Mastering SharePoint: Tracking New Sites, Subsites, and Libraries

Introduction

In the dynamic environment of SharePoint, keeping track of newly created sites, subsites, lists, and document libraries is crucial for maintaining organization and ensuring smooth operations. Whether you're an admin or a power user, having a reliable method to log these changes can save you time and effort. In this blog, we'll explore several effective ways to monitor and log new content in SharePoint, from using built-in features to leveraging PowerShell scripts.

Content

1. Site Contents Page

The Site Contents page in SharePoint provides a comprehensive view of all the content on your site, including lists, document libraries, and subsites. To access the Site Contents page:

• Navigate to the site you want to check.
• Select Site contents from the left-hand menu or from the Settings menu.

2. Audit Log Reports

SharePoint's audit log reports are a powerful tool for tracking changes and activities, including the creation of new sites, subsites, lists, and document libraries. To access audit log reports:

• Go to Site Settings.
• Under Site Collection Administration, select Audit log reports.
• Choose the report you need, such as Content Activity or Custom Reports, and specify the date range and other parameters.

3. PowerShell Scripts

For more advanced tracking, PowerShell scripts can be used to generate logs. Here’s a basic example to get you started.

Connect to SharePoint Online

Connect-SPOService -Url https://yourdomain-admin.sharepoint.com

Get all sites and subsites

$sites = Get-SPOSite -Limit All

foreach ($site in $sites) {
    Write-Host "Site: $($site.Url)"

    $webs = Get-SPOSubWebs -Site $site.Url -Recurse

    foreach ($web in $webs) {
        Write-Host "Subsite: $($web.Url)"
    }
}

Get lists and document libraries

foreach ($site in $sites) {
    $lists = Get-SPOList -Site $site.Url

    foreach ($list in $lists) {
        Write-Host "List/Library: $($list.Title)"
    }
}

4. Highlighted Content Web Part

The Highlighted Content web part allows you to display recently created content on your SharePoint site. This web part lets you filter and display content based on various criteria, including creation date.

5. SharePoint Admin Center

The SharePoint Admin Center provides an overview of all sites and their activities. You can use the Activity reports to see newly created sites and other activities.

Conclusion

Tracking newly created sites, subsites, lists, and document libraries in SharePoint is essential for effective site management. By utilizing the Site Contents page, Audit Log Reports, PowerShell scripts, Highlighted Content web part, and the SharePoint Admin Center, you can ensure that you stay on top of all changes and maintain a well-organized SharePoint environment. Implement these methods today to streamline your SharePoint management process and enhance your productivity.