Move documents between team sites

[tdemichiei]

Hi,

I am attempting to use either copy or move to copy documents from one team site to another.  The copy is working just fine, but I want to move the metadata (it is not managed metadata) along with the files.  I thought that move to was supposed to move the metadata but it does not seem to be working.  What is the best way for me to move these files.

I am working on SharePoint Online

[#2]

Hi,

It is the default expected behavior. The Content Type and Fields should be present/created in the destination library after which you would be able to move the files along with their metadata.

If you are moving the files to a fresh new document library at the destination and if your source library has only few fields, then you could create those fields in the destination library manually, otherwise, if your Library has lots of Content Types and Fields including Custom Content Types, you could Save the Source Library as Template with content and upload this template to List Template Gallery in your destination site and use this template to create the new document library and you could move subsequent new files with metadata using Copy To / Move To as per your requirement.

@tdemichiei

I hope this is helpful, please like it or mark it as a solution if it answers your query.

Thanks.

[#3]

Which is the default behavior? @Swaminathan Sriram I have the fields matching in both libraries, but the data is not moving.

Only the documents.  Is the expected behavior that only the documents move?

Thanks

[#4 · Accepted solution]

Hi,
@tdemichiei
The expected behavior is if the Content Type and Fields don't match at the destination, then only the document(s) move. In fact, you will be alerted with a message that the file contains properties that will be lost at the new destination.

You will have to ensure that the Content Type(s) as in the source library are available in the destination library. For example - you have a field/column in source library which was added in a specific custom content type and this content type was then added to your source library, you will have to ensure that similarly the same name content type with the field is created and added to your destination library for the files to move along with metadata.
Please let us know.
Thanks.

[#5]

@Swaminathan Sriramthe sites match with the fields, and the site does not allow custom content types.  I am still unable to move the documents metadata.

I attempted to create a template out of the source document library, but I do not have the option to.

What do I need to do to enable the ability to create the template on a modern sharepoint library.

Thanks

[#6]

Hi,

Can you try with a newly created document library at both source and destination with matching fields. Please let us know.

In Modern Team Sites and Communication Sites, by default when you create them, Custom Scripts is blocked because of which Save Library as template is not available in your Library settings page.

To enable save library as template in your Modern SharePoint Library, specific configurations have to be done in your SharePoint admin center (if not already done) and a specific PowerShell command should be run on the site where you would like to save library as template as per below -
1. SharePoint Admin Center (This step can be skipped if custom scripts configuration is already allowed) - 
a). Navigate to the Settings page of the new SharePoint admin Center and sign in with an account that has SharePoint admin privileges.
b). At the bottom of the page, select classic settings page.
c). In Custom Script, select -
Allow users to run Custom Script on personal sites.
Allow users to run Custom Script on self-service created sites.
Save it and it can take up to 24 hours for the updates for your tenant.

2. To allow Save list as template for your specific site collection -
Run the below command in SharePoint Online Management Shell after connecting to your SharePoint tenant using Connect-SPOService command -
Set-SPOSite <SiteCollectionURL> -DenyAddAndCustomizePages 0

@tdemichiei 

I hope this is helpful. Thanks.

[#7]

Hello Sir

How or rather who do you do to ensure the content type and fields are matching in the source and destination libraries. Is there list of steps can i follow to do do so? Please assist