You can create and share lists that help you track issues, assets, routines, contacts, inventory, and more. Start from a template, Excel file, or from scratch. If you're in Microsoft Teams, seeGet started with Lists in Teams.
Note:
ModernClassiciOSAndroidOffice 2010
Create a list
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From the Lists app in Microsoft 365, select+New list.(To get to the Lists app, at the top of any page, select the Microsoft 365 app launcher
, select All apps, and then select Lists.)From your SharePoint sitehome page or the Site contents page, select+New>List.
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From theCreate a listpage, select one of the following options:
Notes:
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Visual updates for lists are gradually rolling out worldwide, which means that your experience may differ from what's described in this article.
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2,000 lists and libraries combined per site collection is the limit (including main site and any subsites) after which you will receive error: Sorry, something went wrong. The attempted operation is prohibited because it exceeds the list view threshold. See SharePoint limits.
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Blank list: Chooseto start a list from scratch. Add alist Name,Description(optional), and select whether you want the list to appear in the left site navigation. When you're finished selecting options, selectCreate.
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From Excel: Choose this option tocreate a list based on an Excel spreadsheet.
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From existing list: Choose this option to save time andcreate a new list based on the columns in another list. Your new list will start with all the same columns, but it won't include any of the data from the original list.
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Templates: Select a template, for exampleIssue tracker, to see what columns the template contains and scroll through sample data to see what it looks like.If you find a template you like, selectUsetemplate. If you don't see any you want, selectBackto get back to the Create a list page. Learn more about how tocreate a list from a templateor about thelists templates in Microsoft 365.
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When your list opens, add an item to your list by either selecting+ New or Edit in grid view. (Grid view lets you add information freely to different rows or columns.)
To add different types of information to the list, select+ Add column. To learn more, seeCreate a column in a list or library.
, select All apps, and then select Lists.)
Tip:To change the name of your list, select its title, type a new name, and then select Save. Or from the Lists home page, on your list's tile, select Open actions (...),and then select Customize.
To change list properties, delete the list, add permissions, manage columns, andother updates, selectSettings 
, and then selectList Settings. For more info, see Edit a list.
Create a list on a classicSharePoint or aSharePoint Server 2019 site
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SelectSettings
, and then selectSite contents. -
Select+ New, and then selectList.
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Enter a Name for the list, and optionally, a Description.
The name appears at the top of the list and can appearin site navigation to help others find it.
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SelectCreate.
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When your list opens, to add room for more types of information to the list, select+ or + Add column.
For more info aboutadding columns, see Create a column in a SharePoint list or library.
For infoabout creating a list based on an existing list, see Create a new SharePoint list based on the columns in another list.
To change properties, delete the list, add permissions, manage columns, and a number of other updates, selectSettings , and then selectList Settings. For more info, see Edit a list.
Create lists from other types of list templates
You can useSharePoint Server 2019 lists for more than a simple list. You can choose from list templates such as Links, Calendar, Survey, Issue Tracking, Announcements, and more.
Calendar app example
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In this example, we used calendar and chose the built-in calendar app for SharePoint. You may see other calendars that have been built within your company or offered by a third party.
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Enter a Name for the app you chose, such as Event calendar, July tasks, or Company Contacts.
The name appears at the top of the list in most views, becomes part of the web address for the list page, and appears in site navigation to help users find the list. You can change the name of a list, but the web address will remain the same.
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SharePoint returns you to the Site contents page. Find the app you just created in the Site contents list, and open it. SharePoint creates a default version of the app, calendar, task list, or whatever app you created.
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You can start entering data using +new task, edit this list, Add, or whatever way the specific app provides to add data.
Note:Some list-based apps only appear in the classic environment.
Depending on the type of app you choose, tochange the app's settings, from theribbon at the top of the page,selectList Settings or the List tab. For more info aboutsettings, see Edit list settings in SharePoint.
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SelectSettings
, and then selectAdd an app. -
Enter the type of list template you want (custom, task, calendar, and so on) into the search box, and selectSearch
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Select the List template app you want use.
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Enter a Name (required).
The name appears at the top of the list in most views, becomes part of the web address for the list page, and appears in site navigation to help users find the list. You can change the name of a list, but the web address will remain the same.
To providean optional Description and additional info, depending on the particular list app, selectAdvanced Options. Advanced Options.
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SelectOK.
.
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On the page that you want to add the list or library, selectPage, and then selectEdit. If you don't see the Page tab, selectSettings
, and then selectEdit Page. Note:If the Edit command is disabled or doesn’t appear, you maynot have permission to edit the page.
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Select the place on the page where you want the list or library to appear, selectInsert,and then selectApp Part.
