You connect Microsoft SharePoint to a network server with a CDE integration that keeps files, folders and metadata aligned between on-premises shares and SharePoint libraries, or with a migration that moves the shares into SharePoint for good. CDE Sync™ handles the ongoing connection and CDE Migrate™ handles a one-time move, both preserving folder structure and version history.
Why file servers and SharePoint coexist
Most organisations in design, construction and asset management have moved much of their work into Microsoft 365, yet many still run network file servers or NAS devices. Some teams use software that works best with local files. Some data is held locally for security classification or sovereignty reasons. Site offices with limited connectivity may keep a local copy. And many shares simply hold years of project history that nobody has had time to move.
When the same project lives on a server and in SharePoint, people copy files between them by hand. Versions drift, metadata is missing on one side, and teams end up working from different copies of the same document.
What carries across between SharePoint and a network server
CDE Sync™ maps the server's folder structure to SharePoint libraries and columns, and keeps the two aligned in the direction you choose. Files saved to a nominated share can appear in SharePoint with columns populated from folder and file naming rules, and changes in SharePoint can be written back. Version history integrity is maintained, and every transfer is logged.
The network servers and Microsoft SharePoint integration pages describe both connectors.
How to connect SharePoint to a network server, step by step
Decide whether the server will stay in use (sync) or be retired (migration into SharePoint).
Identify the shares and folders involved and the SharePoint sites and libraries they map to.
Work with your IT team on the secure connection to the server and a scoped service account.
Arrange SharePoint access with your Microsoft 365 administrator.
Connect both in the CDE Sync™ wizard, or agree the migration scope and target date with Utopia Digital.
Define how folders and file names populate SharePoint columns.
Test on a small folder, check results in SharePoint, then switch on the schedule or complete the move.
When a migration tool is enough, and when it is not
Microsoft provides its own tools for moving file shares into SharePoint, and for a simple one-off move of general office files they may be all an organisation needs. Project information is often different. Design and construction files tend to carry meaning in their folder structure and naming, need ISO 19650 or client metadata applied, and must keep a clear version history. Some shares also need to stay in use for months or years alongside SharePoint, which calls for an ongoing sync rather than a single move.
CDE Sync™ and CDE Migrate™ are built for that project context, and the same connection can include other CDEs such as Autodesk Forma, ProjectWise or Procore. Our article on connecting a network drive to your CDE covers the sync or migrate decision in more detail.
Planning the library structure before the first run is time well spent. SharePoint libraries work best with sensible folder depth and well-defined columns, so mapping a deep server folder tree into a flatter library with metadata often produces a far more usable result.
Permissions deserve attention too, because file server permissions rarely translate directly into SharePoint.
Security for local data
CDE Sync™ streams files without storing them, encrypts data in transit, processes it in the Azure region you choose and uses a service account scoped only to the folders in sync. Utopia Digital holds SOC 2 Type II and Cyber Essentials. See the Security Trust Portal and the global data region map.
SharePoint, network servers and the Utopiaverse™
Connecting a network server to SharePoint is part of the Utopiaverse™, the connected record Utopia Digital builds across your platforms. CDE Sync™ keeps server and SharePoint aligned, CDE Backup™ keeps an independent copy of your CDEs in your own Azure, CDE Migrate™ retires the server when you are ready, and CDE Archive™ captures completed projects. AI Insights searches local and SharePoint content together, with answers that cite the source files. See also How Do I Connect ProjectWise and SharePoint? and How Do I Connect Procore and SharePoint?
See a network server connected to SharePoint in the monthly live demo, or talk to the team about your environment.
