SharePoint On-Premise to Online Migration: Step-by-Step Checklist

Why You Need a Checklist Approach

Migrating from SharePoint On-Premise to Online is not the straightforward file transfer many organizations assume it to be. Over the years, on-premises environments accumulate custom workflows, complex permission structures, InfoPath forms, third-party web parts, and thousands of site collections. Missing any of these components during migration can result in data loss, broken processes, or security gaps.

A structured checklist approach prevents missed steps, creates a clear roadmap across stakeholders, and keeps the project timeline realistic. This guide is based on Microsoft's official documentation and industry best practices.

Phase 1: Assess Your Current Environment

1.1 Conduct a Full Inventory

The first step in any migration is building a complete inventory of your current SharePoint farm:

• All site collections, subsites, lists, and libraries
• Total data volume and file counts
• Custom workflows (SharePoint Designer 2010/2013 workflows)
• InfoPath forms and custom list forms
• Third-party web parts and add-ins
• Custom solution packages (WSP files)
• Timer Jobs

Microsoft's SharePoint Migration Assessment Tool (SMAT) can automate this inventory. SMAT is a command-line tool that runs on SharePoint 2010, 2013, and 2016 environments. It scans your environment non-invasively and reports potential migration issues. Depending on environment size, a scan may take one to two days.

1.2 Plan Identity Mapping

SharePoint On-Premise uses Active Directory (AD) identities. SharePoint Online operates through Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). Accurate identity mapping during migration is critical.

Microsoft's identity mapping mechanism works at three levels:

• ExactMatch: Windows user SIDs are matched against the OnPremisesSecurityIdentifier value in Entra ID.
• PartialMatch: Matching is performed via User Principal Name, email address, or display name.
• NoMatch: If no match is found through the above methods, manual intervention is required.

Best practice: Synchronize your on-premises Active Directory accounts with Microsoft Entra ID (using Microsoft Entra Connect) before migration. This ensures existing file permissions are automatically preserved during the transfer.

1.3 Clean and Prepare Data

Pre-migration data cleanup shortens migration timelines and results in a cleaner target environment:

• Identify unnecessary content: Detect Redundant, Outdated, or Trivial (ROT) content.
• Archive or delete: Archive or remove legacy content not subject to legal retention requirements.
• Check file restrictions: SharePoint Online does not allow " * : < > ? / \ | characters in file names. The decoded file path — comprising the site name, library name, folder path, and file name — cannot exceed 400 characters (the tenant domain name and file extension are excluded from this limit). Individual file size is limited to 250 GB.
• Evaluate version history: Migrating all file versions significantly increases migration time. Decide in advance how many versions to transfer.

Phase 2: Planning and Design

2.1 Modernize Information Architecture

Deep subsite hierarchies common in SharePoint On-Premise create an inefficient structure in SharePoint Online. Migration is the right opportunity to modernize your information architecture:

• Move from subsites to Hub Sites: SharePoint Online's Hub Site feature allows flexible relationships between sites. Prefer a flat structure with hub site connections over deep subsite trees.
• Review metadata and content types: Establish metadata standards to improve content discoverability.
• Redesign navigation: Modern SharePoint navigation offers richer experiences with mega menus and hub site navigation.

2.2 Workflow and Form Transformation Strategy

On-premises workflows and forms cannot be directly migrated to SharePoint Online. These components must be transformed to their modern equivalents:

• SharePoint Designer workflows → Power Automate: SPMT can automatically convert SharePoint Designer 2010 and 2013 workflows to Power Automate flows. However, complex workflows may require manual redesign.
• InfoPath forms → Power Apps: InfoPath forms cannot be migrated one-to-one; they must be redesigned in Power Apps. Simple forms can remain SharePoint list-based, while complex forms may require Dataverse infrastructure.
• Custom list forms: SPMT does not support custom New/Edit/View forms. These must be recreated in SharePoint Online.

Critical date: SharePoint 2013 workflows will be fully retired on April 2, 2026. All workflows must be migrated to Power Automate before this date.

