SharePoint 2007: Possible to copy a list instance from 1 server to another without using a feature?

Question

I am not server admin on one of our production systems, neither do I have SQL permissions because of this I need to ask someone to install a WSP package, its annoying.

Is there a way I can copy a list instance from one server to another by just using the SharePoint GUI, I am root admin on 1 machine (dev) and site admin on another (test/production)

I guess in the way that an information worker would do it, not a developer.

Thanks

Answer 1

You can save list as a template (and choose to include data). See list settings - it does have an option. Template is saved in List Template Gallery, from which you can save it on desktop then import somwhere else and create new list based on this template.

You can also use some nice stsadm extensions to copy/move lists, webs, items, etc.

Answer 2

Yes, you can export your list and then import it back into the new server.

You do this by saving your list as a template (Go to Site Settings/Site libraries and lists/Customize list name you want to export)

When you get to this screen you can click on the "Save list as template". Fill out all the fields then make sure you click the 'Include Content' box and click 'OK'.

To import the list you go to your new server, and then go to Site Settings/List templates. You need to upload your saved template. Go back to the Site Settings screen, and then go to your Site libraries and lists and then choose the 'Create new content' and choose the saved template. That should create a new list with all the content from the other server.

The only couple of caveats are these: You need to be the site admin to upload the template and create the list, and the list you are trying to create a template of must be under 10MB. There are ways to increase that size but I've never tried them.

Alternatively you can look at this blog posting for a pictorial view of how to do this:

http://grounding.co.za/blogs/neil/archive/2008/10/05/moving-a-list-with-content-between-sharepoint-servers.aspx

Answer 3

On top of my head there 2 methods to move/copy a list

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By using a list template -> Save the list as a list template and then create a copy of the list by using that template

• Must have < 10 MB of list data
• User must have Manage Lists Right site on both source and destination site
• The source site and the destination site must be based on the same site template.

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By exporting a list to a spreadsheet -> Export data to excel and the import to destination site.

• Useful when list has > 10 MB of list data
• Source and destination site can have different site templates
• User must have Manage Lists Right site on the destination site
• Works for moving a list between sites in the same site collection or in different site collections
• All copied lists will be custom lists in the destination Web site

Microsoft office online has more details on how to copying or moving SharePoint lists

Answer 4

You can also use SharePoint Designer and Copy > Paste