Google Sites to SharePoint Migration Guide
This guide shows you how to migrate Google Sites to SharePoint Online using Cloudiway - the only automated migration solution on the market.
Overview
This Google Sites to SharePoint Migration Guide shows you how to migrate your Google Sites content to SharePoint Online. Cloudiway is the only automated solution on the market for this migration path.
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View Solution PagePrerequisites
To perform the Google Sites to SharePoint Migration, you need to configure your Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 environments with the appropriate permissions.
Google Workspace Requirements
Cloudiway requires access to your Google Workspace environment to read Google Sites content:
Super Admin Account
Google Workspace Super Admin credentials for authentication
Service Account
Google Service Account with domain-wide delegation (created automatically by Cloudiway)
Phone Number for 2FA
Phone number associated with the admin account for verification
Favorite Logon Location
City/location for Google verification prompts
Microsoft 365 Requirements (Target)
Cloudiway uses an Entra ID Application with Application Permissions to access Microsoft 365:
App Registration
Create an application in Microsoft Entra ID (automatic setup available)
API Permissions
SharePoint: Sites.FullControl.All
Admin Consent
Granted by a Global Administrator
What is Migrated
The following items are migrated during a Google Sites to SharePoint migration:
Limitations
The following items are NOT migrated and require manual recreation:
- Google Apps Scripts
Custom scripts require recreation using Power Automate or SharePoint Framework (SPFx) solutions.
- Dynamic Widgets
Google-specific widgets and gadgets need manual recreation using SharePoint web parts.
- Google Forms Integration
Embedded Google Forms require replacement with Microsoft Forms or Power Apps forms.
Migration Process
The Google Sites to SharePoint migration is an eight-step process:
Step 1: Create Connectors
For Cloudiway to migrate your Google Sites content, it needs to communicate with both your source Google Workspace and target Microsoft 365 tenants. To do this, Cloudiway uses connectors.
Google Source Connector
Create a Google connector to connect to your Google Workspace environment.
Navigate to Connectors
Click on Connectors > New in the Cloudiway platform.
Select Connector Type
Select Connector Type: Google and set a Connector Name with Sites selected as product.
Configure Authentication
Enter your Migration Account (Super Admin email), Password, Phone Number for 2FA, and Favorite Logon Location.
Authorize Connection
Click Authorize to complete the Google Service Account setup.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Domain Names | Your Google Workspace domain(s) |
| Migration Account | Google Workspace Super Admin email address |
| Migration Account Password | Password for the Super Admin account |
| Phone Number | Phone number for 2FA verification |
| Favorite Logon Location | City for location verification prompts |
Microsoft 365 Target Connector
Create a Microsoft 365 connector to connect to your target SharePoint environment.
Navigate to Connectors
Click on Connectors > New in the Cloudiway platform.
Select Connector Type
Select Connector Type: Microsoft 365 and set a Connector Name with Sites selected.
Enter Administrator Credentials
Enter your Email Address and Administrator Password.
Grant Admin Consent
Click Grant Admin Consent to authorize Cloudiway to access your Microsoft 365 tenant.
Step 2: Global Settings
After setting up source and target connectors, navigate to Sites > Global Settings to configure your migration settings.
Key Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Migration of Permissions | Enable to preserve site permissions during migration. |
| Migration of TermStore | Enable to migrate managed metadata and term store. |
| Migrate Version History | Enable to migrate previous versions of pages and documents. |
| Migrate to | Select the target destination: OneDrive or SharePoint. |
| Duplicates Management | Choose how to handle duplicate files: Ignore, Overwrite, or Copy. |
Click Save to apply your global settings.
Step 3: Discovery
Before running the discovery process, you must whitelist cookies in your Google Admin Console. This is required for Cloudiway to access and discover your Google Sites. Without this step, the discovery will fail.
Follow the step-by-step instructions: Google Sites: 6 Steps to Whitelist Cookies
The Sites List contains all Google Sites to be migrated. There are three ways to populate it:
Option 1: Discovery (Get List)
Click on Sites List > Get List to automatically discover all Google Sites from the source Google Workspace tenant.
Select the Source Pool (your Google Workspace source connector) and click GET to start the discovery process.
The system will automatically retrieve all Google Sites from your source tenant.
Option 2: Import Sites List
Click on Sites List > Import to upload a CSV file containing the sites to migrate.
CSV File
Click on BROWSE to select your CSV file. Only files with the .csv extension are accepted. You can click Download sample csv to get a template file.
Source Connectors Pool
Select the Google Workspace source connector you created earlier.
Target Connectors Pool
Select the Microsoft 365 target connector you created earlier.
Click Upload to import the sites list.
Option 3: Create Manual Entry
Click on Sites List > New to manually add individual Google Sites one by one.
