Using the Xslt List View Web Part for Cross-site Views

As you know, if you try to add a web part to a page, some of the options for web parts allow you to add a view of the lists contained​ in the current site. That's great, but what if you need to add a view of a list that exists elsewhere in the site?

Well, fortunately, this is possible in SharePoint 2010 with the aid of the new Xslt List View Web Part. This web part is a change from the old List View Web Part or Data View Web Part in that it uses XSLT to generate the view you see of columns and headers etc. It's also less hassle to create a view of a list that exists elsewhere in the site.

This is how...

1. Go to the site where the list you want to use exists and add the web part for it to a page in that site
2. In SharePoint Designer (SPD) open the page and, using the ribbon, select Web Part Options. On the right you will see an option for "Site Gallery" which saves the web part file to the Web Part Gallery (you cannot export it directly through the UI)
3. You will be prompted with a question about whether you want the web part view of the list to be relative to the site in which the web part exists or to remain fixed on the current list it is set up to view. Make sure you make the choice that means the web part file is saved and remains fixed to the current list
4. You can now safely remove the web part from the page and go to the site in which you want to add the view
5. Using SPD (it must be SPD), open the page you want and add the saved web part from the Web Part Gallery
6. Check in....your work is done

One note is that the view you get doesn't appear to get updated if you change the source list view.