Getting Users to Appreciate Lookup Columns in SharePoint – Part II

Use case 2: Lookup list with additional attributes

The list I created for thsi use case is: “Clients”. You can see it bellow – it has a couple of attributes, it’s not as simple as “Payment Methods”. The purpose of this example is to show that some attributes of this list, such as “Organization Name” of the client, can be shown on the invoice. If we enter organization name correctly for each client, it will automatically be shown on the invoice after client is selected.

BP2_Clients - All Items - Internet Explorer 2013-12-27 22.24.48

So, when referencing this lookup column in invoice list, we have to pay attention to the section marked red in the screenshot bellow. Just below caption “Add a column to show each of these additional fields:” you should select all the fields you want to be visible in the “Invoices” list.

BP2_Change Column - Internet Explorer 2013-12-27 22.30.43

“Invoices” list should then look similar to this screenshot:

BP2_Invoices - All Items - Internet Explorer 2013-12-27 22.36.48

The important benefit of this type of lookup column is that client’s data can be updated independently and consistently, while the invoice only contains the reference to client’s data. This means that if we change e.g. organization in “Clients” list, it will automatically be updated in the “Invoices” list, allowing you to sort invoices by organization, client name etc.


Hey there! I’m Toni, the Co-Founder and CEO of Syskit, creators of Syskit Point and SPDocKit. Welcome to Toni on Tech, where we explore the ever-evolving world of software, technology, and business.