Creating the Site Columns/Fields Using CSOM in PowerShell in Office 365 / SharePoint Online

Prasham Sabadra

7 Comments

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Prasham Sabadra10y ago
Ok. But if columns are created successfully this means no issue in connection. Is it possible to share the snap of error so that I can take a look once. Thanks!
Gurdeep Kaur10y ago
Actually the columns are getting created but still I am getting the error "Unable to connect to remote server"
Prasham Sabadra10y ago
Hi Gurdeep, please make sure you are putting correct details below. You are putting right user name and password. Also before executing the script just try to connect the office 365 using powershell. If possible then share the snap of error. $siteurl = "" # Your site collection URL #User name and Passwords $userName ="" # Your user name $password ="" # Password
Gurdeep Kaur10y ago
Every time I execute the script I get the message as Unable to connect to the remote server
Prashant Verma10y ago
nice
Prasham Sabadra10y ago
Thanks :)
Shriram Pophali10y ago
Nice article Prasham! Thanks

Step 1: Preparing the .CSV file having all the site columns and values for their respective properties which we want to set.

For example the below .CSV file which we are using in this script,

CSV
Figure 1: Site Columns CSV file format

In the above .CSV file, column headings are basically the properties of the site columns. We can add any property as the column which we want to set. Each row represents the site column and their properties values.

Step 2:

Set the required variables like SiteCollection URL where we need to create the site columns,the UserName and Password of your site to connect a below:

#Site collection URL where we need to create the site columns
$siteurl = "" # Your site collection URL
#User name and Passwords
$userName ="" # Your user name
$password ="" # Password

Step 3: Get the Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext instance and set the credentials as:

#client context object and setting the credentials
[Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext]$clientContext = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.ClientContext($siteurl)
# convert password into secured string
$securedpw = ConvertTo-SecureString $password -AsPlainText -Force
$clientContext.Credentials = New-Object Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.SharePointOnlineCredentials($userName, $securedpw)

Step 4: Get / Load the required web object, we will require it to get the fields collection to add our new fields,

#get the respective web
$site = $clientContext.Site
$web = $site.RootWeb
#Get all fields collection
$fields = $web.Fields
$clientContext.Load($web)
$clientContext.Load($fields)
$clientContext.ExecuteQuery()

Step 5: Import the site columns .CSV file,

# Import the site columns CSV file
$fieldslist = Import-Csv -path 'C:\CreateSiteColumns.csv' #give here your .csv file path

Step 6: Loop through above fields list and create the site column,

#Create the respective fields
ForEach($field in $fieldslist)
{
#Prepare the fieldxml
for Site Column - Please be careful with single and double quotes,
if those got disturbed then it take some time to fix: )
$fieldXML = "<Field Name='" + $field.Name + "' Type='" + $field.Type + "' Description='" + $field.Description + "' DisplayName='" + $field.DisplayName + "' StaticName='" + $field.StaticName + "' Group='" + $field.Group + "' Hidden='" + $field.Hidden + "' Required='" + $row.Required + "' Sealed='" + $field.Sealed + "' ShowInDisplayForm='" + $field.ShowInDisplayForm + "' ShowInEditForm='" + $field.ShowInEditForm + "' ShowInNewForm='" + $field.ShowInNewForm + "'></Field>"
#reate Site Column from fieldXML
$fields.AddFieldAsXml($fieldXML, $true, [Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.AddFieldOptions]::AddFieldToDefaultView)
$clientContext.Load($fields)
}
#foreach
$clientContext.ExecuteQuery()