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For the list or library, select the App Part, and then selectAdd. In Add apps,any lists you created should appear.
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When you’re finished editing the page, selectthe Page tab, and then selectSave. In some cases, you have the option to Save as Draft or Save and Publish.
, and then selectEdit Page.
Important:Some pages can't be edited, such as the Site Contents page.
Using the previous steps, here’s an example of a list that was added to a page.
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On the page where you want to minimize or restore the list or library, selectPage, and then selectEdit.
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Point to the list or library, selectthe down arrow, and selectMinimize or Restore depending on the current position of the list or library, and then selectOK.
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When you’re finished editing the page, selectSave. In some cases, you have the option to Save as Draft or Save and Publish.
(Video) How To Make Microsoft Lists More Useful
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On the Lists Home page, tap New.
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Under Create New, tap Blank List to start a list from scratch, or select an option under Templates.
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Blank list starts a list from scratch.
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Templates are pre-defined, purpose-based options that have columns already defined for you. Select one to see what it has and whether it is right for you. You may change the columns to fit your needs.
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Start your blank list
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Tap Blank List, then give it a Name and a Description.
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Choose a color and an icon.
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Choose whether to save it under My Lists or on a specific SharePoint site.
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Tap Create.
A blank list opens with a standard “Title” column on the left.
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To add a column, tap More, then tap Add New Column.
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Choose the type of column data you want, then define the columns settings. Tap the check mark to save the column settings.
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Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you’ve defined all your columns.
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To add an item to your list, tap New, then enter the data for each column. Select the check mark to save your item (or tap the × to discard the item data without saving).
Start a template-based list
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After you tap one of the templates,it will open so that you can see the columns and sample data it contains.
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Scroll through the template to see if it's right for you.
As you scroll horizontally, the left-most column data stays in view, helping to keep the related data in context.
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When you've found the template you want, tapUse This Template.
Your new list opens with all the predefined columns from the template.
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To add a column, tap More, then tap Add New Column.
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Choose the type of column data you want, then define the columns settings. Tap the check mark to save the column settings.
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Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you’ve defined any additional columns you want.
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To remove an existing column, tap the column heading, scroll to the bottom of the settings, and tap Delete Column.
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To add an item to your list, tap New, then enter the data for each column. Select the check mark to save your item (or tap the × to discard the item data without saving).
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On the Lists Home page, tap New.
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Under Create New, tap Blank list to start a list from scratch, or select an option under Templates.
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Blank list starts a list from scratch.
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Templates are pre-defined, purpose-based options that have columns already defined for you. Select one to see what it has and whether it is right for you. You may change the columns to fit your needs.
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Start your blank list
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Tap Blank list, then give it a Name and a Description.
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Choose a color and an icon.
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Choose whether to save it under My lists or on a specific SharePoint site.
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Tap Create.
A blank list opens with a standard “Title” column on the left.
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To add a column, tap More, then tap Addcolumn.
(Video) Microsoft Lists - create a list from Excel -
Choose the type of column data you want, then define the columns settings. Tap the check mark to save the column settings.
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Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you’ve defined all your columns.
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To add an item to your list, tap New, then enter the data for each column. Select the check mark to save your item (or tap the × to discard the item data without saving).
Start a template-based list
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After you tap one of the templates,it will open so that you can see the columns and sample data it contains.
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Scroll through the template to see if it's right for you.
As you scroll horizontally, the left-most column data stays in view, helping to keep the related data in context.
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When you've found the template you want, tapUse this template.
Your new list opens with all the predefined columns from the template.
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To add a column, tap More, then tap Addcolumn.
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Choose the type of column data you want, then define the columns settings. Tap the check mark to save the column settings.
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Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you’ve defined any additional columns you want.
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To remove an existing column, tap the column heading, scroll to the bottom of the settings, and tap Delete column.
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To add an item to your list, tap New, then enter the data for each column. Select the check mark to save your item (or tap the × to discard the item data without saving).
Create a list in SharePoint Server 2010
You can create a list that you can later use in your pages. SharePoint Server 2010 includes many kinds of list templates, such as calendar, survey, and tasks.
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SelectSite Actions
, selectView All Site Content, and then selectCreate .Note:A SharePoint site can be significantly modified. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.
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Select one of the categories, such as Communications or Tracking, and choose from there.
You can also enter the type of list template that you want to create in the Search Installed Items box, such as Contacts or Calendar, and then selectSearch
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Enter the Name for the list. Name is required.
The name appears at the top of the list in most views, becomes part of the web address for the list page, and appears in site navigation to help users find the list. You can change the name of a list, but the web address will remain the same.
