SharePoint On-Premise to SharePoint Online Migration

Moving from an older, less structured SharePoint on-premise to SharePoint Online means leaving behind aging infrastructure and gaining cloud-based collaboration. You get modern tools, better security, and a platform that scales with your organization, without the disruption that typically comes with enterprise migrations. 

Source

  • SharePoint On-Premise (SharePoint 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019) 

Target

  • SharePoint Online (including Teams, OneDrive for Business) 

Common challenges

  • Complex metadata models – Custom columns, content types, and taxonomies built over years 

  • Custom object types – Workflows, web parts, and third-party integrations that don't exist in SharePoint Online 

  • Deep or inconsistent folder structures – Nested sites and libraries that exceed cloud limits 

  • Compliance, retention, and audit requirements – Regulatory obligations that must carry over intact 

  • Unstructured content –Deeply nested, inconsistently organized folders create messy data that Copilot cannot handle effectively and therefore require upfront analysis and restructuring
IT specialist planning a SharePoint on-premise to SharePoint Online migration

How Xillio Helps to Overcome the Complexities

SharePoint on-premise environments often contain years of accumulated content, custom workflows, and metadata structures that don't map cleanly to the cloud. As a result, they are cluttered with outdated, duplicate, and poorly organized files that must be cleaned up and structured before migration to avoid moving the mess to Microsoft 365. Older versions like SharePoint 2010 and 2013 reached end of support in 2020 and 2023 respectively, making timely migration—combined with thorough file clean-up and reorganization—both urgent and technically challenging.

This is How Xillio Deals with It:

Pre-migration content analysis

We map your entire environment before moving a single file, identifying risks and transformation needs

Controlled transformations

Metadata, users and permissions are restructured to fit SharePoint Online's architecture

Validation, reporting and repeatability

Every migration run is logged, validated, and can be repeated if needed

Proven enterprise migration framework

Our platform connects to SharePoint on-premise via native APIs and handles permissions, versions, and metadata automatically

Proven at scale

Xillio has delivered hundreds of enterprise migrations, including complex SharePoint on-premise to SharePoint Online transitions for organizations across finance, government, and healthcare. 

Xillio is trusted by companies worldwide:

FAQ

Can you migrate permissions from SharePoint on-premise to SharePoint Online?

Yes. We migrate permissions at the site, library, folder, and item level. Active Directory groups are mapped to Azure AD, and we validate access rights post-migration. 

What happens to metadata and versions?  

All metadata fields and version history are preserved. If custom columns don't exist in the target, we create them or map them to equivalent fields based on your requirements. 

Can this migration be executed in phases? 

Absolutely. We support phased migrations by site collection, department, or business unit. This reduces risk and allows you to test before rolling out organization-wide. 

Do you support export-only migrations?

Yes. If you need to archive or export content without importing it into a new system, we can extract everything into a structured format for long-term storage or compliance. 

How do you validate migration results?  

We provide detailed reports comparing source and target environments. This includes file counts, metadata accuracy, permission validation, and broken link checks. 

How long does a typical SharePoint on-premise to SharePoint Online migration take?  

It depends on content volume and complexity. A mid-sized environment (50,000–100,000 items) typically takes 4–8 weeks from analysis to final cutover. Larger environments may take longer but can be phased. 

Ready to Move to SharePoint Online?

Let's discuss your migration and build a plan that fits your timeline and budget. 

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Get a clear, customized estimate based on your requirements.