How to Create a Site Column in SharePoint 2010

This article describes how to create a site column in SharePoint 2010 by using SharePoint UI, Programmatically, PowerShell and SharePoint Designer. By this, you can choose your own choice to create a Site Column in your environment.

Site column

SharePoint 2010 has a site column entity that allows you to reuse columns across multiple lists.  If you create a new column in custom List, you can use the column in that list alone. Suppose if you create a site column you can use the column in any list or library within your Team Site

1. Create Site Column in SharePoint UI

2. Programmatically create Site column

3. Create Site Column by PowerShell

4. Create Site Column by SharePoint Designer

To create a new site column in a list or library

Step 1:-

Choose Site Actions

Step 2:-

Click Site Settings from Site Actions from Top Level Site

Step 3:-

Click the Site Columns from Galleries

Step 4:-

Click the Create link to create a new column.

Step 5:-

Enter the name for your site column in Column Name field.

Step 6:-

Select the column type by clicking the radio button.

Step 7:

Then Select Custom Column from Existing groups dropdown. This site column must be a member of this group.

Step 8:-

Click OK button. Your site column will be listed in site columns.

Programmatically create Site Column in SharePoint

Adding a New Site Column in SharePoint Site

 SPSecurity.RunWithElevatedPrivileges(delegate()
            {
                using (SPSite site = new SPSite(SPContext.Current.Site.Url))
                {
                    SPWeb web = site.RootWeb;
                    //Create Site Column
                    string SiteColumnName = "India";
                    //Add choice Field "India"
                    if (!web.Fields.ContainsField(SiteColumnName))   
                    {
                        string countryField = web.Fields.Add(SiteColumnName, SPFieldType.Choice, false);
                        //Set the Field Properties
                        SPFieldChoice CityInIndia = (SPFieldChoice)web.Fields.GetField(SiteColumnName);
                        //Set the group for the Site column
                        CityInIndia.Group = "States";    
                        //Add the choices
                        string[] States = new string[] { "TamilNadu", "Kerala", "Andhra Pradesh", "karnataka"};
                        CityInIndia.Choices.AddRange(States);
                        //Set the default value
                        CityInIndia.DefaultValue = "TamilNadu";
                        //Set Fillable value
                        CityInIndia.FillInChoice = true;
                        //Update the field
                        CityInIndia.Update();
 
                    }
                }
            });

Create a New Site column by PowerShell

Code for creating a New site Column through PowerShell Script

 $site = Get-SPSite -Identity "http://sfs03-pc:12121/sites/Samples/"
 $web = $site.RootWeb 
 $fieldXML = '<Field Type="Text"
 Name="EmpName"
 Description="Employee Name Column Info."
 DisplayName="EmpName"
 Group="EmployeeInformation"
 Hidden="FALSE"
 Required="FALSE"
 ShowInDisplayForm="TRUE"
 ShowInEditForm="TRUE"
 ShowInListSettings="TRUE"
 ShowInNewForm="TRUE"></Field>' 
 $web.Fields.AddFieldAsXml($fieldXML)
 $web.Dispose()
 $site.Dispose()

Then check your Gallery you will find the site column in the name of EmpName under the group of EmployeeInformation

Modifying the Existing Site column by PowerShell

Code for Modifying the Existing site Column through PowerShell Script

$site = Get-SPSite -Identity "http://sfs03-pc:12121/sites/Samples/"
$web = $site.RootWeb 
$field=$web.Fields["EmpName"]
$field.Type= "Choice"
$field.Update($true)
$web.Dispose()
$site.Dispose()

Then check your Gallery, EmpName column type will change to Choice type

Create a new site column in Sharepoint Designer

Open your Site in Microsoft SharePoint Designer

Step 1:-

Click Site Columns

Step 2:-

Click the New Column from file Menu and the choose its Type

Step 3:-

Enter The Column Name in the TextBox and the Choose group

Step 4:-

Click save Button to find your Created SiteColumn