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Optionally, for the list and set other options, click Advanced Options, and enterthe Description.
The description appears underneath the name in most views. Some kinds of lists can receive content by email. If you plan to enable the list to receive content by email, you can add the email address of the list to its description so that people can easily find the email address. You can change the description for a list.
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To add a link to the Quick Launch panel, in the Navigation section, verify that Yes is selected.
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If there is an Email section, your administrator has enabled lists on your site to receive content by email. To enable people to add content to this list by sending email, under Enable this list to receive email,selectYes. Then, in the Email address box, enterthe first part of the address that you want people to use for the list. This option is not available for all kinds of list.
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Complete any other options, such as specifying whether a calendar works as a group calendar in the Calendar app.
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SelectCreate.
, selectView All Site Content, and then selectCreate 
.
With SharePoint Server 2010 you can create lists from the pages that you are editing. This helps you more efficiently and effectively create the pages and the lists that you need.
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From a page, selectthe Edit tab, and then selectthe Edit command.
Note:If the edit command is disabled, you may not have the permissions to edit the page, contact your administrator.
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Select the page where you want to add a new list, selectthe Insert tab, and then selectNew List.
(Video) Top 10 hidden gems: Microsoft ListsNote:If you don't see the Edit tab or New List is disabled, you may not have the permissions that are needed to create a list; contact your administrator.
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In the Create List dialog, enterthe List Tile, select the type of list that you want to create, and then selectOK.
Creating a custom list resembles creating lists from a template, except that the custom list is created with only three columns: Title, Created By, and Modified By. After you create a custom list, you can add columns and make other changes to the list to meet your needs.
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SelectSite Actions
, selectView All Site Content, and then selectCreate .Note:A SharePoint site can be significantly modified. If you cannot locate an option, such as a command, button, or link, contact your administrator.
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Under Custom Lists, selectCustom List or Custom List in Datasheet View.
Notes:
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Use custom list when you primarily want to use a form to enter and view data in the list.
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Use custom list in datasheet view when you primarily want to use a grid, similar to a spreadsheet, to enter and view data in the list. This is helpful when you have several items to update at the same time.
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You can change how you enter and display data in a list after a list is created.
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Enter the Name for the list. Name is required.
The name appears at the top of the list in most views, becomes part of the web address for the list page, and appears in site navigation to help users find the list. You can change the name of a list, but the web address will remain the same.
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Enter the Description for the list. (Optional)
The description appears underneath the name in most views. Some kinds of lists can receive content by email. If you plan to enable the list to receive content by email, you can add the email address of the list to its description so that people can easily find the email address. You can change the description for a list.
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To add a link to the Quick Launch, in the Navigation section, verify that Yes is selected.
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If there is an Email section, your administrator has enabled lists on your site to receive content by email. To enable people to add content to this list by sending email, under Enable this list to receive e-mail,selectYes. Then, in the Email address box, enterthe first part of the address that you want people to use for the list. This option is not available for all kinds of list.
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SelectCreate.
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On the page that you want to add the list or library, selectPage, and then selectEdit. If you don't see the Page tab, selectSettings
, and then selectEdit Page. Note:If the Edit command is disabled or doesn’t appear, you may nothave permission to edit the page. Contact your administrator.
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Select the place on the page where the list or library will appear, selectInsert, and then selectApp Part.
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For the list or library, select the App Part, and then selectAdd.
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When you’re finished editing the page, selectSave. In some cases, you have the option to Save as Draft or Save and Publish.
Using the previous steps, here’s an example of a list that was added to a page.
Want to do the same with Libraries?
To create a library, see Create a document library.
Next steps with Lists
Columns Configure what type of infoa list holds by adding and deleting columns. For more information, see Create a column in a list or library.
Views Change how a list is displayed by creating views. For more information, see Create, change, or delete a view of a list or library.
Folders Add a subfolder to a list. For more information, see Create a folder in a list.
FAQs
Does Microsoft list have a limit? ›
You can store up to 30 million items or files in a list or library. Filtered views of large lists have a similar experience to other lists. However, when a list view shows more than 5000 items, you may run into a list view threshold error.
Why use Microsoft Lists instead of Excel? ›If you need to list and track information collaboratively, Microsoft Lists is designed to give you the kind of lists many people manage in Excel, with more list-specific options and less complexity.
What is the difference between Microsoft Lists and planner? ›Both can be used for task management, but while Planner focuses on tasks that must be done to complete a project using a Kanban board, Microsoft Lists is far more flexible and customizable.
Why would I use Microsoft Lists? ›Microsoft Lists is a Microsoft 365 app that helps you track information and organize work. List are simple, smart, and flexible, so you can stay on top of what matters most to your team.
