SharePoint Migration: A Comprehensive 5-Step Guide

“We’ve decided to implement SharePoint in our organization. What comes next?”

First, congratulations on this strategic decision! Moving to SharePoint is a great way to centralize collaboration, streamline document management, and enhance productivity across your organization. But you're not alone if you’re wondering where to start with the migration process. The key to a smooth, stress-free migration is carefully planning and following a structured process.

Whether you’re moving from a traditional file share or an older SharePoint setup, this migration allows you to create a fresh, efficient environment that’s free of cluttered legacy data and ready to support modern work practices. Still, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the process, especially when you want to avoid common migration challenges.

In this blog, you will find:  

✨ What Is A SharePoint Migration?

📑5 Steps for Successful SharePoint Migration

Step 1. Establish a Well-Defined SharePoint Migration Plan

Step 2. Governance & Clean-Up (SharePoint Migration Checklist)

Step 3. Conducting a Test Migration

Step 4. Migration

Step 5: Decommissioning Old Systems

📢 Get Expert Help for Your SharePoint Migration

🏁 Conclusion

Based on our extensive experience with numerous organizations, we’ve developed a trusted 5-step process to make your transition as efficient and stress-free as possible. In this blog, we’ll guide you through each step to ensure a successful SharePoint migration. Plus, we’ll discuss why tackling this migration alone could be a missed opportunity.

Let’s dive into these steps and start your SharePoint journey with confidence!

What Is A SharePoint Migration?

SharePoint migration refers to transferring content from your current storage systems to a new SharePoint environment—cleaning out unnecessary files, restructuring where needed, and setting up a fresh, efficient workspace that maximizes productivity. Before diving into the migration steps, it’s important to grasp what SharePoint migration really involves. It’s more than just moving files from one place to another; it’s an opportunity to transform how your organization manages, organizes, and accesses data. 

Types of SharePoint Migration: Which One Is Right For You?

Selecting the right migration approach depends on your organization’s goals and current setup. Here are the main types of SharePoint migration:

✅ Lift and Shift: This is a straightforward transfer of your existing SharePoint setup with minimal changes. It’s ideal if you want to quickly move without modifying your current content structure or data.

✅ Hybrid Migration: This approach combines your on-premises systems with SharePoint’s cloud solutions, letting your organization ease into cloud adoption over time. It’s a great option for businesses looking for a gradual transition to cloud computing.

✅ Cloud Migration: For organizations ready for a complete digital transformation, cloud migration shifts everything to SharePoint Online. It’s ideal for teams aiming to unlock the full capabilities of a cloud-based environment.

Which are the best Tools and Services for SharePoint Migration?

The right tools and services can simplify the migration process and ensure it’s tailored to your needs. Here’s a breakdown of some popular options:

☑️ Microsoft SharePoint Migration Tool: A simple, effective tool for moving smaller data volumes to SharePoint Online or OneDrive. It offers basic transfers of files and resources, perfect for straightforward migration needs. 

☑️ ShareGate Desktop: This robust tool supports various migration scenarios, including larger-scale migrations. With pre-migration analysis and post-migration validation, ShareGate ensures your data’s integrity every step of the way.

☑️ AvePoint Migration Platform: Designed for flexibility, AvePoint supports cloud, hybrid, and on-premises migrations. It offers options like data transformation, mapping, and scheduling to customize and streamline your migration process.

☑️ Expert Services and Consulting: For organizations with complex migration needs, professional guidance can make all the difference. ProServeIT’s experts help navigate technical challenges and data sensitivities, providing a customized migration plan and support to ensure a seamless transition with minimal disruptions.

Understanding these options is key to building a SharePoint migration strategy that fits your organization. By choosing the right tools and support, your team can transition to SharePoint smoothly, avoiding disruptions while setting up a streamlined, productive workspace that supports your future growth.

What Are the Benefits of SharePoint Migration?

Migrating to SharePoint offers a multitude of advantages that can transform the way your organization operates, including:

Enhanced Collaboration

Migrating to SharePoint significantly enhances collaboration within an organization. It allows multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously, facilitating real-time document sharing. Integrated with Microsoft Teams, SharePoint also supports instant messaging, video calls, and team channels, which greatly improve communication among team members.

Improved Data Management

In terms of data management, SharePoint offers structured document libraries where users can categorize, tag, and store documents efficiently. This organization makes it easier to manage and retrieve information. Additionally, SharePoint’s version control feature tracks document changes and allows users to revert to previous versions if necessary, ensuring data integrity.

Increased Security and Compliance

Security and compliance are also major benefits of SharePoint. The platform includes advanced security measures such as encryption, access controls, and audit logs to protect sensitive information. It also provides tools to help organizations comply with industry regulations, including data retention policies, eDiscovery, and legal holds.

Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem

SharePoint’s integration with the Microsoft ecosystem is seamless, working smoothly with Office 365 apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as with Microsoft Teams. This integration ensures that all tools and data are accessible from a single platform, reducing the need to switch between different applications and providing a cohesive user experience.

Scalability and Flexibility

Finally, SharePoint offers scalability and flexibility to accommodate growing business needs. Its scalable infrastructure can handle increasing amounts of data and users without compromising performance. Moreover, SharePoint provides various customization options, allowing organizations to tailor the platform to their specific needs with custom workflows, apps, and site designs.

These features collectively enhance organizational efficiency, security, and collaboration, making SharePoint a powerful tool for modern businesses.

5 Steps for Successful SharePoint Migration

Migrating to SharePoint can transform your organization’s collaboration, document management, and security. To ensure a successful transition, follow this detailed, step-by-step approach, backed by ProServeIT’s experience with many SharePoint migrations.

Step 1. Establish a Well-Defined SharePoint Migration Plan

Think of your SharePoint migration plan as your guiding strategy, not just a checklist. It organizes your process, helps prevent unnecessary data clutter, and sets the foundation for a successful migration.

Crafting Your SharePoint Migration Plan

The first and most vital step in any SharePoint migration is planning. A well-thought-out plan serves as the roadmap for your entire migration process. Begin by identifying which files need to be migrated. Collaborate with different departments to decide what content is necessary and what can be left behind. This step helps in cleansing your data, ensuring that only relevant information makes it to the new system.

Engaging Stakeholders Early

It’s essential to involve all stakeholders from the initial stages. Engaging department heads and end-users ensures that the new SharePoint system meets the needs of all users. Conduct workshops and meetings to gather feedback and incorporate it into your migration plan. Early engagement leads to smoother transitions and better adoption rates post-migration.

Setting Realistic Timelines

Establish a realistic timeline for the migration process. Consider factors like the amount of data to be migrated, the complexity of your current systems, and resource availability. A phased approach often works best, allowing you to address issues incrementally and adjust plans as needed.

💡Tip: Utilize SharePoint’s Hub Sites after migration to consolidate and organize content for a user-friendly, navigable environment.

Step 2. Governance & Clean-Up (SharePoint Migration Checklist)

A successful SharePoint migration requires strong governance and a thorough data clean-up. This step is essential to ensure your new environment remains organized, secure, and compliant.

Set Governance Standards

Define protocols for your new SharePoint environment, including document tagging, categorization, and permissions. Establishing these standards early on ensures consistency, improves data management, and simplifies compliance.

Organize and Purge Data

Begin by removing outdated, duplicate, or unnecessary files. This “spring cleaning” phase reduces clutter and improves the searchability of content in SharePoint, enhancing user satisfaction and streamlining future data management.

Ensure Security and Compliance

Review compliance requirements and implement measures to safeguard data privacy and integrity. SharePoint’s compliance features, such as permission settings and document version control, help protect sensitive information during and after migration.

This governance and clean-up phase lays a secure, efficient foundation for your new SharePoint environment.

💡Tip: Leverage SharePoint’s Content Organizer feature to automatically direct files to the correct libraries and folders, maintaining an organized and searchable environment from day one.

Step 3. Conducting a Test Migration

Conducting a test migration is a critical phase in any SharePoint migration plan, allowing you to identify and resolve potential issues before moving live data. This step helps prevent disruptions by verifying that all components, from file structures to permissions, will function smoothly in the new SharePoint environment.

Why Testing is Essential

SharePoint and Office 365 migrations come with various constraints—file name length and character restrictions, file size limitations, and path length requirements, to name a few. Testing allows you to address these restrictions, ensuring data compatibility and reducing the risk of errors during the full migration.

Tools and Techniques for Testing

 Use SharePoint migration tools to emulate the process and preview how files, data structures, and permissions will transfer. These tools help you spot and resolve any inconsistencies, avoiding unnecessary delays and disruptions when you’re ready for the actual migration.

Analyze Test Results

Once the test migration is complete, analyze the results carefully. Any issues identified in this stage provide valuable insights for refining your processes, ensuring a seamless transition when you proceed with the full migration.

Testing thoroughly ensures your new SharePoint environment is set up for a smooth and successful migration.

💡ProServeIT’s Expertise: Migrations can be complex, but with experience assisting multiple organizations, ProServeIT can help you navigate potential obstacles and optimize your SharePoint migration for maximum efficiency.

Step 4. Migration

Once the testing is done, it’s time for the actual migration of your content to your new SharePoint site. This is when you decide how your SharePoint migration will go. Maybe you want to only move ten people or a department to start. Maybe moving over one server at a time. It’s up to you how to take down your old system.

