Mapping SharePoint users, groups and permissions

CodeTwo Backup allows you to restore backed-up SharePoint (including OneDrive for Business) data to the original or another SharePoint server. This data also includes permission levels assigned to individual users or groups of users. When restoring SharePoint data, make sure to map users, groups, and permissions between the source and target site collections. In this article, you will find out how to restore permission levels in CodeTwo Backup.

Mapping is done in the Permissions step of the SharePoint restore job (Fig. 1.).

Fig. 1. The Permissions step of the SharePoint restore job.

The program allows you to:

• map users, groups, and permissions to original objects
• map users, groups, and permissions to custom objects.

Mapping users, groups, and permissions to original objects

Selecting the Map to original objects option (see Fig. 1. above) will restore all permission levels to the exact same state as they are configured on the SharePoint server. By doing so, you can rest assured that all users will have the same access rights and permissions once the SharePoint data has been restored.

Mapping users, groups, and permissions to custom objects

Select the Map objects option and click the respective Map button to:

• map users and groups (Fig. 3., point a), or
• map permission levels (Fig. 3., point b).

Fig. 3. Opening the mapping configuration window.

Either way, a mapping window will open (Fig. 4.), where you can:

• map object automatically
• map objects manually
• unmap mapped objects
• filter SharePoint objects
• save mapping information

Fig. 4. The Map users and groups window.

Mapping objects automatically

If you want the program to map the objects automatically, based on their names and/or email addresses, simply use the Automap button (Fig. 5.).

Fig. 5. Automapping SharePoint objects.

In a case some objects were not mapped, you need to map them manually.

Mapping objects manually

There are two ways of mapping objects manually:

• Select an object in the Source box and select a corresponding object in the Target box and click Map (Fig. 6.).

Fig. 6. Mapping objects by using the Map button.

• Drag an object in the Source box and drop it on a corresponding object in the Target box.

You map multiple source objects (e.g. users) to a single target object. However, the same source object cannot be mapped to more than one target object. You can select multiple items in the Source box with Ctrl, Shift or Ctrl+A keys. If you want to map another object to a target object that was already mapped, make sure to select the Mapped checkbox first (see Fig. 8. below). 

Unmapping mapped objects

To unmap objects, select them in the Mapped box (use Ctrl, Shift or Ctrl+A keys to select multiple objects) and click Unmap (Fig. 7.).

Fig. 7. Unmapping mapped objects.

Filtering SharePoint objects displayed in the mapping window

Select the following checkboxes to show specific SharePoint objects on the Source or Target lists (Fig. 8.):

• Not mapped – shows users, groups and permission levels that were not mapped.
• Mapped – shows users, groups and permission levels that were mapped.
• Users – shows users only (option not available when mapping permission levels). 
• Groups – shows groups only (option not available when mapping permission levels).

Fig. 8. Applying filters in the mapping window.

Saving mapping information

The program allows you to save mapping configuration and use it in future restore jobs. Simply click Save map (Fig. 9.) to save the configuration file in the location you specify, and click Load map to load that file.

Fig. 9. Saving mapping configuration.