How do you make a smart list on Microsoft? ›- First perform a search to set the criteria that you want your Smart List to be based on. ...
- In the Search Results list, make sure you have no tasks selected so that the Save as Smart List button appears on the right.
- Click on Save as Smart List.
- Enter a name for your Smart List.
- Click on Save.
If you genuinely need to process more than 5000 items at a time, you'd want to call the SharePoint batch API to speed things up and even then need to create a loop with the do until action as a batch call can't have more than 1000 operations.
What is the difference between Microsoft Lists and SharePoint lists? ›While standard SharePoint lists are designed more for data, the new Microsoft lists also include a certain social interaction aspect. For example, integration with Teams, and the ability to leave comments on an item. The interface also offers more collaboration possibilities.
What are the limitations of a SharePoint list? ›Items in lists and libraries
A list can have up to 30 million items and a library can have up to 30 million files and folders. When a list, library, or folder contains more than 100,000 items, you can't break permissions inheritance on the list, library, or folder. You also can't re-inherit permissions on it.
In fact, Microsoft have described their new lists app as an “evolution of SharePoint Lists”. If you don't know what a SharePoint list is, it is essentially a database that you can use inside of SharePoint, where the data is displayed in rows and columns like an excel spreadsheet.
What Microsoft program is best for to do lists? ›To do list apps such as the Microsoft To Do app are the best ways to create a to do list on your phone. With Microsoft To Do you can easily create and sync your task lists across multiple devices so you have your to do list available whether you are on your desktop, phone, or tablet.
Can you automate Microsoft Lists? ›
With the list open in SharePoint or the Lists app, near the top of the page, select Automate then Power Automate. Select Create a flow to automate a workflow. You can see your current flows by selecting See your flows or require approval for flows by selecting Configure flows.
How does Microsoft Lists work? ›Lists adds value to the functionalities of the Microsoft Teams app. You can access, share, or create lists from the Teams app without leaving any ongoing meetings or brainstorming sessions. In the Teams app, you can change the view of a list in various ways like cards, grids, calendar-view, etc.
Can you use Microsoft Lists for project management? ›Microsoft lists allows you to create lists and list components that can be used to run multiple workflows – such as project management, employee onboarding, and itinerary planning.
Why you should stop making to do lists? ›The Alternative Way
Negative feedback creates negative reinforcement, meaning we never want to do the thing again. This is how your to-do list can actually de-motivate you. If you don't finish all the pre-determined tasks, you will feel like you have failed — even if you've actually got some solid work done!
- Increases productivity. ...
- Provides motivation. ...
- Improves memory. ...
- Reduces stress. ...
- Allows for more personal time. ...
- Reduces anxiety and improves mental health. ...
- Provides a sense of accomplishment. ...
- Set deadlines for each goal.
By keeping such a list, you make sure that your tasks are written down all in one place so you don't forget anything important. And by prioritizing tasks, you plan the order in which you'll do them, so that you can tell what needs your immediate attention, and what you can leave until later.
What is the best app for making a list? ›- Todoist (Web, Windows, macOS, Android, iPhone, iPad)
- TickTick (Web, Android, Windows, macOS, iPhone and iPad)
- Microsoft To Do (Web, Android, Windows, iPhone and iPad)
- Things (macOS, iPhone, iPad)
- OmniFocus (Web, macOS, iPhone, iPad)
- Habitica (Web, Android, iPhone and iPad)
- Google Tasks (Web, Android, iPhone and iPad)
A Smart List is a Remarketing Audience that Analytics generates to maximize your conversions. If you are new to remarketing, you'll find that using Smart Lists helps you quickly achieve favorable results.
Is there an app to make lists? ›- ClickUp (Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, macOS, Linux, Web) ...
- Todoist (Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, macOS, Web) ...
- Remember The Milk (Android, iPhone, iPad, Web) ...
- Google Keep (Android, iPhone, iPad, Windows, macOS, Web) ...
- TeuxDeux (iPhone, iPad, Windows, macOS, Web)
- Avoid Putting All the Files in One Library. The easiest way to avoid hitting the 5,000 item limit threshold is to not put all your files in one library. ...
- Set up Subfolders. ...
- Create Metadata. ...
- Index the Columns. ...
- Create Different Views.
How do I overcome a list threshold in SharePoint online? ›
- Set filters through “Modify list view” and limit the number of items in the view to less than 5000 to mitigate this issue. ...
- Archive old list items or files, either by moving to a new list or a folder inside the same list.
- Add Indexed columns to the list.
- Retrieve file via “Get File/Folder” .
