Legacy SharePoint Modernization: Challenges, Benefits, and Best Practices

Better User Experience

Modern SharePoint provides a more consistent experience across Microsoft 365. Users can work with modern pages, libraries, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and other services without relying heavily on older interfaces.

A modern experience can also make information easier to find and access across devices.

Reduced Technical Complexity

Legacy environments often contain customizations that were developed years ago for specific business requirements. Some may no longer be necessary, while others may depend on technologies or development approaches that are difficult to maintain.

Modernization provides an opportunity to replace unnecessary customizations with supported capabilities and simpler solutions.

Improved Content Management

A long-running SharePoint environment can accumulate outdated documents, duplicate files, abandoned sites, and multiple versions of the same information.

Microsoft recommends auditing content before migration and moving content that is relevant, current, and aligned with the intended outcome.

This can improve both searchability and the overall user experience.

Stronger Governance

Modernization also creates an opportunity to review who has access to information, how sites are created, how content is retained, and who owns each business area.