Transfer Lists from One SharePoint Site to Another – Complete Tutorial

SharePoint lists help organizations to manage their data, tasks, and collaboration efficiently. Users generally require transferring these lists between different SharePoint sites during the restructuring, consolidation, or new creation of SharePoint Online. In this blog, we will discuss some of the most effective ways to transfer lists from one SharePoint site to another, including the Aryson Microsoft 365 migration tool. But before that, let us discuss and understand the process of SharePoint list transfer. Download Now   Purchase Now

Understanding SharePoint List Transfer

The process of moving or copying a list and its data from one SharePoint system to another is termed “SharePoint list transfer.” This process includes the transfer of columns, attachments, metadata, lists, and settings without affecting the original structure and usability at the destination site.

Several enterprises move SharePoint list to another site during the site restructuring and tenant-to-tenant migration. The end goal is to achieve data accessibility, preserve permissions, and maintain a smooth workflow without any data loss.

Why Do Organizations Need to Transfer SharePoint Lists?

There are several reasons why organizations and IT professionals prefer to transfer their SharePoint lists from one system to another. Some of them are mentioned below.

• Enterprises transfer lists to restructure the SharePoint sites during departmental changes.
• They can migrate from on-premises SharePoint to SharePoint Online.
• In addition, users can consolidate SharePoint sites into one place.
• The cross-team collaboration and data accessibility also improve this migration.
• After migration, tenant-to-tenant SharePoint migration is a simplified execution.
• Also, users can maintain better data governance and compliance standards.

Pre-Migration Checklist Before Moving SharePoint Lists

Before we proceed to the actual SharePoint list transfer, below are the pointers you must follow before migration. Make sure to follow each one of them to ensure an error-free migration.

• Firstly, analyze the source SharePoint list structure and column settings.
• After that, cross-verify the required list and remove any unwanted data.
• To prevent any accidental data loss, back up the SharePoint list.
• Cross-verify the user permissions and access levels before migration.
• Check for the compatibility of the destination site.
• After that, review the workflows, metadata dependencies, and attachments.
• Next, make sure you have sufficient storage space in the target site.
• Test the migration process with a small data set first.

Top Methods to Transfer Lists from One SharePoint Site to Another

Now that you understand why it is important to follow the proper migration steps for SharePoint list transfer, let’s proceed to the actual migration process. There are several methods available to copy SharePoint list to another site. Here, we will mainly focus on the most important and most effective methods.

• Export & Import Using MS Excel 

• Save the List as the Template

• Use an Advanced Software

Method 1: Export & Import Using Excel

In this manual method, the user must export SharePoint list data to a spreadsheet and then import that file into the destination site to recreate the list. However, this method is simple; it does not preserve the list settings, advanced metadata, and attachments. This makes it suitable only for small data sets.

Steps to Transfer Lists from One SharePoint Site to Another 

1. First, open the source SharePoint list in your web browser
2. Then, click on the Export to Excel option on the list toolbar to download the data.
3. Next, open that downloaded file in MS Excel and save it as a .xlsx file.
4. Navigate to the destination SharePoint site.
5. Create a new custom list and choose the Import Spreadsheet option.
6. Upload the Excel file and complete the import wizard to create the list with data.

Method 2: Save List as Template

SharePoint allows users to save a list as a template, which can optionally include the list content as well. You just have to download the template from the source site and upload it to the destination site template gallery. This is how you can create a new list based on the previous template. This method will make sure to preserve the structure as well as the optional data, but the user must enable the custom scripting option. Although this method works well and is straightforward, it is limited in modern sites.

Steps to Save List as a Template are as Follows:

1. To begin, open the List Settings page for the source list.
2. After that, click on the Save list as template option, then check Include Content.
3. Download the .stp template file generated by SharePoint.
4. Thereafter, go to the destination site and open the List Template Gallery.
5. Move the .stp file into that particular gallery.
6. At last, create a new list using this template.

Limitations of Manual Methods

• Does not preserve the version history of list items.
• Attachments are not transferred automatically during manual Excel export/import.
• Metadata like created/modified fields are reset in the destination.
• Workflows and automations do not migrate and must be rebuilt.
• Saving as a template may not work if custom scripting is disabled or the list is large.

Method 3: Automated Solution To Migrate SharePoint Lists 

The Aryson Microsoft 365 Migration Tool is a Microsoft Graph API-based software that helps organizations migrate SharePoint lists within Microsoft 365 efficiently. Moreover, it allows users to migrate SharePoint sites, document libraries, files, folders, and lists without affecting the original hierarchy or permissions. In addition, it supports tenant-to-tenant migration and provides precise site mapping options along with advanced filters to simplify the migration process. OAuth authentication ensures secure access and keeps the data entirely within the Microsoft ecosystem. Using the same software, you can also migrate old SharePoint to new SharePoint seamlessly. Now, follow the steps carefully to perform the SharePoint list migration without any errors.

Steps to Transfer Lists from One SharePoint Site to Another

1. Install the Aryson Microsoft 365 Migration Tool and run it as administrator.
2. Choose the SharePoint card, add the source tenant, and sign in with credentials.
3. Browse and select the required SharePoint sites to migrate >> click on Continue.
4. Now, add a destination tenant,>> log in to it with admin details,>> accept permission.
5. Next, choose the target SharePoint site where the data will be migrated.
6. Match the source site and destination sites and verify the mapping.
7. Use the advanced filters if required & enable them for selective migration.
8. Click on the “Start migration” option to begin SharePoint list migration.

Conclusion

In this blog, we discussed how to transfer lists from one SharePoint site to another using manual and automated methods. The manual methods have their own limitations and are suitable for small data sets. On the other hand, the automated migration software is suitable for large data sets and makes sure to preserve the original hierarchy. Now the choice of migration method is up to the user’s convenience and the size of the data they have.

FAQs

About The Author:

Rohan Wiese

Rohan Wiese is a Technical Writer at Aryson Technologies. He is an expert Email Forensic, Cloud Computing, and a passionate nerd with over 10 years of experience in technical content writing. He writes about Cloud Migration, Database Recovery, Email Backup, Windows, Mac, and Tech.

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