Recently, I have been extensively working with SharePoint and the Patterns and Practices (PnP) PowerShell module. PnP has significantly simplified various tasks by providing easy-to-use command sets and thorough documentation. One particular task that PnP has made straightforward is copying a footer from one SharePoint site to another. This process can be achieved with just a few commands.
Why Use PnP PowerShell?
PnP PowerShell is a set of cmdlets designed to work with SharePoint Online and SharePoint on-premises. It simplifies the management and automation of common tasks and provides commands for nearly every aspect of SharePoint administration. The PnP module is especially useful for tasks that would otherwise require complex scripting or manual intervention.
Copying a Footer with PnP PowerShell
To copy a footer from one SharePoint site to another, follow these steps. This process involves exporting the footer template from the source site in XML format and then applying it to the destination site. The good news is that this also takes care of any logos included in the footer section.
Prerequisites
Ensure you have the PnP PowerShell module installed. If you haven't installed it yet, you can do so using the following command.
Install-Module -Name PnP.PowerShell
Steps
- Prompt for Source and Destination URLs: Begin by prompting for the source and destination site URLs. These URLs are required to connect to the respective SharePoint sites.
- Connect to the Source Site: Use the Connect-PnPOnline cmdlet to authenticate and connect to the source site.
- Export the Footer Template: Use the Get-PnPSiteTemplate cmdlet to export the footer template from the source site and save it as an XML file.
- Connect to the Destination Site: Authenticate and connect to the destination site using the Connect-PnPOnline cmdlet.
- Apply the Footer Template: Use the Invoke-PnPSiteTemplate cmdlet to apply the exported footer template to the destination site.
Here is how the script looks.
$sourceURL = Read-Host "Enter Source Site URL"
$DestinationURL = Read-Host "Enter Destination Site URL"
Connect-PnPOnline -Url $sourceURL -Interactive
Get-PnPSiteTemplate -Handlers SiteFooter -Out footer.xml
Connect-PnPOnline -Url $DestinationURL -Interactive
Invoke-PnPSiteTemplate -path footer.xml
Explanation of Commands
- Read-Host "Enter Source Site URL": Prompts the user to enter the URL of the source SharePoint site.
- Read-Host "Enter Destination Site URL": Prompts the user to enter the URL of the destination SharePoint site.
- Connect-PnPOnline -Url $sourceURL -Interactive: Connects to the source site using an interactive login.
- Get-PnPSiteTemplate -Handlers SiteFooter -Out footer.xml: Exports the footer template from the source site and saves it as footer.xml.
- Connect-PnPOnline -Url $DestinationURL -Interactive: Connects to the destination site using an interactive login.
- Invoke-PnPSiteTemplate -path footer.xml: Applies the exported footer template to the destination site.
Conclusion
With the help of PnP PowerShell, copying footers between SharePoint sites is a quick and efficient process. By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your SharePoint sites maintain a consistent footer design, including logos and other elements.
For more details and possible parameters for the commands, refer to the PnP documentation.
Happy SharePointing!
Regards
Keyur Pandya
Connect with me on LinkedIn.