Creating and Configuring a New SharePoint Site

A new SharePoint site is a 5-minute job to create and a much longer job to set up properly. This article covers the questions to answer before clicking create, and the configuration steps that turn an empty site into a useful workspace.

Before you create

Answer these first:

• What is the site for? A team, a department, a project, a community of practice?
• Who is the owner? (Every site needs at least one accountable owner)
• Does it need a Microsoft 365 Group (and therefore a connected mailbox and Teams option) or is it a Communication Site for one-way publishing?
• What sensitivity classification does it need?
• Does it belong under an existing hub site?

Site type: Team versus Communication

• Team site: collaboration, shared workspace, comes with a Microsoft 365 Group. Use for teams, projects, departments
• Communication site: one-to-many publishing, no group. Use for intranet, news, knowledge base, policies

Step 1: Create the site

From the SharePoint home page, click Create site. Pick the type, name it clearly (avoid acronyms unless universally understood), and provide a short description.

For team sites, add at least 2 owners. Single-owner sites become orphans when the owner leaves.

Step 2: Apply the sensitivity label

Before adding content, apply the correct sensitivity label to the site. The label controls external sharing, guest access, and downstream protections.

Step 3: Set up libraries deliberately

The default Documents library is fine for a small team. For anything more, create purpose-specific libraries:

• One library per type of content (e.g. Contracts, Project Documents, Reports)
• Each library with metadata columns appropriate to its content
• Each library with a default retention label

Step 4: Configure navigation

Edit the left navigation (team site) or top navigation (communication site) to expose the libraries and pages users will actually use. Hide the noise. Most users do not need Site contents or Recycle bin in the primary nav.

Step 5: Set permissions

Use the site's default Microsoft 365 Group (for team sites) or SharePoint groups (for communication sites). Grant access via groups, not individual users.

Step 6: Connect to a hub (if applicable)

If your tenant uses hub sites, associate the new site with the right hub for shared navigation, theming, and search.

Step 7: Document the site

Add the site to your tenant's site register, with owner, purpose, sensitivity, and review date. This is what prevents the orphans that pile up over years.

For site design help or hub strategy, submit a support ticket.