The choice of column type affects more than how data looks in a view. It determines whether a column can be indexed, whether users can filter by it on large lists without hitting the list view threshold, and whether the column accepts multiple values. This reference covers every column type available in SharePoint Online lists and libraries.
| Display name | Internal type | Indexable | Filterable in views | Multi-value | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single line of text | Text |
Yes | Yes | No | Max 255 characters. No newlines. The most common metadata field type; good default choice for short values used in views or filters. |
| Multiple lines of text | Note |
No | No | No | Supports rich text (HTML) or plain text. Cannot be indexed or filtered. Not suitable for any column used in view queries or sorts. |
| Choice | Choice / MultiChoice |
Yes | Yes | Yes (checkboxes) | Single-value variant uses drop-down or radio buttons. Multi-value variant uses checkboxes and stores the MultiChoice type internally. Both are indexable. |
| Number | Number |
Yes | Yes | No | Stores decimal numbers. Configurable precision, minimum, and maximum values. Can be displayed as a percentage. Use Currency type instead when displaying monetary amounts. |
| Currency | Currency |
Yes | Yes | No | Rendered with locale-specific currency symbols. Stored as a number internally. Locale can be set per column. Functionally equivalent to Number for indexing purposes. |
| Date and Time | DateTime |
Yes | Yes | No | Stores date only, or date and time. Supports [Today] in default values and calculated columns. Display format follows site regional settings. |
| Lookup | Lookup |
Partial | Yes | Yes (multi-lookup) | Indexes the referenced item ID, not the display value. Filtering on display value without an additional indexed column can trigger the list view threshold on large lists. Multi-lookup variant also supported. Source list must be in the same site collection. |
| Yes/No | Boolean |
Yes | Yes | No | Stores true or false only; cannot represent a null/unknown state. Rendered as a checkbox. Default value can be set to Yes or No at column creation. |
| Person or Group | User |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Resolves against Entra ID (formerly Azure AD). Can be restricted to people only, or also include Microsoft 365 groups and distribution lists. Multi-value variant is supported and indexable. |
| Hyperlink or Picture | URL |
No | No | No | Stores a URL and optional display text. Picture sub-type renders the URL as an inline image in views. Cannot be indexed or used to filter views efficiently. |
| Calculated | Calculated |
No | No | No | Value is computed from a formula referencing other columns at item save time. Cannot be indexed or filtered directly. Result type can be text, number, currency, date/time, or yes/no. |
| Image | Thumbnail |
No | No | No | Modern column type for attaching a single image to a list item. Image is stored in the site's Site Assets library. Not available in classic lists. Cannot be indexed. |
| Managed Metadata | TaxonomyFieldType |
Yes | Yes | Yes | Connects to a term set in the SharePoint term store. Supports hierarchical taxonomy navigation. Multi-value variant (TaxonomyFieldTypeMulti) is also indexable. Requires the Managed Metadata service. |
| External Data | BusinessData |
No | Limited | No | Connects to an external data source via Business Connectivity Services (BCS). BCS is deprecated in SharePoint Online. Do not use in new solutions. |
| Task Outcome | OutcomeChoice |
Yes | Yes | No | A specialised single-value choice column used in task lists and workflow task forms. Behaves identically to a standard Choice column for indexing and filtering purposes. |
Indexing and the List View Threshold
SharePoint Online enforces a 5,000-item limit per query. Any view or filter that must scan more than 5,000 items without an indexed column to narrow the result set is blocked. Adding an index to the column your view filters or sorts on lets SharePoint execute an indexed lookup rather than a full table scan.
Key facts for column indexes in SharePoint Online:
- A single list or library supports up to 20 indexed columns. This count includes system indexes: ID, Modified, and Created are indexed by default on all lists.
- Multiple lines of text, Hyperlink/Picture, Calculated, and Image columns cannot be indexed. If your view filters on one of these types, restructure the data model to store the filter value in a single-line or choice column instead.
- Lookup columns are indexed on the referenced item's ID field, not the display value. Filtering a view by the lookup's display value on a large list can still trigger the threshold if the query is not constrained by a separately indexed column.
- Managed Metadata columns are fully indexable and perform well as primary filter fields in large libraries that use taxonomy-driven navigation.
- Adding an index to an existing column on a list that already exceeds 5,000 items requires either bringing the list temporarily under threshold or having an admin apply a throttle bypass. Plan indexes before lists grow large.
For the complete threshold rules and query patterns that bypass or respect the limit, see the list view threshold reference.
Multi-Value Column Behavior and Limits
Choice (multi), multi-lookup, multi-Person, and multi-Managed Metadata columns introduce constraints that affect view behaviour, query logic, and content migration.
- Sorting is not supported on multi-value columns. Attempting to sort a SharePoint Online view by a multi-value column produces an error. Use a single-value column as your primary sort field.
- CAML queries must use
<Contains>, not<Eq>. An equality filter against a multi-value lookup or choice column returns no results. The Contains operator matches any item where the multi-value field includes the queried term. - Lookup columns cannot cross site collection boundaries. A lookup column can only reference a list in the same site collection. Cross-site-collection lookups require Managed Metadata or a custom solution.
- Migration tools vary in multi-value support. When copying lists between sites or tenants, verify your migration tool preserves multi-value fields correctly. Some tools flatten multi-value fields to a single delimited string, losing the individual values. ShareMaster's Clone Master preserves multi-value column data during list-to-list migrations, including cross-tenant scenarios.
- Content type and column inheritance. A multi-value site column added to a content type hub propagates to child content types across the tenant. Changing a site column from single-value to multi-value after it has been used in items is not supported and requires recreating the column.