Convert SharePoint Content Types During Migration

An Introduction to Converting SharePoint Content Types

As you know, Sharegate fully supports the conversion of SharePoint content types while migrating files, items and folders. In this article, I'll show you exactly how to do it.

Case: Step-by-step Conversion of SharePoint Content Types

This week, I'll show you how to convert folder and document content types while migrating to, or moving between, various SharePoint versions. Why would I convert my content types? Why not? For whatever reason, you've decided to change your content type names, and you've added a few fields.

For this exercise, I'll be using Sharegate to  Copy SharePoint documents tool. Sharegate allows users to easily copy documents, while preserving metadata, version history, and author info.

Old SharePoint Source

Original content type name: Employment contract

New SharePoint Destination

New content type name: Employment

New field: RelatedTags (Managed Metadata Column)

Step 1 - Remap SharePoint Content Types with the Content Type Mapper

The content type mapper shows the source content types, and also allows us to assign the destination content types to each one (it automatically maps when the name is the same).

In our case, we would drag-and-drop the "Employment" content type, and assign it to the "Employment contract" content type. We then save our change.

The same goes with the "Folder" content types. We can simply drag-and-drop the "Contract Folder" content type, and assign it to "Folder" content type. This means that my original standard folders will be transformed to contract folders through the migration process.

Step 2 - Remap SharePoint fields with the property mapper.

The property mapper shows the destination fields, and we must assign the source fields to each one (it automatically maps when the name is the same).

Here, we would assign the "Employee" and "Date" fields to the "Related employee" and "Signed date" fields respectively. Then save it.

Step 3 - Copy your SharePoint documents and folders

That's it. We're now ready to copy our documents and folders. We simply need to configure a property template, and start a copy.

Conclusion

I've shown you how to convert content types while migrating between SharePoint versions. It's important to note that the same process could also be used to convert document content types within the same site or library for reorganizational purposes. The content type mapper is dead simple, and enables amazing migration scenarios.

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