Sharepoint migration tools refuses migrate files

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Sharepoint migration tools refuses migrate files

Jiří Pokluda 20

I'm trying to migrate on premise SP2013 to sharepoint online. Site lists and libraries structure is migrated, but no files are there. In the logs i found:

"Skip migrate the content of the list because the required field(s) Restricted,Originator Id,Access Policy cannot be created or updated"

There aren't such columns in the source list. I've admin rights on both sides.

Can anybody help?

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Answer 1

Demi-N 16,750 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hello Jiří Pokluda,

Thank you for reaching out and for providing that detailed error log. That's very helpful.

That error message you're seeing can related to a security feature called Information Rights Management (IRM). Those fields it mentions (Restricted, Originator Id, etc...) aren't regular columns, they're hidden system fields that get added when IRM is turned on to protect files.

The problem is that your source library has this feature enabled, but when the migration tool tries to apply the same protection in SharePoint Online, it fails, most likely because the modern IRM service isn't yet configured in your Microsoft 365 account.

There are a couple of ways to approach this:

Option 1: Disable IRM on the Source Library

Navigate to the source library in your on-premise SharePoint 2013 site.
Go to Library Settings in the ribbon.
Click on Information Rights Management.
In the IRM settings page, deselect the checkbox that says "Restrict permission to documents in this library on download" and save the changes.
Go back to the SharePoint Migration Tool and re-run the migration task for this specific library. The files should now migrate successfully.

Note: The following reference link is titled "Apply" IRM, but you can follow the same steps to access the settings page and deselect the checkbox to disable the feature: Apply Information Rights Management to a list or library

Option 2: Configure IRM in Microsoft 365

If maintaining the exact IRM policies during migration is a requirement, the long-term solution is to have your Microsoft 365 administrator enable and configure the service in the cloud. This typically involves setting up Azure Information Protection (AIP**)** from the M365 Admin Center. This is a more involved process but ensures security settings are preserved.

Here is a detailed guide for you: Set up Information Rights Management (IRM) in SharePoint admin center

I hope this helps clarify the process! If you have any further questions or updates, please let me know and I’ll be happy to assist further.

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Jiří Pokluda 20 Reputation points

2025-07-22T11:17:58.9466667+00:00

Hello Demi,

thank you for reply.

I checked IRM settings on my lists/libraries, but it has no checkbox. See screenshot

And iItem subsettings (the same as folder):

We dont't need IRM, but it was probably somehow configured by default.

Any suggestion?

Thank you.

Jiri.
Jiří Pokluda 20 Reputation points

2025-07-22T12:13:15.85+00:00

Even in sharepoint central management, the IRM is off.
Demi-N 16,750 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-07-22T14:49:02.5+00:00
Hello Jiří Pokluda,

Thank you for your detailed follow-up and for sharing the screenshot, it’s very helpful in understanding the situation.

Based on what you've described, the issue you're encountering during migration from SharePoint 2013 to SharePoint Online is most likely related to Information Rights Management (IRM). Even though IRM appears to be disabled in your library settings (no checkbox visible), the presence of hidden system fields like Restricted, Originator Id, and Access Policy suggests that IRM was enabled at some point, either at the site level, via a legacy configuration, or applied directly to documents.

These IRM-related fields are not visible in standard list or library views, which is why the UI doesn’t match what we’d typically expect. The checkbox for IRM only appears if IRM is fully activated at the farm level in SharePoint 2013. Without that activation, the UI won’t expose the IRM settings, even if the metadata is still present and affecting migration.

You can try these recommended steps:

Step 1: Enable IRM in Central Administration (to unlock the checkbox)

Log in to Central Administration as a farm administrator.

Go to Security > Information Policy > Configure Information Rights Management.

Select “Use the default RMS server specified in Active Directory” or your RMS server.

Click OK to activate IRM site-wide.

This step will make the IRM checkbox appear in individual libraries, allowing you to disable it properly.

