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Overview

Migrating data to SharePoint Online requires thoughtful preparation to ensure performance, compliance, and sustainable content management. This guide walks through pre‑migration planning activities aligned with Microsoft 365 best practices.

Symptoms / Scenarios

  • You are unsure how to structure SharePoint sites for a new implementation.
  • You are planning to migrate content from file shares, on‑prem SharePoint, or third‑party repositories.
  • You need to determine content ownership, permissions, and lifecycle policies before migration.
  • You want to minimise post‑migration cleanup and governance issues.

Root Cause

Insufficient preparation frequently leads to:

  • Migrated content that is difficult to find
  • Broken permissions and sharing inconsistencies
  • Over‑storage consumption due to duplication
  • Post‑migration effort to reorganise or restructure sites

Resolution Steps

1. Define the Information Architecture

  • Identify whether content belongs in:
    • SharePoint Sites
    • Teams-integrated Sites
    • Document Libraries
    • Folders or metadata-based classification
  • Create a site hierarchy aligned to departments, functions, or processes.

2. Conduct a Content Inventory & Assessment

  • Review current repositories for:
    • Redundant, obsolete, or trivial (ROT) data
    • Large files or unsupported file types
    • File paths exceeding SharePoint limits
  • Remove or archive ROT content before migration.

3. Validate SharePoint Storage, Quotas & Limits

Ensure you understand:

  • Storage allocation across the tenant
  • File size and character limits
  • URL path restrictions
  • Library view thresholds

4. Define Security & Permissions Model

  • Use Microsoft 365 Groups where possible
  • Follow the principle of least privilege
  • Avoid breaking inheritance unless required
  • Pre-create site owners and membership groups

5. Configure SharePoint Site Settings

Prior to migration:

  • Create target sites and libraries
  • Enable required features (versioning, checked-out behavior)
  • Set up metadata columns and content types
  • Apply retention labels or policies if required

6. Prepare Users

  • Communicate upcoming changes
  • Provide training on:
    • SharePoint navigation
    • Document libraries
    • Version history
    • Sharing behaviour in M365

Additional Notes

  • Always run a test migration to validate mappings and site performance.
  • Use Microsoft tools such as the SharePoint Migration Manager for large-scale moves.
  • Align with governance models defined by IT or Information Management teams.
Keywords: SharePoint, Migration, M365