Pin Term Versus Reuse Terms in SharePoint 2013

Introduction

In this article you will see the difference between Pin Terms versus Reuse Terms in SharePoint 2013. In SharePoint 2010 terms can be reused in other locations in the term hierarchy. The terms that are reused can be modified and changes can be seen everywhere, wherever the terms are reused. SharePoint 2013 introduces a new feature called pinning terms. The pinned terms are similar to reused terms except that those terms cannot be modified from the location where the terms are reused. The pinned terms are read-only.

Reuse Terms

Use the following to reuse a term:

1. Open Central Administration.
2. Click on Manage service applications that is available in the Service Applications section.
3. Click on the Managed Metadata Service (MMS) service application.
4. I have terms in the taxonomy term store as shown in Figure 1.
   
   
   
   Figure 1: Taxonomy Term Store
    
5. I am going to reuse the term Term2 (from Termset1) in Termset. Click on Termset and then click on Reuse Terms as shown in Figure 2.
   
   
   
   Figure 2: Click on Reuse Terms
    
6. Select Term2 and then click on Ok.
   
   
   
   Figure 3: Select the term that has to be reused
    
7. Term2 is successfully reused in Termset as shown in Figure 4.
   
   
   
   Figure 4: Term2 is reused
    
8. You will be able to update the reused term and the changes will be seen everywhere as shown in Figure 5.
   
   
   
   Figure 5: Reused term modified
    
9. Reused terms can be modified from the location where the term is reused.

Pin Terms

Use the following to pin a term:

1. Open Central Administration.
2. Click on Manage service applications that is available in the Service Applications section.
3. Click on MMS (Managed Metadata Service) service application.
4. I have terms in the taxonomy term store as shown in Figure 1.
   
   
   
   Figure 1: Taxonomy Term Store
    
5. I am going to pin the term Term2 (from Termset1) in Termset. Click on Termset and then click on Pin Term with Children as shown in Figure 2.
   
   
   
   Figure 2: Click on Pin Term with Children
    
6. Select Term2 and then click on Ok.
   
   
   
   Figure 3: Select the term that has to be pinned
    
7. Term2 is successfully pinned in Termset as shown in Figure 4.
   
   
   
   Figure 4: Term2 is pinned
    
8. When you try to update the pinned term from the location where it is reused you will be getting the error as shown in Figure 5.
   
   
   
   Figure 5: pinned term cannot be updated
    
9. Pinned terms are read only and they cannot be modified from the location where the terms are reused.

Summary

Thus in this article you have seen the difference between the Pin Term and Reuse terms in SharePoint 2013.