Information Architecture extensibility in ConneX Studio templates

When using Atlas in different environments and businesses each one needs to adapt the Information Architecture provided by Atlas with additional Workspaces (using ConneX), Content Types, Site Columns, Lists and Libraries, packaging these changes as custom ConneX Studio templates.

However, ConneX Studio has some limitations when it comes to exporting some changes, so specific processes should be followed to implement these extensions.

Site Columns

Any new columns should always be created at Site Collection level as Site Columns (not directly from a list or library as ConneX Studio won't pick up those changes).

Any additional Site Columns should be created in a Column group named "Atlas Columns - Extensions". If created outside of this group, the columns won't be saved as part of the ConneX Studio template.

Changes to existing columns in the "Atlas Site Columns" group are NOT supported and may not be picked up by ConneX Studio properly.

Content Types, Lists and Libraries

Any new Content Types created at Site Collection level should belong to the "Atlas Content Types - Extensions" group, if created outside of this group the content types won't be saved as part of the ConneX Studio template.

Changes to existing content types in "Atlas Content Types" are NOT supported and may not be picked up by ConneX Studio properly.

In order to extend a content type, please follow this process closely:

1) Create a child content type using as the parent the content type you would like to extend. E.g., Client B needs File Item to be extended with additional columns, so you create a new content type (e.g., "File Item B") within the group "Atlas Content Types - Extensions" using as parent "File Item" from Atlas.

2) Add the additional columns to the "File Item B" content type

3) Add the new content type "File Item B" to the Document library

4) Hide "File Item" from showing in the document library new button (library settings)

Following this process, you are keeping the benefits of this new content type being discoverable by Atlas search (inherits from an Atlas Content Type) and will be saved as part of the ConneX Studio template and provisioned correctly later on from ConneX.

Note: Basic changes to columns within lists/libraries are allowed as far as those changes are limited to the Display name and if the column is Required, Optional or Hidden.

Optional: Discoverability of custom columns in search

After the creation of new Site Columns, if you need those to be indexed (be relevant in search queries) and also be usable as refiners, then you need to follow the steps to generate a Crawled Property (create some content using those properties should be enough) and associate to a refinable Managed Property (range under 100 for client custom properties as Atlas uses always above 100).

This search configuration should be done from the SharePoint Central Administration portal to ensure organization-wide availability of the managed property created.