The document outlines a comprehensive framework for migrating files to SharePoint for Office 365 users, addressing both technical and non-technical challenges. Key considerations include managing file compatibility, folder structures, user resistance, and the importance of involving users in the migration process. It also discusses various tools available for migration, emphasizing the need for a structured plan and the creation of a staging area for effective organization and metadata management.

1. Office365 / SharePoint:
A File Migration Framework
Victoria Office 365 Users Group
January 2016
Gerry Brimacombe, Lightlever Systems Inc.

2. Servers
(M: K: etc)
DropBox and
other sources
Personal Shares Copy / move
What are we trying to accomplish?
People work
here Instead

3. So What’s the BIG DEAL?
• EASY: Move or copy files to SharePoint!
• Is it that EASY?
• Files from where? Servers, local drives, DropBox, legacy
intranet, email, websites?....
• All files or just some?
• Just files, or other content?
• Are file names compatible? Or desirable (e.g. spaces and other
conventions)?
• Are folders too deep? Are we even using folders? [insert two
hour discussion on metadata vs. folders here]
• What about changing people’s behaviour?

4. File Migration – NON TECHNICAL ISSUES
• Sheer dumb Volume!
• Messy / deep folder structures.
• People are busy
• Resistance to Change
• Network speeds
• Setting Metadata

5. File Migration – TECHNICAL ISSUES
• Invalid characters in filenames
• Undesirable Spaces in files names
• Path or Filename too long
• Blocked file types (*.json, *.soap, etc)
• Limitations of OneDrive for Business (5k
files per library, 20k total)
• File size (SP2013 default 250MB; max
2GB)
• Modified dates not migrated
Max Folder
Length
250
Max Filename
Length
256
(128 for SharePoint 2013)
Max Folder+File
Length
250
Undesirable
Characters
#
&
*
/
{
|
?
}
~
+
<
>
%
`
...
..

6. Migration Plan
Approve
Plan
Capture
File
Listings
Select
Subset of
Files
Copy to
Staging
Clean Up
in Staging
Move to
Share-
Point
Set
Servers
Read-only
Add
Metadata

7. File Migration Tips
• This will take time!
• Must involve the users or becomes GIGO
• Create Staging area to allow users to “clean-up”
without impacting day-to-day
• Note the date you copied to staging
• Delete old versions
• Create newer, better, flatter folder structure
• Standardize names
• Move files in from a number of locations
• Create document libraries, with permissions!
• You can often “net use” to map a drive to SharePoint document library, then
xcopy or robocopy work well
• Lock down servers, but don’t delete so historical data is there (comfy feeling).

8. Setting Metadata
• Expectations Management: this will be onerous, but
important!
• Do not set any metadata as MANDATORY prior to file load.
• If using folders with Metadata, can you set defaults by
folder? (Column Default Value Settings)
• After loading files, use Quick Edit (datasheet view) to set lots
of data.
• Change Metadata to Mandatory as required/desired

9. Servers
(M: K: etc)
DropBox and
other sources
Personal Shares Copy / move
Remember This?
People work
here Instead

10. Servers
(M: K: etc)
DropBox and
other sources
Staging
(temporary)
Personal Shares move
Clean-up

copy
Here’s one Way
Check/Set
Metadata


11. Migration Tools(Not an exhaustive list, by any means)
Tool Pros Cons
EasyFix Tool to rename files Simple
Free
Fairly limited
Drag and Drop in Browser Super Easy
Free
Can’t drop folders
Lose modified dates
Drag and Drop using Windows
Explorer
Easy
Free
Lose modified dates
Hard to capture errors (recopy)
100 files at a time
Lightlever Excel-based tool Pretty easy
Free
Can capture Log
Can rename files
Lose modified dates
Can be confusing
Challenges with WebDAV connections
ShareGate Lots of power and functionality
Quite User Friendly
Retains modification dates
Annual license (US$4k/year/user)
AvePoint, Metalogix, Metavis,
etc.
Super powerful
Many features
Incremental migrations
etc.
Very Expensive
Can be complex to set up
Features we don’t need (migration workflows,
etc)

12. www.lightlever.ca
gerry@lightlever.ca
BUSINESS ANALYSIS
 Requirements gathering
 Business case for cloud IT
 Improve business processes
 Evaluate technology
SHAREPOINT SOLUTIONS
 Corporate portals
 Document management
 Custom lists and libraries
 Electronic forms
 SharePoint Training
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
 Develop project plans
 Run projects efficiently
 Build project management office
 Project Management Coaching

13. Other Content Migration Examples
• Contact List
• Copy from AD
• Copy/Paste in SharePoint
• Or Drag and Drop in Outlook
• Policy Manual or Employee Handbook
• Word to Wiki in 1 hour
• See how to blog post

14. Demo of Migration Tool
• Command prompt file dump
• Set variables and transformations
• Filter and Sort
• Select files / folders to keep
• Produce and run command files

15. File Migration Using Excel Tool
• Command Line Directory Listing: Paste into
Excel file migration tool
• Tool strips out invalided characters (including
spaces if you want)
• Changes to CamelCase, where spaces present.
• Shows file and path length
• Can filter records by date, size, type,
folder, etc.
• Generate Commands
• Put commands in Batch file, and run

16. References
• https://support.office.com/en-ca/article/invalid-characters-in-file-or-
folder-names-or-invalid-file-types-in-onedrive-for-business-
64883a5d-228e-48f5-b3d2-eb39e07630fa
• https://support.office.com/en-ca/article/Types-of-files-that-cannot-
be-added-to-a-list-or-library-30be234d-e551-4c2a-8de8-f8546ffbf5b3
• http://sharepoint-community.net/profiles/blogs/sharepoint-
comparison-matrix-for-3rd-party-migration-tools
• http://lightlever.ca/convert-document-to-sharepoint-wiki/