How to Migrate Data from Google Drive to SharePoint?

Many firms these days prefer to move from Google apps to Microsoft 365 for availing enhanced teamwork & better control. Owing to this change, these companies face the need to migrate data from Google Drive to SharePoint securely with no loss of any files or even folder structure. In this blog, we a re going to explain why this conversion is essential, when businesses need it, and the safest options to do it.

Many enterprises discover critical data files still saved inside Google Drive while transitioning to Microsoft 365. That particular moment generates anxiety for IT teams, working professionals, & business owners. As per Microsoft’s official site, SharePoint is being utilised by more than 200,000 firms globally for managing content & for collaborating. This clearly indicates the need to transfer data from Google Drive to SharePoint.

Why Do Businesses Transfer Files from Google to SharePoint?

Google Drive may provide simplicity, but SharePoint offers a much more structured working environment. Transfering of the files means availing more advanced features to manage the documents well. Below are some common aspects for which users tend to search for techniques to transfer files from Google to SharePoint:

• Businesses decide to shift from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. They already use Microsoft Teams, Outlook, & Word, and so they can benefit greatly after moving Google Drive data to SharePoint such as comfortable access and the ease of sharing files in all Microsoft applications.
• When firms do mergers or do rebranding, or when they change their IT policies, the business owners search to transfer data from Google Drive to SharePoint so as to keep all data in a single place.
• Firms usually move to M365 for better integration with Teams, Outlook, & OneDrive. SharePoint tends to offer advanced document control, better permission settings, & robust compliance features. Even though Google Drive has a clean folder-based structure, SharePoint tends to support metadata tagging, structure docs into libraries, which gives higher control.
• One more reason is data security & central management. SharePoint permits detailed access/permission controls, sharing options with expiration dates & passwords, and other such strong security features. IT administrators are thus able to manage user roles conveniently. This is the reason why many enterprises prefer SharePoint over Google Drive and thus they need to copy files from Google Drive to SharePoint to smoothly continue their work.
• Due to the unstructured manner by which Google Drive manages data, many startups & SMEs prefer SharePoint for managing big-scale enterprise documents.

So, for enterprises, SharePoint happens to be the best for data management providing more advanced features in comparison to Google Drive. However, before transferring the files, there are some pre-migration points to consider.

Here are the Pre-Migration Requisites

The process to shift Drive documents to SharePoint is a critical one! One wrong move can lead to damaging data loss. So, before moving on with the steps, you should check the following prerequisites:

• Firstly, review your existing data on Google Drive, count the number of files that it saves, and also notice the type of data stored within. Check which of this data is crucial to you & which one you don’t require to move. This would give you a fair idea about the number of files that wish to transfer.
• Ascertain that the SharePoint account is having enough storage space for containing all your Google Drive’s data.
• Remember to remove duplicate/unwanted data from Google Drive for moving only the essential ones.
• Do remember to backup your Google Drive’s data before performing this process of migration so as to reduce the likelihood of data loss.
• Check your Google Drive’s file size for ensuring it does not go beyond SharePoint’s max upload limit.
• Correctly map your Google shared Drives to particular SharePoint libraries, sites, and/or MS Teams.
• Make sure that Multi-Factor Authentication settings have been configured well for avoiding API connection failures.
• You should be having admin rights for both M 365 & Google Workspace for performing this conversion.
• Verify that all users are using proper licenses of Microsoft 365 & SharePoint

Common Challenges Faced During This Migration

Following are some common challenges faced while performing this migration:

• API throttling
• File path limitations
• Version history loss
• Permission conflicts

Manually Transfer Data from Google Drive to SharePoint

Here are some available manual migration methods that you can follow.

First Process to Migrate Data from Google Drive to SharePoint: Through Manual Download & Upload (This is a basic method)

Individual users can make use of this manual methodology for moving their Google Drive’s data to SharePoint. However, it should be noted that this process transfers only a limited range of data.

1st Step: You First Have to Download the Required Files from Google Drive

1. Firstly, you have to log in to your Google Drive account.
2. Then, you must select the files/folders that you wish to move.
3. After that, you need to right-click and choose “Download.”
4. Now, Google will create a ZIP file for folders.
5. Next, you should save this file to your machine.

2nd Step: Now Upload Those Files to SharePoint

1. Go ahead by logging in to Microsoft 365.
2. Further, open SharePoint site.
3. Afterwards, go to the “Documents” library.
4. Thereupon click “Upload” & select files or unzip folder first.
5. Subsequently, wait till this upload finishes.

Also Note! This might be a FREE method with no 3rd-party software requirement, but it is time-consuming & exerting for large data as you have to download each item & upload it. This technique helps to transfer data from Google Drive to SharePoint by moving a small number of files only and doesn’t preserve permissions & metadata. So, there is always a risk of missing files and alteration of folder structure.

