SpsDev.Com's Import / Export Tool is new for Microsoft SharePoint 2007.  It allows you to select items within a site - from an entire list or document library, down to individual list items or documents - and export them from one list or site and then import them into another.  Along the way you have total control over how the data is moved around.

The Import / Export Tool is currently offered as a Windows application that must be run on the SharePoint server.  However, in future releases we expect to make it available as a feature that can be added to any site, thus allowing administrators of individual sites to import and export data directly from the browser.  We also anticipate releasing the functionality as a component that can be used by your corporate developers to use for custom development tasks from high end tools like Visual Studio, all the way down to PowerShell scripts.

Exporting Data

The Import / Export Tool has a simple application interface to make it easy for you to select what items to export, and what options to use as part of that export.  You start by entering the Url to the site that contains the data from which you wish to perform the export.  When you click the List Object button, our Import / Export tool will quickly interrogate the site to find all of the lists and libraries within that site, along with all of the folders and items in each one as well. With a simple point and click interface, you select which of these items, or hierarchy of items that should be exported.

Importing Data

Importing data with the Import / Export Tool is just as easy as exporting.  Just tell us the name of the file that contains the exported information.  We'll crack it open and explore the contents so we know what's in it:

If the file contains list items or documents, you can optionally choose for each one the destination list or library into which they should be imported.  If you don't create a mapping for an item then we'll just try to import it into a list or library with the same name from which it was exported.  Once you've configured any import mappings just click the Import button and your data will be imported into the site you've specified in the Destination Site edit box.