How to Migrate SharePoint Documents?

MS SharePoint is one of the most popular enterprise-level content management systems available for effective management of documents and collaborative working. With integration to OneDrive, it proves to be the most reliable storehouse for document storage and sharing. Owing to its ease of use and facilities, many organizations want to migrate files to SharePoint for better collaboration and safekeeping. However, this migration is a challenge, especially when there is a huge volume of data.

Fortunately, some professional tools like Kernel Migrator for SharePoint are available to migrate file server data to SharePoint platform and assist the businesses in adopting it easily. This migrator tool helps you smoothly migrate SharePoint document library and data between various accounts. The software keeps the integrity of data unchanged to migrate SharePoint documents and move them to desired platforms.

There are different aspects you need to consider while migrating documents from file server to SharePoint, such as:

• Which documents do you want to migrate?
• Choosing the correct SharePoint document library as a destination.
• Selecting the desired location in SharePoint library to migrate documents.

How to move documents in SharePoint?

Drag and drop is one of the simplest ways to move files in SharePoint. However, this feature is only available in SharePoint 2013 and other latest versions. Follow the below steps to migrate documents with drag and drop functionality:

• Drag and Drop Document to a SharePoint Library
  1. Open SharePoint 2013 on your system and log in with your credentials.
  2. Now, drag files or multiple files from your computer and drop them to the SharePoint library of your choice.
  Disadvantage: Using the drag and drop feature, you can move files in SharePoints but upto 100 at a time. Furthermore, the drag-and-drop option does not work to migrate SharePoint document library. So, it is not a suitable option to migrate SharePoint documents using such a method.
• Open with Explorer
  This is another valid option that can be used for document migration. You'll have to open the document library outside SharePoint with the "Open with Explorer" option in this method. This option allows you to open the SharePoint document library in Windows Explorer. To use this option:
  1. Go to the SharePoint document library. Now, select the “Library” tab on the toolbar.
  2. You'll see “Open with Explorer” in the right corner; click it.
  3. The Windows Explorer wizard will appear on the screen displaying the folders in your document library.
  4. You can access these files as they are on your computer.
  5. Now, you can use this window to move your documents to SharePoint.
  Disadvantages: This option is only available in Internet Explorer browser. You cannot use this method with other browsers. Also, you cannot migrate sizeable SharePoint documents with images, tables, and animations. Moving large-sized documents will hang the window.

Alternate Solution to migrate SharePoint

It is an advanced SharePoint Migration tool that allows users to migrate multiple documents at a single time. It offers the freedom to schedule the migration process as per your requirements. There are some unique features that it offers, such as:

• Allow migrating entire files on disk/drive to SharePoint
• Pre-migration analysis to eliminate any risks during migration
• Drag and drop feature to migrate files to SharePoint account
• Smart filters to migrate specific data
• Automate migration with the scheduler

Now, let’s have a look at its working process to understand this software better. Follow the below steps to migrate file system data to SharePoint. Using this tool, you can also migrate permissions from file server to SharePoint Server.

1. Download the software and install on your system.
2. On launching the tool, the welcome window of the software will appear on the screen. By default, you can view the drives of the file system in the source pane. But if you want to add a remote file system, go to "Add New Source" and select "File System" as a source. Add the required information and click "Ok."
3. Now go to the toolbar and select the "File System" option. In the "File System" menu and select "File System to SharePoint."
4. The File System to SharePoint wizard will appear on the screen. Click the "Add" button and select the files from the local or remote file system and add to the tool.
5. Click "Next" to move to the next step and select the destination where you want to migrate the documents.
6. The default SharePoint site will be automatically selected; to add another site click the drop-down menu and select the site.
7. Click the "browse" button to select a destination list, library, or folder in the selected SharePoint site. The following dialog box will appear on the screen.
8. Select the desired location and click "Ok" to confirm.
9. Once the documents/files are selected, you’ll get back to the migration wizard that displays the selected list/library
10. Click “Next” to go to the next step. First, the tool will try to map the attributes of the content automatically. It will leave the fields blank if the relevant attribute is not available on the File System. You've to map such blank attributes. Also, you can modify the already mapped attributes.
11. Once you select the attribute value, click “OK.” It will take you back to previous content migration wizard, click “Next.”
12. In the next step, set the filters that you want to apply to files/documents and click "Next.
13. Allow the permissions to migrate the data from the file system. After mapping any additional user click “Next.”
14. If you're migrating the files/documents from a remote file system, then you’ll have to provide the login credentials of a user who have the complete right on the added content. Enter the credentials and click “Next.”
15. In the next step, select whether you want to execute the process immediately or Schedule it and click “Next.”
16. After executing the process, you’ll see the summary of the migration process. Now, click “Next” to start the migration process.
17. It will take some time to complete the migration process. Once it is complete, the screen will display the migration summary. Click “Finish” to close the wizard.

This way you can easily migrate files/document from the local/remote file system using the tool.

Conclusion

File migration is one of the easiest migrations in SharePoint. But, even this simplest migration can be difficult for non-technical users. So, here we have mentioned the most effective and easiest methods to migrate file server to SharePoint. But, manual methods have their limits, so prefer using above said tool for better results.