Build a SharePoint Employee Directory with Pictures: (2025)
                     Build a SharePoint Employee Directory with 
Pictures: (2025)
How to Build a SharePoint Employee Directory with 
Pictures
Creating an employee directory in SharePoint is a fantastic way to help 
your team connect, collaborate, and find the right people quickly. Adding 
pictures makes it even better by putting faces to names, which is super 
helpful for new hires or remote workers.
Quick Read
Summary generated by AI, reviewed for accuracy.
A SharePoint employee directory with pictures makes it easy to connect 
names with faces. It helps teams find the right person faster and 
creates a friendlier, more engaging workplace.
Using SharePoint lists and web parts, you can design a simple, 
customizable directory. Adding photos, roles, and filters turns it into a 
central hub that improves communication and collaboration.
In this blog, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of building a 
SharePoint employee directory with pictures. We’ll also share tips to make 
it user-friendly, searchable, and easy to maintain.
A study in Jordanian higher educational institutions revealed that 65.2% 
of respondents completed the survey examining HRIS usage. The results 
demonstrated that adoption of HRIS significantly improved both 
organizational efficiency and employee performance, with efficiency acting 
as a partial mediator between HRIS use and performance enhancements
By the end, you’ll have a clear plan to set up a directory that boosts 
teamwork and keeps everyone in the loop.
Why You Need an Employee Directory in SharePoint
An employee directory is like a digital phone book for your company. It 
lists names, job titles, departments, contact details, and more, all in one 
place. Adding photos makes it easier to recognize coworkers, especially 
in big companies or when teams work from different locations. Here’s 
why a Microsoft employee directory is a game- changer:
 Improves Teamwork: Employees can find experts or teammates for 
projects fast.
 Helps New Hires: New employees can learn who’s who and feel 
part of the team sooner.
 Centralizes Info: Keeps all employee data in one spot, so it’s 
accurate and easy to update.
 Boosts Engagement: A visual directory with pictures makes the 
workplace feel more personal.
SharePoint is perfect for this because it’s part of Microsoft 365, 
which many companies already use. It’s secure, customizable, and 
connects with tools like Teams and Outlook.
Step-by-Step Guide to Building a SharePoint Employee Directory with 
Pictures
Let’s dive into the process. Follow these steps to create a 
professional-looking employee directory in SharePoint Online.
Step 1: Plan Your Directory
Before you start, think about what you want your directory to include. 
Here are some things to consider:
 Data Fields: Decide which details to show, like name, job title, 
department, phone number, email, location, or skills.
 Photos: Make sure you have employee photos ready. They 
should be consistent (e.g., 100×100 pixels) and format (JPEG 
or PNG).
 Permissions: Figure out who can view or edit the directory. You’ll 
likely need SharePoint admin rights or help from your IT team.
 Microsoft 365 Integration: Check that your Microsoft 365 user 
employee profiles in Azure Active Directory are up-to-date, as 
SharePoint pulls data from there.
Planning helps you avoid mistakes and keeps the directory organized.
Step 2: Create a SharePoint Site
If you don’t already have a SharePoint site, you’ll need to make one. 
Here’s how:
 Log into SharePoint Online and go to the SharePoint home page.
 Click Create site and choose between a Team site (for collaboration) 
or
a Communication site (for sharing info). A Communication site is 
often better for an employee directory.
 Name your site (e.g., “Company Directory”) and set privacy 
settings (e.g., private or public within your organization).
Add users who need access, like HR or IT, to help manage the
 directory. If you already have a site, skip this step and move on.
Step 3: Create a Custom List
The heart of your employee directory is a SharePoint list. This is where 
you’ll store all the employee info. Here’s how to set it up:
 Go to your SharePoint site and click Site contents from the 
settings menu (gear icon).
 Click New > List.
 Choose Blank list, name it (e.g., “Employee Directory”), and check 
Show in site navigation so it’s easy to find.
 Click Create.
