There’s a moment in every SharePoint migration when you realise how much invisible complexity lies beneath your organisation’s collaboration platform. Those nested folders your finance team created five years ago. The custom workflows marketing relies on every day. The permissions structure that evolved organically as your company grew.
Moving all of this to a new environment demands careful planning. One misstep during the SharePoint migration process can lead to broken links, lost data, or frustrated users who can’t find what they need.
That’s why a well-structured SharePoint migration checklist is vital. It gives you a clear path to follow – from assessing your current setup to fine-tuning the new environment. In this article, we will break down the essential SharePoint migration steps every organisation should follow for a seamless, secure, and future-proof transition.
Let’s get into it.
Our 11-Point SharePoint Migration Checklist
1. Planning Your SharePoint Migration Steps
Jumping straight into migration without proper groundwork is how projects spiral out of control. You might think you are saving time by skipping the planning stage, but you will pay for it later with extended downtime, repeated migration attempts, and frustrated users who can’t find their documents.
A structured approach gives you three critical advantages:
Visibility: You understand exactly what you are dealing with – how much data, how many sites, which customisations exist, and where potential conflicts might emerge. This visibility prevents nasty surprises halfway through your migration.
Control: When you follow a defined SharePoint migration checklist, you maintain control over timelines, resource allocation, and quality standards. Your IT team knows what to do next, stakeholders know what to expect, and business operations continue with minimal disruption.
Flexibility: Proper planning builds in contingency. When you discover an unexpected dependency or encounter a technical limitation, you can adjust your approach without derailing the entire project.
With these advantages, a comprehensive checklist ensures you cover all business-critical requirements, not just the technical mechanics of moving files.
2. Assess Your Existing Environment
Your groundwork begins here. The more accurately you evaluate your current infrastructure, the fewer surprises you will face during migration.
A detailed environment audit should include:
Site collections and subsites: Map your current structure and identify overlaps or abandoned areas.
Storage and file shares: Document how much data you are moving, its types, and ownership.
Permissions and workflows: List existing access rights, automation, and integrations that might break post-migration.
Customisations: Identify legacy components (scripts, add-ins, or branding) that may not translate to the new platform.
By analysing these factors early, you can anticipate technical challenges and define the right tools and sequence for your SharePoint migration process.
Pro tip: Document everything. Your discovery report will become your single source of truth as you move through the SharePoint migration checklist.
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3. Define Migration Scope and Objectives
Clarity here saves countless hours later. Ask yourself: What’s driving this migration? Are you moving from SharePoint on-premises to SharePoint Online? Consolidating multiple sites? Or upgrading outdated systems?
A clearly defined scope should answer:
- Which departments or functions move first?
- Which data do you consider critical, and which can you move to the archive?
- How do you measure success – by reduced downtime, better collaboration, or cost optimisation?
Setting measurable objectives helps you validate your SharePoint migration steps and ensures that every technical decision supports business goals.
4. Audit, Classify and Purge Content
A clean-up phase is vital to simplify the SharePoint migration process. Review documents for duplicates, archive infrequently accessed files, and delete what’s truly irrelevant. Classify content by sensitivity, applying labels for better search and compliance in SharePoint. Address permissions early to avoid inheriting flawed access controls.
Action points:
- Remove duplicate, obsolete, or redundant (ROT) data.
- Archive records you need to retain but no longer use frequently.
- Apply consistent metadata tags for better content discovery.
- Review and update permission structures.
By cleansing your data before migration, you reduce migration volume, cut down storage costs, improve governance, and make post-migration management far more efficient.
5. Plan Information Architecture and Permissions
Structure your new SharePoint environment to match your organisation’s workflows, not its old file storage habits. This phase of the SharePoint migration checklist focuses on designing the right information architecture (IA).
Checklist for IA planning:
- Define site collections and libraries based on business units or processes.
- Create naming conventions that enhance clarity.
- Use role-based permissions to standardise access.
- Align SharePoint security groups with Active Directory.
A well-planned IA ensures scalability, security, and easier maintenance – and lays the groundwork for future enhancements in the SharePoint migration process.
