When you select the Edit Web Part command by clicking the Web Part menu (in the far right of the Web Part title), SharePoint opens the Web Part tool pane. In some Web Parts, SharePoint creates a link to this tool pane as part of the placeholder text.
Following is a list of properties in the tool pane common to List View Web Parts:
Selected View: The options in the Selected View drop-down list are dependent on the type of library or list and/or other views you may have created.
The Current View is simply what’s showing currently. You change view properties on-the-fly using the Edit the Current View link in the tool pane. Your changes are now part of the current view. If you use the Edit in Current View link, you can’t revert to a past view.
The Edit the Current View options are, for the most part, identical to what you see when you create a view in the Library or List app. Make sure you look at Styles and Item limits when creating a view for a Web Part because these options are frequently overlooked.
If the changes you need to make to the view are simple and few, the Edit the Current View link is handy. If you need to consistently apply the same view selections for this Web Part, create a view in the Library or List app so that you can apply the view and don’t lose the options you chose.
Toolbar Type: Depending on the Library or List app, this drop-down list allows you the options of Full Toolbar, Summary Toolbar, No Toolbar, or Show Toolbar. For example, in a Document Library app, choosing Full Toolbar enables users to upload the document, check it out, and so forth.
Appearance: The Appearance section allows you to title the Web Part, fix the height and width as necessary, and determine the chrome type. Chrome is another word for the Web Part surround; for example, title and border options.
Layout: In the Layout section, you can change the zone location of the Web Part, as well as hide it without closing it.
Advanced: This section contains many of the options you use to allow users with permissions to modify Web Parts, such as Allow Minimize or Allow Close.
AJAX Options: This section gives the owner/admin the choice of enabling asynchronous behaviors. This means that the data in the Web Part is sent to the page without causing the web page to refresh.
Miscellaneous: Miscellaneous options including sample data, XSL link, and some caching properties.
In addition to these common categories, a third-party Web Part might have additional categories that are specific to the Web Part. For example, the Portal Integrators Web Parts include configuration categories specific to the purpose of the Web Part.