- Retrieve spreadsheet content via “Read Range”. ...
- Retrieve the Sharepoint list information via “Get List Info”. ...
- Use “Add List Items” to add your Excel DataTable.
It lets you collect, view, filter, sort, collaborate and share structured information across status, lifecycle, ownership, and more. Integrating these lists with Outlook, Office, and Teams can help your workers become far more productive and effective, facilitating deeper collaboration and faster project completion.
Where is Microsoft Lists data stored? ›Lists data is stored in the SharePoint Online team site. To learn more about how SharePoint Online interacts with Teams, see How SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business interact with Teams. Permissions set in SharePoint apply to lists created in the Lists app.
What is the point of SharePoint lists? ›They are designed for tracking and managing data and look similar to spreadsheets. For many applications, for example, displaying data when tracking software bugs or a task list, a SharePoint List is a far better solution than a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.
How many rows can a SharePoint List handle? ›For the List Item mentioned in this article means the rows in your list. Columns are not counted. So you can take 30 million item as 30 million rows.
What is better SharePoint list or library? ›SharePoint lists do NOT support check-in and check-out features. On the other hand, SharePoint Libraries support the check-in and check-out feature. When we select any document in the library, we'll see options for check-in and check-out. It is considered one of the most important document management features.
What is the difference between SharePoint and SharePoint list? ›First, Sharepoint List and Sharepoint folder are used for different usage, a sharepoint list connector is used to get data from sharepoint list, the list is a collection of data that you can share with team members, this is a dataset. While Sharepoint folder is used to connect to the files stored in Sharepoint.
Can I import Excel into Microsoft Lists? ›When creating a Microsoft list, you can save time by importing an existing Excel spreadsheet. This method converts the table headings to columns in the list, and the rest of the data is imported as list items. Importing a spreadsheet is also a way to create a list without the default Title column.
Can I create a template in Microsoft Lists? ›Open the list that you want to save as a template. On the ribbon, select List, and then select List Settings. In the Permissions and Management column, select Save list as template. The Save as Template page appears.
Should I use SharePoint list or database? ›
In summary, while SharePoint shares some features with databases, and is a great tool for document management, it's not designed to be used as a database. SharePoint users that need database functionality should consider other database options, some of which can be integrated with SharePoint.
Is Microsoft Lists any good? ›Microsoft Lists is a solid tool for managing anything from home inventory and school schedules for personal use to content publishing and event planning for small businesses.
Is Microsoft Lists free? ›The Microsoft Lists app is free, but to use the service you need to have an Office 365 commercial license that includes SharePoint. Microsoft Lists allows you to organize and track lists across a team. You can use it track inventory, itinerary, assets, issues, and more.
Is Microsoft Lists available now? ›Microsoft started previewing its standalone version of Lists in January 2022. Microsoft Lists allows businesses and organizations to coordinate task and project management across Microsoft 365. It's now available on Android.
Is a Microsoft list the same as a SharePoint list? ›Microsoft Lists are stored in SharePoint sites and can be accessed from the new Lists home page, directly from the SharePoint team site (as shown here), or from within Microsoft Teams. Microsoft Lists is a Microsoft 365 app that helps you track information and organize work.
Is Microsoft list different from SharePoint list? ›While standard SharePoint lists are designed more for data, the new Microsoft lists also include a certain social interaction aspect. For example, integration with Teams, and the ability to leave comments on an item. The interface also offers more collaboration possibilities.
How do I create a Microsoft list in SharePoint? ›- Select Settings. ...
- Select + New, and then select List.
- Enter a Name for the list, and optionally, a Description. ...
- Select Create.
- When your list opens, to add room for more types of information to the list, select + or + Add column.
It lets you collect, view, filter, sort, collaborate and share structured information across status, lifecycle, ownership, and more. Integrating these lists with Outlook, Office, and Teams can help your workers become far more productive and effective, facilitating deeper collaboration and faster project completion.
Is there an app for making lists? ›Note-taking apps like Evernote, OneNote, and Google Keep also have to-do list features, if you want to combine your to-do lists and notes. You can use Notion as a to-do list if that's where you spend most of your time, and the various Notion alternatives work just as well.
How many ways are there to create a custom list? ›There are two ways to create a custom list in Excel: One way is to open the Custom Lists dialog box, then manually type the sequence of entries in the List Entries box located on the right side of that dialog box.
What are custom lists? ›
Custom lists can be used as super-useful dropdowns in any of your Fieldwire Forms and Tasks for users on the Business tier using Custom Task Attributes. Use custom lists when you would like users to pick items from a discrete set of options. This is especially helpful for inspections and the punch list process.