SharePoint Document Issues

How to Export a SharePoint Site and Subsite Inventory Using Microsoft Purview

Maira Mehtab Sep 20, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user needs to generate an inventory of sites, subsites, URLs, content types, and metadata from a classic SharePoint site collection prior to a modern SharePoint redesign.

Product: SharePoint / Microsoft Purview
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Preparing for a modern SharePoint redesign by mapping existing sites, metadata, and content architecture.
Observed behavior: A comprehensive list of URLs, content types, and metadata must be gathered and exported using Microsoft Purview compliance tools.

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary eDiscovery Manager or Administrator permissions in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal before running searches across your SharePoint locations.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Microsoft Purview Content Search or eDiscovery

Utilize Microsoft Purview to search your classic SharePoint site collections and export a detailed report containing all URLs, content types, and metadata.

Microsoft Purview (formerly Microsoft 365 Compliance Center) offers robust Content Search and eDiscovery features. These tools are ideal for mapping out legacy SharePoint environments because they can crawl and index specific metadata across site collections.

Access Microsoft Purview

Create a New Search

Navigate to the Content Search or eDiscovery module from the left-hand navigation pane and click to create a new search.

Select SharePoint Locations

Under the locations settings, toggle on 'SharePoint sites' and specify the exact classic site collections you want to include in your inventory.

Configure Filters and Queries

Set up keyword queries and search conditions to target specific content types, metadata parameters, or file structures necessary for your modernization project.

Run and Export the Report

Run the search and wait for it to complete. Once finished, select the 'Export report' option to download a CSV file detailing the discovered SharePoint URLs, content types, and metadata.

Export Format: Make sure to choose 'Export report only' rather than exporting the actual documents if you strictly need a site and URL inventory.

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Analyze Your Exported SharePoint Inventory with WPS Office

After exporting your SharePoint inventory reports from Microsoft Purview, you will need a robust spreadsheet application to filter, sort, and analyze the resulting data. WPS Office is a highly compatible and lightweight alternative to Microsoft Office that easily handles large CSV and Excel files.

Seamlessly open and manage exported SharePoint inventory reports (CSV and XLSX formats).Fully compatible with Microsoft Office formats, ensuring zero data loss or formatting issues.Lightweight installation with rapid launch times, perfect for processing large datasets.Completely free to use, offering a familiar user interface for smooth migration.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What permissions are required to run an eDiscovery search in SharePoint?

You must be assigned to the eDiscovery Manager or eDiscovery Administrator role group in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal to search and export content from SharePoint sites.

Can I export just the SharePoint URLs without downloading all the document files?

Yes. When you initiate the export process in Microsoft Purview, you can choose the 'Generate a report' option. This exports an inventory CSV containing the URLs and metadata without downloading the actual file contents.

Will Content Search find hidden subsites and restricted content?

Content Search indexes and discovers items based on backend administrative permissions. Provided the targeted SharePoint locations are selected and the user has global eDiscovery rights, it will discover content across nested subsites regardless of standard user-level restrictions.

How long does it take for Microsoft Purview to generate a SharePoint search report?

The duration depends on the size of the SharePoint site collection, the number of subsites, and the complexity of your search query. Small sites may take minutes, while enterprise-level environments can take several hours to compile fully.

Document & File Issues