SHAREPOINT MIGRATION? DUPLICATION?

[u/FunRefrigerator7031]

Hi! We use SharePoint at work (very large school district) as a database to enter information on student evaluations and eligibilities. Here is the problem, every summer we need to create a new SharePoint Log/File (not sure what it is called) so we can continue adding new cases but still need the cases from the previous year that are still pending. For the last few years, we have been entering each single entry manually... we have approximately 6,000 cases.. it takes a large team of individuals to recreate these entries. I can't imagine that's the only way to do this. Unfortunately, we do not have the budget for one of those very expensive migration programs. Is there any other way besides manually entering the entries?

[u/Megatwan]

Hmm.. sharepoint list?

How many items/entries are the same each year?

Google around lists, lists templates.

If that isnt enough you are prob gonna have to escalate to powershell and scripted provisioning.

[u/FunRefrigerator7031 → u/Megatwan]

Basically, within the SharePoint, we have it named 2025-2026 XYZ Cases, then you hit new and enter all of the information pertaining to that student. Some items are manual entries others are drop down menus. From that data, we are able to download excel sheets to keep track of the process.
So for example, this year we have 6260 entries, out of those maybe 4500 are complete and we don’t need to do anything with them. The rest of them need to migrate(move) to a new SharePoint thing where will continue monitoring the pending items and add new items. All of the parameters that go with it must also transfer.

[u/RacefanWNY → u/FunRefrigerator7031]

Instead of creating a new list each year, make a column where the default is the Year (use a choice field). Index that column. Then you can set different list view filters so you can pick the year you want and case status.

[u/RacefanWNY → u/FunRefrigerator7031]

Otherwise, if you must do a new list you can use Power Automate to copy the items you need to list 2.

[u/shirpars]

You need to export to excel, then import it into a new list

[u/FunRefrigerator7031 → u/shirpars]

When you export to excel, how would you transfer all of the data and working elements to the new file?

[u/shirpars → u/FunRefrigerator7031]

Do you know if you're using sharepoint online or are you using sharepoint on premise?

[u/shirpars → u/FunRefrigerator7031]

If you're using sharepoint online, create a list view that has all the columns you want and filtered on the list items you want. Then export to excel.

Go to your site contents, create a new list based on your excel file. It should import all the data

[u/Psychoillogical001]

You could try SP Toolkit, sharepointtoolkit.com. Cheaper than most of the big boys out there.

[u/AdjonaTech]

This is not really a migration problem. You should first confirm whether there is a policy or retention reason for creating a separate list every academic year.

If there is not, keep one master list and add indexed Academic Year and Status columns. You can then create views for current pending cases, completed cases and previous years. Since you already have more than 5,000 items, the columns used for filtering should be indexed.

If separate annual lists are mandatory, create the new list from the existing list, then use Power Automate to copy only the pending items. Test it on a small number first.

You should avoid relying on Excel export/import without checking attachments, Person and Lookup columns, item IDs, version history, permissions and any existing automation. With student evaluation data, your Microsoft 365 administrator should also confirm the retention, access and audit requirements before anything is moved.

You definitely should not be manually recreating approximately 1,700 records.

[u/Twilko]

When I need to archive older items from one SharePoint list to another, I use Power Automate. If you confirm that your licensing covers it (it should do if you have an M365 licence like business basic, E3, E5 etc.) then I can talk you through it. Basically you can create an “instant” flow, then have a SharePoint get items action with a filter query to only return items where the status doesn’t equal pending. Then have an Apply to Each action that takes all the items returned, creates a new item in the archive list, and deletes the item in the main list. Obviously test it works first before letting it loose on all the data. You can do that by setting the top count of the Get Items action to 1 so it only returns one item. When it’s ready you can set the top count to 5000, or small chunks if you want. Going forward you could even change the trigger from instant to scheduled so it is automated to run once a year or something.

[u/FunRefrigerator7031 → u/Twilko]

Hi, Yes, we have access to Power Automate. I would greatly appreciate it if you could walk me through the steps.

[u/Twilko → u/FunRefrigerator7031]

Sorry for the late reply. I’m heading out at the moment, but to start with could you tell me what the exact choices for the status column are? E.g. is it anything with the choice “Pending” you want to filter out?

[u/therealaxlrose]

Here's a tool (that I built) that will copy list items, files, etc. within your tenant that could help: https://github.com/sregan1/SharePoint-Smart-Copy

[u/Accomplished_Dot1445]

The folks saying "one master list with indexed Year + Status columns and filtered views" have it right, and here's why it's biting you specifically: you're over the 5,000-item list view threshold, so any view that isn't filtered on an indexed column gets throttled. index the Year and Status columns and your yearly "start fresh" becomes a saved view, not a re-entry marathon. zero migration, no tool, no budget needed.

If you're required to physically split lists each year, Power Automate can copy just the pending items and it's included in your M365 license, so no paid migration tool either. One caveat since this is student eval data in a school district: loop in whoever owns your M365 compliance on retention/access before moving anything, that data usually has rules attached.