Update: SharePoint Team Site Home Page Names Change
Explore the new naming changes for SharePoint Team Site Homepage and its potential impact on usability.
Changes in SharePoint Online Team Site
Blog post author "Marc D Anderson [MVP]" recently uncovered an unexpected change in SharePoint Online - the home page was renamed from the usual 'Home.aspx' to an unfamiliar 'CollabHome.aspx'. Anderson, having not found any documentation on this subject, took to social media to inquire about the change.
Anderson prefers to start with the simplest template when creating a team site, seeking to avoid a pre-set template that may not follow good information architecture (IA) rules. This preference is mirrored by his critique of Microsoft's lack of a "No template, thank you very much" option. Adding to the confusion, the template selected will determine the name of the home page.
In an online exchange, Cathy Dew (@catpaint1) helped shed some light on the reasons behind these changes. Yet Anderson asserts the unpredictable nature of the new naming system could lead to confusion in the long run, stressing the importance of consistency to easy site navigation.
Further investigation revealed that home page names differed depending on the chosen template. However, for sites already named, it seems likely their titles will stay as they are - introducing the possibility of inconsistency among individual sites. A few examples of these naming disparities include 'crisisCommunicationHome.aspx' for 'Crisis communication team', 'Employee-onboarding-team-home.aspx' for 'Employee onboarding team', and 'EventPlanHome.aspx' for 'Event planning'.
This lack of uniformity in Site template naming is a matter of concern for Anderson, who considers these changes lacking clear benefits. Although he conceded that these changes won’t cause significant damage, he couldn’t help expressing frustration about SharePoint's power being eroded with the introduction of unnecessary alterations. His opinion is showcased when he commented that he “sees too many changes in SharePoint that erode the power it’s already had for years in the home of something new”.
This change is reportedly likely to continue rolling out gradually. Therefore, if you have not yet noticed these changes in your platform, it may not have reached you yet. For more information on this topic, please visit here.
A broader perspective on SharePoint
SharePoint Online is an integrated solution designed to facilitate collaboration within an organization. The platform has been known for its power and flexibility, offering a plethora of tools that support multiple business operations. However, the recent changes in the platform, including the introduction of new template names, are sparking concerns. While such changes aim to enhance user experience and customization, they have been met with backlash from users who value consistency and predictability. Moving forward, balancing the need for improvement and the desire for stability will be key in SharePoint's continued success.
- SharePoint Team Site Home Pages Get New Names
- Yes, we do give each homepage a unique name now because site templates are additive as @susanhanley mentioned. This helps you understand which ...
SharePoint Team Site Home Pages
Sharepoint, the collaborative platform by Microsoft, has recently undergone some changes that have piqued the curiosity of users worldwide. To understand these changes, we must delve deeper into an intriguing development - the altering of SharePoint Team Site home page names.
Presently, when you create a standard Team Site on Sharepoint, you will notice that the home page is referred to as ‘CollabHome.aspx’. This seems to be a deviation from the earlier convention of naming these pages as 'Home.aspx'. Though subtle, this change signifies a shift in Sharepoint's default naming mechanism, the reasons for which, however, are still unclear.
Typically, the starting point for any collaborative work on SharePoint would be a simple template. Microsoft now requires users to select a template - a standard team one fits the situation best. However, the absence of an option to proceed without a template can potentially lead to a deviation from overall good information architecture practices.
Cathy Dew, a prominent figure in the SharePoint community, shed some light on this change. Over the years, changing the name of the site's home page was discouraged, primarily owing to the importance of consistency. The recent modifications signal a clear break from this standpoint.
Uniformity in SharePoint is significant. This keeps URL typing errors at bay and ensures an organized information architecture. The sudden alteration in home page names can potentially indicate a larger reshaping of the platform's overall structure.
The type of template chosen appears to dictate the name of the home page. A series of experiments with different templates showed that the consistency in home page naming was not guaranteed across the board. Changes are expected to address this irregularity, but any previously named site will likely retain its title.
A variety of template names and their respective home pages have emerged as a result of this seemingly arbitrary change. For instance, for 'Standard team' the home page is 'CollabHome.aspx', for 'Crisis communication team' it's 'crisisCommunicationHome.aspx', and for the 'Employee onboarding team', it's 'Employee-onboarding-team-home.aspx', and so on.
The author of this blog expressed dissatisfaction with this unanticipated and plausibly unnecessary change. Appeals for a default "No template" option echo the sentiment of longing for the original, simpler SharePoint. To some extent, the shift can be likened to the Hippocratic Oath: “First, do no harm”. After all, changes without apparent benefits can affect the platform's efficiency.
Although this small reform isn't expected to cause significant harm, it brings us to question whether we should embrace these shifts or express annoyance. While incremental changes are commonplace in technology, it is essential to ensure that they don't erode the inherent power that SharePoint has wielded all these years. This concern doesn't stem from mere resistance to change but hopes for a brighter future for the platform.
Lastly, it is pertinent to mention that this new development may not have reached all users as it appears to be rolling out gradually from region to region.
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