Fill in the following fields:
Source (Left Panel)
Source Connectors Pool
Select the Google Workspace source connector you created earlier.
Source Recipient Type
Select the type of Google Site (Classic or New Google Sites).
Source Site Name*
Enter the name of the Google Site you want to migrate.
Source Site URL*
Enter the full URL of the Google Site (e.g., https://sites.google.com/yourdomain.com/sitename).
Target (Right Panel)
Target Connectors Pool
Select the Microsoft 365 target connector you created earlier.
Target Recipient Type
Select the target SharePoint site type.
Target Site Name
Specify the name for the target SharePoint site.
Click OK to add the site to the migration list.
Step 4: Assign Target
After discovering your Google Sites, you need to specify your destination SharePoint environment for the migrated content.
Specify Your Destination
Navigate to Sites > Assign Target to configure where your Google Sites content will be migrated.
Target Site Collection
Specify the SharePoint site collection URL where migrated sites will be created (e.g., https://yourtenant.sharepoint.com/sites/migrated-sites).
Site Type
Choose whether to migrate to a SharePoint Communication Site or a Team Site.
Subsite Structure
Define how the site hierarchy should be preserved in SharePoint (as subsites or separate site collections).
Click Save to apply your target configuration.
Step 5: Verify Mapping
Review and verify the mapping between source Google Sites and target SharePoint sites.
Review Site Mapping
Verify that each Google Site is mapped to the correct SharePoint site collection or subsite.
Edit Target URLs
Modify target SharePoint URLs if needed to match your organization's site structure.
User Mapping
Ensure all site owners and editors are mapped correctly in the user mapping table.
Step 6: Audit Google Drives (Required)
Before running the migration, you must run an audit of all Google Drives and Shared Drives in your tenant. This step is essential for Cloudiway to identify the owners of embedded files in your Google Sites and map them correctly during migration.
Google Sites often contain embedded files from Google Drive. To migrate these files correctly, Cloudiway needs to know which user owns each file. Without running the Google Drive audit first, the migration may fail with "ID not found in GoogleDriveListId" errors.
How to Run the Google Drive Audit
Navigate to Drive Migration
Go to the Drive section in the Cloudiway platform.
Run Discovery for All Users
Run a Get List to discover all Google Drives in your tenant.
Run Discovery for Shared Drives
Run a separate Get List for Shared Drives to include all shared content.
Run Audit on All Drives
Select all discovered drives and run an Audit task. This populates the internal database that links file IDs to their owners.
Step 7: Pre Processing
Before running the actual migration, you must run the Pre Processing task. This essential step prepares the target SharePoint environment for migration.
- Creates the target SharePoint sites if they don't exist
- Sets up the site structure and navigation
- Configures permissions on the target sites
- Validates connectivity to both source and target
How to Run Pre Processing
Select Sites
In the Sites List, select the Google Sites you want to pre-process.
Run Pre Processing
Click Migration > Pre Processing to start the pre-processing task.
Monitor Progress
Monitor the progress in the logs. Ensure pre-processing completes successfully before starting the migration.
Step 8: Run Migration
Once your sites are discovered, mapping is verified, Google Drive audit is complete, and pre-processing has finished, you can start the migration process.
Select Sites
Select the Google Sites you want to migrate from the Sites List.
Run Audit (Optional)
Run an audit to verify connectivity and gather site statistics before migration.
Start Migration
Click Migration > Start Migration to begin the migration process.
Monitor Progress
Track migration progress with real-time statistics and logs.
Validate Results
After migration, verify the migrated content in SharePoint and check for any errors in the logs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cloudiway the only Google Sites migration tool available?
Yes, Cloudiway is the only automated solution on the market for migrating Google Sites to SharePoint Online. While other migration tools exist for email, drive, and calendar, no other vendor offers Google Sites migration capabilities.
What types of Google Sites can be migrated?
Cloudiway supports migration of both Classic Google Sites (the original version) and New Google Sites (introduced in 2016). The tool automatically handles the different underlying architectures of each version.
Is content formatting preserved during migration?
Yes, text formatting, images, embedded files, tables, and page layouts are fully preserved during migration. The content is intelligently converted to SharePoint-compatible formats while maintaining visual fidelity.
How is site navigation handled during migration?
Site structure including subpages, hierarchy, and navigation menus are automatically mapped to SharePoint equivalents. The top navigation, side navigation, and page hierarchy are recreated in SharePoint.
Can I migrate multiple Google Sites at once?
Yes, Cloudiway's batch processing engine enables migrating multiple Google Sites simultaneously. This is particularly beneficial for large organizations with many sites to migrate.
What happens to embedded Google Forms?
Embedded Google Forms are not migrated automatically. You will need to recreate them using Microsoft Forms or Power Apps and embed them in the migrated SharePoint pages.
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