Tag Archives: Service Application

Configure Content Type Publishing

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Here is a start to finish set of instructions for configuring the Content Hub and thus Content Type Publishing in SharePoint Server 2010 Standard/Enterprise.

There are two main parts to the Content Type Hub.

  • Content Type Hub Site Collection
  • Managed Metadata Service Application

Without both of these setup right, your Content Type Hub and thus, Content Type Publishing will not work. I hope the following instructions help.

STEP 1: Create Content Type Hub Site Collection

The Content Type Hub requires a dedicated Site Collection. Note that the site collection must use the Team Site template, or you will need to manually enable features on the site collection for the publishing to work. I recommend not using this Site Collection for anything but Content Type Publishing related tasks.

  1. Navigate to Central Administration
  2. Click Application Management > Manage web applications
  3. Select the Web Application the Site Collection will reside in
  4. Click Managed Paths in the ribbon (Screenshot)
  5. Complete the form fields (Screenshot)
    1. Path: Meta/Hub
    2. Type: Explicit inclusion
  6. Click Ok
  7. Click Application Management > Create site collections
  8. Complete the following form fields (Screenshot)
    1. Web Application: <Select web application from step 3 above>
    2. Title: Content Type Hub
    3. Description: Site Collection for Content Type Publishing.
    4. URL: <Select managed path created in step 5>
    5. Select a template: Team Site (NOTE: Ensure you choose Team Site, there are features enabled needed for the Content Type Hub in Team Site)
    6. User name: <Enter 2 Site Collection Administrators who will be administering the Content Types and publishing>
  9. Click OK
  10. Navigate to the new site collection to ensure it deployed

STEP 2: Configure Managed Metadata Service Application

These steps assume you have already created the Managed Metadata Service Application on your farm. I may create an article on configuring the Managed Metadata Service Application at some point, but there are already a fair number of articles on how to do that. If I see comments asking, I’ll write it up.

NOTE: You can have multiple Content Type Hubs if you create multiple Managed Metadata Service Applications

  1. Navigate to Central Administration
  2. Click Application Management > Manage service applications
  3. Locate and select the Managed Metadata Service Application you wish to configure for the Content Type Hub (do not click the link)
  4. Click Properties in the ribbon (Sceenshot)
  5. Complete the following form fields (Screenshot)
    1. Content Type hub: <Enter Content Type Hub URL from STEP 1
    2. Report syndication import errors…: <Add check mark>
  6. Click OK
  7. Select the Managed Metadata Service Connection Proxy (don’t click the link)
  8. Click Properties in the ribbon
  9. Add a check mark to the bottom two options (Screenshot)
  10. Click OK

STEP 3: Create & Publish Content Types

I strongly advise those looking to publish content types throughout a farm that you develop a thoughtful plan before you begin. A good Information Architecture can go a long way when it comes to content types and especially Published Content Types.

NOTE: The example Content Type being created for these instructions is a basic PowerPoint Presentation template. This is a common Content Type you might want everyone in the organization to use.

  1. Navigate to Content Type Hub site collection
  2. Click Site Actions > Site Settings
  3. Under Site Collection Administration click Site Collection features
  4. Ensure the Content Type Syndication Hub feature is Active (Screenshot)
    1. If it is not, click Activate
  5. Click Site Actions > Site Settings
  6. Under Site Collection Administration click Content type publishing
  7. Verify in the Hubs section that your Managed Metadata Service Application has your Content Type Hub URL (Screenshot)
  8. Click OK
  9. While still in the Content Type Hub Site Settings page, click Site content types  in the Galleries section
  10. Click Create at the top of the list of Content Types
  11. Complete the following form fields (Screenshot) – **You must decide for your application what is relevant for you**
    1. Name:
    2. Description:
    3. Select parent content type from:
    4. Parent Content Type:
    5. Existing group: (or create a new group)
  12. Click OK
  13. Click Advanced settings in the Settings section
  14. Complete the form fields below (Screenshot)
    1. Upload a new document template: <This needs to be a pre-created template file>
    2. Should this content type be read only?: <Choose Yes or No based on your needs (Default=No)>
    3. Update all content types inheriting from this type?: <Choose Yes or No based on your needs (Default=Yes)>
  15. Click OK
  16. Click Manage publishing for this content type in the Settings section
  17. Select Publish (Screenshot)
  18. Click OK
  19. Repeat Steps 16-18 to verify publishing and to Republish (Republish Content Types if you make a change to the Content Type)
  20. Navigate to a different Site Collection (Not the Content Type Hub)
  21. Click Site Actions > Site Settings
  22. Click Site content types

Troubleshooting Tip

Scenario: Content Type has been published, but is not appearing in other Site Collections

Cause: This often is the result of the timer job having not run or is disabled.

Resolution: See below

  1. Navigate to Central Administration
  2. Click Monitoring
  3. Click Review job definitions under Timer Jobs
  4. Locate and click the following Timer Job: Content Type Subscriber
  5. Ensure the job is not disabled (if it is, create a schedule)
  6. Click Run Now button
  7. Wait for the job to complete then check again
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