SharePoint 2016/2019 End-of-Support Migration Planning

SharePoint Server migrations become expensive when teams wait until the environment is already under deadline pressure. The right first step is not selecting a tool. The right first step is understanding the source environment, the target architecture, and the business processes that depend on SharePoint.

What to inventory first

• Farms, servers, patch levels, web applications, content databases, and site collections
• Site owners, storage volume, list and library complexity, custom templates, and abandoned areas
• InfoPath forms, Nintex workflows, SharePoint Designer workflows, custom scripts, timer jobs, and integrations
• Permissions, broken inheritance, external sharing, service accounts, and sensitive content

What to decide before migration waves

• Which sites move to SharePoint Online, Teams-connected sites, archive, or retirement
• Which forms and workflows must be rebuilt before cutover
• Which permissions should be redesigned instead of copied
• Who validates each migration wave and what “done” means

The better migration goal

A successful SharePoint migration is not a perfect copy of the old environment. It is a cleaner Microsoft 365 collaboration model with clearer ownership, safer permissions, stronger governance, and fewer hidden dependencies.