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Shared Documents Library

• Overview

• Create a New Folder

• Upload a File

• Copy and Paste Files Using the Windows Explorer View

• Create a New Document

• Check Out a File for Editing

• Delete a File

• Create a Custom View

• Create a New Document Library

Overview

The Shared Documents library is where your team can store and share files.

Team members may view files in the Shared Documents library, upload files to the Shared Documents library, create documents directly in the Shared Documents library, or check out files from the Shared Documents library for editing.

IMPORTANT! If you want to edit a file in the Shared Documents library, check it out of the library first. For more information, see Check Out a File for Editing.

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Create a New Folder

To help keep the Shared Documents library organized, your team may want to create folders in it to store related documents. An example of a Shared Documents library with folders is shown below.

To create a new folder in the Shared Documents library:

1. Open the Shared Documents library.
    
2. Click on the New down arrow and select New Folder, as shown circled below. The New Folder: Shared Documents page appears.

3. Enter a name for the folder.
    
4. Click on the OK button. The folder appears.

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Upload a File

To upload a file to the Shared Documents library:

1. Open the Shared Documents library.
    
2. If you want to upload the file to a folder in the Shared Documents library, then open the folder.
    
3. Click on the Upload button. The Upload Document: Shared Documents page appears.
    
4. Click on the Browse button. The Choose file window appears.
    
5. Select the file that you want to upload.
    
6. Click on the Open button.
    
7. Click on the OK button. A copy of the file appears.

Note: To upload multiple files at once, click on the Upload down arrow and select Upload Multiple Documents, as shown circled below.

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Copy and Paste Files Using the Windows Explorer View

To copy and paste files in the Shared Documents library using the Windows Explorer view:

1. Open the Shared Documents library.
    
2. If you want to paste files in a Shared Documents library folder, then open the folder.
    
3. Click on the Actions down arrow and select Open with Windows Explorer, as shown circled below. A new window opens and displays files and folders as icons.

4. Click on the Address down arrow and select the desired location.
    
5. Copy the desired file(s).
    
6. Use the Back button to return to the Shared Documents library.
    
7. Paste the files.
    
8. Close the window.
    
9. At the top of the browser window, click on the Refresh toolbar button. The file appears.

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Create a New Document

To create a new document in the Shared Documents library:

1. Open the Shared Documents library.
    
2. If you want to create a new document in a Shared Documents library folder, then open the folder.
    
3. Click on the New button. A message appears that says, "Some files can harm your computer."
    
4. Click on the OK button. Word opens a new document. When you save the document, it automatically saves in the Shared Documents library (or selected folder).

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Check Out a File for Editing

IMPORTANT! If you want to edit a file in the Shared Documents library, then you should check the file out before making changes to it. When you check out a file, it is not available for others to edit until you have checked it back in and your changes will not be visible to others until you have checked in the file.

To check out and edit a file:

1. Click on the down arrow across from the file name and select Check Out, as shown circled below.

2. Click on the file name. A message appears that says, “Some files can harm your computer."
    
3. Click on the OK button. The file opens in Word (or other program).
    
4. When you are finished editing the document, save and close it. Upon closing, a message appears that asks whether you want to check the document in, keep the document checked out, or discard changes and undo the check out.
    
5. Select the desired option and click on the OK button.

Note: If you select Check In, then the Check In Comments window appears so that you can record comments about your changes. If you don’t want to add comments, then leave this window blank and click on the OK button.

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Delete a File

When you delete a file from the Shared Documents library, it goes to your Recycle Bin, and it stays there until you delete it. (Files in the Recycle Bin that are 30 days old are automatically deleted.)

To delete a file from the Shared Documents library:

1. Click on the down arrow across from the file name and select Delete, as shown circled below. A message appears that says, “Are you sure you want to send this item to the site Recycle Bin?”

2. Click on the OK button. The file moves to the Recycle Bin.
   
   Note: When you open the Recycle Bin, you will only be able to see the files that you deleted.

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Create a Custom View

By default, the Shared Documents library displays the following columns:

• Type
• Name
• Modified
• Modified By

If you want to add additional columns or remove existing columns, then you can create a custom view.

To create a custom view:

1. Click on the View down arrow and select Create View, as shown circled below. The Create View: Shared Documents page appears.

2. Click on Standard View, shown circled below.

3. Enter a name for the view and select the desired columns.
    
4. Click on the OK button. The view appears in the View drop-down list.

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Create a New Document Library

Note: Only site owners and users with Design permission may create new document libraries.

To create a new document library:

1. On the Quick Launch bar, click on View All Site Content.
    
2. Click on the Create button. The Create page appears.
    
3. Click on Document Library, shown circled below. The New page appears.

4. Enter a name and description for the new document library and specify other options.
    
5. Click on the Create button. The library is created and a link to it appears on the Quick Launch bar.

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