Understanding the Person or Group Column

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 20 views

Introduction

When working with SharePoint lists, you may need to select a person or group from a column. While the Person or Group column in SharePoint allows you to type in a user's name or email address, it may not meet your requirements if you need to select from a dropdown list. In this article, we will explore how to create a column to populate users and select them using an Active Directory (AD) group, and how to choose a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list.

Understanding the Person or Group Column

The Person or Group column in SharePoint is a type of column that allows you to store information about users or groups. This column is useful when you need to store information about the users who are associated with a particular item in your list. However, as mentioned earlier, this column requires you to type in a user's name or email address, which may not be the most efficient way to select a person or group.

Creating a Column to Populate Users and Select Them Using an AD Group

To create a column to populate users and select them using an AD group, you will need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Create a New Column

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on "Create Column" and select "Person or Group" as the column type.
Give your column a name and click "OK".

Step 2: Configure the Column Settings

Click on the "Column Settings" button next to your new column.
Select "Active Directory" as the data source.
Enter the name of the AD group that you want to use to populate the column.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Step 3: Populate the Column with Users from the AD Group

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Populate" button next to your new column.
Select the AD group that you configured in Step 2.
Click "OK" to populate the column with users from the AD group.

Choosing a Person or Group from a SharePoint List Column Using a Dropdown List

Now that you have created a column to populate users and select them using an AD group, you can choose a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list. To do this, you will need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Create a New View

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on "Create View" and select "Custom View".
Give your view a name and click "OK".

Step 2: Configure the View Settings

Click on the "View Settings" button next to your new view.
Select "Person or Group" as the column type.
Select the column that you created in Step 1 of the previous section.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Step 3: Add a Dropdown List to the View

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Add Column" button.
Select "Dropdown List" as the column type.
Give your column a name and click "OK".

Step 4: Configure the Dropdown List

Click on the "Column Settings" button next to your new column.
Select "Person or Group" as the data source.
Select the column that you created in Step 1 of the previous section.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Step 5: Add the Dropdown List to the View

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Add Column" button.
Select the dropdown list column that you created in Step 3.
Click "OK" to add the dropdown list to the view.

Conclusion

In this article, we have explored how to create a column to populate users and select them using an AD group, and how to choose a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create a column to populate users and select them using an AD group, and choose a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list.

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do I create a column to populate users and select them using an AD group? A: To create a column to populate users and select them using an AD group, follow the steps outlined in this article.
Q: How do I choose a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list? A: To choose a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list, follow the steps outlined in this article.
Q: What is the difference between the Person or Group column and the Dropdown List column? A: The Person or Group column allows you to store information about users or groups, while the Dropdown List column allows you to select from a list of options.
Frequently Asked Questions: Choosing a Person or Group from a SharePoint List Column =====================================================================================

Q: What is the Person or Group column in SharePoint?

A: The Person or Group column in SharePoint is a type of column that allows you to store information about users or groups. This column is useful when you need to store information about the users who are associated with a particular item in your list.

Q: How do I create a Person or Group column in SharePoint?

A: To create a Person or Group column in SharePoint, follow these steps:

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on "Create Column" and select "Person or Group" as the column type.
Give your column a name and click "OK".

Q: Can I use an Active Directory (AD) group to populate the Person or Group column?

A: Yes, you can use an AD group to populate the Person or Group column. To do this, follow these steps:

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Column Settings" button next to your Person or Group column.
Select "Active Directory" as the data source.
Enter the name of the AD group that you want to use to populate the column.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Q: How do I choose a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list?

A: To choose a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list, follow these steps:

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on "Create View" and select "Custom View".
Give your view a name and click "OK".
Click on the "View Settings" button next to your new view.
Select "Person or Group" as the column type.
Select the column that you created in Step 1 of the previous section.
Click "OK" to save the changes.
Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Add Column" button.
Select "Dropdown List" as the column type.
Give your column a name and click "OK".
Click on the "Column Settings" button next to your new column.
Select "Person or Group" as the data source.
Select the column that you created in Step 1 of the previous section.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Q: What is the difference between the Person or Group column and the Dropdown List column?

A: The Person or Group column allows you to store information about users or groups, while the Dropdown List column allows you to select from a list of options.

Q: Can I use both the Person or Group column and the Dropdown List column in the same list?

A: Yes, you can use both the Person or Group column and the Dropdown List column in the same list. However, you will need to create separate columns for each type of data.

Q: How do I populate the Dropdown List column with options?

A: To populate the Dropdown List column with options, follow these steps:

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Add Column" button.
Select "Dropdown List" as the column type.
Give your column a name and click "OK".
Click on the "Column Settings" button next to your new column.
Select "Person or Group" as the data source.
Select the column that you created in Step 1 of the previous section.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Q: Can I use a SharePoint list as the data source for the Dropdown List column?

A: Yes, you can use a SharePoint list as the data source for the Dropdown List column. To do this, follow these steps:

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Add Column" button.
Select "Dropdown List" as the column type.
Give your column a name and click "OK".
Click on the "Column Settings" button next to your new column.
Select "SharePoint List" as the data source.
Select the list that you want to use as the data source.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Q: How do I filter the options in the Dropdown List column?

A: To filter the options in the Dropdown List column, follow these steps:

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Add Column" button.
Select "Dropdown List" as the column type.
Give your column a name and click "OK".
Click on the "Column Settings" button next to your new column.
Select "Filter" as the option.
Enter the filter criteria.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Q: Can I use a SharePoint view as the data source for the Dropdown List column?

A: Yes, you can use a SharePoint view as the data source for the Dropdown List column. To do this, follow these steps:

Go to your SharePoint list and click on the "List" tab.
Click on the "Add Column" button.
Select "Dropdown List" as the column type.
Give your column a name and click "OK".
Click on the "Column Settings" button next to your new column.
Select "SharePoint View" as the data source.
Select the view that you want to use as the data source.
Click "OK" to save the changes.

Conclusion

In this article, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about choosing a person or group from a SharePoint list column. We have covered topics such as creating a Person or Group column, using an AD group to populate the column, choosing a person or group from a SharePoint list column using a dropdown list, and filtering the options in the Dropdown List column. We hope that this article has been helpful in answering your questions and providing you with the information you need to successfully use the Person or Group column and the Dropdown List column in your SharePoint lists.