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I am working with a third-party solution for SharePoint that has some limitations I am trying to work around.

We are using a SharePoint library as a repository for XML objects, and this third-party solution has a mechanism for adding metadata from SharePoint columns into the XML files. In order for this mechanism to work, the desired column must be added to a content type.

I would like to do this with the default Created column, but I do not see a way to add this column to a content type, since it is just there by default.

I tried using a calculated column to store the created date/time, but the vendor has informed me that that is not supported, unfortunately. So that adds a level of difficulty.

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  • Every item in SharePoint already has the "Created" column. Why do you want to add it again? It's already there.
    – teylyn
    Commented Jan 31, 2013 at 20:43
  • It needs to be added to the content type so this third-party tool can access the information and embed it in the XML files stored in the library. Essentially, I need the created date to travel with the XML file when it is not physically in the library anymore. This tool cannot access the Created column directly, and I cannot use a calculated column. If there is another way to get the data captured by the Created column into a column I can add to a content type, I'm all ears.
    – Chad Dybdahl
    Commented Jan 31, 2013 at 22:42

2 Answers 2

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Add a date/time column to the content type and then create a workflow that populates the column with the Created value. Then run the workflow on all items in the library. You can set the workflow to start automatically when an item is changed, then open the data sheet view, and make changes to all items at once (for example by selecting all rows in a text column, copy and paste it again into the same column. That will trigger the workflow).

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  • Brilliant. This worked for me. It's kind of a hack, but one made necessary by the way SharePoint handles standard columns. Thank you!
    – Chad Dybdahl
    Commented Feb 1, 2013 at 17:31
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This stumped me as I thought all Content Types from Item onwards had the Created and Modified fields.

However, after a bit of research it seems that any list items which inherit from System->Item content types dont have the Created or Modified Field.

The Created and Modified fields are available with the Document Content Type.

So how about storing your XML in a Document Library as a Content Type based from a Document Content Type. Any content types that inherit from Document have the Created / Modified fields.

Hopefully now the 3rd Party solution will be able to see the fields.

HTH

Regards

Simon

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  • The library is unfortunately not negotiable. Part of the third-party product is a custom library template that cannot be changed easily and without migrating a ton of content.
    – Chad Dybdahl
    Commented Feb 1, 2013 at 17:47

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