How to allow users to change folder name without granting the delete premission in SharePoint 2010

Hello,

whenever term "folder" is mentioned in the SharePoint context, chances are that data organisation is modelled after a file folder structure, like on a shared network drive. In SharePoint, this is absolutely unnecessary and can lead to exactly the issues you are facing now.

Instead of storing items in sub-"folders" of a list or library, create metadata columns to organise an item's hierarchy position and/or access. That way, a user can simply edit the metadata value to assign an item from "Folder A" to "Folder B", because these are not real folders, but just text values in a list column.

You can use list views that emulate the folder structure, based on the metadata values, so for the common user, the items seem to be organised in "folders" that they can drill down to. But in reality, they are just items in a single flat list.

Much easier to handle from a SharePoint perspective.

With SharePoint, you need to shift your paradigm a bit, otherwise you will miss out on the benefits.

cheers, teylyn

Thanks teylyn,

I know the benefit of metadata but we are not yet there and to let users have the same experience just like under a normal windows environment, we need to let them have the right to rename the files and keep the delete permission to their supervisors.  Any clue how to do this?

Thks, francislam

Hello,
Try to create new permission level (site actions -> site permossions -> permission levels -> add a permission level). Check permissions for view and edit items and so on.
You can copy contribute permission level and just uncheck Delete permissions on it.

I have created a new permission level without delete but users still cannot change folder name.  Seems users need to have delete permission to change folder name...

Any further help?