Is a list being used as a lookup for some web part in the site collection?

Question

We're cleaning up our MOSS site collection in preparation for the migration to SP2010. As we work on the top root site of our site collection, we realize that some of these lists (often with invalid data) might be used as lookups (or otherwise referenced?) in web parts throughout the site collection.

Is there any way to determine this sort of dependency?

Answer 1

There is no OOTB solution that I know of, but here is a way to get references using PS for one column:

$column = $web.Fields["Column Display Name"]
$column.ListsFieldUsedIn()

Reference: http://sharepoint.licomputersource.com/2010/12/find-what-lists-or-sites-are-using-a-particular-site-column

I tested this myself on a simple Contact->Customer Lists and this worked:

$web = Get-SPWeb http://localhost
$f = $web.Lists["Contact"].Fields["Customer"]
$f.ListsFieldUsedIn()
$web.Dispose()

Another more horrible solution is to look directly in the SQL, this will give you a overview of what Lookps reference, but it would be bad practice do do it this way.