Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Policy Center Using PnP Modern Search
You can make a Policy Center in SharePoint with PnP Modern Search. A Policy Center is a main place to keep and show important company policies. Each department takes care of its own policy library. You put all these policies in one place. With PnP Modern Search, you help people find the right policy fast. This way, you have better control and can get to important documents more easily.
Key Takeaways
Plan your Policy Center by putting policies into clear groups. Use site columns, content types, and taxonomies to help with this. This makes searching for policies easy.
Use the same metadata and managed term stores to tag policies. This helps users find the right documents fast with filters and refiners.
Let each department handle its own policy library. Keep all policies linked in one main Policy Center. This gives better control and makes updates easier.
Set up PnP Modern Search web parts. Change the search schema to match metadata. This lets people search for policies quickly and accurately.
Change your Policy Center page with filters, layouts, and branding. This makes it easier for teams to find policies and improves user experience.
Planning Policy Center
Information Architecture
When you plan your Policy Center, you should build a strong information architecture first. This means you sort policies into clear groups and use simple names. You need to pick taxonomies and controlled vocabularies that fit your company. Think about how people look for and use policies at work.
Tip: Draw out how users move through the site and make easy personas. This helps you put similar policies together and makes finding things easier for everyone.
You can use site columns and content types in SharePoint to keep policy documents neat. Site columns are fields you use again, like “Policy Owner” or “Review Date.” Content types put these fields together, so every policy looks the same. This setup helps people search and keeps your Policy Center tidy.
Metadata Strategy
A good metadata strategy makes your Policy Center work well. Metadata is extra info you add to each policy, like department, status, or review date. When you use managed metadata columns and term stores, you make a main list of terms for everyone. This keeps tagging the same and helps people find the right policy quickly.
Note: Teach your team to use the same terms and update metadata often. This keeps your Policy Center correct and easy to search.
With strong metadata, you can set up filters and refiners in search. This lets users narrow results and find the policy they need fast.
Distributed Management
Distributed management means each department takes care of its own policy library. You let teams control their content, but everything stays linked in your Policy Center. This matches how people work and keeps policies current.
Pick owners for each department’s policy library.
Use content types and site columns to keep things the same in all libraries.
Set permissions so only the right people can change or see certain policies.
Tip: Use automation tools to help with approvals and alerts. This saves time and stops mistakes.
By planning your Policy Center this way, you help everyone find, manage, and trust your company’s policies.
Setting Up Policy Libraries
Site Templates
You can save time by using site templates for policy libraries. Site templates give you a setup with the right content types and site columns. They also include the correct library settings. When you use a template, every department gets the same setup. This makes it easy for everyone to find and manage policies.
Tip: Make a custom site template to automate setting up policy libraries and search pages. This helps you grow your Policy Center to many sites with less work.
Library Creation
To make a policy library, first create a new document library in each department’s SharePoint site. Add your custom policy content type to this library. This makes sure every policy document uses the same fields, like “Policy Owner” or “Review Date.” Take out the default “Document” content type so all files use your policy setup.
Here are the steps to set up your library:
Make a custom policy content type in the content type gallery.
Create site columns for important metadata.
Add the policy content type and site columns to each department site.
Make a special policy document library and turn on the policy content type.
Remove the default content type to keep things neat.
Upload at least one policy document with all metadata filled in.
This setup helps SharePoint find your documents and makes them easy to search with PnP Modern Search.
Metadata Configuration
Good metadata makes your Policy Center strong. Use managed metadata columns that link to term sets. This lets you tag documents with the same terms, which helps with filtering and searching. Use content types to make sure every policy uses the same metadata fields.
Note: Make a plan for metadata rules. Decide who owns each field, how to keep data right, and how to update terms. Teach your team to tag documents the right way and use automation to make tagging faster.
You can also make custom views using metadata. This helps users see only the policies they need. Check and update your metadata rules often to keep your Policy Center neat and correct.
PnP Modern Search Setup
Setting up PnP Modern Search lets you put all your policy documents in one spot. This makes it simple for everyone to find what they need in your Policy Center. Here are the steps to help you get started.
Web Part Deployment
You must add the PnP Modern Search web parts before using them. Here is what you do:
Make a new SharePoint site collection. A Communication Site works best for search web parts.
Download the newest PnP Modern Search package (.sppkg) from GitHub.
Go to your SharePoint App Catalog site collection. If you do not have one, make it in Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
Upload the .sppkg package to the App Catalog under "Apps for SharePoint."
Click "Deploy" when asked. Pick if you want to deploy it everywhere or just to some sites.
Add the PnP Modern Search web parts to your new site. Use "Add an app" to do this.
Tip: You need tenant administrator permissions to upload and deploy the package. Check that you have the right access before you begin.
After you add the web parts, you can put them on your Policy Center page. Use the Search Results, Search Box, and Search Filters web parts to make your own search setup.
