How to Migrate OpenText Content Server to SharePoint

Many organizations working with large volumes of structured content in OpenText Content Server eventually reach a point where that data needs to move, whether due to system consolidation, platform changes, or broader cloud initiatives. When the destination is SharePoint, having a clear, methodical migration approach becomes necessary. 

Why Migrate from OpenText to SharePoint?

Before we dive into the “how,” let’s talk about the “why.”

OpenText Content Server is a strong ECM system, but it’s often on-premises, expensive to maintain, and not built for today’s remote teams. In contrast, SharePoint Online is cloud-based, easy to scale, and integrates smoothly with Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, and the whole M365 suite.

Step-by-Step Guide: OpenText to SharePoint Migration

Here’s a simple breakdown of the migration process using Tzunami Deployer:

Step 1: Export Content from OpenText

Use the Tzunami Exporter for OpenText to scan and extract the data.

🔹 What gets exported?
Documents, folders, metadata, permissions, and properties.

📌 Example: If your HR department has a folder in OpenText with employee policies, all documents and metadata (like date created, author, department) are captured and packaged for migration.

Step 2: Load the Data 

Once content is exported, it’s imported into Tzunami Deployer. Think of this as your staging area, where you prepare and configure how content will be organized and mapped in SharePoint.

At this point, you can:

• Review folder structures
• Filter or group content
• Apply naming conventions or business rules

Step 3: Map Metadata and Permissions

Before moving the data, it’s important to align metadata fields and user permissions between systems. This step ensures that information is preserved and appears correctly in SharePoint.

Tzunami Deployer allows you to:

• Map metadata from OpenText fields to SharePoint columns, or simply add metadata as a new column to the SharePoint
• Adjust values (e.g., converting status codes to labels)
• Remap users or groups from one directory to another
  

📌 Example: An “Author ID” field in OpenText might be renamed or split into “Created By” and “Reviewed By” in SharePoint.

Step 4: Deploy to SharePoint

Now it’s time to go!

Click deploy, and Tzunami will begin transferring your content into the chosen SharePoint site locally. Once deployment is finished, you can review the metadata and structure. If everything is fine, click ‘Migrate’ to transfer everything to SharePoint.

 You can choose:

• SharePoint Online (M365)
• SharePoint 2016/2019 (on-premise)
  

Step 5: Validate and Finalize on SharePoint

After Migration, it’s good practice to:

• Review sample content in SharePoint
• Verify metadata accuracy and access controls

[Note: Deployer includes an auto verification mechanism that checks for file existence and verifies text-type metadata on SharePoint. This process runs via a separate Windows service called the Verification Server, which automatically generates verification reports.]

• Run a delta migration to capture any content that changed since the initial export

Extra Features That Help

• Security mapping: Keep access controls intact
• Link resolver: Fix broken hyperlinks automatically
• Bulk edit: Modify metadata before deployment
• Support for complex structures: Handles folders, custom types, and workflows
  

Final Thoughts

With the right tools and a step-by-step plan, you can move your enterprise content securely and efficiently. Tzunami Deployer simplifies the entire process—from export to deployment—so your teams can get started with SharePoint faster.