Customizing the Document Sets in SharePoint 2010

In SharePoint 2010 Document Sets are introduced which is a flexible way to manage a related set of content. To read more about the document Sets and how to enable document set in a Document Library refer to What is Document Sets in SharePoint 2010access various details for DocSet using SharePoint Object Model

The document set has lot of flexibility and provide easy ways to customize it. Some of the feature of Documents Sets are:

1. Customizing the Welcome Page for Document Set:
We can customize the welcome page of the document sets. The Welcome Page of the Document Set is a Web Part Page and by default contain following Web Parts:
a. A Image Web Part: This shows a icon of folder. Since it is a Web Part we can place a image of our wish.
b. Document Set Properties: This Web Part shows specified properties of the Document Set. These properties can be customized and we can decide what we want to show.
c. Document Set Contents: This shows the content of the Document Set. So if we have a bunch of documents they will appear in this web part.

To customize the Document Set Welcome Page go to Library Settings and select the Document Set Content Type.

Once we click this link the Document Set Welcome page will open in a new browser. Here once we click the Edit Page will be shown having some zones and the web parts as mentioned. Now we can add or remove any Web Part and customize this welcome page as required.

2. Displaying the Document Set Properties:
We can customize which Document Set Properties should be displayed on the Document Set Welcome Page. To change these properties go to Document Set Settings as explained and look for Welcome Page Columns. This will show all the Site Columns which are added to the Document Set. We can select what are the Site Columns should be displayed. In my document set I have added 5 site columns and I want to display only 3 then select the columns like this:

Now once we do that and go to Document Set Welcome page it will show like this:

3. Sharing the Data with the Documents in the Document Sets:
The another very good feature of Document Set is that they can share the data with the documents contained in the Doc Set. So if we want that some of the documents should be synchronized with the data given for the Document Set we can specify. All the Documents within the Document Set will be synchornized with that data. To do this go to Document Set Settings as explained and look for Shared Columns. So now in our case if I want that all my documents should get the values for City, Phone, Company and Country from the Doc Set values I will select these Shared Columns:

Now for each individual document whatever values we have given for these columns they will be assigned and user will not be able to modify them.

4. Welcome Page View:
The column/data in the Document Content Web Part is shown based on the View Selected for the Document Set. So if we do not want to show all the columns of data for the Document Set in the Welcome Page we can create a new view and associate this view for the document Set Welcome Page. To do this go to Document Set Settings as explained and look for Welcome Page View.

Now whatever data we have selected in this view, only that columns of data will be shown in the welcome page.

5. Creating Default Content With Document Set
The another great feature of the Document Set is that we can provision some documents by default when ever a new Doc Set is created. So if are managing a IT Project within Document Sets, we can provision a Functional Spec , Technical Spec , Design Document evrey time we create a Document Set for a new Project. To do this go to Document Set Settings as explained and look for Default Content.

We can multiple files based on templates and these files will always be created whenever a new Document Set is created based on these specific templates. Since we can multiple content type with a Document Set it allows to add files based on whatever content type has been added within the Document Set.
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