Be aware that when you use Word Online to create documents that are based on a custom content type (different from the out of the box Document Content Type) and you have auto default value settings configure in the document library the Metadata values are NOT properly set.
For instance, notice:
Default column values are properly set up in the Document Library, the School column is mapped to High School term, notice also that I am using a custom content type called High School Document
When I create a new document using Word Online, SharePoint doesn’t apply the expected term based on column default value settings.
So notice the School term is set it to “All Schools” by default and should be “High School” based on the document library settings.
But, when I drag and drop a file to the folder, it actually applies the right term.
So, what’s wrong here? What did I miss?
Turn out that “column default value settings” work as expected when you use the default Document Content Type. But when you use a custom Content Type with Word Online, the default fields in your custom content type are the ones that are going to be mandatory.
So, how can you troubleshoot or workaround this issue?
Basically the workaround is to change the document information panel for the document template associated with the custom content type.
Navigate to the Document Library and select Library Settings, click the custom content type “High School Content Type” and select the Advance Settings link
Click on Edit Template and open the template in Word
From word file in the Document Information Panel set the School tag properly
Save the template back, try to save locally, but Word crushed, so just save and update the SharePoint template file.
In summary:
Setting the values of the document information panel fields in the document template file associated to your custom content type will allow Word Online to auto default your column values automatically, don’t rely on document library column default value settings the set default values when you create a new document with custom content type using Word Online. For drag and dropping files columns default value settings is perfect, but not for Word Online new document creation