Step 2: Disable IRM Per Library

Navigate to the affected library or list.

Go to Library Settings > Information Rights Management.

Uncheck “Restrict permission to documents in this library on download” (if checked).

Save changes and repeat for any other affected libraries.

Step 3: Inspect and Clean Up Metadata

Open a document from the library, go to File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document to ensure no IRM protection remains.

Optionally, use PowerShell to inspect hidden fields: These fields are system-level and cannot be removed easily, but disabling IRM should prevent migration issues.

Step 4: Re-run Migration

Use the SharePoint Migration Tool again, targeting the specific libraries.

Choose “Migrate content only” if the structure has already been migrated.

Alternative: Enable IRM in SharePoint Online

If disabling IRM on-premises is not feasible, you can enable IRM in the target environment:

Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center > SharePoint Admin Center.

Navigate to Settings > Information Rights Management.

Enable “Use the Azure Rights Management service”.

In the target library, go to Library Settings > Information Rights Management and configure as needed.

After migration, you can disable IRM again if it’s not required long-term.

I hope this clarifies why the IRM settings may not be visible in your UI and provides a clear path forward. Please let me know if you’d like help with any of the steps or if you run into further issues.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment”. Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.
Jiří Pokluda 20 Reputation points

2025-07-25T09:11:31.4066667+00:00

Hello Demi,

I've some struggles enabling IRM on our SP server. I had to deploy the AD RMS service on our domain controller, but when I try to enable IRM on our SP server, there is still this error:

"The required Active Directory Rights Management Service Client (MSIPC.DLL) is present but could not be configured properly. IRM will not work until the client is configured properly. "

I'll try to solve it somehow next week, but if you have some suggestions, it could help.

Alternative option failed too, SP online says I've to enable it on azure first, but enabling on azure by powershell failed. Probably our plan (M365 Business standard) doesn't contain RMS service.

Migrating to SP online is now no.1 priority for our company so I'm very thankful for your help.

Jiri.
Demi-N 16,750 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-07-25T10:39:45.0966667+00:00
Hi @Jiří Pokluda,

Thank you again for your detailed update. I understand how critical this migration is for your company, and I truly appreciate your persistence.

From what you've shared, it looks like both migration paths: disabling IRM on-premises and enabling IRM in SharePoint Online are currently blocked due to technical and licensing limitations:

On-premises: The MSIPC.DLL error suggests a deeper configuration issue with AD RMS, which may require advanced troubleshooting beyond standard SharePoint administration.

Online: Your Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan likely doesn’t include Azure Rights Management, which is needed to support IRM in SharePoint Online.

Given the urgency and complexity, I strongly recommend opening a support ticket with Microsoft via the Microsoft 365 Admin Center as soon as possible. Their support team can:

Confirm your license capabilities and advise on upgrade options if needed.

Assist with the AD RMS client configuration issue.

Provide tailored migration guidance for IRM-protected content.

To open a ticket:

Go to https://admin.microsoft.com

Navigate to Support > New service request

Include the error message and context you've shared here

I’m truly sorry I can’t assist further directly, as my role here is limited to forum moderation. However, I’ll be happy to support you in any way I can during the process.

If this information has been helpful, I’d be grateful if you could mark my answer as "Accepted Answer". It helps others with similar issues find the right guidance more easily.

Wishing you success with the migration, and please feel free to reach out with any updates or questions.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.
Jiří Pokluda 20 Reputation points

2025-07-25T13:25:15.34+00:00

Thank you. I understand that this is beyond the scope of this forum. I've accepted your solution.
Demi-N 16,750 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-07-25T13:43:10.46+00:00

Hi @Jiří Pokluda,

Thank you for your understanding. It was my pleasure to assist you.

Should you have any further questions in the future, please feel free to reach out to our team at any time.

Wishing you a great rest of your week.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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Sharepoint migration tools refuses migrate files

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