FAQ: Sources, files and destinations

Every group of questions: Nextcloud FAQ

Sources
Choose which files a job takes
Incremental runs: only the files changed since the last run
Version history
Destinations
Rules for adding and overwriting files
Metadata, MetaVox and SharePoint views
Why carry metadata into Nextcloud with MetaVox
OneDrive to Nextcloud
File shares to Nextcloud
Migrate a list of files from a CSV file
Export a file list from Power BI
Pick files with a Power BI or SQL query

Sources

These questions are explained in full in Sources

Which URL do I enter for a SharePoint or Teams library?

The URL of the document library itself, such as https://mytenant.sharepoint.com/sites/T1/LibB — not the site. Easiest: open the library or a folder in it in the browser and paste the address bar; the app turns it into the direct, readable URL.

Choose which files a job takes

These questions are explained in full in Choose which files a job takes

Where do I set the date, size and file type filters?

On the Source step of the job dialog, under the source's own fields. Switch on Advanced Settings, at the top of the step, to show From Date, To Date, Size From, Size To and Source File Type.

How do I migrate only PDF and Word files?

Source File Type pdf;docx;doc, in Advanced Settings.

How do I leave out files older than a certain date?

Set From Date to that date, in Advanced Settings.

How do I skip very large files?

Set Size To in kilobytes — 2097152 leaves out files over 2 GB.

Do the filters still apply when Advanced Settings is off?

Yes. Hiding a setting never clears it.

Incremental runs: only the files changed since the last run

These questions are explained in full in Incremental runs: only the files changed since the last run

Can I run Discovery incrementally?

Yes. Switch on Incremental (only files changed since the last successful run) under From Date, on the Source step in Advanced Settings. The first run reads the whole source; every run after it reads only the files created or modified since the last successful run, so a daily Discovery keeps the BI data current at little cost. Without it, every Discovery run reads the whole source again.

What is the difference between an incremental copy and an incremental run?

The incremental copy is the rule Add New Overwrite Existing By Newer, on by default: a run writes only what is new or newer, but still reads the whole source. The incremental run is Incremental (only files changed since the last successful run), off by default: a run reads only what changed since the last successful run — and so the copy checks only those files against Nextcloud. Use both for the shortest runs.

Does an incremental run make a migration faster?

Yes, on both sides. A run reads only the files created or modified since the last successful run, and the rule for adding and overwriting files checks only those against Nextcloud — a few changed files instead of every file in the library. Fewer calls to SharePoint, the file shares and Nextcloud, and a much shorter run.

What happens to From Date when a run fails?

Nothing: a run that fails — or logs even one warning — leaves From Date as it was, so the next run reads those files again, with what changed since. It moves on only after a run with no error or warning in its log, to the moment that run began. Reset From Date clears it, so the next run reads every file.

How do I take only the files changed since the last run?

Switch on Incremental (only files changed since the last successful run) under From Date (Advanced Settings). After each run with no error or warning, the app sets the job's From Date to when that run began, so the next run reads only what was created or modified since. Reset From Date starts over with every file.

Can I delete the old runs of a job that takes only changed files?

Better not. Each run counted only the files that changed, so deleting runs — or a Retention schedule on the job — takes their data out of the Power BI report, and it no longer adds up to what the copy holds. Archive old runs instead. The Dashboard's Power BI heading shows when deleted runs are still being purged.

Version history

These questions are explained in full in Version history

What does a Version History Scope such as 5:0:0 mean?

Five major versions and no minor versions. The parts are major : minor on the latest major : minor on the others, and * means all.

Destinations

These questions are explained in full in Destinations

Should I migrate into a Team Folder or into a user's files?

A Team Folder for shared content such as libraries and shares; a user's files for a OneDrive or anything one person owns.

Read more: Destinations

Does the Team Folder have to exist before the job runs?

No. It is created when the job runs.

Read more: Destinations

Can I pick the Team Folder and the folder from a list instead of typing them?

Yes. Select team folder… lists the Team Folders on this Nextcloud, and Select folder… the folders inside the one named; New team folder and New folder there create one. A file share's source path has no such button: a browser cannot read it, and it must be a path the SMART Migration server can reach.

Read more: Destinations

Should each library get a Team Folder of its own?

When the libraries belong to different teams, yes; when they belong to one team, they can share one, each in its own folder.

Who can open the migrated files in Nextcloud?

The members of the Team Folder, or the user whose files they are. SharePoint permissions are not migrated.

