SharePoint: get the Column Internal Name

Why?

Sometimes you just want to know what the internal name / database name of a column or field is when this may be different from the display name. You may need it for Column formatting, HTTP calls or just for good documentation 😉.

What?

This post will be a short reference on the ways to get the internal name of a column / field.

How?

1) The most simple way is if you have a Library or List view where the column is visible. Just sort the view on this column and then the URL will contain the internal name. For example:

https://[Tenant].sharepoint.com/SC/[Library]/Forms/AllItems.aspx?sortField=InternalName&isAscending=true&viewid=1166bcf1%2D75fe%2D4e2b%2Da726%2D8c05e74f6ef8

This shows that InternalName is the internal / database name of a column / field that I changed later to display the words My custom column.

2) Another way (because some columns just cannot be sorted) is to go the List or Library settings and select the column. The URL will contain the internal name. For example:

https://[Tenant].sharepoint.com/SC/[Library]/_layouts/15/FldEdit.aspx?List=%7BD4969AF7%2DC0EE%2D4961%2DAD93%2DB26D8F19DFC5%7D&Field=DocumentSetDescription

This shows that DocumentSetDescription is the internal / database name of a column / field that SharePoint only displays as Description of the default Document Set content type.

3) In some scenario’s (like a Managed Metadata column), an extra hidden column is added by the system. The fastest way to make sure you get te see all columns present in a list or library is to use REST call with the following syntax:

https://[Tenant].sharepoint.com/SC/_api/Web/Lists(guid'[List GUID]')/Fields

For example my call looked like: https://[Tenant].sharepoint.com/SC/_api/Web/Lists(guid’bc1305e3-0b92-431b-a5c5-3f66384d35da’)/Fields. Don’t be scared of this ‘unreadable’ page you will get, because you can just use CTRL+F and search through the text like any web page. Search for the column you are looking for and all the data (including the InternalName which can be different from the DisplayName and other related columns) will be shown here 🔎