If you have employee data in an Excel or CSV file, you can import it 
instead of starting from scratch. Just select From Excel or From CSV 
and upload your file. Make sure the data is formatted as a table in 
Excel for smooth importing.
Step 4: Add Columns to Your List
Now, customize your list by adding columns for the info you want to 
display. Here’s an example of common columns:
 Full Name (Single line of text)
 Job Title (Single line of text)
 Department (Choice or Managed Metadata)
 Phone Number (Single line of text)
 Email (Single line of text)
 Location (Single line of text)
Photo (Picture or 
Hyperlink) To add columns:
 Open your list and click 
Add column.
 Choose the column type 
(e.g., Single line of text, 
Choice, etc.).
 Name the column and 
set options like 
“Required” if the field 
must be filled.
 Repeat for each column.
 Drag columns to 
rearrange their order.
For the photo column, use a Picture column if you want to upload images 
directly, or a Hyperlink column to link to images stored in a separate 
SharePoint library (e.g., “Employee Photos”).
Step 5: Add Employee Data
Now it’s time to fill your list with employee info. You can do this in a few 
ways:
 Manual Entry: Click New in the list and enter details for each 
employee. Upload or link their photo in the Photo column.
 Bulk Upload: If you have a spreadsheet, go to Edit in grid view, copy 
the data from your Excel file, and paste it into the list. Make sure 
columns match up.
 Power Automate: For large lists, use Power Automate to import 
data from a spreadsheet or sync with Azure Active Directory. This is 
more advanced but saves time.
Double-check that all data, especially photos, displays correctly.
Step 6: Add Photos to the Directory
Photos make your directory stand out. Here’s how to include them:
 Using a Picture Column: Upload each employee’s photo directly to 
the Picture column when adding their info. This is simple but can 
slow down the list if you have many employees.
 Using a Hyperlink Column: Upload all photos to a SharePoint 
document library (e.g., “Employee Photos”). Copy the URL of 
each photo and paste it into the Hyperlink column for the 
employee. This method is better for performance and easier to 
manage.
 Formatting Photos: Ensure photos are uniform (e.g., 100×100 pixels, 
JPEG format) for a polished look. Ask employees to submit 
professional headshots if possible.
Step 7: Create a Gallery View
To make your directory visually appealing, use SharePoint’s Gallery 
View. This displays employee info like cards, with photos front and 
center. Here’s how:
 Open your list and click All Items (or the current view name) > 
Create new view.
 Choose Gallery as the view type and name it (e.g., “Employee 
Gallery”).
 Select the columns to display (e.g., Full Name, Job Title, 
Department, Photo).
 Set the sort order (e.g., alphabetically by Full Name).
 Save the view.
You can customize the Gallery View further by adjusting card layouts or 
adding filters (e.g., show only one department).
Step 8: Add the Directory to a SharePoint Page
To make the directory accessible, display it on a SharePoint page:
 Go to the page where you want the directory (e.g., your site’s 
homepage).
 Click Edit and then + to add a web part.
 Choose the List web part and select your Employee Directory list.
 Pick the Gallery View to show the card-style layout.
 Save and publish the page.
You can also add a Search Box web part to let users search the directory 
by name or department.
Step 9: Set Up Filters for Easy Searching
Make your directory user-friendly by adding 
filters:
 In the List web part, open the Filter pane.
 Pin columns like Department or Location so users can filter by those 
fields.
 Save the changes.
You can also create custom views for specific groups (e.g., “Marketing 
Team” or “Remote Employees”) and add them as tabs in the List web 
part.
Step 10: Maintain the Directory
A directory is only useful if it’s up-to-date. Set up a process to keep it 
current:
 Assign Owners: Have HR or a dedicated team member update the 
directory when employees join, leave, or change roles.
 Automate Updates: Use Power Automate to sync the directory 
with Azure Active Directory for automatic updates.
 Regular Checks: Audit the directory every few months to ensure 
accuracy.
