In this fast-paced tech world, time is always limited and scarce. This is also true for SharePoint Online migration, where there is usually a rush to start moving data immediately. However, proceeding straight into the migration without proper preparation can lead to problems. Therefore, before you begin migrating to SharePoint, you must check off items on a SharePoint migration checklist. After that, you can simply execute your migration.
Suppose your organization is facing any merger or acquisition. You will need to migrate your files and content to SharePoint Online. As discussed earlier, this migration is only sometimes straightforward because SharePoint has a different structure and limits.
However, based on our experience with many migrations. We have put it in a Migration Checklist. This checklist covers the essential tasks you should focus on to make sure the migration goes smoothly.
If you are unfamiliar with SharePoint and need to know what is SharePoint Online you can read it by clicking on the link. Let’s have a look at the pre-migration steps. This can be performed by an admin before initiating SharePoint migration
Pre-Migration Checklist
Here are the steps that you should consider before migrating SharePoint environment. Identifying the reasons and planning according to that is a great way to perform the migration.
1. Requirement Analysis: The requirement gathering is the most important step before migration. In this, an admin should identify the purpose and requirements of migration which can make it easier to choose sites to move or select an environment. You have to also specify the Source environment (where your data is stored) and Destination environment (Target/ where you are moving your data) in this step.
2. Identifying Factors Affecting Smooth Migration: In this setup, an admin identifies the factors that can affect the migration like the network bandwidth, Server capacity, file type and formats, system dependencies, data quality, and data complexity.
3. Migration Planning: After identifying the Purpose and requirements an admin should plan the migration accordingly. Which involves setting up of date and time of migration, selecting the method of migration (SharePoint migration tool), and the type of migration (batch or other) depending on the size and need.
This pre-migration checklist is also valid when you are planning to migrate the SharePoint site to another site. Let’s see the SharePoint migration which involves steps that are going to be executed in the SharePoint environment.
SharePoint Migration Checklist
This Migration checklist is a result of our experience in SharePoint migration. We have mentioned a group of procedural steps that should considered for smooth and glitter-free migration.
Here are the Key features of this checklist:
- Provide insights about the structure and content of the SharePoint site.
- Helps to manage the SharePoint Site efficiently.
- Guide Admins to the successful SharePoint migration.
- Facilitate the environment preparation steps.
- Promote the user feedback for SharePoint migration.
- Emphasize the Automation for migrating SharePoint contents with metadata
Let’s get deep dive into the checklist and understand every step in detail.
1. Analyze SharePoint Environment:
The analysis of the SharePoint environment gives you a better idea of the content that you have to move. In this part of the SharePoint migration checklist, You should note down all the SharePoint sites, document libraries, lists, and subsites. Document current user permissions and roles for each site and library. Identify special permissions or custom access levels. Also, determine which sites and content are actively used and which are outdated or redundant.
2. Clean Up SharePoint Environment:
After, analyzing all the sites and subsites you have to prepare the source environment. In this, you should delete or archive outdated documents, sites, and libraries. After deleting outdated sites and content, organize and categorize content for easier migration and ensure naming convention for metadata. Also, check for broken links or missing files.
3. Plan & Prepare Your Target Environment:
Now you have to plan the migration and go with the method of migration that you have selected at the pre-migration step. Now, Navigate to the targeted SharePoint environment where you have to move your data. Set up the environment and structure of the site according to your source site.
Plan the architecture of your SharePoint site, including libraries, lists, and subsites. Define metadata, content types, and document libraries. You have to configure user roles and permissions in this SharePoint environment based on your analysis. Also, you can test the migration with test data for your consistency.
4. Train Your User:
In this step, you should notify the users about the changes and modifications in the new environment. Train them on how to use the new environment, its structure site contents user permissions. Develop or update documentation, tutorials, and user guides. You can also set up a helpdesk or support system to assist users during the transition.
5. Execute SharePoint Migration:
This is the most important part of any SharePoint migration checklist that’s why we demand your full concentration in this step. After verifying the completion of the above steps, now you have to initiate the migration process with your selected tool or method. Run a pilot migration with a subset of data to test the process and identify issues if any. Migrate (Start Migration) the rest of the content based on your plan while monitoring the migration process for errors or performance issues. Verify the Migration log with the list you have created in the pre-migration step. Restart the migration if needed.
6. Post Migration Step:
In this step, you should ensure everything is functioning well after the migration and address any issues. There are some steps that you have to consider in this phase.
- Confirm that all data is unchanged and accessible. Verify all the functionality of the sites is working.
- Collect feedback from users on their experience with the new SharePoint environment.
- Document the migration process, any challenges encountered, and how they were resolved.
- Prepare and provide a final report to stakeholders (Site owners and users) by informing them about the success of the migration.
This is the Complete SharePoint migration checklist you should consider for SharePoint tenant to tenant migration or in any other SharePoint migration.
Accelerate Migration with Strategic Transformation
Migrating to SharePoint involves more than just moving data from one place to another. SharePoint Migrator is a comprehensive software solution that helps you through every stage of the migration process. With our powerful and efficient tools, you can speed up your migration while following best practices to ensure a smooth and successful SharePoint migration experience.
We Will Meet You Soon!
A guide is essential when you are navigating an unfamiliar path. This write-up offers a comprehensive SharePoint migration checklist to guide you through every stage of the migration process. However, we have provided an overview of SharePoint migration, covering all necessary steps from pre-migration through to post-migration.
In addition, we have also included information on an automated solution that can efficiently assist with your SharePoint migration. This solution not only streamlines the process but also provides a detailed migration log upon completion.