Migrate Content for ArcGIS Enterprise/ArcGIS Online

[#1]

It's always a good practice to have a DEV/STAGING environment along with a PRODUCTION environment for ArcGIS Enterprise. I frequently get asked how to migrate content from one to the other.  Hosted services can be straight forward, and can easily be scripted (expect an update later to this toolset for this functionality), but referenced services can be rather difficult. For example, there are numerous prerequisites that are required for a service to be published from an Enterprise Geodatabase, such as:

• does the ArcGIS Service Account have necessary privileges
• is the geodatabase registered with the ArcGIS Server instance
• does the feature class in fact exist within the new geodatabase
• etc

These tools pick up once your services have been published to the other environment and you would like to begin migrating web maps, apps, and dashboards. Take a look at the video below on how to execute these tools.

These tools should only be used to migrate web maps/apps where the environments are the same version (i.e. 11.1).  Migrating content between two ArcGIS Online organizations is also supported.

Currently, these tools have only been tested in ArcGIS Enterprise 11.1 and ArcGIS Online. If there are any issues, please report in the comment section below.

Migrating Referenced Services:

Updates

1/16/24:  Added tools to copy hosted feature services and file based items.

1/29/24:  Added option to run when portal has Windows Authentication enabled.  Also, updated the Copy Dashboard tool to specify stand-alone layers.

2/12/24:  Web Map item IDs now update

3/28/24:  Added tool to copy Story Maps

6/30/24:  Group layers and tables are now supported when copying web maps

7/10/24: Experience Builder Templates are now supported

5/1/25:  Web Scenes are now supported

6/14/25:  Updated for ArcGIS API 2.4.1

10/6/25:  Referenced services are now supported

10/28/25:  Hosted Views and Surveys are now supported

Known Issues

• If hosted feature services exist in Enterprise, they will not successfully overwrite when executing the Copy Hosted Feature Services tool.  Will successfully overwrite in AGOL.  Possible bug with ArcGIS API for Python
• After Story Map is copied to Enterprise, the Story Map must first be opened in Edit mode and published before it can be successfully viewed.  This is not the case for AGOL.  Possible bug with ArcGIS API for Python

[ebpip]

@JakeSkinner I am not seeing any new view created on the other account.  This is all within AGOL.  From one organiztional account to another.

[JakeSkinner]

@ebpip can you share the feature service and view to a group and invite my AGOl account (jskinner_rats)?

[ebpip]

@JakeSkinner Thanks, I've share a group with the hosted and view layer.

[JakeSkinner]

@ebpip I made some updates to the Copy Views and it should work now.  I noticed that there are issues with it if you the feature service has been copied to the Target environment using the Copy Hosted Services tool.  The view will be created, but it will be blank.  Not quite sure what is causing this.  I'm currently testing with the latest ArcGIS for Python API 2.4.2.

So, you may need to publish the hosted feature service to the target environment using ArcGIS Pro.

[NicolasRoux]

Hi Jake,

I'm working with ArcGIS Enterprise 11.5 and testing the tool for copying referenced services.

Users have the necessary permissions for the various GIS resources: NAS, server, etc.

The source and target ArcGIS Enterprise instances are federated between their machines.

But I encounter this error:

Copy Referenced Services
=====================
Tool Path

D:\my\path\tothetoolbox\Migrate Content.atbx\CopyReferencedServices
=====================
Settings

Source Portal URL https://hostname/portal
Source Portal Windows Authentication Enabled false
Source Admin Username portaladmin
Source Admin Password *****
Source User someone@organization.my
Content serviceI - Map Service - id whatever
Enterprise Geodatabase 'SERVER=db, DATABASE=schema user, USER=user schema' 'D:\connection.sde'
File Geodatabase
Shapefiles
Target Portal https://target_hostname/portal
Target Portal Windows Authentication Enabled false
Target Admin Username portaladmin
Target Admin Password *****
Target Owner portaladmin
Target Folder Test
Target ArcGIS Server Instance https://target_hostname/server
Target ArcGIS Server Folder Test
=====================
Messages

Start Time: Friday, March 13, 2026 4:36:28 PM
Signing into source portal
Signing into target portal
Current user xyzx does not have access to \\machine\\\storage_files\dir\arcgisserver\directories\argissystem\arcgisinput\name\service.MapServer\extracted\p30\service.msd
Failed script Copy Referenced Services...
Failed to execute (CopyReferencedServices).
Failed on Friday, March 13, 2026, 4:36:34 PM (Elapsed Time: 5.71 seconds)

Is there a restriction on my end regarding the script's execution?

I'm surprised by the path given to read the MSD file, given that it's stored on this network volume.

Can you shed some light on this?

I can provide further information if needed.

Thank you

[JakeSkinner]

@NicolasRoux on the machine where you running the tool, add the path mentioned in the error as a folder connection to Pro.  There should be a MAPX file there.  Are you able to successfully import this file into ArcGIS Pro?

[ebpip]

@JakeSkinner Thanks for the help.  I'll try to copy the view again today.  Appreciate it!

[NicolasRoux]

@JakeSkinner : the machine can't reach the file targeted. That's the point to do : open the path to the .mapx file.

I'll keep you updated.

[LlamasObservatorioEcuatoriano]

Problema:
Estoy migrando contenido entre dos organizaciones de ArcGIS Online usando la toolbox Migrate Content. Primero ejecuto Copy Hosted Feature Services y el Feature Layer se copia correctamente en el destino con una nueva URL. Luego uso Copy Web Map configurando el Previous Service URL y el New Service URL.

Resultado:
El proceso termina como “Succeeded”, pero el Web Map copiado sigue apuntando al servicio original en lugar del nuevo. Esto se confirma tanto en “Elementos utilizados” como en el JSON del mapa.

Pregunta:
¿Existen casos en que Copy Web Map no reemplaza las URLs? ¿Se requiere coincidencia exacta (encoding, sublayers, etc.) o hay limitaciones conocidas?

[JakeSkinner]

Hi @LlamasObservatorioEcuatoriano,

¿Es esto reproducible con todos los mapas web?

[DavidMarquette]

On some of my experience builder apps I am getting this when selecting the content:

\Migrate Content\Migrate Content.atbx\CopyExperienceBuilderApp.tool\tool.script.validate.py", line 177, in updateParameters
KeyError: 'utilities'

I believe its error-ing when trying to fill out the "Other Content" urls.  Any suggestions?  11.3

[JakeSkinner]

@DavidMarquette re-download the tools and give those a try.

[DavidMarquette]

That did it!  Thanks!