label vs Page Properties
Asked by johan milio:

Can somebody advise me on when to choose to use a label, or when to add a key/value pair in the Page Properties ?


Answers:
author: Sattesh M
body: Hello Johan, by default, the **Page Properties** , and **Page Properties Report** macro must always be used with a label.  
The ID of the **Page Properties** can then be used in the **Page Properties Report** macro, if we want to filter all other pages out, and display that page alone.

**For Example:**

Page A: Has the **page properties** macro with ID "**123** ", and has a page label of "**ABC**"

Page B: Has the **page properties** macro,with ID "**456** ", and has a page label of "**ABC**" as well.

Page C: Has the **page properties report** macro, and has the **Label** option set to "**ABC**".

<br />

So now, Page C's **page properties report** macro, will show Page A, and Page B.

Let's say we add the ID of one of the **page properties**above, into the **Page properties ID (optional)** field, in the **page properties report** macro in Page C.

* If we add in **123** , the **page properties report**macro in Page C. will only list Page A
* If we add in **456** , the **page properties report**macro in Page C. will only list Page B
* If we add in **789** , the **page properties report** macro in Page C will not show anything, since it could not find the ID in any of the **page properties** macro of the pages, with the "**ABC**" label.

Hope that helps, Johan!  
Do let me know if you have any questions.  

Cheers,  
Sattesh

comments: author: johan milio
body: Hi Sattesh, thanks for this very detailed reaction :-)

I see however that I have to clarify my intent with that question a bit more

Let's say I want to track something I would call "opportunity", I would then use that as a label for my pages (1 page per opportunity).

Then I would define a number of characteristics I would like to track for each opportunity, let's say A, B and C, which would be my keys in the key/value pairs in a page properties macro.

After I collected a number of "opportunities", I can report on them and their characteristics by using the page properties report.

But what if I'm not able to decide what A, B or C should be? What if I'm only able to decide upon which characteristics I want AFTER I've collected a rather large number of "opportunities". That would be a problem, because EVERY opportunity-page must have a page properties macro, with the same keys in it. It would entail to much rework to add those keys once the pages have already been created. (This is a real case for me where a client is not able, nor willing, to help me figure out which characteristics he would like to have reported on).

So I was thinking of using more labels instead, so creating labels A, B and C (and even more as the client comes up with them). Then I could use the Content Report Table Macro to report on specific labels. Backdraw of this solution would be of course that i cannot represent all my "opportunities" in a tabular format, whith all their characteristics presented clearly.

That's my predicament and I wanted to see If someone else has been in the same situation and how they solved it...


author: Thomas ?hrbom
body: Hi [@johan milio](/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/1934830)

I do see your point, and I've run into a couple of similar situations. The way I see it, your alternative of rather using labels as you go along, and then just add more as needed, will require almost as much rework (there might be pages where a new macro is not needed). You'd still have to go back to all your previously registered opportunities and add any new macros to the relevant pages. Also using page properties would "force" you to perhaps hold back on any hasty decisions, and plan ahead more. Maybe doing fewer but larger revisions if required.

I do prefer the Page Properties for metadata that is more or less fixed, and labels for metadata that is more variable or prone to frequent revision. In our setup Page Properties are primarily used to describe properties of the page and its content (approver, expiry date, document type etc.) and labels are used to indicate target audience (department, company, function etc).

This way we can do reports using the Page Properties Reports macro, applying the relevant labels for filtering.


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