Migrating to SharePoint Online

We have seen over the past year more and more people moving there data and legacy onsite SharePoint setups online. While migrating to SharePoint Online can be a complex process, with the right approach, it can be a smooth and successful transition.

What Do We Need To Consider?

SharePoint Online offers increased collaboration, flexibility, and scalability, however, it may also introduce some changes to your current SharePoint environment. It is therefore very important things to check and consider a number of items before beginning the migration process:

1. Identify your current environment: Understand your current SharePoint setup, including the number of sites, lists, libraries, and documents that need to be migrated. This will help you determine the scope of the migration and the resources required.

2. Assess your current customizations: Identify any customizations that have been made to your current SharePoint environment, such as custom web parts, workflows, or custom forms. These will need to be recreated in the new SharePoint Online environment.

3. Check your permissions: Ensure that you understand the current permissions structure in place on your SharePoint environment. This will help you ensure that the correct permissions are applied in the new environment.

4. Assess your current integrations: Identify any third-party applications or services that are currently integrated with your SharePoint environment. These will need to be re-integrated in the new environment.

5. Review your data: Ensure that your data is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. This will help you ensure that your migration is successful and that your users have access to the latest data.

6. Plan for user adoption: Understand your users' needs and how they currently use SharePoint, this will help you plan for user training and adoption.

7. Test plan: Test your migration thoroughly before making the switch. This includes testing the migration tool, testing data and customizations, and conducting user acceptance testing. This will help ensure that the migration has been successful and that there are no issues that need to be addressed before the final switchover.

What Is Different in SharePoint Online?

As we have mentioned SharePoint Online can bring many benefits such as increased collaboration, flexibility, and scalability, however, it may also introduce some changes to your current SharePoint environment. Any migration plan should take into account these changes.

1. User interface: SharePoint Online has a different interface than on-premises SharePoint, so users may need to adjust to the new layout and navigation.

2. Functionality: SharePoint Online has a different set of features and functionalities than on-premises SharePoint. Some features that are available on-premises may not be available in SharePoint Online, and vice versa.

3. Customizations: Customizations that were made to your on-premises SharePoint environment may not be compatible with SharePoint Online. These will need to be recreated or re-engineered in the new environment.

4. Integration: Third-party applications or services that were integrated with your on-premises SharePoint environment may need to be re-integrated in the new environment.

5. Security: SharePoint Online has a different security model than on-premises SharePoint. You may need to adjust your security settings and permissions to comply with the new security model.

6. Backup and recovery: SharePoint Online has a different backup and recovery model than on-premises SharePoint. You may need to adjust your backup and recovery procedures to comply with the new model.

7. Scalability: SharePoint Online is a cloud-based service, which means that it is highly scalable and can handle a large amount of data and users. This can be beneficial for organizations that have a large number of users or data.

Once we understand the environment a business with then have to decide upon the best tool to move the data over. There are several options available, both free and paid, that can help automate the migration process. Some popular choices include ShareGate, Metalogix, and AvePoint. These tools can help you migrate your data, sites, lists, and customizations to SharePoint Online with minimal disruption to your users.

Creating a well thought out migration plan prior to the move, and understanding the changes that are likely to occur, you can ensure that your migration will be successful and that your users will have a smooth transition to SharePoint Online. With the right approach, you can take full advantage of the benefits that SharePoint Online has to offer, such as increased collaboration, flexibility, and scalability.

Should I Use A SharePoint Expert To Help With A Migrating?

Using a SharePoint consulting firm, such as Purenetworking, can greatly benefit a company considering a migration to SharePoint Online. These firms have extensive experience and expertise in SharePoint migrations, allowing them to provide a smooth and successful transition. They can also provide valuable insights and recommendations on how to best utilize SharePoint Online to meet the specific needs of your organization.

A SharePoint consulting firm can help you to identify and assess your current SharePoint environment, providing you with an understanding of the scope of the migration and the resources required. They can help you to identify and recreate customizations, integrate third-party applications, and ensure that your data is accurate and up-to-date. They can also help you to plan for user adoption, testing, and provide training to ensure that your users are able to effectively use SharePoint Online.

Additionally, a SharePoint consulting firm can help you to navigate the different features and functionalities of SharePoint Online and can provide guidance on how to best utilize them to meet the specific needs of your organization. They can also help you to adjust your security settings and permissions, backup and recovery procedures, and provide guidance on how to best scale your SharePoint Online environment to accommodate a large number of users and data.

In conclusion, using a SharePoint consulting firm such as Purenetworking can greatly benefit a company considering a migration to SharePoint Online. They can provide valuable expertise and guidance to ensure a smooth and successful transition, while also providing valuable insights and recommendations on how to best utilize SharePoint Online to meet the specific needs of your organization.

If your looking to move to SharePoint please do contact us to find out how we can help.