Legacy SharePoint Modernization: Challenges, Benefits, and Best Practices

Migrating everything may preserve unnecessary complexity in the new environment.

A content assessment should identify information that is:

• Current and actively used
• Business critical
• Duplicated
• Outdated
• Subject to retention requirements
• Suitable for archival or deletion

This makes modernization more purposeful and reduces unnecessary migration effort.

3. Complicated Permissions

Legacy SharePoint environments can develop complicated permission structures over time.

Different departments may have created unique access rules for individual folders, documents, or sites. Moving these structures without review can carry unnecessary complexity into the modern environment.

Permissions should therefore be assessed alongside content and site architecture.

4. Legacy Workflows

Older SharePoint workflows can be particularly challenging because business processes may depend on them even when the underlying technology is outdated.

Microsoft recommends identifying workflows that need to be retained and considering Power Automate when planning the future state of Microsoft 365 workflows.

5. User Adoption