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Dynamic Filtering

Dynamic filtering lets one web part on a modern SharePoint page filter another, so a click in a list instantly narrows the documents or items shown beside it. It is the out of the box way to build interactive dashboards: a List or Document library web part exposes a Dynamic filtering toggle that connects it to another list web part on the same page and matches values column to column. There is no code and no Power Automate, just two web parts working together on one page.
Related Features
Filters Pane, Page, Web Part

Common Use Cases

  • Project dashboards: click a project in a list and see only that project’s documents in the library web part beside it
  • Department directories: select a department record and display its team members, policies, or open positions from related lists
  • Knowledge bases: pick a topic in a category list and surface only the articles tagged with that topic
  • Asset and equipment trackers: choose an asset to reveal its maintenance history or related service requests
  • Client and account pages: select a client in one list and filter the contracts, contacts, and activity items stored in others
  • File previews: connect a Document library web part to the File viewer web part so clicking a file shows its contents on the same page

Benefits

  • Interactive pages out of the box: page viewers explore data with clicks instead of opening lists and applying manual filters
  • No code required: the connection lives entirely in web part settings, with no SPFx development and no Power Automate
  • One page instead of many: related lists and libraries share a single dashboard rather than separate pages per category
  • Always current: filtered results read live list data, so new items appear the moment they are added
  • Respects permissions: viewers only see items they already have access to, because security trimming still applies
  • Reusable pattern: the same technique works on any modern page, from intranet home pages to team workspaces

How It Works

  • Source and target: one list web part acts as the source where users click, and the connected web part filters its items to match the selection
  • Same page requirement: both web parts must live on the same modern page for the connection to be available
  • Column matching: you pick a column in the web part being filtered and the column in the source list whose value it must match
  • Selection driven: the filter applies the moment a viewer selects an item in the source web part
  • Works with views: the connected web part still honors the list view you chose, layering the dynamic filter on top of it

Limits and Nuances

  • One filter per web part: a List or Document library web part supports a single dynamic filter, not multiple stacked conditions
  • Modern pages only: the connection works between web parts on modern pages and is not available on older web part pages
  • Same page only: web parts on different pages or different sites cannot be connected to each other
  • Matching values matter: the filter compares column values, so consistent metadata across the two lists is what makes it reliable
  • Selection required: viewers see the full, unfiltered view until they click an item in the source list
  • Limited web part family: dynamic filtering belongs to the List and Document library web parts; other pairs, like File viewer and List properties, follow their own connection model

Common Questions About Dynamic Filtering

What is dynamic filtering in SharePoint?

Dynamic filtering is a setting on the List and Document library web parts that connects them to another list web part on the same modern page. When a viewer selects an item in the source list, the connected web part instantly filters its items to show only the ones whose chosen column matches the selection. It turns an ordinary page into an interactive dashboard with no code.

Which web parts support dynamic filtering?

The Dynamic filtering toggle lives on the List web part and the Document library web part, and the source of the selection is always a List web part on the same page. Related connections exist elsewhere: the File viewer web part can display a file clicked in a Document library web part, and the List properties web part shows details for a selected list item.

Can I apply more than one dynamic filter to a web part?

No. A List or Document library web part supports exactly one dynamic filter, meaning one source web part and one matched column pair. If a page needs multi-dimensional filtering, the practical alternatives are building list views with the filters baked in, splitting content across tabs or pages, or using metadata navigation inside the list itself.

Do the two lists need a lookup column to be connected?

No lookup column is required. Dynamic filtering simply compares values: the column you filter in the target web part must contain values that match the selected item’s column in the source list. Plain text and choice columns work well. The real requirement is disciplined, consistent metadata, because a typo or naming mismatch between the two lists breaks the match.

Why does my connected web part show everything?

That is the default state. Until a viewer clicks an item in the source list, the connected web part displays its full view. If clicking still does not narrow the results, check that the correct source column is selected and that the values in both columns genuinely match. Remember the comparison reads actual column values, not column names.

Is dynamic filtering hard to set up?

Not at all, and that is what makes it so useful. The connection is a few web part property choices: toggle, column, source, and matching column. On LookBook 365, Greg Zelfond uses dynamic filtering in dashboard and tracker designs precisely because it delivers an interactive, app-like experience using nothing but out of the box SharePoint, which any site owner can maintain.