Second Process: Do This by Using SharePoint Migration Tool

Below is another manual process for transferring Google Drive data to SharePoint:

Steps
Here are the process steps:

Phase 1 – Get Started and Connect to Google Workspace:

1. Go to Microsoft 365 Admin centre & click on the Show All option.
2. In this, see SharePoint option, and click on it to enter into the SharePoint Admin centre.
3. Now, click on the Migration option.
4. Here, you must select Google Workspace and click on Get Started under the Google Workspace.
5. Next, connect your Google Workspace Account to Microsoft 365, and then, click on Connect to Google Workspace.

Phase 2 – Install Microsoft 365 Migration Application:

1. Then, install the migration Application in Google Workspace, and then, click on Install and Authorize.
2. This would take you to the Google Workspace Market Place.
3. Ensure you are logged in to the Google Workspace Account with the Admin Credentials.
4. Now, click on the Admin Install, and then, click the Continue button.
5. Further, select Everyone at your organization and agree to the applications policy, and then click Finish.
6. Subsequently, you will see that Microsoft 365 migration application is installed.
7. Now, click Done and go back to the SharePoint Admin centre, and as you have installed the application, click Next.

Phase 3 – Now, Authenticate Google Workspace Account:

1. Afterwards, you need to Authenticate Google Workspace Account. So, click on the Sign in to the Google Workspace.
2. Here, login with Google Workspace Account.
3. Then, you will see being successfully connected to Google Workspace Account. So, click Finish.
4. Here, you will also see the status of connected.

Phase 4 – Then, Copy to Google Drive Migration Tab:

1. Now, you have to sync the drives.
2. For this, click on the +Add Source Path in the Scan section.
3. Here, you can select the option Look for new users and groups in Google Workspace.
4. Next, choose Automatically scan content and click Add.
5. Furthermore, you will see your drives have been listed here.
6. Now, you can see Scan Results in Queue that changes into Completed.
7. Now, you need to choose these files and click Copy to migration.
8. Here again, click to Copy to migration.
9. Now, you must go to the Migration tab, and here, see the drives have been listed here.

Phase 5 – After that, Verify Destination Paths:

1. You should map the destinations, which Microsoft tab automatically does.
2. If you require Editing, then you can Edit as well. For this, click on First drive and edit the destination there.
3. Here, choose SharePoint, and then select your SharePoint site.
4. Now, choose the library, and click on Save Path.
5. Same thing you have to do with the other drive also.

Phase 6 – Now, Map Identities of Google Drive to SharePoint:

1. Now, map the identities. For this, click on the map identity option, where you can see the Mapping status done automatically.
2. Now, you must Edit it.
3. Then, you should choose your domain and click Save.
4. Now, mapping is required for the Google Workspace group, so you must map it.
5. Now, select our group and you need to Save it by clicking the Save button.
6. If you didn’t create a group in Microsoft 365, you need to make a group for this also.

Phase 7 – Finally, Migrate Google Drive Tasks to SharePoint:

1. Now, you have to go back to the Google Workspace Migration.
2. Choose your files & click on the Migrate button.
3. Here, you need to click on the Migrate button again.
4. You can see that the migration has started and it will take some time to complete the migration process.
5. Here, you can see the migration status also.
6. If this status shows completed, then it’s done.
7. Now, check your SharePoint site if the migration has completed successfully or not.
8. Now, go to the Microsoft 365 app. Here, under all apps, select SharePoint. This is your communication site.
9. Here, click on the Documents tab, where you will see the files have been migrated from the Google Workspace drive to SharePoint sites.
10. So, now you know how to move files from Google Drive to SharePoint.

Come to the FAQ Section

Question: Is SharePoint better than Google Drive?

Answer: SharePoint is considered better than Google Drive in terms of scalability. SharePoint happens to be more scalable, so it is suitable for business units of all sizes, from small & mid sized startups to even big enterprises. The flexibility allows adapting to the ever-changing requirements of any firm. Google Drive, though scalable to some extent, happens to be more suitable for small & medium-sized business units, and not for very large companies, for which SharePoint is better-suited.

Question: Where to use SharePoint and where is Google Drive appropriate?

Answer: If you require a simple storage solution, easy sharing option, and fast collaboration in a small working team, then select Google Drive, which is intuitive, quick, & also free in the basic version. However, if enterprise-level structure is needed with better automation, robust security, & more scalability, then SharePoint happens to be the clear winner. Thus, the need for Google Drive to SharePoint online migration generates often. Manually, you can copy files from Google Drive to SharePoint.

Let Us Draw a Conclusion

When enterprises migrate to Microsoft 365, they have to migrate data from Google Drive to SharePoint very carefully to ensure business work continuity. The manual techniques are available, which can be undertaken for FREE. Additionally, a professional tool is available if you have some other requirement of backing up/moving email from G Suite to another preferred format.