Preserve Permissions / Metadata / Folder Structure during Google Drive Migrations

Google Drive to SharePoint migration isn’t just a lift & shift. If you don’t want any delay in your workflow from the first day after migration, you need to take care of certain things, like permissions, folder structure, & metadata. It should be preserved during the migration; otherwise, it will create hindrances to access the data in time.

Our expert guide will help you understand all the basic aspects of the concern, with the best practices to accomplish it.

Know What Can be Preserved

In the Microsoft Admin Center, you will get Microsoft's built-in Microsoft Manager that will help you migrate Google Drive data to SharePoint in the right way if appropriately managed.

Read below to know a few behaviors that matter for accuracy:

• Version history migration is supported along with the files.
• Role mappings are different in both platforms, whose management is crucial for better results.
• By default, Migration Manager brings folder permissions; you can change it if you need more granularity.
• Google file types convert automatically without deviating any data from the source side.
• External sharing links aren't recreated automatically; you must plan it later by resharing.

Pre-Migration Checklist

A checklist that you need to consider before initiating the migration:

• Know the inventory scope & structure of both platform drives.
• Adjust the destination architecture properly for good results.
• Plan identity & group mapping so that permissions land correctly at the destination.
• Important to know the conversion limits to avoid any mishaps during the migration.
• Enable file-level permissions or go with the default one. Choose as per the need.

Things to Remember to Migrate with Confidence

Here are certain aspects that you need to take care of to get the expected results:

• Connect with the Google Drive from the Microsoft 365 Admin center &, install the Microsoft 365 Migration App in Google Workspace, & then authorize.
• Run a scan over the drives & export the scan reports. Use this data to fix issues like long paths, handling problematic files, etc. Then move to "ready to migrate".
• Map identities either at the user level or the group level with precision. It is considered the backbone to preserve permissions during migration.
• Review destinations & protect root permissions. Create a top-level folder in the destination & further map to it.
• Configure sharing & metadata settings as per the requirement. Migrating file-level permissions can increase the run time. So, it's up to you to choose either accuracy or speed.
• Avoid bulk migration at the start to avoid any major setbacks. Go with the small migration, verify the results & then move towards bulk sharing.

Important to know: If you need all-in-one approach that handles all your migration from start to end with precisions & satisfactory results, consider the advanced Google Drive to SharePoint migration tool.

Know the Specific Measure to Preserve Conditions

Now, this section will help you with what actions can be helpful if you are dealing with the specific concerns:

To Preserve Permissions during Migration:

• Always map identities first.
• Choose the right depth, like folder-level or file-level.
• Handle Shared drive groups accurately.
• Plan for the external sharing, as share-links don't carry over automatically.
• If preserving root permissions matters, use a top-level folder in the destination library.

To Preserve Metadata Google Drive to SharePoint:

• Correct identity mapping will help you retain metadata earlier.
• Enable version migration to access the previous works.
• Expect formatting adjustments after Docs/Slides/ Sheets convert into Office.

To Migrate Google Drive Folder Structure Accurately:

• Keep paths under limits flagged in the scans report.
• Review the destination during setup to get the results at the expected location.
• Unless you're purposely reorganizing, let the migration keep the original folder structure.

Get the Validation Plan [Post-Migration]!

After migration, validate your migration with the provided guidelines:

• Check permissions across a sample of sites, libraries, & nested folders & confirm the role translations (Owner/edit/view).
• Check the Google Drive to SharePoint metadata migration on representative Office & no-Office files.
• For external links & guest access, recreate shares intentionally.
• Run the final delta to ensure no files or recent edits are left behind before the official switch.

Common Issues with the Solutions!

There are some issues that users usually face during the migration. Here is the list of some common ones:

Issue 1: Missing group permissions on Shared Drives.

Simple Fix: Rebuild the same group in Microsoft 365, add members, & then map it before rerunning the migration.

Issue 2. Root library permissions don’t show up.

Simple Fix: Create a top-level folder inside the library & map your Google Drive root to that folder.

Issue 3. External sharing links stop working.

Simple Fix: After migration, reshare the needed files or folders in SharePoint as per your organization’s sharing rules.

Issue 4. File paths are too long, or files won’t migrate.

Simple Fix: Shorten the file name or folders flagged in the scan before migration.

Issue 5. Users can’t find files in the same place.

Simple Fix: Keep the original folder hierarchy while setting destinations unless you want to change the structure.

Issue 6. Some file details are not in the correct order.

Simple Fix: Double-verify the identity mapping so that each Google user is linked to their Microsoft 365 account. Then, rerun the affected files.

Wrapping up

Avoid ambiguity in permissions, folder structure, and metadata during the Google Drive to SharePoint migration by using the provided information. The guide has covered all the corners of the concern briefly. So, implement it before & after migration as suggested & get better results.