Clean Managed Metadata in SharePoint Library: Simple Steps That Work

Cleaning managed metadata in a SharePoint library is essential to remove duplicates and fix outdated terms. Within six steps, I periodically clean managed metadata in SharePoint library effortlessly. 

Today, I’ll share all of my knowledge related to the same: 

• Why Cleaning Managed Metadata Matters?
• How to Clean Metadata Step by Step
  • #Step 1. Audit the Term Store
  • #Step 2. Audit Library Metadata
  • #Step 3. Merge, Deprecate, or Delete Terms
  • #Step 4. Bulk Update Documents with PnP PowerShell
  • #Step 5. Import / Export Term Sets with CSV
  • #Step 6. Governance Practices
• Author’s Verdict
• People Also Ask

Why Cleaning Managed Metadata Matters?

Metadata cleanup has a measurable impact:

• Improved search results
• Eliminated duplicates, e.g., fix confusion between “HR” and “Human Resources.”
• Ensures proper document classification.
• Users can filter and find documents quickly.
• Clean metadata avoids errors during SharePoint Tenant to Tenant migration.

Now, we know the benefits of cleaning metadata, but do you know how to do that? Of course, not, that’s why you are here, right? So, without wasting any time, let’s start!

How to Clean Managed Metadata in SharePoint Library Step by Step

Before touching metadata, first verify these prerequisites:

• Export term sets to CSV (Backup SharePoint Online to Local Storage).
• Export library inventory, including IDs, file paths, and existing metadata.
• Test scripts in a non-production environment.
• Confirm you have Term Store contributor rights and site admin access.
• Inform stakeholders and set expectations.

Now, follow these 6 steps to clean metadata effortlessly:

#Step 1. Audit the Term Store

Open the Term Store in the SharePoint Admin Center, and click on Content Services, and Term Store. From there, export or copy existing term sets to CSV. This helps you find duplicates and outdated terms.

#Step 2. Audit Library Metadata

Next, export a list of documents with their current metadata. Here’s the PnP PowerShell pattern:

Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://mackjohn.sharepoint.com/sites/mackjohn(yourSite)" -Interactive
$library = "Documents"
$items = Get-PnPListItem -List $library -PageSize 2000 `
    -ScriptBlock { param($items) $items }
$items | Select-Object Id, FileLeafRef, FileRef,
    @{Name='Department';Expression={$_.FieldValues.Department}}
    | Export-Csv C:\temp\LibraryInventory.csv -NoTypeInformation

This export helps you to see which terms are in use before making clean managed metadata in SharePoint library.

#Step 3. Merge, Deprecate, or Delete Terms

• Merge duplicates: If you find HR and Human Resources, merge them in the Term Store.
• Deprecate obsoleteterms: If a term is no longer valid but  still exists in documents, deprecate it.
• Delete: Only when you are certain a term is unused.

#Step 4. Bulk Update Documents with PnP PowerShell

Now, we have to fix documents already tagged with wrong terms. For the same, use PnP PowerShell:

a) Prepare a CSV mapping

Example format to clean managed metadata in SharePoint library:

Id, TermPath
123,"Departments|HR"
456,"Departments|Finance"

b) Apply updates in batches

Connect-PnPOnline -Url "https://mackjohn.sharepoint.com/sites/mackjohn(YourSite)" -Interactive
$csv = Import-Csv C:\temp\update-metadata.csv
$batch = New-PnPBatch
foreach ($row in $csv) {
    Set-PnPListItem -List "Documents" -Identity $row.Id `
        -Values @{"Department" = $row.TermPath} -Batch $batch
}
Invoke-PnPBatch -Batch $batch

Important points to keep in mind:

• Use batching (New-PnPBatch) to avoid throttling.
• Use Connect-PnPOnline, not Connect-SPOService, to avoid errors.
• For complex cases, use the term GUIDs instead of labels.
• Multi-value fields and terms with special characters like & need extra handling.

#Step 5. Import / Export Term Sets with CSV

If you need to restructure large taxonomies. Edit them offline in a CSV and re-import into the Term Store. 

#Step 6. Governance Practices

Here’s the proven checklist to verify governance, as clean managed metadata in SharePoint library is not enough sometimes:

• Only term owners can add new entries.
• Assign both a term set owner and a metadata steward.
• Audit terms quarterly or after major projects.
• Use default metadata where possible to guide users.

That’s all, within 6 steps, you will completely remove unwanted metadata. 

Author’s Verdict

Cleaning managed metadata transforms a SharePoint library. If you’re preparing for a site migration, clean managed metadata in SharePoint library first. A professional solution like the SharePoint Migration Tool ensures metadata remains intact during transition.