If you have problems, check the version of your web parts. Sometimes, web parts do not show up after you reload the page. Try going to another site collection with an older version, then come back to your page. This can help fix the display. If you see issues with search results, check your search schema and metadata settings.
Search Schema
A good search schema helps people find the right policy documents fast. You need to map your metadata so search can use it.
Map your crawled properties (like department, policy type, or review date) to managed properties. This makes metadata searchable and easy to get.
Turn on language-neutral tokenization for managed properties with special characters. This helps search match tricky strings.
Use finer tokenization for managed properties. This lets search break down metadata into smaller pieces, making it easier to find part of a match.
Set up refiners by marking managed properties as refinable. This lets users filter search results.
Re-index your document libraries after you make changes. This updates the search index with your new settings.
Use built-in managed properties by mapping them to your crawled properties. This can make search work better.
Be careful with auto-generated managed properties. Changing their mappings may need a full reindex.
Note: You can change the search schema for each department. Add or change crawled properties to fit special needs. Give search attributes like searchable, queryable, and refinable to control how properties work in search. Use aliases for department filters and terms.
A strong search schema makes your Policy Center work better. It helps everyone find the right documents, no matter where they are saved.
Refiners and Filters
Refiners and filters help people narrow down search results. You can set up custom refiners to make searching for policies easier.
Add the Search Filters web part to your Policy Center page. Connect it to your Search Results web part.
Set up filters based on your custom metadata. For example, use "Site" (like HR, IT, or Finance) and "DocType" (such as Policy, Procedure, or Training).
Make vertical tabs to filter by document type. When users click a tab, it shows only that kind of document.
Change the refinement panel to show the filters you want. You can add or remove refiners as needed.
Use the web part settings to pick how filters look. You can show them as checkboxes, lists, or other styles.
Tip: Custom refiners help people find policies faster. For example, you can let users filter by department, policy status, or review date.
If you want to change the look, use layout customization options. You can use Handlebars templates to change how search results look. Map managed properties to layout spots, and use conditional display to show fields only when they have values. You can also format dates to make them easier to read.
If you have trouble with filters, check if your columns can be filtered. Some columns, like SiteTitle or custom columns, may not support it. For more help, visit the PnP Modern Search community forums.
A well-set-up search makes your Policy Center easy to use. People can find the right policy with just a few clicks.
Central Policy Center Page
Aggregating Policies
You can put all your policy documents from every department in one place. Start by making clear rules for how to handle documents. This helps everyone know how to make, save, and organize files. Use one main spot so people always find the newest policy.
Here are steps to make your Policy Center page better:
1. Make rules for naming, saving, and sharing files. 2. Keep all policies in one main spot to avoid confusion. 3. Use the same file names so people know what each document is. 4. Let only the right people change or see documents. 5. Use version control to track who updates each policy. 6. Link your document libraries with other tools to save time. 7. Save old versions and important records in a digital archive.
A neat Policy Center helps your team find and trust the right documents. When you use clear rules and good organization, you help your company keep important digital records safe.
Customization Options
You can change your Policy Center page to match your company’s style. Try these ideas to help users:
Show different things to different groups. For example, HR staff see HR policies first.
Use homepages for each role. Give each group the tools and info they need.
Add your company’s logo, colors, and theme to the homepage. This makes the site feel like your company.
Put alert banners at the top to share news or updates.
Change how the site looks by updating the theme, logo, and header.
Edit navigation by adding or removing pages and links.
Use web parts like Quick Links, Hero, or Document Library to show important resources.
Connect your Policy Center to a hub site for easier navigation across your company.
Tip: Changing your Policy Center page helps users find things faster and makes the site more fun to use.
You have learned how to make a Policy Center with PnP Modern Search. This way, each team can look after its own content. Everyone can find policies in one main place. You get these good things:
You work faster by using central rules and letting teams be flexible.
Your company follows the same standards and rules everywhere.
It is easier to check and change all policy documents.
To make your Policy Center even better, try these ideas:
Match custom columns with refinable managed properties for better filtering.
Reindex your libraries and update web parts to use new features.
Look at resources like Sympraxis Consulting and SharePoint Stack Exchange for expert advice.
FAQ
How do you update policies in the Policy Center?
To update a policy, upload a new version in the department’s library. SharePoint keeps track of all changes. People always see the newest version in the Policy Center.
Can you restrict who sees certain policies?
Yes. You can set permissions on each policy library or document. Only people with permission can view or edit those policies in the Policy Center.
What should you do if search results do not show all policies?
Look at your metadata and search schema settings. Reindex the document libraries to refresh them. Make sure every policy uses the right content type and managed properties.
How do you add new departments to the Policy Center?
Make a new site with your policy library template. Add the department’s policies to the new site. The PnP Modern Search web parts will show these documents in the main Policy Center.
Can you customize the look of search results?
Yes. Use Handlebars templates in the PnP Modern Search web part. You can change how each result looks and highlight important details for users.