When you establish a connection to your SharePoint and Microsoft 365 environment, there are 3 options you can enter for the Site address.
You will be able to access different levels of your environment based on the connection type you choose.
Note: You cannot use a web application address for your connection. To access your web applications, use your central administration address instead.
Index
- Prerequisites
- SharePoint admin center address (Microsoft 365)
- Central administration address (SharePoint on-premises)
- Site collection address
Prerequisites
You need the correct administrative rights for your connection.
SharePoint admin center address (Microsoft 365)
Site address URL format
- https://your_tenant_name-admin.sharepoint.com
Connect from the Explorer
When you connect to your SharePoint admin center address from the Explorer, ShareGate Desktop will give you access to all site collections, Microsoft 365 groups, and OneDrives in your tenant.
Connect from Copy
To access all your site collections in a list, connect with your SharePoint admin center address and select 
Sites from the hierarchy.
This connection allows you to select multiple site collections to copy from your source and to copy multiple site collections at the destination. Since ShareGate Desktop is able to create new site collections at the destination, you do not need to create them in SharePoint and merge your source site collections one by one.
Connecting with the admin center address will require you to navigate down the hierarchy if you want to access a list or library.
Note: Though you can expand 
OneDrive for Business in the hierarchy with Copy Structure, you cannot list all your OneDrives. For your OneDrive for Business migration, see our OneDrive PowerShell section.
Central administration address (SharePoint on-premises)
This option is not available for SharePoint 2003.
Site address URL format
- http://your_farm_name:1234
The address of the Central administration uses a port number established in the SharePoint installation process. If you don't know the Central administration URL you can check with your IT admin, or you can get it directly on the SharePoint server with these steps:
- Open your Windows Start menu.
- Go to Administrative Tools.
- Open SharePoint Administration.
- Complete the connection to your Central administration.
- Your Central administration address and port number will be in your address bar.
Connect from the Explorer
When you connect to your Central administration address from the Explorer, ShareGate Desktop will give you access to all your web applications. You can navigate or search your web applications to manage your SharePoint sites and sub-sites, if applicable.
Connect from Copy
To access all your site collections in a list, connect with your Central administration address and select your Web application from the hierarchy.
This connection allows you to select multiple site collections to copy from your source and to copy multiple site collections at the destination. Since ShareGate Desktop is able to create new site collections at the destination, you do not need to create them in SharePoint and merge your source site collections one by one.
Connecting with the Central administration address will require you to navigate down the hierarchy if you want to access a list or library.
Note: We do not recommend using the SharePoint central administration web application for your migrations. You should use the default Portal web application or any custom web application created for your site collections.
Site collection address
Site address URL format
- Microsoft 365: https://tenant_name.sharepoint.com/sites/site_name/
- SharePoint on-premises: http://farm_name/sites/site_name/
Connect from the Explorer
Using a site collection address in the Explorer will give you access to manage that site collection only.
Note: You can use a subsite address for your connection. In Copy, the subsite address will allow you to copy to or from the subsite directly, while in the Explorer it will connect you to its parent site collection.
Connect from Copy
To access a specific site collection, and if applicable the sub-sites listed under it, connect with your site collection's address and select your site collection 
in the hierarchy.
For the source, connecting with a site collection address will allow you to migrate the site collection itself, its site objects, or its subsites.
At the destination, connecting with a site collection address will allow you to merge a source site into it, copy site objects from another site, or copy subsites to the site collection hierarchy.
Connecting with the site collection address will require you to navigate down the hierarchy if you want to access a list or library.