Email migration is one of the big steps that need to be completed when transitioning from software on premises to services in the Microsoft 365 cloud. Because email is so important to business operations, that migration needs to be planned carefully.

SharePoint is another Microsoft product that can be transitioned from premises to the Microsoft 365 cloud. While the details of the transition are different from those for email, the overall process is similar.

Reasons to Migrate SharePoint to Microsoft 365

The first step in any migration is making the decision that the migration is worth doing. For SharePoint, these are the benefits that come with switching to use SharePoint in the cloud:

1. Reduced maintenance

SharePoint releases periodically reach their end of life/end of support date, and performing upgrades can be a significant effort. Users can’t access features in new releases until the IT team completes the release. Utilizing SharePoint in Microsoft 365 means Microsoft handles those updates, and new features are rolled out on a regular basis.

2. Increased reliability and usability.

As a cloud-based service, Microsoft 365 has high availability built-in. End users have easier access with less setup time and less downtime. In addition, Microsoft 365 makes it easy to integrate other Office products such as Microsoft Teams.

3. Simpler end-user support.

Adding users and managing licenses is easier on a subscription basis.

Process for Migrating SharePoint to Microsoft 365

The process for migrating from a local installation of SharePoint to Microsoft 365 requires several steps:

1. Content discovery and analysis.

To migrate SharePoint successfully, you need to start by identifying the content you have. This allows you to identify obsolete content that is no longer used and does not need to be migrated; migrating unused content leads to unneeded costs. In addition, you should evaluate the content to allow you to identify any security and compliance concerns.

2. Feature analysis.

It’s important to identify which features are being used in your on-premises SharePoint installation to make sure they’re available in cloud-based SharePoint or to make plans to address any features that are missing. If you’re working with an older SharePoint version, understand how its capabilities and behavior differ from the current version in Microsoft 365.

3. Migration planning.

With an understanding of your content, how it is used, and how it needs to be protected, you can get down to the nitty-gritty of planning the migration. This includes documenting how the physical transfer of files will be made, along with a plan for how content, users, and governance will be managed in the cloud. The plan should allow time for testing SharePoint in the cloud in order to verify that permissions, content, and other site aspects are all correct.

For a successful migration, allow sufficient time rather than rushing to cutover as quickly as possible. Rushing leads to mistakes that are more costly to fix than taking the time to understand the needs and do the migration right the first time. Using Microsoft’s migration API will help reduce errors. Working with a Microsoft Partner like Prescient Solutions is another way to reduce the challenges of migrating to Microsoft 365. Contact Prescient Solutions to start working on your SharePoint-to-Microsoft-365 migration and get the benefits of Software as a Service for your key business software.