SharePoint Online Tenant-to-Tenant Migration: Fixing Broken Links with ReplaceMagic
Migrating from one SharePoint Online tenant to another is a complex process often necessary due to mergers, acquisitions, or organizational changes. While SharePoint Online is an excellent collaboration platform, tenant-to-tenant migrations can create significant challenges—one of the most common being broken links in documents, lists, and libraries.
To address this issue effectively, organizations can turn to tools like ReplaceMagic (available at ReplaceMagic.com). This article will explore the challenges associated with broken SharePoint links during migration and explain how ReplaceMagic can simplify the process of repairing these links to restore full functionality.
Why Do Links Break During SharePoint Online Tenant Migrations?
When migrating content between SharePoint Online tenants, URLs embedded in documents, lists, and metadata often reference the original tenant domain. After migration, these URLs become invalid, leading to broken links. Key scenarios where this problem arises include:
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Internal Links Between Documents
Hyperlinks that connect files stored in libraries or folders within the original tenant no longer work in the new tenant.
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URLs in Lists or Metadata
Lists containing URLs that point to documents, images, or resources in the source tenant become inaccessible post-migration.
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Embedded Links in Office Documents
Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files often contain embedded URLs that no longer resolve after the tenant change.
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Hardcoded URLs in Scripts or Web Parts
Custom scripts or SharePoint web parts with hardcoded tenant-specific links will require updating to function properly.
Impact of Broken Links in SharePoint Online
Broken links after a SharePoint tenant migration can disrupt workflows and impact productivity. Key challenges include:
- User Frustration: Employees encounter interruptions when links fail to work as expected.
- Lost Productivity: Time spent manually identifying and fixing broken links delays adoption of the new tenant.
- Compliance Risks: Regulatory or contractual requirements may be compromised if critical resources are inaccessible.
Without a solution to fix broken links efficiently, organizations risk prolonged downtime and increased migration costs.
Solve the Problem of Broken Links with ReplaceMagic
ReplaceMagic is an advanced tool designed to repair broken links in bulk, automating a process that would otherwise require significant manual effort. It’s ideal for fixing SharePoint Online broken links during or after tenant migrations. Here's how ReplaceMagic helps:
1. Bulk Link Replacement
ReplaceMagic scans documents and metadata for outdated links, replacing them with updated URLs pointing to the new tenant.
2. Support for Multiple File Types
Whether it’s Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, or OneNote, ReplaceMagic supports a wide range of file types, ensuring no embedded link is left unresolved.
3. Automated Scanning
The tool identifies broken links across SharePoint libraries, lists, and custom scripts, providing a comprehensive view of link dependencies.
4. Metadata Preservation
ReplaceMagic maintains the integrity of file metadata during the update process, which is critical for compliance and document management standards.
5. Customizable Replacement Rules
Organizations can define specific replacement rules for links, ensuring all scenarios are handled effectively without manual intervention.
Benefits of Using ReplaceMagic for SharePoint Migration
- Efficiency: Fix thousands of links across libraries and documents in minutes, saving hours of manual labor.
- Scalability: ReplaceMagic is designed to handle enterprise-scale migrations.
- Accuracy: Minimize errors with automated link scanning and replacement.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Reduce migration-related expenses by avoiding downtime and accelerating the post-migration process.
Best Practices for Managing SharePoint Tenant Migrations
To ensure a seamless migration process and address the issue of broken links effectively, follow these best practices:
- Pre-Migration Audit: Identify and document all resources and interdependencies within your source tenant.
- Testing in a Sandbox Environment: Conduct a trial migration to identify broken links and other issues.
- Utilize ReplaceMagic: Deploy ReplaceMagic to automate the process of fixing broken links after migration.
- Communicate Changes: Educate users on the migration process and provide training for navigating the new tenant.