Read more: Destinations

How does SMART Migration write into a user's own files?

As that user. When the job starts, the app makes an app password for the user, for that run alone, and hands it to the SMART Migration server, encrypted with a key only that server holds; the app revokes it when the run is over. The user sees it in their Security settings while the run lasts.

Rules for adding and overwriting files

These questions are explained in full in Rules for adding and overwriting files

Which rule should I use for an incremental migration?

Add New Overwrite Existing By Newer, the default.

How do I protect files people have already changed in Nextcloud?

Add New Only: existing files are never touched, new ones still arrive.

What happens when a document is edited in both SharePoint and Nextcloud?

The overwrite rule decides which copy wins at the next run; edits are not merged. Keep coexistence short or replace the source with a .url link.

How do I copy everything again from scratch?

Add New Overwrite Existing: every file is written again. Changes made in Nextcloud are overwritten.

Metadata, MetaVox and SharePoint views

These questions are explained in full in Metadata, MetaVox and SharePoint views

How does a job carry SharePoint columns into MetaVox?

When the job runs, SMART Migration reads the library's columns, creates the missing ones in MetaVox on the Team Folder with the same type, then fills them in for every file and folder — and recreates the views if asked.

Which SharePoint metadata does MetaVox receive?

Every column of the library, with its type — text, choice, date, number and so on — and each file's and folder's values in them. The system columns [SP Created By], [SP Created], [SP Modified By], [SP Modified] and [SP Content-Type] come too by default; [SP Retention Label] and [SP Sensitivity Label] when ticked. Metadata Mapping fills single columns from another column or with a constant.

Do SharePoint views come over to Nextcloud with MetaVox?

Yes, with Migrate SharePoint Views on: each view of the library is created in MetaVox on the Team Folder, with its columns and its default sort order. Grouping, filtering, totals, item limits and conditional formatting have no MetaVox equivalent and are dropped.

Do the MetaVox columns belong to the job or to the Team Folder?

To the Team Folder. A second job into the same Team Folder finds them there, and Map all but only to existing columns fills them without creating any.

What is the difference between the three column mapping choices?

Map all and auto create missing columns creates what MetaVox lacks; Map all but only to existing columns fills only the columns the Team Folder has; Do not map columns carries no metadata.

Why are the metadata settings missing from my job?

They need all four: MetaVox installed, a SharePoint or OneDrive source, a Team Folder destination, and a Migration or Test Migration job. Metadata Mapping is on the job's Metadata step, under Advanced Settings.

What happens to a file whose metadata cannot be carried over?

It is not written and is listed on File Issues — unless Migrate Files With Metadata Warnings is on.

Why carry metadata into Nextcloud with MetaVox

These questions are explained in full in Why carry metadata into Nextcloud with MetaVox

Why carry SharePoint metadata into Nextcloud?

So files stay findable and classified as they were: the columns and views people know come along, and Nextcloud's search finds a file by its values. Without it the metadata stays behind in the source.

Can Nextcloud's search find files by their MetaVox values?

Yes. Nextcloud indexes the MetaVox columns, so searching for a customer, a case number or a document type finds the files carrying it, anywhere in the Team Folder.

What happens to the metadata without MetaVox?

Files and folders migrate as they should, but their SharePoint columns and views stay behind. Install MetaVox before the migration runs to bring them along.

What is planned for MetaVox?

On its makers' roadmap: metadata embedded in the files themselves, and metadata available in Euro-Office. Plans, not features of today.

OneDrive to Nextcloud

These questions are explained in full in OneDrive to Nextcloud

How do I create a job for every OneDrive in the tenant?

An Import job with Import from set to OneDrive in Tenant.

How is each OneDrive matched to a Nextcloud user?

By e-mail address, then by user name — never by display name.

File shares to Nextcloud

These questions are explained in full in File shares to Nextcloud

Which account needs access to the file share?

The Windows account the SMART Migration server runs as, with read permission on every folder the job takes.

Migrate a list of files from a CSV file

These questions are explained in full in Migrate a list of files from a CSV file

How do I cherry-pick files for migration from Power BI?

In the Files report, narrow the File details table with the slicers and filters to the files you want, then More options (…) → Export data to a CSV file — at most 30,000 files per export. Upload the file to Nextcloud Files, create a Test Migration or Migration job with Source Type File List CSV, and pick the file with Choose file. The job reads the Name and Path columns — with commas between them, as Power BI writes them, or semicolons — and rebuilds each file's folders from Relative Path; the dialog shows how many files it found and the first lines. Set the job to Ready and it migrates exactly those files. Coming: a Dynamic BI data query job, which picks the files from the BI data at every run, with no export.