2.3 Governance and Compliance Planning

Establish a governance framework for the target environment before migration:

• Site provisioning policies and naming conventions
• Retention and deletion policies
• Sensitivity labels and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) rules
• External sharing policies
• User permission management standards

Phase 3: Tool Selection and Pilot Migration

3.1 Choose the Right Migration Tool

Microsoft offers two free migration tools:

SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT):

• Supports direct migration from SharePoint Server 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019 to SharePoint Online.
• Installed on a Windows computer or virtual machine.
• Can convert SharePoint Designer 2010/2013 workflows to Power Automate.
• Limitations: Cannot migrate master pages, InfoPath forms, or custom list forms.

Migration Manager:

• Designed for large-scale migrations with a centralized management interface.
• Supports parallel migration through agents installed on multiple computers.
• Agent count is adjustable based on need; however, excessive agents increase throttling risk.

Third-party tools (ShareGate, AvePoint, Metalogix):

• Suitable for environments with terabyte-scale data transfers, complex permission structures, or custom transformation requirements.
• Offer advanced reporting and automated remediation capabilities.

3.2 Run a Pilot Migration

Always conduct a pilot migration before a full-scale rollout:

1. Select a representative site collection (one containing diverse content types, workflows, and permission structures).
2. Execute the pilot migration and review results in detail.
3. Verify permission mapping accuracy.
4. Validate file integrity and metadata preservation.
5. Assess user experience and performance.
6. Document any issues encountered and update the full migration plan accordingly.

Phase 4: Production Migration

4.1 Migration Performance Optimization

Migration speed varies by data type and metadata density. According to Microsoft's official performance guide, typical transfer rates are:

• Light metadata (videos, large files): Approximately 10 TB per day
• Medium metadata (Office documents): Approximately 1 TB per day
• Heavy metadata (many small files, custom columns): Approximately 250 GB per day

Performance tips:

• Use SSD storage on the migration computer.
• Target at least 250 files and 100–250 MB per transfer package.
• Schedule intensive migration operations for evening hours and weekends — Microsoft applies tighter throttling to background applications during weekday business hours.
• Stop other heavy network and disk operations on the migration computer during transfer.

4.2 Migration Execution Checklist

• ☐ Target SharePoint Online site structure created
• ☐ Identity mapping verified (Entra ID synchronization active)
• ☐ Stakeholders notified of migration schedule and potential disruptions
• ☐ Current backup of source environment taken
• ☐ SPMT or Migration Manager configured and connectivity tested
• ☐ Migration packages and sequencing defined
• ☐ Migration started and progress monitored
• ☐ Error reports reviewed regularly

Phase 5: Validation and Go-Live

5.1 Post-Migration Validation

After migration completes, perform the following checks:

• Data integrity: Are file counts and sizes consistent between source and target?
• Metadata preservation: Are custom columns, content types, and labels intact?
• Permission accuracy: Are user and group permissions mapped correctly?
• Workflows: Do Power Automate flows converted from legacy workflows function as expected?
• Link verification: Are inter-document links and site navigation intact?

5.2 User Training and Change Management

User adoption is as critical as the technical migration itself:

• Provide training on the modern SharePoint interface and navigation.
• Demonstrate new tools such as Power Automate and Power Apps.
• Prepare a guide covering frequently asked questions and known differences.
• Establish support channels for post-migration issues.
• Regularly collect user feedback and resolve issues promptly.

5.3 Continuous Optimization

Migration does not end at go-live:

• Monitor storage usage and performance metrics.
• Audit whether governance policies are being followed.
• Expand integration with Microsoft 365 services such as Teams, Power Platform, and Copilot.
• Conduct regular security reviews (Conditional Access policies, sensitivity labels).

At Fiboo, we provide end-to-end consulting for SharePoint migration projects. From assessing your current environment to post-go-live optimization, we are with you at every step. Contact us to build your migration roadmap.