SharePoint FAQ: build pages, lists, or use Copilot

Key insights

• A collapsible page section can hold one question and an answer made from text or other page content, such as an embedded form.
• A SharePoint list can use Question and Answer columns; grouping the view by Question creates a collapsible presentation.
• The FAQ web part can draft categories, questions, and answers from pasted text or files on the site.
• The FAQ web part walkthrough requires a Copilot license; the other two methods do not use Copilot.
• Authors can review and edit generated categories, questions, and answers before publishing.

SharePoint offers three ways to build an FAQ: collapsible page sections, a list grouped by question, or a Copilot-powered FAQ web part. The choices suit different needs, from answers that include embedded content to short, searchable entries or drafts generated from policy files. SharePoint Maven Inc demonstrates each approach in a YouTube video.

What it does

An FAQ in SharePoint does not have to be a single long block of text. Page sections, list items, and a dedicated FAQ web part can each organize questions and answers, but they work differently and offer different levels of structure.

For a page-based FAQ, each question gets its own collapsible section. The question serves as the section title, and the answer can use page content, including text or an embedded form. Authors can set sections to start collapsed, show divider lines, and change section color.

A list-based FAQ stores questions and answers as columns in list items. Grouping the list view by Question displays entries under collapsible groups. The video describes this as a fit for relatively short answers and notes that the text in the list is searchable.

The FAQ web part offers a third approach: it can draft categories, questions, and answers from pasted text or files on the site. The author can review and change the generated content before publishing. The web part also includes an option that lets employees submit a question to the FAQ author.

Who it is for and what you need

Page authors who want flexible answers can use collapsible sections. This option can include more than text, such as a form embedded in the answer. The demonstration does not specify a particular SharePoint license or page-editing permission requirement for this method.

A list is another option when the FAQ consists of relatively short question-and-answer entries. It uses a blank SharePoint list, a Question column and an Answer column; the demonstrated Answer column is set to multiple lines of text. The walkthrough does not state licensing or access prerequisites for creating the list.

The demonstrated FAQ web part uses Copilot to draft content, and the presenter says this option requires a Copilot license. The video does not specify the exact license name, tenant or regional availability, or whether the web part is available to every organization. It also does not detail required permissions for adding the web part or accessing its source files.

How it works

For collapsible sections, an author edits a SharePoint page and uses the section properties pane to turn on the collapsible setting. The author then adds the question as the section title and places the answer in the section content. Each question-and-answer pair gets its own section.

1. Edit the page and add or select a section.
2. Open the properties pane and enable the option to make the section collapsible.
3. Use the section title for the question and add the answer as text or other supported page content.
4. Set the section’s default expanded or collapsed state and adjust its appearance, then publish the page.

For the list method, create a blank list and rename its default Title column to Question. Add an Answer column and set it to multiple lines of text when answers may be longer. Enter FAQ pairs as list items, then group the view by Question to give readers a collapsible layout.

For Copilot-assisted FAQs, edit the page and add the FAQ web part using the plus sign. Provide source material by pasting text or referencing files on the site. The demonstration selects policy files and identifies the content as a policy, then generates categories, questions, and answers in stages.

Review each stage rather than treating the draft as final. The author can change or remove categories, edit or add questions, and adjust answers. After reviewing the content, set the web part styling and decide whether to enable the submit-question field, then publish the page.

Limitations and open questions

The three approaches trade flexibility against structure and authoring effort. Collapsible sections allow answers made with different page content, while the list approach organizes entries in columns and works best, according to the demonstration, when answers are relatively short. Copilot can draft a structured FAQ from source material, but the author still needs to review and edit the result.

The video does not identify a specific Copilot license, confirm rollout status, or explain regional availability. It also does not establish that the FAQ web part or Copilot generation is available to all tenants. Check your organization’s SharePoint environment and licensing before planning around the Copilot option.

The submit-question field is shown as a way for employees to send unanswered questions to the author. The presenter says he thinks the email goes to the site owner, but does not verify the recipient. Confirm how submissions are routed in your own environment before relying on it as a support process.

There is no single choice that fits every FAQ. Use page sections when answers need varied content, a grouped list for short searchable entries, or the FAQ web part when Copilot drafting from text or site files is useful and the required license is available.

Sources

• SharePoint Maven Inc’s SharePoint FAQ demonstration
• SharePoint Maven Inc

Frequently asked questions

How do I create an FAQ in SharePoint?

Use collapsible page sections, a SharePoint list with Question and Answer columns grouped by Question, or the FAQ web part. The best fit depends on the answer format and whether you want Copilot to draft content.

Does the SharePoint FAQ web part require a Copilot license?

The demonstration says the Copilot-powered FAQ web part requires a Copilot license. It does not name the exact license or specify availability by tenant or region.

Can Copilot create SharePoint FAQ answers from files?

The demonstrated FAQ web part can use files on the site as reference material, or text pasted by the author. It drafts categories, questions, and answers in stages, which the author can review and edit.

Can SharePoint FAQ answers include forms?

The collapsible-section approach can include other page content in an answer, and the demonstration shows embedding a form. The list approach is described as better for relatively short answers.