Import to SharePoint – SharePoint Bulk Import from Various Sources

Quickly import and share large volumes of critical documents and data in SharePoint from legacy databases, spreadsheets, network file directories, or SharePoint Lists.

Many organizations are currently realizing the benefit of using SharePoint as a collaboration and communication tool for their internal and external customers. Like many enterprise-wide systems, it takes time for users to adapt to using this new platform for their day-to-day activities. In general, allowing users to access their legacy data from SharePoint soon after implementation provides for a faster acceptance and adoption from the user base at large.

List Bulk Import from Bamboo Solutions allows you to migrate data, documents, and pictures into SharePoint from legacy databases, spreadsheets, local/network file shares, and finally, Lists and Libraries from SharePoint 2007, SharePoint 2010, SharePoint 2013, or SharePoint Online (part of Microsoft's online hosting solution—Office 365—for all four current SharePoint platforms: 2007, 2010, 2013, and SharePoint Online).

List Bulk Import

List Bulk Import includes these features:

Data Sources
- Microsoft Excel Files (.xls /.xlsx)
- Delimited Text Files (CSV and .txt)
- SQL Server 2005, 2008, or 2012 Tables and Views (ODBC Connection)
- Local/Network File Shares
- SharePoint 2007 (WSS and MOSS)
- SharePoint 2010 (Foundation and Server)
- SharePoint 2013 (Foundation and Server) (New!)
- SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office 365
Target Location
- SharePoint 2007 (WSS and MOSS)
- SharePoint 2010 (Foundation and Server)
- SharePoint 2013 (Foundation and Server) (New!)
- SharePoint Online, Microsoft Office 365
Multiple Import Modules
- Import Wizard for importing metadata to lists and libraries
  - Map source columns to one or more target columns
  - Map unique values from the source to values in the target for Choice, Lookup, and People and Group columns
  - Map historical columns (created by, modified by, created, and modified) to the target columns to maintain item history
  - Choose to skip or update duplicate records
- Replication Wizard for replicating local/network file shares or existing SharePoint Libraries
  - Choose to retrieve files only from the root, or to include the sub folders
  - Choose to recreate the file structure by creating new folders automatically, or store all files in the root directory
Store import job configuration information to a template file for common imports and scheduled imports
Schedule routine imports to run in the background for overnight import jobs
Generate log information during processing that provides a summary of successful and failed records

SharePoint provides a foundation for corporations to begin modernizing their collaboration from archaic tools such as email, local file systems and, in many cases, hard copy documents to providing a means for users to interact in real time. With SharePoint, the days of duplicated work, lost files, and large storage rooms are long gone. SharePoint out-of the-box provides basic tools such as Document Libraries, Dashboards, Lists, and even Calendars. Although these are what most companies require to initially get their collaborative portals underway, they are just basic building blocks. List Bulk Import allows users to migrate data, documents, and pictures into SharePoint from legacy databases, spreadsheets, local/network file shares, and finally, Lists and Libraries from SharePoint 2007, SharePoint 2010, SharePoint 2013, or SharePoint Online (part of Microsoft's online hosting solution—Office 365—for all four current SharePoint platforms: 2007, 2010, 2013, and SharePoint Online). Here is the comparison chart to show SharePoint out-of the-box versus List Bulk Import:

SharePoint Out-of-the-Box vs. List Bulk Import Functionality Features	SharePoint 2007 and 2010	SharePoint 2013	Bamboo List Bulk Import
Data source: Microsoft Excel Files (.xls /.xlsx)
Data source: Delimited Text Files (CSV and .txt)
Data source: SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2012 Tables and Views (ODBC Connection)
Map source columns to one or more target columns
Map unique values from the source to values in the target for Choice, Lookup, and People and Group columns
Map historical columns (created by, modified by, created, and modified) to the target columns to maintain item history
Choose to skip or update duplicate records
Replicating local/network file shares or existing SharePoint Libraries: Choose to retrieve files only from the root, or to include the sub folders
Replicating local/network file shares or existing SharePoint Libraries: Choose to recreate the file structure by creating new folders automatically, or store all files in the root directory
Store import job configuration information to a template file for common imports and scheduled imports
Schedule routine imports to run in the background for overnight import jobs
Generate log information during processing that provides a summary of successful and failed records
Import data into all versions of SharePoint

List Bulk Import Web Part can be run on a client machine (no server install required, but it is recommended). Once installed, you must connect to a SharePoint server to which you want to import data, select a data source to import from (i.e., Excel, ODBC driver, or a SharePoint List), map fields from the data source to the target SharePoint List, determine how you want to handle duplicate records, select to import all versions (if importing an Issues List or Document Library with versioning) if needed, and then import the data. You can also choose to save the import configuration to reload it again manually, or schedule regular imports of data to run unattended according to that configuration. To check on processing, and to help resolve any import errors, there is a log file that can be viewed from the application as well.