Metadata Mess: How Disorganized Columns and Content Types Hamper Productivity

If permissions are the number one source of SharePoint frustration, metadata is a close second. It’s the backbone of findability and governance, yet in most environments—whether SharePoint Online or on-premises—it’s inconsistent, misunderstood, or simply ignored.

I’ve walked into environments where some libraries have beautifully designed content types and metadata columns, while others rely entirely on folder sprawl. Users upload documents with no tags at all, or worse, make up their own inconsistent values. Over time, the system that was supposed to make information easier to find becomes a barrier instead.

How Metadata Gets Messy

Across environments, the same patterns keep surfacing:

• Too many custom columns - Well-meaning admins create dozens of one-off columns that overlap or duplicate values.

• No governance for content types - Content types are powerful, but unmanaged ones quickly multiply and lose consistency.

• Reliance on folders instead of metadata - Old habits die hard—users stick with nested folder structures instead of applying metadata filters.

• Incomplete or inconsistent tagging - Without required fields or automation, metadata entry becomes optional and quickly degrades.

• Search that doesn’t deliver - When metadata is inconsistent, SharePoint’s powerful search features—refiners, managed properties, queries—can’t live up to their potential.

  
  

The result? A system that looks structured from the outside, but collapses under pressure when users try to find the information they need.

Best Practices That Work (In Theory)

There’s no shortage of best practices for metadata management, and they apply equally whether you’re running in Microsoft 365 or on-premises:

• Plan content types centrally: Establish reusable, standardized content types for key business documents.

• Limit custom columns: Use global term stores or site columns where possible to prevent duplication.

• Make metadata required—selectively: Strike a balance between enforcing tagging and avoiding user fatigue.

• Educate users: Metadata only works when people know why it matters and how it makes their lives easier.

• Align with search: Ensure that the metadata you capture maps to refiners, filters, and search-driven experiences.

  
  

But here’s the problem: even with strong governance, without the right visibility, administrators and knowledge managers are flying blind.

How the Commander Tool Clears the Clutter

This is where the Commander Tool proves its value. Instead of piecing together reports from different site collections or scripting one-off audits, Commander provides a unified, real-time view of your metadata landscape.

With Commander, you can:

• Instantly see how metadata is applied across libraries, lists, and sites.

• Identify columns and content types that are redundant or unused.

• Highlight libraries relying heavily on folder depth instead of metadata.

• Provide actionable insights to owners on where metadata gaps exist and how to fix them.

  
  

For admins, this means fewer “I can’t find it” help desk calls. For knowledge managers, it means cleaner, more reliable data for search and reporting. And for end users, it means a SharePoint environment that finally delivers on the promise of findability.