Indexed Column in SharePoint Online List

In this SharePoint Online tutorial, we are going to learn about Indexed Column in SharePoint Online List such as:

• What is an Indexed Column in SharePoint Online List
• Create an Indexed Column in SharePoint Online List
• Delete an Index in SharePoint Online List
• SharePoint Index Column List View Threshold

Also, Read: How to Export SharePoint Online List to Excel

Indexed Column in SharePoint Online List

• An Indexed column is used to enhance the performance of a SharePoint Online List. It is mainly used for sorting, filtering, and searching SharePoint Online Lists.
• Users can create a maximum of 20 indices in a list. Certain indices are created by the system and cannot be deleted. Indexes add overhead to the data so use them only where they make sense to be used.
• In SharePoint Online List, the maximum users can create is 8 Lookup type indexed columns.
• The List View Threshold for SharePoint Online is 5,000 items. We can manually add an index to a SharePoint Online List of any size.
• For example, we have a SharePoint list that contains information about employees in our organization, including their names, department, hire date, and job title. While we filter the entire list and sort all the list items by date, then it will consume more time and result in poor performance, especially when the list contains a large number of items.
• To improve the performance, we can create an index on the Department column and the Hire Date column.

Create an Indexed Column in SharePoint Online List

Here, we will see how to create an indexed column in SharePoint Online List.

There are two kinds of indexed columns we can create as listed below:

1. Simple index:

To build a simple index, choose a column that is not a lookup column under the Primary column for this index. For example, a simple index.

2. Compound index: To create a compound index, select a lookup column as the primary column. Use a different column that is not a Lookup column in the Secondary Column section, under the Secondary column for this index. For Example, a compound index.

Create a Simple Index in SharePoint Online List

• Open a SharePoint Online List. For Example, we have taken ‘MB Calendar’.
• Click on the Settings icon -> Select List settings.

• Settings window opens up go to the bottom of the window.
• Select the Indexed Columns as shown below.

• Indexed Column window opens up -> Click on Create a new index as shown below.

• In the Edit index, two options are there:
  • Primary column: In this, we can select the primary column that is created by the user as per their needs including some of the in-built columns. We use the Lookup column as our primary column when we have to create a compound column index.
  • Secondary column: Secondary column is enabled when we provide a Lookup column in the Primary column. Also, it helps in creating a compound index.

• Now, select a ‘Primary column for this index‘. For Example, we selected Start Date as our primary column -> click on Create as shown below.

• In Indexed Columns, we can see the created single column index (Start Date).

This is how we can create a simple column index in SharePoint Online List.

Check out: How to Copy a SharePoint List

Create Compound Index in SharePoint Online List

• For Example, we have taken the SharePoint Online List (Employee Directory).
• Click on the Settings icon (at the top right corner ) -> Select the List settings.

• In this Settings window, select the Indexed columns as shown below.

• In the Indexed Columns window, click on Create a new index.

• On the Edit index page, there are two options:
  • Primary column for this index: Select a SharePoint column that you want to make a primary column for this index. For Example, I have selected Program Guider (Lookup Data type).
  • Secondary column for this index: Select a SharePoint column that you want to make a secondary column for this index. For Example, I have taken the Program Start Date (Date and time Data type).
• Click on Create button.

• Here, we can see how the compound column index appears as shown below.

This is how we can create the compound column index in SharePoint Online List.

Have a look: SharePoint Online Document Library Permissions [Detailed Tutorial]

Delete an Index in SharePoint Online List

Here, we will see how to delete an existing index in SharePoint Online List.

• For Example, we have taken a SharePoint Online List (MB Calendar).
• Click on the Settings icon (from the top right corner) -> Select List settings.

• In this List Settings window, Click Indexed columns as shown below.

• In this Indexed column page, click on the index ‘Program Guider, Program Start Date’.

• In the Edit index window, click on the ‘Delete’ button -> A dialog box pops up asking ‘Are you sure you want to delete this index’?
• Click on the OK button as shown below.

This is how we can delete an existing index from a SharePoint Online List.

SharePoint Index Column List View Threshold

The list view threshold for SharePoint Online is 5,000 items. The threshold limit (5000 items) can’t be exceeded in SharePoint sites and ensure that performance is unchanged.

If you go over the list threshold limit in SharePoint Online, the message List View Threshold Exceeded appears when you attempt to upload something to SharePoint, and the upload is unsuccessful.

To overcome the 5000 items list view threshold in SharePoint Online, we need to use indexed columns. In the indexed column, we can make 20 indices per SharePoint list.

Additionally, you may like some more SharePoint Online tutorials:

• How to Change SharePoint Online Team Site to Microsoft Teams
• SharePoint Online Site Date Format [With Examples]
• SharePoint Online List Title Column [Detailed Guide]
• How to Delete a Column in SharePoint Online List
• SharePoint Online List Templates [With Real Examples]

Conclusion

From this SharePoint Online tutorial, we have learned about the indexed columns in the SharePoint Online List. Such as:

• What is an Indexed Column in SharePoint Online List
• Create an Indexed Column in SharePoint Online List
• Delete an Index in SharePoint Online List
• SharePoint Index Column List View Threshold