What Should You Check Before Moving SharePoint Sites to a New Tenant?

[amitchandel]

A SharePoint migration can look simple at first, but problems often appear when administrators discover unique permissions, large document libraries, external sharing arrangements, or customized site features. Before starting a project to migrate SharePoint site to another Tenant, I would recommend creating a checklist that covers both the content and the destination environment.

Start by identifying the sites that need to move, estimating their data volume, and recording important libraries, site owners, and user groups. Review which files are business-critical and whether any custom pages, integrations, or workflows depend on the existing tenant. This assessment helps determine the order of migration and which sites need additional testing.

The SysInfo SharePoint Migration Tool is one option to investigate when planning a more organized transfer. Administrators should confirm the product's supported migration scenarios, authentication process, permission-handling features, and reporting capabilities before relying on it for a business-critical project. Testing a smaller site first is a practical way to uncover potential issues without affecting the entire environment.

I would also recommend documenting user and group mappings before moving content. The destination tenant may use different identities or access groups, so permissions should be checked after migration rather than assumed to be identical. Compare document counts, inspect sample files, verify metadata, and ask site owners to test their most frequently used libraries.

During a SharePoint Tenant to Tenant Migration, communication matters as much as technical preparation. Inform users about the migration window, expected changes, and where to report access problems. Keep a recoverable copy of important content until the destination has been validated.

For Microsoft 365 administrators, what is your most important pre-migration check? I’m particularly interested in methods for identifying permission problems and site customizations before they affect users.