Tips for a Great Employee Directory
What Power BI Offers for Asset Reporting
Here are some extra tips to make your directory awesome:
 Use Metadata: Add tags like “Skills” or “Projects” to help users 
find experts.
 Keep It Simple: Don’t overload the directory with too many fields. 
Stick to the essentials.
 Test It: Ask a few employees to try the directory and give feedback.
 Make It Mobile-Friendly: SharePoint’s modern design works well on 
phones, but double-check the layout.
 Add an Org Chart: Use the Organizational Browser web part to 
show reporting structures alongside the directory.
Challenges and Solutions for Employee Directory
Building and maintaining an employee directory can bring real value to 
organizations—but it comes with challenges. Addressing these issues 
early ensures a more reliable, engaging, and useful tool for employees.
1. Outdated Information
Challenge: Employee details often become outdated due to role changes, 
transfers, or exits.
Solution: Integrate the directory with HR or Active Directory 
systems to sync updates automatically and reduce manual work.
2. Low Adoption Rates
Challenge: Employees may not use the directory if it feels clunky or 
irrelevant.
Solution: Make it user-friendly, mobile-accessible, and include features like 
pictures, skills, and expertise tags to increase engagement.
3. Privacy and Security Concerns
Challenge: Sharing personal details raises security and compliance issues.
Solution: Allow employees to control what information is visible, and 
ensure data is encrypted with strict access controls.
4. Scalability Issues
Challenge: As companies grow, directories can become harder to 
navigate.
Solution: Use advanced search, filters, and AI-based recommendations 
to keep information easy to find.
5. Lack of Integration
Challenge: A standalone directory feels disconnected.
Solution: Connect it with collaboration tools like SharePoint, Teams, or 
intranet portals to make it part of daily workflows.
Comparing to Top Competitors
While SharePoint is great, other tools can also create employee 
directories. Let’s look at four popular competitors and how they 
stack up:
1. Employee Directory 365
Employee Directory 365 integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365, 
offering a customizable, user-friendly directory with features like real-
time updates and easy access across devices. It’s great for businesses 
already using Microsoft tools
and provides enhanced security options.
2. OneDirectory
OneDirectory is a modern alternative focused on simplicity and 
integration with Microsoft 365. It pulls data from Azure Active Directory, 
so it’s always up-to-date, and it’s easier to use than SharePoint for non-
techy folks. However, it’s a separate
tool, so it costs extra and doesn’t integrate as deeply with other 
SharePoint features.
3. Beyond Intranet
Beyond Intranet is a modern SharePoint-based intranet platform offering 
advanced features like customizable dashboards, AI-powered search, and 
seamless Microsoft 365 integration—ideal for organizations that need 
tailored internal collaboration tools. But unlike Jostle, it requires setup on 
SharePoint and may involve more technical configuration, which might not 
suit organizations looking for turnkey simplicity.
4. Eddy
Eddy is an all-in-one HR software designed for small to mid-sized 
businesses, with features like employee profiles, onboarding, time 
tracking, and a built-in directory. It’s user-friendly and doesn’t require 
much setup, making it great for growing teams.
However, it’s not SharePoint-based, so it lacks deep Microsoft 365 
integration and may feel limited for larger enterprises with more 
complex needs.
SharePoint stands out because it’s already part of Microsoft 365, offers 
robust customization, and integrates with tools like Teams. If your 
company is small or doesn’t use Microsoft 365, software like Employee 
Directory 365 might be simpler options.
Conclusion
A SharePoint employee directory with pictures is a powerful tool to bring 
your team together. It’s easy to set up, customizable, and helps 
employees connect in a meaningful way. By following the steps in this 
guide planning your data, creating a list, adding photos, and setting up 
views you can build a directory that’s both
functional and engaging. Don’t forget to maintain it regularly and use 
automation to save time.
Ready to get started? Log into SharePoint and create your directory 
today. Your team will thank you for making it easier to find and 
connect with each other!