Build A SharePoint 2013 Glossary: Your Ultimate Guide

Hey guys! Ready to dive into something super useful for your SharePoint 2013 site? We're talking about creating a glossary in SharePoint 2013. It's a fantastic way to keep everyone on the same page, especially when you're dealing with industry jargon, company-specific terms, or just a bunch of words that can be confusing. A well-crafted glossary boosts clarity, reduces misunderstandings, and makes your SharePoint site a more user-friendly place. In this guide, we'll walk you through the entire process, step-by-step, making it super easy to build and manage your own glossary. Let's get started!

Why Create a Glossary in SharePoint 2013?

So, why bother with creating a glossary in SharePoint 2013? Well, there are some really compelling reasons. Imagine you're onboarding new employees, or maybe you're working on a project with a lot of technical terms. Without a glossary, people spend a lot of time looking up definitions, asking questions, or, even worse, making assumptions that lead to errors. A glossary solves these problems and more. Firstly, it provides a centralized location for all the key terms and their meanings. Secondly, it ensures consistency across all your documents and communications. Everyone uses the same definitions, reducing the chances of miscommunication. Thirdly, it saves time. Users can quickly find the meaning of a term without having to search through multiple documents or consult subject matter experts. Fourthly, a glossary enhances the overall user experience of your SharePoint site. It makes your site more accessible and easier to navigate, which leads to increased user satisfaction. Fifthly, it supports knowledge management. A glossary helps capture and preserve organizational knowledge, especially regarding unique terms. Finally, a glossary can be beneficial if your organization must comply with certain legal or industry-specific regulations. These regulations might require specific definitions of terms, and a glossary will help with compliance.

Moreover, a glossary isn't just a list of words and their meanings. It can be a living, breathing resource. You can update it as your needs change, add new terms, and even link to related content on your SharePoint site. This makes it a dynamic tool that evolves with your organization. This is especially true for SharePoint 2013, which offers the flexibility and customization you need to create a glossary that works for you. By implementing a glossary, your company can achieve better communication, promote a collaborative environment and allow individuals to be more efficient when interacting with each other. A glossary promotes knowledge management and ultimately leads to better business outcomes, so it's a win-win for everyone involved!

Planning Your SharePoint 2013 Glossary

Before you jump into creating a glossary in SharePoint 2013, take some time to plan. It's like building a house – you need a solid foundation and a clear blueprint. First, identify your audience. Who will be using the glossary? What terms will they need to understand? Consider their level of expertise and tailor your glossary accordingly. Second, determine the scope of your glossary. What terms will you include? Focus on key terms that are essential for understanding your content or project. Don't try to include everything at once; start with the most important terms and expand over time. Third, decide on the structure of your glossary. Will you use an alphabetical list, or will you group terms by category? Consider what will be most helpful for your users. Fourth, choose a location for your glossary. Where will it live on your SharePoint site? Make sure it's easily accessible and easy to find. Typically, a dedicated list or library works best. Fifth, think about the information you'll need for each term. At a minimum, you'll need the term itself and its definition. You might also want to include synonyms, related terms, examples, and links to other resources. Sixth, plan for governance. Who will be responsible for creating, updating, and maintaining the glossary? Establish a clear process for adding new terms and reviewing existing ones. Seventh, consider how you will categorize your terms, and think about the best way to do so for your business needs. You can categorize by business function, by topic, or any other appropriate method. Having a good structure will make your glossary much more usable. Lastly, once you've made these decisions, document your plan. This will serve as a guide as you build your glossary, and it will help ensure that it meets your needs. By planning carefully, you'll be well on your way to creating a glossary that’s useful and effective for everyone.

Creating the Glossary List in SharePoint 2013

Alright, let’s get down to brass tacks: creating a glossary in SharePoint 2013. We'll walk you through creating the actual list where your glossary terms will reside. Go to your SharePoint site and navigate to the location where you want your glossary to live (e.g., a specific subsite or the root site). Once there, click on the Settings gear icon (usually located in the top-right corner) and select Add an app. This opens the