Definition: Content Type is a group of columns, settings, workflow, behaviour that can be reused in SharePoint list or Document Library.

Process to create and use Content Type:

• Go to Site Settings >> Site Content Types
• Create Site Content Type
• Add existing columns or create new columns and add them to the content type
• Go to your SharePoint list or library.
• Go to List Settings >> Advance Settings
• Allow management of content types – Set it to “true” >> click “ok”
• Go to List Settings >> Click on “Add from existing site content types”
• Add your content type in the list to use.

Why do we need it: Let us imagine a business situation. In our application we are keeping SharePoint lists of (1) Employees’leave plans (2) Employees’salaries records J (3) Employees’basic details. In all three lists, we need on or more columns (e.g. employee ID, employee name) from employees’basic details. Here, instead of creating these columns every time in list, we will create site columns and use those columns in site content type. Now we can use these content types in different list without creating those repeating columns again and again in each list.

Above situation is an example of reusability of metadata. Similarly we can define workflow at content type level and reuse them in list and library.

Definition: Content Type HUB is a Site Collection in SharePoint, where we create and manage content types and publish those content types to use in other web applications.

We can create content types in content type HUB and publish them to use in other web application. Creating content types in a central location (HUB) becomes very easy to manage and publish the content types.

Process to create HUB:

• Create Web Application
• Create a root Site Collection within web application using any template
• Activate “Content Type Syndication HUB” feature from Site Settings >> Site Collection Features
• Setup Manage Metadata Service Application from Central Administration
• Create and Publish Content Types.
• Run two Timer Jobs from Central Administration >> Monitoring
  (1) Content Type HUB
  (2) Content Type Subscriber – Run the Job of the Web Application which is going to receive content types)
• Verify published content type. Go to “receiver” site collection >> Site Settings >> Site Content Types