A common mistake is viewing SharePoint as a stand-alone solution within the Microsoft 365 suite. It’s essential to remember that it’s not a standalone system and will realize its true potential when used in conjunction with other apps, such as Microsoft Teams, Office 365, Viva, Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI.
Yet, many businesses still fall into the trap of underestimating what a SharePoint migration truly involves.
Are you making these migration mistakes? Whether you are in the process of a SharePoint migration or just exploring your options, this guide is for you. We’ll walk through the most common SharePoint migration mistakes, what causes them, and how to avoid them. Along the way, we’ll cover common SharePoint migration errors, overlooked security issues, and what you should really consider when starting a move to the cloud.
At Reality Tech, we’ve rescued over 120 migration projects gone wrong. Here are the top 5 mistakes we fix daily, along with how to avoid them from day one.
Mistake 1: Skipping the Pre-Migration Assessment
Before you move a single file or user, it’s crucial to perform a detailed pre-migration assessment.
Reality Tech finding: 68% of organizations discover redundant data costing $15k+/year in storage fees only AFTER migration. Our pre-migration scanner identifies this upfront. It is much easier and faster to identify redundancies before the migration and consolidate or correct them during migration than to try to address them after the migration is completed when everything is already live and tangled into new workflows.
Without a full understanding of what content you have, how it’s currently structured, and who’s using it, you’re going in blind. This oversight leads to broken links, misplaced data, and long hours of troubleshooting.
What should your pre-migration assessment include?
- Inventory of existing data, files and sites
- Identification of outdated or redundant content
- Audit of user permissions
- Mapping legacy systems and dependencies
A successful SharePoint migration begins with clear visibility. Think of this phase as laying the foundation for your entire move. If it’s weak, everything else is at risk.
Mistake 2: Poor Planning of Information Architecture
Many businesses assume they can just “lift and shift” their old structure into SharePoint and call it a day. That’s a mistake. SharePoint isn’t just a file server; it’s a full collaboration platform, and its value comes from how you organize your information and in how users collaborate and work concurrently within the content
Poor planning of your information architecture leads to user confusion, poor searchability, and unnecessary duplication.
Common SharePoint migration errors related to architecture include:
- Flat folder structures with thousands of files
- Ignoring metadata and content types
- Mixing personal and team data
- Building everything under one massive site collection
- Not designing Search around how end users work
When you plan your SharePoint architecture thoughtfully using hubs, modern site templates, and defined taxonomies, it becomes easier to govern, scale, and use.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Permissions and Security Settings
This one’s a biggie. One of the most critical (and overlooked) aspects of a SharePoint migration is getting the security model right, not just copying it over.
Too often, teams rush to replicate permissions without evaluating whether the setup actually aligns with how access should work. SharePoint’s security model is powerful but complex, and migration is the perfect opportunity to refine it for better control and manageability.
Common missteps include:
- Overwriting granular permissions during bulk moves
- Assigning broad, site-wide access instead of role-based controls
- Ignoring the distinction between inherited and explicit permissions
- Failing to align content with Active Directory (AD) groups
- Not leveraging SharePoint security groups for layered, reusable access management
At Reality Tech, we help clients go beyond replication. We restructure permissions to align with AD, simplify ongoing management, and ensure sensitive data is locked down without slowing teams down.
Mistake 4: Underestimating User Training & Change Management
SharePoint is powerful, but it’s also different from what many users are familiar with, especially if they’ve only used shared drives, legacy tools, or even older on-premises versions of SharePoint.
One of the most overlooked SharePoint migration problems is the assumption that users will “just figure it out.”
Here’s what often goes wrong:
- Teams don’t know how to use versioning, check-in/out, or search features
- Users recreate folder structures manually, negating metadata benefits
- Adoption is slow, and staff revert to email or old systems
- Important collaboration features are missed
Users are unaware of co-authoring capabilities
Users who don’t take advantage of Power Platform capabilities
Proper user training, hands-on support, and clear communication go a long way. Even a few short sessions or instructional videos can make a world of difference. And don’t forget, change management doesn’t end once the migration is done. It’s an ongoing process.
Mistake: 5 Migration Without Phases
One of the most damaging SharePoint migration mistakes is failing to break the process into manageable phases.
Many teams dive in without benchmarking their current environment or testing throughput. The result? They attempt to migrate too much data in one go leading to timeouts, failed transfers, corrupted metadata, or worse, downtime for active teams.
A phased migration allows you to:
- Benchmark throughput before scaling
- Handle permissions and metadata accurately
- Monitor for failures in a controlled environment
- Ensure business continuity during the transition
- Triage and adjust based on real user feedback
At Reality Tech, we always test, benchmark, and define migration phases whether by department, site collection, or business priority. This approach reduces risk, improves visibility, and keeps teams productive throughout the process.Mistake 6: Not Testing Before Full Migration
One of the more preventable yet still very common SharePoint migration mistakes is failing to test before executing the final migration.
Without a pilot phase or sandbox environment, there’s no way to gauge how your migration tools will behave or how your content will appear once it’s in SharePoint Online.
Typical issues from skipping testing include:
- Broken links or images in migrated documents, Problematic navigation, and hard-to-find content
- Incompatible file formats or metadata mismatches
- Unexpected throttling from Microsoft
A solid SharePoint migration strategy includes a staged approach:
- Run test migrations with selected content
- Validate structure, permissions, and usability
- Gather feedback from users
- Tweak and refine the process
It might slow things down in the short term, but the time saved fixing problems later is well worth it.
What to Consider When Planning a SharePoint Migration
Beyond avoiding the major mistakes, there are several key considerations that can make or break your migration project.
1. Understand Your Migration Scope
Are you moving from SharePoint Server to SharePoint Online? From Google Drive to Microsoft 365? The tools, challenges, and approaches will differ. Be clear about what’s in and out of scope.
2. Choose the Right Migration Tools
There are several options from native Microsoft tools to third-party platforms. Each has pros and cons depending on your needs. Don’t just go with the cheapest or most popular; go with what fits your scenario.
3. Timeline and Downtime Management
You’ll need a solid timeline that considers dependencies, user downtime, and go-live support. Avoid migrating during business-critical periods like product launches or audits.
4. Integration with Other Microsoft Tools
Don’t treat SharePoint as a silo. Plan your migration with Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and Power Platform integrations in mind. For example, files from Teams channels live in SharePoint, so you’ll want to ensure links and file paths remain intact.
How Expert SharePoint Services Can Help
Sometimes, it’s best to leave it to the experts. An experienced SharePoint partner won’t just move your data, they’ll guide you through planning, user adoption, governance, and ongoing support.
When you work with a team offering expert SharePoint Services, you benefit from:
- Pre-migration assessment and cleanup
- Custom architecture and taxonomy planning
- Automated, error-free migrations
- Post-migration user training and support
- Ongoing Microsoft SharePoint Support Services
This ensures your SharePoint environment is not just functional, but actually working for your business.
Your Next Step: Don’t Let These Mistakes Cost You
Planning a SharePoint migration is about more than just moving files. It’s about transforming the way your teams work, collaborate, and access critical information.
If you’re facing SharePoint common issues or struggling with where to start, you’re not alone.
We specialize in SharePoint Migration Support, designed to help organizations avoid these common pitfalls. From strategic planning to post-migration support, we’ll help you get it right the first time.
Final Thoughts
SharePoint is an investment in your business’s future, but only if it’s set up right. Don’t let simple mistakes derail your goals.
If you’re still unsure where to start, our team can help assess your current setup, avoid migration errors, and build a future-proof environment tailored to your needs.
Let us help you get it right.
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