Migrating Content from a Folder Structure

This article outlines the steps you should follow throughout your Data Migration Service, as well as the rules for the Folder Scan

CJ Teeter avatar
Written by CJ Teeter
Updated over a week ago


Our Data Migration Service ensures you are up and running quickly with OpenAsset. We will perform a bulk upload of files and metadata into your system. Typically this process will take 48-72 hours to complete. We have migrated hundreds of clients' data into OpenAsset, so your content is in safe hands.

The key to a successful Data Migration is being able to leverage the time and effort you have spent categorizing your files into a folder structure. We will work with you to identify or create consistency in your structure so that these folder names can be converted into keywords.

For a quick overview of the Data Migration Service, watch this video:

The Data Migration Service Project Plan

The Data Migration Service consists of the following steps:

1. Scoping the Migration

You will work with our Onboarding & Support Team to scope the data migration, reviewing your goals for the project and assessing the current structure of your file storage.

2. Clean Up

Based on this assessment, it may be necessary for you to clean up your file storage and to create a consistent folder structure prior to the migration. Our scripts require that the Project Folders exist at the same level in the overall folder structure.

3. Mailing your Hard Drive & the Folder Scan

Once your folder structure is in order and has been approved by the OpenAsset team, you’ll need to place the cleaned up content on a hard drive to be shipped to our New York or London office for the migration. After receiving your hard drive, an OpenAsset Engineer will 'scan' your folders and provide you with a spreadsheet that includes what we’ve identified as the projects in your folder structure. This will contain folder paths, project names and project numbers (if available).

Note: there are a number of rules to follow for the folder scan - see below

4. Return Spreadsheet

Review the folder scan spreadsheet and add or update any information that should be included in the migration. Return the finalized spreadsheet to your Onboarding Manager.

5. Start Migrating Files

Using the spreadsheet provided and the Folder Scan rules agreed upon by you and your Onboarding Manager, an OpenAsset Engineer will start the Data Migration.

6. Finish Migrating Files

Data Migrations typically take 48-72 hours to complete. The number of files being migrated and the complexity of the folder structure can have an impact on how long it takes to complete the migration.

7. Reviewing the Migration

Once the Data Migration has been completed, your Onboarding Manager will review the migration with you to ensure that you are satisfied with the results.

The Folder Scan

Once you have cleaned up your file storage we will conduct a folder scan (step 3 above). We scan your file directory and create a .txt file containing a list of the folder paths. We'll then turn that .txt file into an Excel spreadsheet containing the folder path, project name and a field for you to add/edit the project number.

Why do we conduct a folder scan?

  1. We need to identify the project level in your folder structure.

  2. We need you to assign a project number to each of those projects.

  3. You can indicate which project paths should not be migrated.

What are the rules for a folder scan?

  1. File storage clean up must be completed in advance of shipping your hard drive and the OpenAsset team performing the folder scan - It is very important for you to have completed any file storage clean up prior to the scan.

  2. Project paths must be consistent - If the folder path is not consistent for the project-level folders we could end up missing certain projects and they would not be included in your OpenAsset system, or the files could be uploaded to the wrong project.

  3. Sub-folders and files can vary in their structure - While the project level path must be consistent and located at the same level in the folder path, the files and folders listed below the project level can include loose files, have varying folder names, and include multiple levels. The sub-folders at this level can be turned into file keywords during the migration. You just can't change the paths up through the project folder level.

  4. You don't need the project number in the folder name - You may not have the project number listed in the project folder name. That's OK! We will create a spreadsheet from the scan. You will then add the project number to each project path listed in the spreadsheet. 

  5. The timely review and update of the folder spreadsheet is important - You’ve already cleaned up the structure of your content and sent it to us and you just have to double-check that the folder names and numbers (if provided) match up with the names you expect to see in OpenAsset for your projects. Once we have this information we can schedule out the migration and prepare to start the import of files. If you don’t have this information on hand, you can always update project names and numbers in OpenAsset at a later date and time.

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