft 365 Lists App	We can rapidly create a list from scratch using the Lists app in Microsoft 365 or get ideas from pre-made templates.
Microsoft SharePoint	In a SharePoint site, create a list. Lists are not automatically created when you build a site, unlike SharePoint document libraries. Wherever is necessary, you can add them.
Microsoft Teams	Microsoft Teams now allows us to build a list in SharePoint online.

The above table specifies all three ways to create a List in Microsoft 365.

Creating a Simple SharePoint List

Now, we will see how to create a simple Microsoft lists. Follow the instructions below:

• Sign in to Microsoft 365 with your valid credentials.
• Go to the Microsoft 365 App Launcher [from the left top bar].
• Click on Explore all your Apps -> Click on All apps -> Select Lists as shown below.

• Click the Skip button in the next window [Welcome to Lists].
• Click on the + New list button to create a new Microsoft list.

• There are several distinct predefined standard templates on this page. Click on the template to start a new list if it suits your needs. Otherwise, select the Blank list option to start fresh with a unique list.
• Here, I have chosen a template named Employee onboarding. Next, click on the Use template button to use it.

• Additionally, you can provide the list Description, Choose a color, and icon for the SharePoint list. Also, specify the Save to option. Finally, click on Create.

• Now, the Microsoft SharePoint list is ready to use. To add a new item to the list, click the + New tab, enter the field details, and Save it.

This is how we can create a Simple SharePoint List in Microsoft 365.

Creating a Custom SharePoint Online List

Let’s discuss creating a custom SharePoint Online list on the SharePoint site.

• First, go to your SharePoint site where you want to create a SharePoint Online list.
• Click on the Gear or Settings icon from the top right corner of the site.
• Select Site contents.

• Expand + New tab -> Click on List on the Site content page.

• To create a custom SharePoint list from scratch, click on the Blank list as shown below.

• Provide a Name and Description for the SharePoint list.
• Check if you want to show the list in the Site navigation.
• Click on Create.

• The SharePoint Online list has been created and is ready to use.
• To add a new item to the list, click the + New button and enter the field details. Then click on Save.

This is how we can create a custom SharePoint Online List.

Create a List in Microsoft Teams

To create a list in Microsoft Teams, follow the steps below:

• Open Microsoft Teams -> Go to Teams [from left nav] -> Click on the + icon to add a new tab.

• Search Lists in the search bar and select Lists app.
• Click on Save.

• Then, we need to choose from the below options:

1. Create a list: If you want to create a new one, click this option.
2. Add an existing list: If you want to add an existing list to the tab, click this option.

• The screen below will appear once you click the Create a list option. Select any template or a blank list to create the list from scratch.
• I have selected a prebuilt template named Event itinerary.

• Then, the list will look like the below image. Click on the Use template button.
• You may also give the list a new name and a description. Additionally, pick a color and icon. Select Create.

• Now, the list will be ready to use. To add a new item to the list, click the + New button.

This is how to create a list in Microsoft Teams.

Create Custom fields or metadata in the SharePoint Online List

To create custom fields or metadata in the SharePoint Online List, follow the things below:

Creating a custom column in the SharePoint Online list is very easy. We can create a custom or metadata field in the same SharePoint list without navigating to other pages.

• To do so, go to the SharePoint list -> Click on + Add column -> Select a data type (Text/Choice/Date and time, etc.) -> Click on Next.

• In the Create column pane, we can provide the details:
  • Name
  • Description
  • Type
  • Choices

The custom field will be ready once you save the column to the SharePoint list.

This is how to create custom fields or metadata in the SharePoint Online List.

SharePoint Online List Settings

Here, we will see some settings options for the SharePoint Online list like:

• Change the SharePoint List Name
• Change the SharePoint List Description
• SharePoint Online List Navigation

Change the Name, Description, and Navigation of a SharePoint Online List

To change the name, description, and navigation of a SharePoint Online list, you need to follow the below steps:

• In the SharePoint list, go to the Gear or Settings icon [from the top right corner] -> Click on the List settings.

• Select List name, description, and navigation under the General Settings.

• Rename the list name and modify the description for the SharePoint list.
• Also, if you do not want to display the list on the quick launch, then choose No.
• Click on Save.

• Now go back to the SharePoint list; the name has been changed. Also, the list will disappear from the SharePoint site navigation.

This way, we can change the SharePoint List name, description, and navigation.

SharePoint Online List Other Settings

Next, we will explore some other SharePoint Online list settings like:

1. Versioning settings
2. Advanced settings
3. Validation settings
4. Audience targeting settings
5. Form settings

Versioning settings

• Organizations can keep track of changes made to list items using the SharePoint Online List Versioning Settings.
• This feature is quite helpful for keeping track of changes, figuring out who made changes, and knowing when those changes were done.
• Versioning also allows restoring a previous version of a list item if necessary.

Advanced settings

• On this list, you may select advanced options like enabling attachments, starting forms in dialogue, allowing users to read or change specific items, and more.
• It also allows the administration of content types is another option.

Validation settings

• Users can create unique validation rules for data entry in a SharePoint list by using the list validation settings in SharePoint Online, which helps to ensure that the data satisfies the required standards.

