Tagging in SharePoint: Managed Metadata vs. Choice Columns
Tagging data in SharePoint is critical, but just relying on Choice columns can create headaches like bad data and constant updates. Managed Metadata solves these problems while offering greater flexibility and control.
Why Choice Columns Can Get Messy
Imagine you want to track which customers bought specific phone brands and models. At first glance, Choice columns seem like a simple way to do this. You’d create one column for brands (like Apple, Samsung) and another for models (like iPhone, Galaxy).
Do you see the problem yet? Choice columns are independent, so users can select mismatched values.
What Makes Managed Metadata Better?
It creates choice "hierarchies" so your users are forced to pick Parent and Child records together:
The final result in your list looks like this:
You no longer have to worry about mismatched data.
Can users create their own "terms"?
Yes! Unlike the choice columns where you have no control, you can let your users choose the values in the Managed Metadata, BUT have stakeholders review the changes before approving them.
How to configure Managed Metadata
Go to Site Settings in SharePoint
Under Site Columns, click Create and name your column—for example, "Brand and Model." and choose Managed Metadata as the column type.
Customize your term set by adding parent terms (like phone brands) and sub-terms (like specific models). For example:
Enable the option to display the full term path (e.g., "Apple > iPhone") for better clarity.
Now, when users add a new item, they’ll see dropdown menus that guide their selections.
The limitations of managed metadata
As good as managed metadata are, they have some minor drawbacks—first they are a little trickier to use with Power Automate. While Choice columns integrate more smoothly, Managed Metadata still works; it just requires a few extra steps. For most, the improved data integrity is worth it.
In addition, they cannot be used to filter the view so we must take it into account if it is one of the requirements we need.
Also they can't be used in Calculated Columns and are absolutely usable in Canvas Apps, but slightly trickier than Choices.
Conclusion
Managed Metadata outperforms Choice columns when it comes to scalability, accuracy, and user control. It keeps your data clean, reduces admin workloads, and gives users the flexibility they need—all while ensuring that your tagging makes sense. While it’s a little less intuitive to use with Power Automate, that small tradeoff is more than worth it for the long-term benefits.
Related Posts
