Information types and options

The following types of information are available, with options for each type as shown:

Single line of text

Use this information type when you want team members to enter just a few words.

Description: Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.
Required: If you want to require team members to enter information in this column, click Yes.
Maximum number of characters: Type a number to limit the number of characters team members can type.
Default value: If you want new items to display information in this column automatically, type that information here. Team members can change this value if they want to.
Default view option: If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.

Multiple lines of text

Use this information type when you want team members to type a sentence or more.

Description: Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.
Required: If you want to require team members to enter information in this column, click Yes.
Number of Lines to Display: Type a number to limit the number of lines team members can type in this column.
Default view option: If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.

Number

Use this information type when you want team members to type a numerical value.

Description: Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.
Required: If you want to require team members to enter information in this column, click Yes.
Minimum and maximum values: If you want team members to enter values within a certain range, type a value for the lower limit in the Min box and a value for the upper limit in the Max box.
Number of decimal places: Select the number of decimal places to enable team members to enter decimal values in tenths, hundredths, and so on.
Default value: If you want new items to display information in this column automatically, type that information here. Team members can change this value if they want to.
Percentage option: If you want the number to represent a percentage, select this check box.
Default view option: If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.

Currency

Use this information type when you want team members to type a monetary value.

Description: Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.
Required: If you want to require team members to enter information in this column, click Yes.
Minimum and maximum values: If you want team members to enter values within a certain range, type a value for the lower limit in the Min box and a value for the upper limit in the Max box.
Number of decimal places: Select the number of decimal places to enable team members to enter decimal values in tenths, hundredths, and so on.
Default value: If you want new items to display information in this column automatically, type that information here. Team members can change this value if they want to.
Currency format: Select a currency based on geographic region.
Default view option: If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.

Date and Time

Use this information type when you want to store calendar or time-of-day information.

Description

Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.

Required

If you want to require team members to enter information in this column, click Yes.

Date format

Select whether you want to display the date or the date and time of day.

Default value

If you want new items to display a date and time, do one of the following:

To display date and time that an item is created, click Today's Date.
To display a custom date and time, click the calendar and select a date, and then select a time in the hour and minutes boxes.

Team members can change this value if they want to.

Default view option

If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.

Lookup

Use this information type when you want to make it easy to select information that's already stored in your SharePoint team Web site.

Description: Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.
Get information from: Select a list, document library, discussion board, or survey from your team Web site.
In this column: Select the column that stores the information you want team members to be able to select.
Default view option: If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.

Choice

Use this information type when you want team members to choose from a set of selections that you provide.

Description: Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.
List of choices: In the Enter each choice on a separate line box, replace the sample text with the selections you want team members to choose from. Type each selection on a separate line. To start a new line, press ENTER.
Display options: If you want the selections displayed in an expanding box, click Drop-Down Menu. If you want the selections displayed in a list, click Radio Buttons.
Default value: New items will automatically display the selection you typed first in the List of choices. If you want to use another selection as the default, copy and paste that selection here. Team members can change this value if they want to.
Default view option: If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.

Yes/No

Use this information type when you want to store true/false information. To indicate a value of "yes," team members select the check box; to indicate a value of "no," team members clear the check box.

Description: Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.
Default value: If you want new items to display a value in this column automatically, click Yes or No here. Team members can change this value if they want to.
Default view option: If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.

Hyperlink or Picture

Use this information type when you want to display a hyperlink to a Web page or display an image from the Web.

Description: Type a description of the information you want in this column. When team members fill out a form to add items to a list, column descriptions are displayed below the data entry fields.
Required: If you want to require team members to enter information in this column, click Yes.
URL format: If you want the hyperlink to be text, click Hyperlink. If you want the hyperlink to display an image, click Picture. To display a picture, team members enter a Web address that is the URL of an image, such as http://example.microsoft.com/image.gif.
Default view option: If you want this column to appear in the default view of this list, document library, or discussion board, select this check box.