Overview

Organizations often display documents stored in Microsoft SharePoint on their Drupal websites, such as employee handbooks, policies, product brochures, technical documentation, training materials, and other shared resources. As the number of files grows, manually browsing through long lists becomes inefficient.

This use case describes how end users can search across SharePoint files and folders that are displayed inside Drupal using the miniOrange SharePoint Integration Module. Instead of browsing through nested SharePoint directories one level at a time, users can search by file name (and, where configured, by metadata) directly from the Drupal interface and get matching results from the connected SharePoint document library.

Prerequisites:

• miniOrange SharePoint Integration module is installed and enabled.
• The Drupal website is connected to Microsoft SharePoint.
• A Microsoft Entra ID application is configured with the required Microsoft Graph API permissions.
• The SharePoint site, document library, drive, or destination folder is accessible.
• The administrator has permission to configure the module.
• Files/folders from the target SharePoint library are already being displayed on the Drupal site.

Problem

When a SharePoint document library contains a large number of files spread across multiple folders and subfolders, users displaying that library inside Drupal are often stuck clicking through folder after folder just to locate one document. Without a search feature, users must manually browse folders or paginate through long file listings to locate a specific document. This gets worse as the library grows, folders get reorganized, or multiple departments share the same document space.

This can lead to:

• Time-consuming document searches.
• Poor user experience on document portals.
• Difficulty locating important files.
• Reduced productivity for employees and customers.

Solution

The Drupal SharePoint Integration module adds a convenient file search feature to the SharePoint document library displayed on your Drupal website. Instead of manually navigating through multiple folders, subfolders, and long file listings, users can search for the required document directly from the Drupal interface.

Users can enter a file name, partial name, or relevant keyword in the search field. The module filters the displayed SharePoint files and shows the most relevant matching documents, helping users locate and access the required file more efficiently.

• A search field is added to the SharePoint file listing displayed on the Drupal website.
• Users can enter a complete file name, partial file name, or relevant keyword.
• The file listing is filtered based on the entered search term.
• Matching SharePoint documents are displayed directly within the Drupal interface.
• Users can open or access the required document from the filtered results.
• The search functionality continues to support efficient file access as the document library grows.
• Users can locate documents without leaving the Drupal website or opening SharePoint separately.

Benefits

• Faster file discovery without manual folder navigation.
• Quickly locate files using file names or keywords.
• Eliminate manual browsing through long document lists.
• Improve document accessibility and user experience.
• Save time when accessing frequently used files.
• Provide a clean and efficient document browsing experience.

Result

The Search feature of the miniOrange SharePoint Integration module brings users to quickly find the SharePoint documents displayed on the Drupal website. Instead of manually browsing large file collections, users can search and access the required files in seconds, improving productivity and overall user experience.