All Microsoft 365 files and folders can be restored in place.

Outlook, Calendar, In-Place Archive, and OneDrive folders can also be restored to folder. This means that the data will be restored to a newly created separate folder in Microsoft 365. 

When you restore in place, what will happen to duplicate items depends on what data you restore. 

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In-place restore

By default, all items are restored in place. Certain items can also be restored to folder (see below).

Will items be deleted?

When performing an Item Restore, items present in Microsoft but not in the snapshot you are restoring from will not be deleted. 

Exchange

Modified items (same item but with different timestamps) will be added to Exchange. These items will not be renamed because they have their own unique IDs and receive new IDs each time they are restored.

Exchange timestamps


If you are restoring an email from the Sent Items folder, the timestamp in the Outlook web app on the restored email will reflect the original timestamp, but the email will be returned to the top of the Sent Items folder as if it was sent out today.

OneDrive

Modified items (same item but with different timestamps) will be overwritten.

OneDrive timestamps

  • In connectors created before the release of Keepit 4.7.0 (October 2021), OneDrive files are restored with the original modification time, but the creation time will reflect time of restore. Folders are restored with the date of restore.
  • In connectors created after the release of Keepit 4.7.0 (October 2021), OneDrive files and folders are restored with the original modification and creation time.


SharePoint

Restoring in place brings the SharePoint site back to its original location by overwriting the original site.

SharePoint site items

  • If files (including site pages) in your Document Library or Views of Lists and Document Libraries with the same name already exist in SharePoint, they will be overwritten with the data in the snapshot.
  • If items in your Lists with the same ID (regardless if the names are the same or different) already exist in SharePoint, they will be overwritten with the data in the snapshot.
  • If a subsite ID in SharePoint differs from the subsite ID in the snapshot (for example, if the subsite was previously lost and created), the subsite will be skipped. 
  • If the quick launch menu of a site in SharePoint differs from the one in the snapshot, it will be overwritten by the menu in the snapshot.

SharePoint timestamps

SharePoint files will be restored with original timestamps only if metadata is included in the SharePoint advanced backup settings.

  • In connectors created before the release of Keepit 5.2.0 (May 2022), SharePoint files and list items are restored with the original modification and creation time, folders with data of restore. Folders are restored with the date of restore.
  • In connectors created after the release of Keepit 5.2.0 (May 2022), SharePoint files, folders, and list items are restored with the original modification and creation time.


Groups & Teams

When a group is restored, the service account used for the backup will become an owner of the group and accordingly will be backed up as such in the next backup. 

Files
Modified files (same item but with different timestamps) will be overwritten.

Calendar events
Modified events (same item but with different timestamps) will be added to the Calendar.

Plan tasks
Modified items (same item but with different timestamps) will be skipped.

Group Conversations
Modified items (same item but with different timestamps) will be skipped.

Channel posts
Modified posts (same item but with different timestamps) will be added to Teams.

Groups & Teams timestamps

All Groups & Teams items will be restored with the date and time of the restore. 


To new folder 

Mail, Calendar, In-Place Archives, and OneDrive folders can also be restored to folder. This means that the data will be restored to a newly created separate folder in Microsoft 365. 

If you select to restore To new folder, a new folder will be created where all the data will be restored to. The folder will be found at the root level of your Mail, Calendar, In-Place Archive, or OneDrive and named "Keepit_Restore_[date of restore]." 

Will items be deleted?

Mail, Calendar, In-Place Archives, and OneDrive Items present in Microsoft but not in the snapshot you are restoring will not be deleted.