This week's question is: "How do you import a taxonomy into the SharePoint term store?"
Answer: Taxonomies (or term sets as SharePoint calls them) can easily be imported into SharePoint 2010 or SharePoint 2013 from within the term store. To get the appropriate import format, you can download a sample file directly from SharePoint term store. Once you are in the term store (accessible through Central Administration or through Site Settings), you should first click on the Managed Metadata Service on the left hand panel in the term store. Then, on the right hand panel you will see a link called “View a Sample Import File” where you can download a file that is in the correct format. This file can be edited or used as a model to create your own import format.
Once you have your file ready, right click on a term group name and choose "Import Term Set". Navigate to your import file and select it. The Taxonomy will then show up as a term set in the selected term group and will be ready to use.
As a note, synonyms cannot be imported using the standard SharePoint Term Store import format.
If you are looking for a different example, you can download a free SharePoint Taxonomy from WAND. The WAND General Business Taxonomy has a starter set of terms for HR, Accounting and Finance, Sales and Marketing, IT, and Legal and is downloadable in SharePoint import format.
WAND Taxonomies cover a wide variety of industry vertical topics and nearly every business functional area. Each taxonomy can be downloaded in SharePoint term store import format.
