Google Sites to SharePoint Migration Limitations
Understanding platform differences and what to expect during migration.
Platform Differences
Google Sites
- • Hierarchical pages (mainpage/subpage)
- • Unlimited menu depth
- • Google Forms integration
- • Google Gadgets
SharePoint
- • Flat page storage
- • Maximum 2-level menus
- • Microsoft Forms (different)
- • Web Parts
Overview
Google Sites and SharePoint have fundamentally different architectures. While Cloudiway provides comprehensive migration capabilities, some elements cannot be transferred due to platform limitations. Understanding these differences helps set proper expectations and plan for manual adjustments.
Planning Ahead
Structural Differences
Hierarchy Structure
Google Sites uses hierarchical page organization (e.g., mainpage/subpage),
while SharePoint uses flat storage.
Solution: Pages are renamed to a flat format like mainpage-subpage
to prevent naming conflicts.
Menu Depth Restrictions
In Google Sites, menu depth is unlimited. In SharePoint, menu depth is limited to two levels.
Impact: Navigation nodes exceeding two levels are not migrated. Text content within menu controls is lost since SharePoint menus only support links.
Publishing Sites
Publishing Sites are not supported during migration. Classic SharePoint publishing sites require a different migration approach.
Items Not Migrated
The following elements cannot be migrated from Google Sites to SharePoint:
Content Elements
- ✗ Google Forms
No equivalent format in SharePoint
- ✗ Google Gadgets
No SharePoint equivalents exist
- ✗ Page Templates
Predefined content not transferred
Design Elements
- ✗ Site Logos
Would require master page modifications
- ✗ Page Headers/Footers
Structure differs between platforms
- ✗ Site Owners Sidebar
Different ownership display in SharePoint
Pre-Migration Inventory
Workarounds
Deep Menu Navigation
For sites with navigation deeper than two levels:
Solution: Remove the default Quick Launch menu and replace it with a text editor web part to manually construct custom navigation with unlimited levels.
Site Owners Display
To show ownership information after migration:
Solution: Add a "Site Users" app from the Web Part Gallery post-migration to display site ownership and member information.
Google Forms Replacement
For forms that need to be recreated:
Options:
- • Use Microsoft Forms for surveys and quizzes
- • Create SharePoint lists with custom forms
- • Use Power Apps for complex form scenarios
Gadget Alternatives
For Google Gadgets without direct equivalents:
Options:
- • Search for equivalent SharePoint web parts
- • Use embed web parts for third-party content
- • Consider custom SPFx solutions for unique requirements