Audience targeting settings

• Audience targeting settings in SharePoint Online enable filtering lists or library content based on predefined user groups so that specific items are displayed only to particular audiences.

Form settings

• SharePoint Online List Form settings allow users to customize the form used for creating, editing, and viewing items in a SharePoint list.

Delete a SharePoint Online List

Now, we will discuss how to delete a SharePoint Online List. Refer to the steps below:

• Go to your specific SharePoint list -> Click on Gear or Settings icon [from top right corner] -> List settings.
• Click on Delete this list under the Permission and Management section, as shown in the image below.

• Then, click on OK to send the particular list to the site Recycle Bin. The SharePoint list has been deleted from the Site content.

This is how to delete a list in SharePoint Online.

Restoring Deleted SharePoint List items

• You can restore any item you delete from a SharePoint list to avoid permanently deleting it.
• The items that have already been deleted are sent to the SharePoint site recycling bin for a specific period (often 93 days) before they are permanently erased.

To restore the deleted SharePoint list items, follow the steps below:

• On the specific SharePoint site, go to the Gear or Settings icon [from the top right corner] -> Select Site contents.
• Click on the Recycle bin from the top right bar,

• Select the SharePoint list of items you want to restore on the Recycle bin page and then click the Restore option.

• Then, return to the SharePoint list, and you will see the restored deleted items, as in the screenshot below.

In this way, we can restore deleted SharePoint list items.

Benefits of SharePoint Online List

Refer to the table below to know all the benefits of SharePoint Online List:

Benefit	Description
Storage	Multiple users can access, view, and modify data in real time, facilitating seamless collaboration across departments or teams.
Easy Collaboration	SharePoint Online offers version history, allowing you to see who made changes, what changes were, and when. This makes it easy to revert to a previous version if necessary.
Customizable Fields	SharePoint Lists allow you to create custom columns, making it flexible to cater to unique organizational needs.
Version Control	Built-in filtering, sorting, and searching features make finding the information you need easy.
Security	Access permissions can be set at different levels, including the list, item, or field level. This ensures that only authorized users can view or modify data.
Integration with Microsoft Tools	SharePoint Lists easily integrate with other Microsoft Office tools like Excel, Power BI, and Power Automate for analytics, reporting, and automation.
Filtering and Sorting	Workflows can be easily created to automate processes such as approvals, notifications, and data manipulation.
Scalability	SharePoint Lists can handle large amounts of data and can be scaled up as organizational needs grow.
Workflow Automation	Workflows can be easily created to automate approvals, notifications, and data manipulation processes.
Mobile Access	SharePoint Online is accessible via mobile devices, making it easy for team members to access data and collaborate while on the go.
Rich Media Support	Not just text, you can also include rich media like images, hyperlinks, and attachments.
Audit Trail	Logging and tracking capabilities provide an audit trail for compliance and governance needs.
Extensibility	SharePoint Lists can be extended using SharePoint Framework, third-party add-ons, or custom development for additional features and functionalities.

These are all about the SharePoint Online list benefits.

Limitations of SharePoint Online List

While SharePoint Online Lists have many advantages, they also have limitations. Refer to the table below:

Limitation	Explanation
List Size Limit	SharePoint Online has a limit on the number of items that can be stored in a single list (e.g., up to 5,000 items view limit for optimal performance).
Complexity	While customizable, SharePoint Lists can become complex and difficult to manage if not set up properly.
Learning Curve	SharePoint, in general, has a steep learning curve, and Lists are no exception. Users might require training.
Licensing Costs	SharePoint Online is not free and comes with subscription costs, which could be a factor for small organizations.
Customization Limitations	While flexible, there are limits to what can be customized without involving more advanced solutions like SharePoint Framework.
Limited Offline Access	SharePoint Online primarily works over the cloud, which means limited access when offline.
Performance Issues	With extensive customization or large volumes of data, you might experience performance issues.
Security Risks	Incorrectly configured permissions can lead to unauthorized access.
Dependency on Internet	Being a cloud-based service, access to your SharePoint Lists depends on internet connectivity.
Browser Compatibility	Some features may not work optimally on all web browsers.
Limited Mobile Experience	While accessible, the mobile experience might not be as comprehensive as the desktop version.
API Limitations	There are some API limitations when it comes to integration with external systems.

These are all the limitations of the SharePoint Online List.

Conclusion

In this SharePoint Online tutorial, we learned everything there is to know about lists in SharePoint Online, including what a list is in SharePoint Online, how lists differ from libraries, and where lists may be created.

We also covered how to establish a basic SharePoint list and a custom SharePoint Online list and how to create a list in Microsoft Teams, among other topics:

• How to create custom fields or metadata in SharePoint Online List
• SharePoint Online List Settings
  • Change the Name, Description, and Navigation of a SharePoint Online List
• SharePoint Online List Other Settings
  • SharePoint Online List Versioning settings
  • Advanced settings
  • Validation settings
  • Audience targeting settings
  • Form settings
• How to delete a SharePoint Online List
• Restore Deleted SharePoint List items
• What are the benefits of the SharePoint Online List?
• Limitations of SharePoint Online List

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