SharePoint Document Library File Management

SharePoint content is organized into Document Libraries. Libraries are analogous to file shares on a network drive. 

Existing documents residing on a file share or on your computer can be uploaded into a SharePoint Document Library. Note that uploading files does not remove them from their location on the file share or your computer. The upload simply makes a copy of the file in the Document Library. There are two methods to upload files.

Drag and Drop

The easiest way to upload files to SharePoint is the drag and drop method.

1. Navigate to the document library where you want to upload your document(s).
2. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to the location where your document(s) currently reside.
3. Select one or more documents in Windows Explorer and then drag them over the Document Library in the browser.

Upload Menu

The Upload link on the Document Library toolbar gives you the ability to navigate from the browser to the location of your documents. You can upload individual documents or an entire folder from a file share or your own computer.

1. Click the Upload button on the toolbar and then click the Files link from the drop-down menu.
2. A file explorer window will open. Navigate to the location of your document(s), select one or more files, and then click the Open button.
3. The files will be copied into the Document Library

Upload Folders

1. Click the Upload button on the toolbar and then click Folder from the drop-down menu.
2. A file explorer window will open. Navigate to the location of your folder, select the folder to be uploaded, and then click the Upload button.
   1. Note that only one folder can be uploaded at a time

3. A confirmation box will be displayed asking if you want to upload all the files contained within the selected folder. Click the Upload button to proceed with the copy.

4. The folder and all of its contents will be copied into the Document Library

Moving Files or Folders Between Document Libraries

If you need to reorganize your SharePoint content, it’s possible to move files or folders from one Document Library to another. Content can also be moved to a Document Library on a different site. Note that you must have access to the target Document Library in order to move content into that library.

1. Navigate to the source Document Library containing the content you want to move.
2. Hover over the file or folder, and then click on the … link next to the file name.

3. In the drop-down menu, click the Move to link.
4. In the Move dialog window, click the Library button next to the current Document Library name, and then select the Document Library where you want to move the content from the drop-down menu, and then click the Move here button.

5. To move the content to another site, locate the destination site name from the list on the left side of the window. If the site isn’t listed, click the More places… link at the bottom of the list.
6. The right side of the window will update to display the Document Libraries on the selected site where you have permissions to move the content. Click the target Document Library in the list and then click the Move here button.

Removing Files or Folders from a Document Library

Any user with Member permissions can delete content from a document library. To delete content, hover over the document or folder and then click the checkbox to the left of the file name. You can select multiple documents or folders in the library. On the toolbar click the Delete button.

 The content will be removed from the Document Library to the Recycle Bin.