List Polisher
SharePoint JSON generator

Create SharePoint column-formatting JSON without coding

Pick a template, enter your SharePoint internal field name, copy the JSON, and paste it into Advanced Mode.

Built for SharePoint list owners, Microsoft 365 users, analysts, team admins, and office workers who want cleaner list formatting without writing JSON from scratch.

Runs entirely in your browser · doesn't connect to your SharePoint site · doesn't read your lists · collects no data. Not affiliated with Microsoft.
  1. 1Choose a template
  2. 2Enter your internal field name
  3. 3Copy the JSON
  4. 4Paste into Advanced Mode
Example

Turn a Status column into color-coded pills

Instead of plain grey text, your SharePoint (Microsoft Lists) status values become easy-to-scan colored pills — Completed = green, In Progress = yellow, Blocked = red. This is the most popular kind of SharePoint status column color formatting, and you can generate the JSON for it in seconds.

ItemStatus
Q1 launch planCompleted
Onboarding flowIn Progress
API migrationCompleted
Brand refreshBlocked
Live example of SharePoint choice pill JSON output

I want to…

Pick a goal and we'll load the right template into the generator below.

Choose a template

Pick a template on the left, enter your field name, and the JSON updates as you type. The preview on the right shows roughly how SharePoint will render it.
schema v2
Column type to create in SharePoint: Choice hide steps
    ⚠ Name matching: the Field name below must match your column's internal name exactly — it's case-sensitive. SharePoint sets the internal name when you first create the column, and a name with spaces becomes encoded (e.g. Due DateDue_x0020_Date). To keep it clean, create the column with no spaces (like DueDate), then rename the display label afterward if you want spaces. To check an existing column's internal name: edit the column and read the URL — the part after &Field= is it.
    💡 Tip: in the Field name box, use your column's internal SharePoint field name — not just the display name. Find my internal field name →
    column-formatter.json
    
              
    Show paste instructions
    1. Open your SharePoint list.
    2. Click the column header you want to format.
    3. Choose Column settings.
    4. Choose Format this column.
    5. Select Advanced mode (near the bottom of the pane).
    6. Delete what's in the box and paste this JSON.
    7. Click Preview, then Save.

    If nothing changes, double-check that your internal field name matches the column.

    Internal Field Name Finder

    SharePoint JSON usually fails for one reason: the field name doesn't match your column's internal name. Use either method below to find the right one.

    ⚠ The most common reason JSON doesn't work is an incorrect internal field name.
    Most reliable

    Option A — paste your column settings URL

    In SharePoint, open the column's Column settings → Edit. Copy the page URL from your browser and paste it here.

    Estimate

    Option B — enter the visible column name

    If you can't get the URL, type the column's display name and we'll estimate the encoded internal name.

    SharePoint internal names are sometimes different from the display name, especially if the column was renamed. The URL method is the most reliable.

    JSON not working?

    Most issues come down to a few things. Work through these in order.

    Most common fix: check your internal field name

    SharePoint often stores an internal name that differs from what you see. A column shown as Due Date is usually Due_x0020_Date internally. Use the Internal Field Name Finder to get the exact name, then put it in the template's Field name box.

    Make sure you pasted into Advanced mode

    This JSON goes in Column settings → Format this column → Advanced mode — not the visual designer. If the box is grayed out on Save, the JSON is invalid (often from smart/curly quotes when copied from elsewhere — use the Copy button here for clean quotes).

    Are you in "Edit in grid view"?

    Column formatting doesn't display while grid editing — cells show plain editable values there. If your toolbar says Exit grid view, click it, and the formatting will appear in the normal list view. (Grid view is for bulk editing; formatting comes back as soon as you leave it.)

    Using a Choice template? The choices must match exactly

    Templates that color by value (like the Status pill) match your column's choices letter-for-letter, case-sensitively. A new Choice column starts with Choice 1, Choice 2, Choice 3 — replace those with the exact values you set in the generator (e.g. Not Started, In Progress, Done, Blocked), or every value falls back to gray.

    Make sure the column type matches the template

    Each template expects a specific column type, shown in the generator's setup box:

    • Status / choice templates expect a Choice (or text) column.
    • Date templates need a Date and time column.
    • Yes/No templates need a Yes/No column.
    • Inline editing depends on the column type and the list being in modern view.
    Try a simple test first

    Before a complex template, test with a basic Status column and the Click-to-Edit Pill. If that works, the mechanics are fine and the issue is template- or field-specific.

    Before & after

    A few examples of what column formatting does to a plain list value.

    Status column

    BeforeCompleted
    AfterCompleted

    Priority column

    BeforeHigh
    AfterHigh

    Due date column

    Before5/30/2026
    AfterOverdue

    Who this is for

    This SharePoint column formatting tool helps anyone who manages lists but doesn't want to hand-write JSON:

    • SharePoint list owners who want their lists to look clearer at a glance
    • Microsoft 365 users formatting everyday lists and libraries
    • Team and department admins standardizing how status and priority appear
    • Analysts and report builders who need JSON formatting but don't write JSON manually
    • Anyone formatting Status, Notes, Choice, Date, Priority, or other list columns

    Private & safe to use

    • ✓ Runs entirely in your browser
    • ✓ No sign-in required
    • ✓ It doesn't connect to your SharePoint site or read your lists
    • ✓ No SharePoint data is collected or uploaded
    • ✓ Copy, test, and adjust before using broadly
    • ✓ The preview is an approximation — real SharePoint rendering may vary

    Support this project

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