Can one job migrate files from several sources at once?

Yes — a File List CSV job. Its list can name files from any number of SharePoint libraries, Teams, OneDrives and file shares, and they all land in the one destination.

Which columns does the file list CSV need?

A Name column, and optionally a Path column — in any order, among any others, with commas or semicolons between the columns. With a Path — the folder, as a URL, UNC path or drive path — the two are joined into the file's address; without one, Name is the file's full address.

Can the file list CSV use semicolons instead of commas?

Yes. Whichever the first line holds more of separates the columns, so a file saved by Excel in a language that writes decimals with a comma works as it is.

Where do the listed files land at the destination?

In the Team Folder or user's files the job names. With a Relative Path column, as the Power BI export has, each file keeps its folders — even when the files come from different sources.

Why is File List CSV not offered for a Discovery job?

A list of files is migrated, not discovered: the list is what a discovery gives you to pick from. Choose Test Migration or Migration as the mode, and File List CSV appears among the source types.

What happens when a file list has a mistake in it?

The job does not validate, and the dialog names the line. If the file goes wrong after the job is set to Ready, the claim finds it: the run ends with the result Error and a message saying what is wrong, and the job is not run.

How is a File List CSV job different from importing jobs from a CSV file?

A File List CSV job's file lists files, and the one job migrates them. An Import job's CSV file lists jobs — a source and destination per line — and creates one job for each.

Export a file list from Power BI

These questions are explained in full in Export a file list from Power BI

How many files can one Power BI export hold?

30,000 rows to a CSV file, in Power BI Desktop and the Power BI service alike; the service exports up to 150,000 rows to Excel. Rows past the limit are left out of the file.

What do I do when the files to migrate are more than 30,000?

Export them in parts — one site, library or owner at a time — and give each part a File List CSV job of its own, in the same group. Or export to Excel from the Power BI service and save it as CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited).

Can I export the file list from the Power BI service instead of Power BI Desktop?

Yes, when the report is published there: More options (…) → Export data → Summarized data → .csv. The service shows the data as of its last refresh there.

Why is Export data missing in Power BI?

The report's author or the Power BI administrator has switched exporting off. In Power BI Desktop the setting is under Options → Current file → Report settings → Export data; in the service, ask the administrator.

Pick files with a Power BI or SQL query

These questions are explained in full in Pick files with a Power BI or SQL query

What is a Dynamic BI data query job?

A job whose Source Type is Dynamic BI data query takes the files a query on the BI data picks — across every library, OneDrive and file share Discovery has recorded — by anything the data holds, such as more than 100 versions or a metadata column with a given value. It is under development.

How do I record a DAX query in Power BI for a job?

Filter a table of files in SMART BI.pbix to the files you want, open Performance Analyzer, click Start recording and Refresh visuals, then Copy query on the table's entry, and paste it into the job's DAX query field.

What does Convert to SQL send to Claude?

Only the DAX query, with the app's AI Help key — no job, run, file or customer data. The WHERE clause it writes is put in the field for you to check before you save; the job runs what is saved.

Can a BI data query change data, or read anything but files?

No. The job holds only the conditions — a SQL WHERE clause such as version_count > 100. SMART Migration adds them to its own select of the files on the BI data at each run, so a query can only narrow which files are picked.

Why can a Dynamic BI data query job not run yet?

The feature is under development: the source type and its fields are shown so you can see what is coming, but the query cannot be saved yet and nothing runs it. A job with it is never validated, so it never reaches Ready. Choose another Source Type to run the job.

How do I keep a DORA copy of the critical files that follows the documents?

Give each library a critical function depends on — fewer than 20 as a rule of thumb, never more than about 50 — a daily Discovery job with Incremental (only files changed since the last successful run) on, so their BI data follows the documents each night. Then a daily Migration job after them, with Source Type Dynamic BI data query and a query that picks the critical files: each night it copies what matches then. It is a copy for an emergency, not a backup of SharePoint or the file shares. The query source is under development.

How is a BI data query different from a File List CSV?

A File List CSV is a fixed list, exported once and limited to 30,000 rows per export. A query is evaluated each time the job runs, so a recurring job always takes the files that match now, with no export and no row limit.

See also

Nextcloud FAQ — every group of questions