SharePoint 2010 to SharePoint Online Migration for Power Generation and Transmission Company

Overview

Our client, a power generation and transmission company, first engaged Concurrency to provide support for its existing SharePoint 2010 environment, recognizing that the aging platform needing some shoring up. That support engagement in turn led to a larger project in which we helped AECI plan and execute a full migration to SharePoint Online.

Their SharePoint platform serves approximately 750 users, both in its main facility and in the field. “The Grid,” as the client has long branded the portal, was well-established as the go-to resource for corporate and departmental information.
But given the age of the software, the existing team sites were outdated stylistically, and search functionality was limited.

We worked with the client to completely overhaul the user experience on The Grid, migrate existing data to SharePoint Online, and establish several new features, including a news section along with leadership blogs and improved search.

Solution

We followed a proven process, starting with a multi-day workshop onsite at their offices, during which we met with both the IT team and also representatives from the organization’s communications and mobility team. Concurrency’s project team consisting of a project manager, SharePoint architect and business analyst.

In these workshops, we established what the new look of The Grid and discussed organizational change management needs to help ensure a smooth rollout both behind the scenes and for users. We gathered business requirements then, working from offsite, developed recommendations. We then presented those recommendations and proceeded with the build-out phase.

Throughout the project, the process benefited from close cooperation with the client’s internal team, including a newly hired SharePoint expert, who was able to handle much of the actual content migration work. The project also benefited from its embrace by senior leadership at the company. The cooperative effort was efficient throughout, leading to an on-budget and on-time outcome.

For the client, the result of this project is a user-friendly and modern portal that serves employees of all types. It’s also the first step in what they plan to be a continuing transition to the cloud. Building on the Azure Active Directory work accomplished during the SharePoint project, the client plans next to migrate email from Exchange on-premises to Exchange Online.