Creating SharePoint Columns Programatically Using C#

As a SharePoint developer you can use SharePoint API to create columns programmatically in Lists or Document Libraries. You can set the different properties for the column. Followings are few snippets to create SharePoint column programmatically using C#.

Single line of text

Represents a column that contains a single line of text.

	private void AddTextField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.Text, false);
	// Get Field
	SPFieldText textField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldText;
	// Set other properties
	textField.Description = "Text Field Description";
	// Update field
	textField.Update();
	}

view raw TextField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Multiple lines of text

Represents a column that contains a multiple line of text.

	private void AddMultiLineTextField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.Note, false);
	// Get Field
	SPFieldMultiLineText multiLinetextField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldMultiLineText;
	// Set other properties
	multiLinetextField.Description = "Multiline Text Field Description";
	multiLinetextField.NumberOfLines = 10;
	// Update field
	multiLinetextField.Update();
	}

view raw MultiLineTextField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Choice (menu to choose from)

Represents a column that contains choices. It can be single select or multiple select. For single select Choice field renders Dropdown list or Radio button list and for multiple select it renders Checkbox list.

	private void AddChoiceField(SPList list)
	{
	string fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.Choice, false);
	// Get field
	SPFieldChoice choiceField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldChoice;
	// Add options
	string[] options = { "Enter Choice #1", "Enter Choice #2", "Enter Choice #3" };
	choiceField.Choices.AddRange(options);
	// By Default it will be dropdown list
	// If multi choice Checkbox list.
	choiceField.Type = SPFieldType.MultiChoice;
	// Set other properties
	choiceField.Description = "Choice Field Description";
	choiceField.DefaultValue = "Enter Choice #1";
	// Update field
	choiceField.Update();
	}

view raw ChoiceField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Number (1, 1.0, 100)

Represents a column that contains numbers. You can use DisplayFormat property to set the allowed number of decimal.

	private void AddNumberField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.Number, false);
	// Get field
	SPFieldNumber numberField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldNumber;
	// Set other properties
	numberField.Description = "Number Field Description";
	numberField.DisplayFormat = SPNumberFormatTypes.NoDecimal;
	// Update field
	numberField.Update();
	}

view raw NumberField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Currency ($, ¥, €)

Represents a column that contains currency. You can use DisplayFormat property to set the allowed number of decimal. You can use CurrencyLocaleId property to set the currency symbol. You can find full list of Locale Ids here

	private void AddCurrencyField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.Currency, false);
	// Get field
	SPFieldCurrency currencyField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldCurrency;
	// Set other properties
	currencyField.Description = "Currency Field Description";
	currencyField.DisplayFormat = SPNumberFormatTypes.TwoDecimals;
	currencyField.CurrencyLocaleId = 1033; // United States
	// Update field
	currencyField.Update();
	}

view raw CurrenceyField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Date and Time

Represents a column that contains a DateTime value. You can use DisplayFormat property to set the date format.

	private void AddDateTimeField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.DateTime, false);
	// Get field
	SPFieldDateTime dateTimeField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldDateTime;
	// Set other properties
	dateTimeField.Description = "DateTime Field Description";
	dateTimeField.DisplayFormat = SPDateTimeFieldFormatType.DateOnly;
	dateTimeField.DefaultValue = "[Today]";
	// Update field
	dateTimeField.Update();
	}

view raw DateTimeField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Lookup (information already on this site)

Represents a column that contains a information from other List/Document Library from current site.

	private void AddLookupField(SPList lookupList, SPList list)
	{
	var lookupFieldName = "LookupFieldName";
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	var fieldInternalName = list.Fields.AddLookup(fieldName, lookupList.ID, true);
	// Get field
	SPFieldLookup lookupField = list.Fields[fieldInternalName] as SPFieldLookup;
	// Set properties
	lookupField.Description = "Lookup Field Description";
	lookupField.LookupField = lookupList.Fields[lookupFieldName].InternalName;
	// Update field
	lookupField.Update();
	}

view raw LookupField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Yes/No (check box)

Represents a column that contains Boolean value.

	private void AddBooleanField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.Boolean, false);
	// Get field
	SPFieldBoolean booleanField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldBoolean;
	// Set other properties
	booleanField.Description = "Boolean Field Description";
	// Update field
	booleanField.Update();
	}

view raw BooleanField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Person or Group

Represents a column that contains a user or group information.

	private void AddUserField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.User, false);
	// Get field
	SPFieldUser userField = new SPFieldUser(list.Fields, fieldInternalName);
	// Set other properties
	userField.Description = "User Field Description";
	userField.AllowMultipleValues = false;
	userField.SelectionMode = SPFieldUserSelectionMode.PeopleAndGroups;
	userField.LookupField = "Title";
	userField.Update();
	// Update field
	userField.Update();
	}

view raw UserField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Hyperlink or Picture

Represents a column that contains a Url information. It can be Hyperlink or Picture Url.

	private void AddUrlField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.URL, false);
	// Get field
	SPFieldUrl urlField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldUrl;
	// Set other properties
	urlField.Description = "Url Field Description";
	// SPUrlFieldFormatType.Hyperlink or SPUrlFieldFormatType.Image
	urlField.DisplayFormat = SPUrlFieldFormatType.Hyperlink;
	// Update field
	urlField.Update();
	}

view raw UrlField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Calculated (calculation based on other columns)

Represents a column that contains a calculated value based on other columns.

	private void AddCalculatedField(SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Create field
	string fieldInternalName = list.Fields.Add(fieldName, SPFieldType.Calculated, false);
	// Get field
	SPFieldCalculated calculatedField = list.Fields.GetFieldByInternalName(fieldInternalName) as SPFieldCalculated;
	// Set other properties
	calculatedField.Description = "Calculated Field Description";
	calculatedField.Formula = "=[Title]";
	calculatedField.OutputType = SPFieldType.Text;
	// Update field
	calculatedField.Update();
	}

view raw CalculatedField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Managed Metadata

Represents a column that contains information from Term Store.

	private void AddTaxonomyField(SPSite site, SPList list)
	{
	var fieldName = "FieldName";
	// Get TermSet
	TaxonomySession taxonomySession = new TaxonomySession(site);
	TermStore termStore = taxonomySession.TermStores["MANAGED_METADATA_SERVICE_NAME"];
	Group group = termStore.Groups["GROUP_NAME"];
	TermSet termset = group.TermSets["TERMSET_NAME"];
	// Create field
	TaxonomyField taxonomyField = list.Fields.CreateNewField("TaxonomyFieldType", "DISPLAY_NAME") as TaxonomyField;
	taxonomyField.Description = "Managed Metadata Field Description";
	taxonomyField.SspId = termStore.Id;
	taxonomyField.TermSetId = termset.Id;
	taxonomyField.AllowMultipleValues = false;
	taxonomyField.Group = "GROUP_NAME";
	list.Fields.Add(taxonomyField);
	}

view raw AddTaxonomyField.cs hosted with ❤ by GitHub