Conclusion: Ensure a Smooth SharePoint Migration with ReplaceMagic
SharePoint Online tenant-to-tenant migration can be challenging, with broken links being a significant hurdle. Tools like ReplaceMagic provide an efficient, scalable, and cost-effective solution for fixing broken links, ensuring your team can fully leverage the new tenant environment without disruption.
By automating the repair of links in Office documents, lists, and libraries, ReplaceMagic accelerates the migration process, reduces downtime, and eliminates manual errors. To learn more about how ReplaceMagic can simplify your migration and ensure success, visit ReplaceMagic.com.
New in version 2024.6 (1st of December, 2024)
- CRITICAL: Fix bug that Excel document elements were saved in wrong order causing that Excel reports that document is corrupted. To avoid this please upgrade your ReplaceMagic version. If you were reprocessing documents (making changes) and saving them back new version will fix this problem (helper for this added in this version via setting Misc -> Resave docs.
- Improved error handing in case of problems during processing of texts (beta) in PDF documents
- Added "Break Link Source in Excel documents" which is simulating functionality when you click in Excel under Edit Links on Break Link (link sources will be removed, formulas converted to latest value)
- Added option to "Resave documents" (currently only Excel documents( which should be used only on ReplaceMagic team request. This option will enforce that document is only re-saved via ReplaceMagic without making any changes.
- Setting that in Search&Replace form options under Misc tab can be run only exclusively meaning no other options can be selected in parallel
- Adding filtering-out of line breaks from link sources
New in version 2024.5 (15th of November, 2024)
- Fix bug that Excel document elements were saved in wrong order causing that Excel reports that document is corrupted. This was happening for documents having cells with inserted images. To avoid this please upgrade your ReplaceMagic version. If you were reprocessing documents (making changes) and saving them back new version will fix this problem.
- Fixed bug that PDF LauchActions were not processed (replacements) when documents are on SharePoint.
- As replacements of list items are causing very high workload on SharePoint side, Microsoft might block processing causing unexpected closure of ReplaceMagic. To reduce workload, ReplaceMagic will throttle processing to single list at a time. After list processing is completed, ReplaceMagic will automatically increase parallelism to the application configuration for further document processing. Due to very high pace of replacements, SharePoint might not update all URL-type fields in one run thus recommendation is repeat list processing until not all changes are done. Please note that list item processing is currently in BETA, and, due to this limitation, it is provided without warranty.
- ReplaceMagic will enforce 3 seconds break between processing lists to relaxed a bit pressure on SharePoint and reduce risk of blockage/closure of ReplaceMagic. Btw. It is recommended not to run more than few lists in parallel.
- Update of Microsoft.SharePoint components resolving problems with non-English sites (click in SharePoint selection treeview did not work).
- Extended logging for SharePoint error codes.
- Extended lists processing to support changes of attachments when list items are in folders.
Dear ReplaceMagic Users,
For over 10 years, we have been processing payments through Digital River (previously known as ShareIt). Unfortunately, in July, they informed software vendors (thousands of us) that they would be changing their payment model from NET15 to NET60, meaning payments due for July would only be transferred at the beginning of October.
After reviewing discussions on several forums and blogs:
It became clear that many other Digital River customers, like us, have not received payments since July, placing all of us in a challenging situation.
As a precautionary measure to safeguard both your investment and our revenue (as mentioned in the Docklight News article), we have issued refunds for all orders placed since July 1, 2024. We understand this may come as a surprise when you review your bank or credit card statements, but please be assured that this action was taken on behalf of ReplaceMagic. In addition, we have already sent an email to the responsible individuals or teams for these purchases, explaining the situation.
Here is what you can expect:
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You will soon receive an email notifying you of the refund (probably already on 23rd or 24th of October).
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Shortly after, the funds will be credited back to your account (3-7 days later).
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Your licenses will remain valid for all versions until refund date, regardless of any communications you may receive from Digital River (likely from the MyCommerce domain), which may state something like:
"All product rights and licenses transferred to you under the terms and conditions of the contract expire upon final cancellation of your order. You are required to immediately cease using the product and to destroy all copies of the product in your possession (electronic data must be permanently deleted)."
