A SharePoint site is a website that contains pages, data lists, and various types of files. There are several types of SharePoint sites:
- Team Sites: Designed to facilitate collaboration among team members both inside and outside an organization. Team sites come equipped with a shared calendar, task list, and Microsoft 365 Group.
- Communication Sites: These are typically used to broadcast information to a wide audience. They are ideal for sharing news, reports, and other information in a visually compelling format.
- Hub Sites: Hub sites are essentially an aggregation point where you can bring together related sites to roll-up news and content.
Here’s a brief table with a comparison:
SharePoint Site Type | Ideal Use |
---|---|
Team Sites | Collaboration among team members |
Communication Sites | Distribute news, reports, and other information |
Hub Sites | Aggregate related sites for consolidated news and content |
2. SharePoint Site Collections
In SharePoint, a site collection is a top-level site that contains subsites. Every site collection contains a top-level site, and can also contain one or more subsites. These subsites can have unique permissions, and can be structured to have different settings and content than the rest of the sites in the collection.
3. SharePoint Lists
A list in SharePoint is a collection of data where you can share information with your team members. For instance, you could create a sign-up sheet for an event, a task list for a project, or a list of items your team needs from a hardware store.
You can add columns of data to a list, and SharePoint lets you choose from a variety of types, including a single line of text, a drop-down list of options, a number that is calculated from other columns, etc.
In conclusion, SharePoint sites (be it team site, communication site, or hub site), site collections, and lists are critical aspects of SharePoint that you must grasp for your MS-100 Microsoft 365 Identity and Services exam. They form the structure and content hierarchy for data and information sharing in SharePoint, which is a major part of Microsoft 365 services.
Practice Test
True/False: SharePoint sites, site collections, and lists are components of Microsoft 365’s content management system.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: SharePoint is part of Microsoft 365’s productivity suite and it allows for the creation and management of sites, site collections, and lists to organize and share information.
Single select: Which of the following is NOT a type of SharePoint site?
- a) Team sites
- b) Communication sites
- c) Publishing sites
- d) Data sites
Answer: d) Data sites
Explanation: SharePoint supports team sites, communication sites, and publishing sites but there is no specific type known as “data sites”.
True/False: A SharePoint site can exist without being part of a site collection.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Every SharePoint site sits within a site collection, which is essentially a container that houses multiple related sites grouped together.
Multiple select: Which of the following describes a SharePoint list?
- a) Default storage for all contents
- b) A collection of items or files
- c) Different rows can have different sets of columns
- d) Can trigger workflows
Answer: b) A collection of items or files, d) Can trigger workflows
Explanation: SharePoint lists store data as a collection of items or files and can be used to trigger workflows. It does not function as a default storage or allow for differing sets of columns between rows.
Single select: Which SharePoint site type is designed for broad communication, reaching out to a larger audience?
- a) Team sites
- b) Communication sites
- c) Publishing sites
Answer: b) Communication sites
Explanation: Communication sites in SharePoint are designed for broad communications, targeted at reaching larger audiences inside an organization.
True/False: SharePoint list data is only text-based.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: SharePoint list data can include various types of data, such as text, number, choice, person or group, date and time, and even hyperlinks.
Single select: What is the main purpose of a SharePoint site collection?
- a) To create a hierarchy of subsites
- b) To store individual files
- c) To manage permissions
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Explanation: A SharePoint site collection allows creating hierarchies of subsites, manage permissions, and stores files in document libraries.
True/False: SharePoint publishing sites are primarily used for creating public websites.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: SharePoint’s publishing sites are essentially designed for creating public-facing websites or intranet websites, where publishing features enable you to create engaging web and mobile experiences.
Multiple select: Which are the non-removable default lists in a SharePoint site?
- a) Announcements
- b) Tasks
- c) Calendar
- d) Site Assets
Answer: a) Announcements, d) Site Assets
Explanation: By default, a SharePoint site includes, and you can’t remove, a few default lists such as Announcements and Site Assets.
True/False: A SharePoint site collection is a group of SharePoint sites and subsites.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: A SharePoint site collection is a hierarchical set of sites and subsites connected by the same root.
Single select: Which SharePoint site type is most suitable for smaller-sized teams to collaborate on?
- a) Team sites
- b) Communication sites
- c) Publishing sites
Answer: a) Team sites
Explanation: Team sites in SharePoint are designed for smaller-sized teams to collaborate on projects with shared resources.
Interview Questions
What is a SharePoint site type?
A SharePoint site type can be a team site, a communication site, or a hub site within SharePoint Online. The functionality of these sites naturally leads to use in specific scenarios: team sites for collaboration, communication sites for company-wide announcements, and hub sites to link related sites to a top-level site.
What is the primary use of SharePoint Site Collections?
SharePoint Site Collections allow administrators to manage a group of SharePoint Sites. They provide a hierarchical structure for organizing SharePoint sites, with each site collection containing a top-level website and any number of sub-sites organized below it.
What is the purpose of SharePoint lists?
SharePoint lists are collections of documents, items, or information that can be used and shared with team members. They can store data including text, number, choice, currency, date and time, lookup, Yes/No, and calculated fields. Lists are used for tasks, events, contacts, and more.
What does a Team Site typically include in SharePoint Online?
A Team Site in SharePoint Online typically includes a document library, a news feature, a page library to store and manage pages, and quick links for navigating through the site. It is primarily intended for collaboration within a group or team.
What is the role of a SharePoint Hub Site?
A SharePoint Hub Site in Microsoft 365 provides an organizational structure for your intranet. It allows you to associate multiple team sites and communication sites to roll up news and activities, apply a common navigational structure, and apply a common look and feel across associated sites.
How does the SharePoint Communication Site differ from the Team Site?
Unlike Team Sites that are designed for collaboration within a small group, Communication Sites are designed for a broader audience where information needs to be shared across an entire organization. These sites often include news posts, events, and other kinds of information.
What happen if you delete a SharePoint site collection?
If you delete a SharePoint site collection, all sites beneath it in the site hierarchy are deleted as well. Besides, all data stored within the site including lists, libraries, and content is lost.
What is a SharePoint Document Library?
A SharePoint Document Library is a location on a site where you can create, collect, update, and manage files with team members. Each library displays a list of files, and key information about the files, which helps to use files in the library efficiently.
What types of files can you upload into a SharePoint list?
You can upload almost any type of file, including documents, worksheets, and presentations, into a SharePoint list. However, there might be restrictions set on the server as to the types or sizes of files that can be uploaded.
How many root sites or Hub sites can we have per SharePoint Online in Office 365?
As per Microsoft’s documentation, you can create up to 2,000 Hub Sites per SharePoint Online tenant in Office 365. Each tenant can also have numerous root sites.
Can a SharePoint list be restored after being deleted?
Yes, SharePoint lists can be restored from the recycle bin within 93 days of deletion. After 93 days, lists are permanently deleted.
What is the maximum number of items each SharePoint list can contain?
As per Microsoft, each SharePoint list can contain up to 30 million items.
Can a SharePoint Communication Site be converted into a Team Site?
No. A SharePoint Communication Site cannot be directly converted into a Team Site as they are designed with different purposes and have different layout and features.
Can we have subsites within a SharePoint Hub Site?
Yes, a SharePoint Hub Site can have subsites. However, the sites connected to a Hub Site are not considered subsites, they are associated sites.
What is the primary advantage of using SharePoint lists over Excel worksheets for storing data?
One primary advantage of using SharePoint lists over Excel worksheets is that data from SharePoint lists can be accessed more easily by multiple people in real-time over the internet. SharePoint lists also offer better integration with other Microsoft 365 applications.