Sharepoint 2010 Custom view within document set library

Problem: you have a document library, containing one or more custom document sets. The document library itself has a view showing columns related to the document set (document set status, for instance), but when you open the document set itself you may want to display other columns that are document specific (like a status for the current document, plus some meta data fields). This might seem impossible to start with, because it is not an option in the document set content type definition, and if you attempt to change the view within the document set you’re taken to the settings page for the document library.

Fortunately, there is a way and here’s how.

1. Define a new view for the document library, with the columns you want to display within the internal library of the document set (for instance “document status”)

2. Go the the document library settings (From the library tab of the ribbon)

3. Choose the document set content type from Content Types (it has to be accessed from here, call Microsoft and ask why the ¤%# that is!)

4. Select Document set settings

5. You will now see a drop down list under “Welcome page view” where you can select default view

 

There you have it: different views in the document library and within the document set.