Overview
eSHARE can write activity information back into a SharePoint document library each time a file in that library is shared or acted on through eSHARE. When enabled, two purpose-built columns are automatically populated with the email address of the person who triggered the action and the date and time it occurred — giving you an audit trail of eSHARE activity directly inside SharePoint.
For eSHARE to update these columns, two tasks must be completed. First, a SharePoint site owner must create the two columns in the library using the exact display names and data types described below. Second, an eSHARE administrator must flag the site as ready using the Mark eShare Columns as existing action in the eSHARE Admin Console. This article covers both tasks in order.
Note: The two tasks are owned by two different roles. Creating the columns is a SharePoint administrative task performed in the SharePoint site itself. Marking the site is an eSHARE administrative task performed in the eSHARE Admin Console. Both must be completed for the feature to work.
Prerequisites
An active eSHARE Collaborate license with the SharePoint site connected or added to eSHARE SharePoint sites list.
Site owner (or equivalent) permission on the target SharePoint Online site to add columns to the library.
eSHARE Administrator access to the eSHARE Admin Console with the SharePoint Sites management page available.
The SharePoint eSHARE events option enabled for your organization in eSHARE Device Policy settings. Your eSHARE administrator can confirm this.
The name of the target SharePoint site and the document library you want to track.
Part 1 — Create the eSHARE Columns in SharePoint
Perform these steps in the SharePoint Online site connected to eSHARE. The columns must be added to the document library you want to track. The default Documents library is used in this guide.
Step 1 — Open the document library
In a browser, navigate to the target SharePoint site and open the Documents library.
Step 2 — Add the first column
Select Add column, choose Single line of text, and create a column with the display name exactly as shown below. The display name must match character-for-character, including spaces and parentheses.
Column name | Modified by (eShare app) |
Type | Single line of text |
Step 3 — Add the second column
Select Add column again, choose Date and time, and create a second column with the display name exactly as shown below.
Column name | Event Date (eShare app) |
Type | Date and time |
Important — Column names must be exact on first creation: The display names must be entered exactly as shown the first time the columns are created. SharePoint derives a fixed internal field identifier from the original display name — Modified by (eShare app) becomes Modifiedby_x0028_eShareapp_x0029_ and Event Date (eShare app) becomes EventDate_x0028_eShareapp_x0029_. eSHARE writes to those internal identifiers. Renaming a column after it is created changes only the display name, not the internal identifier — the column must be deleted and recreated with the correct name.
Part 2 — Mark the Site in the eSHARE Admin Console
Once both columns exist in the library, mark the site in eSHARE to enable the feature. This sets the internal flag that allows eSHARE to begin populating the columns.
Step 4 — Open the SharePoint Sites page
Sign in to the eSHARE Admin Console and navigate to SharePoint Sites from the left navigation panel.
Step 5 — Select the site
Locate the SharePoint site in the table and select it. The table includes an eShare Columns Exist column that shows the current state of each site.
Step 6 — Apply Mark eShare Columns as existing
From the actions menu, select Mark eShare Columns as existing. eSHARE records that the activity columns are present and the site's eShare Columns Exist value updates accordingly.
Note: To reverse this setting later, use the companion action Mark eShare Columns as non-existing from the same actions menu. eSHARE will stop updating the columns until the site is marked again.
Verification
After marking the site, share or act on a file in the tracked library through eSHARE, then refresh the library view in SharePoint. The two columns should populate — Modified by (eShare app) with the email address of the person who triggered the action, and Event Date (eShare app) with the date and time it occurred.
Troubleshooting
If the columns are not updating after completing both parts, check the following:
Confirm both columns exist in the correct library with the exact display names and data types specified in Part 1. A mismatch in the original display name means SharePoint generated a different internal identifier than eSHARE expects.
Verify the column data types — Modified by (eShare app) must be Single line of text and Event Date (eShare app) must be Date and time.
Confirm the site shows eShare Columns Exist as enabled on the SharePoint Sites page.
Confirm the site is active and connected to eSHARE through Microsoft Graph.
Ask your eSHARE administrator to confirm the SharePoint eSHARE events option is enabled for the organization in Device Policy settings.
If a column was created with an incorrect name and then renamed, delete it and recreate it with the exact name — renaming does not change the internal identifier eSHARE writes to.