Prepare to Migrate Files from the Department Drive on Microwave to Microsoft Teams with SharePoint

Overview

This guide is for departments transitioning files from the department drive on Microwave (J:) to Microsoft Teams with SharePoint files. The Bowdoin Service Desk will support your team in setting up a Microsoft Team and migrating organized files from microwave to the Files tab in the department Team's channels.  As part of this process, staff from the College Archives' Records Management Program will help with evaluating older files for transfer to the Archives or deletion.

To begin, submit a Department Drive Migration Assistance Request to initiate a consultation with staff from the Service Desk and the College Archives.

Key Questions

1. Can my department get help creating a Microsoft Team?
2. What’s the process for moving files from Microwave to Teams with SharePoint files?
3. How should we organize files before the migration and what files should we send to the Archives?

Environment

This applies to department heads and team members involved in the migration process. The Service Desk will move files organized on Microwave.  These files will be accessible via the Files tab in each Team’s channels.

Migration Steps

1. Request Migration Support
   Submit the Migration Assistance Request to initiate a consultation with staff from the Service Desk and the College Archives.
2. Understand Microsoft 365 Storage
   Review how files work in OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint.
3. Assign a Migration Lead
   Designate someone in your department to coordinate the migration effort.
4. Review File Management Guidelines
   Read the policies and best practices.
5. Plan Your Migration
   • Inform your team about the transition and gather input.
   • Review the contents of your Microwave folder:
     • Refer to guidelines provided by the College Archives to designate records for transfer to the Archives.  
     • Identify files and folders in active use or otherwise needed for ongoing operational needs for migration to your Teams channel.
     • Identify personal or research files to be moved to a OneDrive account or a folder on Microwave\RESEARCH.
   • Review channels and permissions in Microsoft Teams.
   • Plan your Team's channels:
     • Standard: All members access.
     • Private: Limited to selected members (max 30).
     • Shared: Includes internal and external collaborators.
   • Follow folder/file naming rules and path length limits.
   • Consider a Can view (Can't make changes) folder or channel. 
     • This Owner managed read-only folder prevents accidental file deletion by Team members.   
     • Review Archiving Specific Folders
6. Organize Files in Microwave
   The Service Desk will schedule organized files on Microwave to be moved to the Files tab in each Team's channels. 
   To organize files, create the following folder structure under FILE MIGRATION in your department folder on Microwave and drag files to be migrated into these folders. 

   FILE MIGRATION
   ├── [Team Name]
   │   ├── General
   │   ├── [Channel 2]
   │   └── [Channel 3]
   ├── [Team 2 Name] (if needed)
   │   ├── General
   │   └── [Additional Channels]
   ├── OneDrive
   │   ├── [Full Name 1]
   │   └── [Full Name 2]
   ├── TRANSFER TO ARCHIVES
   └── TO BE DELETED
   

   A department may also choose to move files themselves by syncing a Teams channel folder and dragging files from Microwave into the synced Teams folder. 
7. Create or Confirm Your Microsoft Team
   • Coordinate with the Service Desk to set up or update a Team so it has channels that match the organized files on Microwave.
8. Initiate File Migration
   • Notify the Service Desk when your Team and organized files are ready.
   • A test migration will verify success (no files are moved yet).
   • Upon approval, the final migration will be scheduled.
9. Post-Migration Review
   • Ensure all files transferred correctly.
   • Microwave folder will be read-only for two users for a limited time.
   • Set up metadata and tags for efficient organization.
10. Train Your Team
    • Attend Service Desk led Teams files training sessions.
    • Access tutorials and guides to support collaboration.

Need Help?

For further assistance, you can chat with Bowdoin Bot or contact the Bowdoin College Service Desk by phone at (207) 725-3030..