A structured approach to SharePoint Online migration is crucial to ensure a smooth transition.

Create a Migration Strategy

Once testing is complete, it’s time for the actual SharePoint migration. Develop a structured approach that outlines your migration plan. You might opt to move smaller groups first, like a department, or transition one server at a time. A phased approach ensures a smooth transition and reduces disruptions.

Set Up Your SharePoint Online Environment

Setting up your SharePoint Online environment is essential for a seamless migration. This setup includes creating a new SharePoint Online site and configuring it to meet your organization’s needs. Important setup steps include:

✅ Creating a site collection and site

✅ Configuring permissions and security

✅ Setting up document libraries and lists

✅ Creating workflows and customizations

✅ Integrating with Microsoft 365 apps and services

By establishing your SharePoint Online environment correctly, you can improve functionality and minimize user disruptions, creating a streamlined workspace for your team.

Choose the Right SharePoint Migration Tool

Selecting the right migration tool is crucial for a successful SharePoint migration. With many tools available, each offering different features, it’s important to choose one that matches your project’s needs. Key factors to consider:

☑️ Migration type (e.g., site, list, or document library)

☑️ Size and complexity of your migration project

☑️ Customization and integration requirements

☑️ Security and compliance needs

☑️ Cost and licensing

By carefully selecting the right migration tool, you reduce the risk of data loss and ensure a smooth transition into your new SharePoint Online environment.

Manage and Monitor the Migration Process

During the actual SharePoint migration, maintain clear communication and assign team roles to track progress effectively. Using project management tools can help you monitor each phase, resolve issues quickly, and ensure the project stays on track with minimal downtime.

💡 Tip: Consider conducting a mini-migration for a smaller group or a single department before a full SharePoint migration. This approach allows you to test the setup and address any last-minute adjustments, ensuring a more seamless experience for the full migration.

Step 5: Decommissioning Old Systems for a Complete SharePoint Migration

Once you complete your SharePoint migration, it’s time to decommission the old site. This decommissioning can be done in phases to minimize risk and ensure a smooth transition. Options include phasing out each server or decommissioning a few users at a time, based on your organization’s needs. This impacts how content is organized, especially when creating separate SharePoint sites for Private or Shared Channels.

Phasing Out Legacy Systems

After completing your SharePoint migration, it’s time to begin decommissioning your legacy systems. Gradually phasing out old systems reduces the risk of data loss and minimizes any disruptions to your operations. Ensure that each stage of decommissioning is meticulously documented to maintain a reliable audit trail, making the process traceable and secure.

Training and Support for End Users

A successful SharePoint migration goes beyond just transferring data; it also requires ensuring your users are well-equipped to navigate the new system. Provide comprehensive training, workshops, online resources, and helpdesk support to help users adapt quickly and effectively. The more confident users are with SharePoint, the better they can leverage its full potential, increasing productivity and adoption across the organization.

Reviewing and Optimizing the New SharePoint Environment

Post-migration, regularly review the new SharePoint environment and gather feedback from end users. Continuous optimization ensures the system stays aligned with evolving business needs, making the most of new SharePoint features as they become available. It’s essential to fine-tune the environment to ensure efficiency and user satisfaction.

💡 Tip: Take advantage of SharePoint’s Document Versioning and Retention Policies to enhance compliance and maintain organized content by tracking document history and managing data lifecycle. This feature helps ensure that your SharePoint environment stays compliant, secure, and well-organized.

Get Expert Help for Your SharePoint Migration

Following these five steps of our migration roadmap will help you ensure that your SharePoint journey will be on track. But, we understand that these steps can seem daunting.

Based on our experience with numerous customers on their SharePoint migration journey, we have designed an engagement to help you most efficiently migrate to SharePoint. Click the image below to download full details about the engagement. Ready to get started with your journey? Talk to our SharePoint experts today.

Related:

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Why Use a SharePoint Content Management System? A Quick Guide for Executives & Managers [Infographic]

Conclusion

Migrating to SharePoint is a powerful step toward enhancing collaboration, improving data management, and increasing productivity. This transformation allows you to create a clean, modernized workspace that adapts to your organization’s needs, especially with a structured, strategic approach. By following these five steps—planning, governance, testing, migration, and decommissioning old systems—you’ll be set up for a smooth transition and long-term success with SharePoint.

Still, migration can feel overwhelming, and tackling this journey alone may mean missing opportunities for optimization and efficiency. At ProServeIT, we’ve supported countless organizations through their SharePoint migrations, providing tailored guidance to avoid common pitfalls and ensure a seamless experience. Ready to start your SharePoint journey with expert support? Connect with our SharePoint team today to explore how we can help make your migration successful!