SharePoint site theme: Add a custom theme using PowerShell

In this blog, we will be learning how to create a custom theme for SharePoint Online.

Now SharePoint has a Site theming feature for applying custom styles and colors to the site. There are six light and two dark themes available by default. This feature provides the ability to define custom themes and make them available to site owners. Creating a custom theme in SharePoint is a quick and easy way to give your site a unique look and feel.

Currently, no theme is available under the "From your organization" option.

The steps to add a custom theme to SharePoint Online.

Step 1: Create a new color theme in SharePoint Online.

Themes are defined in a JSON schema that stores color settings and related metadata for each theme. Create a new custom theme for SharePoint Online using Microsoft Fluent UI Theme Designer, an online tool. Customize the theme as per your needs and click on the Export theme button. Copy and save the PowerShell output for later use.

Light Theme sample:

Dark Theme sample:

Step 2: Add a custom theme to SharePoint Online using PowerShell

First, connect to the SPO admin site using the Connect-SPOService cmdlet. The custom theme can be added to the SharePoint online tenant using the Add-SPOTheme cmdlet. This cmdlet creates a new theme or updates an existing theme. The color palette settings can be passed as either a hash table or a dictionary.

Execute the command for the light theme.

Now go to Site Settings, gear icon (⚙️) > Change the look > Theme and you'll find the newly added color theme listed under "From your organization".

Execute the same command for the dark theme.

Again, go to Site Settings gear icon (⚙️) > Change the look > Theme and you'll find the new added color theme listed under "From your organization".

When you choose a theme, color settings are instantly applied to the site so that you can see what the selected theme will look like. Select the desired theme, click Save to save your selection, or choose Cancel to revert to your current theme.

Our "Maroon - Light theme" output looks like

Our "Orange - Dark theme" output looks like

Update SP Theme
To update an existing theme (to modify some of its color settings, for example), add the -Overwrite flag to the Add-SPOTheme cmdlet.

I hope this will help all of you! 🧲
Feel free to provide feedback.

🚀 "Happy Coding" 🚀

Create List templates using Site template and Site script

In this blog, we will be learning how to create list templates under the tab From your organization.

When people in the organization create new lists, they need a template that can be used each time a new list is created.

Site Script

A site script is a collection of actions that SharePoint runs when creating a new site or list. Actions describe changes to apply to the new list, such as creating new columns, adding views, or content types. The actions are specified in a JSON script, which is a list of all actions to apply. When a script runs, SharePoint completes each action in the order listed.

Site Template (previously known as Site Design)

Site templates can be used each time a new site is created to apply a consistent set of actions. Site templates created using custom site scripts will display in the From your organization tab.

A site script is a JSON string that contains the actions to be taken on a site. A site template, on the other hand, is like a container for the site script. You can attach one or more site scripts to a site template, and when you apply the site template, you execute the actions defined in all of the site scripts. It's like the site template is the visible surface part that can group several site scripts together, and the site scripts are all the action underneath.

Currently, no list template is available From your organization tab.

⊛ Note

• A site template can run multiple scripts. The script IDs are passed in an array, and they run in the order listed.
• The former term for site templates may still appear in certain cmdlets and script labels as "site design".
• The schema is case-sensitive.

Create a Site script in JSON

Create the script in JSON that describes the action to be executed on the list. You can view and reference the latest JSON schema file here: https://developer.microsoft.com/json-schemas/sp/site-design-script-actions.schema.json

In addition to constructing the JSON by hand, you can also use third-party tools with graphical user interfaces that generate the site scripts for you, such as sitedesigner.io by Mikko Punamäki or Site Template Studio by Yannick Plenevaux.

Exporting an existing list as a site script

In our scenario, we will be exporting an existing list configuration as a site script.
First, connect to the SPO admin site using the Connect-SPOService cmdlet. It can be achieved with the following script. The Get-SPOSiteScriptFromList cmdlet prints out the site script to the console. It can be saved into a variable, or you can copy and save it in a JSON file.

Deploy Site Script and Site Template

To use our site script, we need to deploy it to our tenant. We also need to create a site template where we can attach the deployed site script.

1) Add the site script

Each site script must be registered in SharePoint so that it is available to use. Add a new site script by using the Add-SPOSiteScript cmdlet.

After running the cmdlet, you get a result that lists the site script ID of the added script. Keep track of this ID, as it will be needed later when you create the site template.

2) Create the site template

Next, we will create the site template. Run the Add-SPOListDesign cmdlet to add a new site template. Use the script ID saved above when you added the site script. It can run one or more scripts that have already been added.

The JSON response displays the ID of the new site template. It can be used later on to update or modify the site template.

Get the existing Site Script and Site Template

After we have deployed our site script and site template to our tenant, we can see their properties and information about all other deployed site scripts and templates using the Get-SPOSiteScript and Get-SPOListDesign cmdlet.

Use the new site template

Now that we've added a site script and site template, we can use them to create a new list.

I hope this will help all of you! 🧲
Feel free to provide feedback.

🚀 "Happy Coding" 🚀