After receiving confirmation of your refund, we will contact you again with details on how to make a new purchase. By doing so, you will be helping us immensely, as we rely heavily on revenue from license sales to continue our operations and that will not have any financial impact on you.
As a token of our appreciation, we will not only issue licenses from the new purchase date but will also extend an additional 12 months of maintenance (free upgrades and product support) at no extra cost.
We greatly appreciate your support during this time.
Thank you,
Oliver
The ReplaceMagic Team
Webtime Corporation
New in version 2024.4 (7th of October, 2024 - recommended upgrade)
- Improved processing of documents with link sources longer than 235 characters.
New in version 2024.3.1:
- Added additional legacy IRM check prior to MIP check
- Fixed bug when exporting scanning result with list items
- Further processing improvements
New in version 2024.3:
- ReplaceMagic is now based on .NET 4.8 framework (previously 4.7.2)
- Added (BETA) changes of list and discussion board hyperlink items (field type URL) when WebLogon authentication mode is used
- Improved processing of Link Sources in Excel documents
- Added additional explanation what to do if, in rare cases, SharePoint data are not properly loaded (connection established but nothing shown in SharePoint treeview)
- Added Windows 11 theme
- Added support for changes on Word Mail Merge data source files
- Per default, ReplaceMagic will set refresh of Pivot data after first time opening document after replacements. Added feature to remove auto-refresh if required
- Added functionality to export skipped SharePoint documents for later export and re-processing
For details check section Skipped Documents tab - Export List
- Adjusted labels for re-processing of skipped documents during replacement process (button is enabled only if there are skipped files after replacement run against documents stored on SharePoint)
By clicking on "Reload skipped files" ReplaceMagic will prepare them for replacement re-run so after click here just go to Search & Replace and re-run replacements.
- Removed limit of maximum 100 threads for parallel processing (new limit: 9999)
- Added additional column (scanning result) to show "last editor" email in case of SharePoint documents
- Added additional column (scanning result) to show if document is protected by Azure (Microsoft Information Protection / Information Rights Management)
- Removed option to explicitly set via Configuration if Author/Editor name should be included in scanning result. Per default, this will be shown.
- IMPORTANT - if you have scanning result that you exported for later import with any previous version of ReplaceMagic, import will not work due to additional fields. To add missing fields just open your main file for import and add ; after Owner column and additional one at the end of each line.
- Export of scanning on SharePoint skipped documents added also to command line processing if Save result files option is selected
- Added expert option to check if documents are protected by legacy IRM protection
Use this option only if you are aware that legacy IRM protection is used and you can provide search string. This will have impact on scanning performance and if wrong strings are provided might lead that documents are skipped from further processing.
- Fixed bug that Update Text checkbox setting is not saved during Search & Replace configuration saving.
New in version 2024.2:
- Extended MIP error log (target: get better understanding if permissions are not sufficient)
- Extended support for changes of hyperlinks behind shapes in Word documents (for example, inserted image which is having link behind)
- Extended logging options when adding new SharePoint site
- Improved processing of SharePoint Canvas pages containing links with :
- Added that per default when backup option is selected (only local or network drive locations), only backup of changed documents is created
New in version 2024.1.1 (minor upgrade):
- Updated Microsoft.information.Protection (MIP) components
Recommended update if you use MIP
New in version 2024.1 (recommended upgrade)
- Default configuration changed to include developer logs
- Extended log to highlight if developer log is enabled
- Fixed bug that replacements in Summary Links web part were not saved
- Extended ReplaceMagic to support Unicode characters in case of changes in document libraries based on custom content type with "Link To a Document"
- Added additional refresh after changes of URL fields in SharePoint list items to accelerate refresh of updates
- Improved catch of errors if link cannot be checked
- Added option to set that ReplaceMagic should close after XML configuration files processing.
- Added option to trigger notification popup after XML configuration files processing is completed