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Neologix offers SharePoint migration services that take care of everything – from initial assessment to post-migration optimisation. With proven frameworks and years of experience, our experts ensure your migration is seamless, compliant, and future-ready.
6. Choose the Right Tools and Approach
The choice of migration tools and methods can make or break your project. Depending on your environment’s complexity, you might use Microsoft’s native tools or advanced third-party solutions.
Options include:
Microsoft Migration Manager – ideal for straightforward moves.
ShareGate, Metalogix, or AvePoint – offer richer reporting, automation, and error handling for complex migrations.
Custom scripts – suitable for niche requirements or bulk data automation.
Decide whether a lift-and-shift, phased, or hybrid migration model fits your strategy. Each has its pros and cons. The key is to align your toolset with your defined SharePoint migration steps to ensure efficiency and reliability.
7. Test, Validate, and Pilot
Testing might seem tedious, but it’s the stage that saves you from unforeseen post-launch issues. A thorough testing cycle validates your SharePoint migration process and builds stakeholder confidence.
Steps to follow:
- Conduct pilot migrations with non-critical data.
- Validate permissions, metadata, and workflow behaviour.
- Check file integrity and accessibility in SharePoint.
- Gather feedback from pilot users and refine your plan accordingly.
Once testing confirms system stability, turn your focus to user readiness and communication.
8. Communicate, Train, and Support Users
Technical success means nothing if users can’t or won’t adapt to the new environment. User readiness deserves equal weight in your SharePoint migration checklist. Communication should be proactive and consistent throughout the project.
User readiness checklist:
- Announce migration timelines and expected changes early.
- Conduct live demos or training sessions.
- Provide post-launch guides and quick-reference resources.
- Encourage feedback loops to identify user pain points.
Remember, adoption isn’t the last step; it’s an ongoing part of the migration. Without it, even flawless technical migrations falter due to resistance.
9. Backup and Rollback Plans
Always assume that something could go wrong and plan accordingly. Backup and rollback strategies are your safety net during the SharePoint migration process.
Essentials to include:
- Full backups of databases and file shares before migration.
- Verification of backup integrity.
- Clear rollback procedures if data corruption or downtime occurs.
- Assigned responsibilities for recovery tasks.
Need unbiased advice before you begin your migration?
Our seasoned SharePoint migration consultant team at Neologix can assess your current setup, identify potential risks, and design a migration roadmap tailored to your business.
10. Execute the Migration
This stage is the most visible part of your SharePoint migration steps – the migration itself.
With preparation complete and plans thoroughly tested, execution is where your groundwork delivers results. Follow your schedule closely, monitor progress in real time, and document every step to maintain control and accountability.
Best practices include:
- Migrate in stages where possible – department by department or by content type.
- Keep open communication with stakeholders during the process.
- Validate data integrity after each batch.
- Document errors and resolutions for future reference.
11. Post-Migration Optimisation
Once your migration goes live, the real test begins – how effectively your teams use the new system. Post-migration optimisation ensures you realise full value from your investment.
Actions to consider:
- Monitor site performance and user feedback.
- Review and adjust permissions or policies as needed.
- Conduct periodic audits to maintain compliance.
- Implement governance policies for content lifecycle management.
This phase closes the loop on your SharePoint migration checklist, ensuring long-term sustainability and user satisfaction.
Neologix: The SharePoint Experts Who Get It Right the First Time
Neologix has spent over 25 years helping organisations navigate complex technology transitions. We have executed SharePoint migrations for businesses of every size – from focused department-level moves to enterprise-wide transformations spanning multiple tenants and thousands of users.
When you work with Neologix, you gain a strategic partner who cares about your outcomes as much as you do. We will assess your environment thoroughly, design a migration approach that matches your risk tolerance and timeline, and execute with precision born from experience. Whether you are planning your first SharePoint migration or your fifth, whether you are moving to Microsoft 365 or consolidating existing environments, we are ready to help you succeed.
Contact us today at info@neologix.ae or call +971-521043226 to discuss your migration strategy today.
