How to Enable Key Filter For SharePoint List or Library

How to enable a Key Filter in SharePoint 2010?

SharePoint contains many extra features that must be manually enabled. For example, Key Filters is one such feature shown below:

When opening a library we will see the Quick Launch pane with a new filter section called Key Filter.

What is Key Filter?

Key Filter is a mechanism to filter a very large list or library. We can filter based on the Metadata property or term associated with it.

How to enable Key Filter?

To enable a Key Filter use the following procedure.

Step 1: Open list or library

Open the list or library by clicking the Quick Launch link.

Step 2: Go to library settings

Go to the Library tab and select "Library settings".

Step 3: Click on the Metadata navigation settings

In the settings page, choose the Metadata navigation settings.

You will get the following page:

You can choose from Navigation Hierarchies and Key Filters.
 
1. Navigation Hierarchies allow you to choose from the existing Metadata Terms.
2. Key Filters allow you to choose from existing columns in the list or library.

We are using the second option of Key Filters here.

Step 4: Add filter

From the second section Configure Key Filters, choose the columns and add them to right side selected fields:

1. Created By
2. Modified By
3. Movie (Metadata Term)

After adding, the columns are as in the following:

Step 5: Save changes

Now save the changes by clicking the "OK" button.

Step 6: Refresh List or Library

Click on the library or list link from the Quick Launch and you will see the Key Filters section in the Quick Launch as in the following:

You can try entering filter values and see the result on the right hand side.

Please note that Movie is a Metadata term that was custom created.

References

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/office365-sharepoint-online-enterprise-help/set-up-metadata-navigation-for-a-list-or-library-HA102832523.aspx

Summary

In this article we have explored how to enable Key Filter for SharePoint list or library.