Microsoft Office Metadata

There are common Microsoft Office metadata elements to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. For example, document properties are common through all Microsoft Office applications.

Document Properties

There are two types of document properties in a Microsoft Office document, “built-in,” and “custom.” Built-in document properties can change but the property itself cannot be deleted. Custom document properties on the other hand can be changed and deleted, making them a very useful feature.

Custom Document Properties Metadata

In Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint you can create custom document properties to help you manage and track all kinds of information. If you link a property to a bookmark in the document, the property will be updated as the item is changed. Custom document properties can be details about a file that helps identify it, such as client-matter information, date completed, the author or operator name, the subject, or a keyword that identifies topics or other important information in the file.

Built-In Document Properties

Built-in document properties contain information about a document that describes or identifies it in some way. Built-in document properties are stored in the document and are not apart of the author’s content. They include information such as title, author name, subject, and creation date that identify the document's subject matter or contents. Unlike custom document properties, Built-in document properties cannot be deleted and in some cases (i.e., Print date) cannot be changed.