Sakai 25 - Site Info: How do I copy content from one site to another (i.e., import from site)?
This help document for Sakai Demo is under revision. For assistance with the current version of Sakai, see Sakai 23 Help.
Sakai at PLU will be upgraded from version 23 to version 25 on August 22, 2026. For more details, see: How can I prepare for the Sakai upgrade?
How do I copy content from one site to another (i.e., import from site)?
When you create new Sakai sites, you may want to copy content such as Lessons pages, Resources, Announcements, and Assignments from an older site into your new site. The Import from Site tab in Site Info allows you to select content from one or more tools from an older site and copy the content into the new site.
After the import is complete, you may then want to use the Date Manager to revise old due dates, availability dates, and other date-related fields.
Note: The Site Info tool’s Import from Site feature does not copy instances of external tools. If desired in a site, such instances may need to be added manually.
Click the "I would like to merge my data" link.
For most situations, we recommend clicking the first option: "I would like to merge my data." This preserves any content you already have added to your new course while merging it with content from your older course. Note that the second option, "I would like to replace my data," can be a destructive process, destroying content you may have already placed in your site.
Replace data:
- overrides all existing content, including new template pages and tools, in favor or copied content
- may work best for subsequent uses of standard or minimal template or to preserve prior site design
Merge data:
- imports prior content while retaining new template pages and tools
- may work best for first time use of standard or minimal template
Select the course you want to copy from.
Select the site you want to copy content from from the list of sites.
Click Continue.

Click the Continue button.
Choose the material you would like to copy.
- You can use the checkbox at the top of the right column to select content from all tools from the site.
- You can check the boxes to the right of each tool to select specific tools to be copied.
- Some tools may have items that can be granularly copied as opposed to copying all content from that tool. Such tools have a chevron displayed to the left of the tool name. Clicking this chevron will expand the list of tool content that can be copied and discretely selected.
- Selecting the copying of Gradebook content to be copied also selects Gradebook's settings (e.g., grade scale, categories if used, etc.) to be copied by default. The settings can be deselected from copying by unchecking the Gradebook's Copy Settings box.
- The copying of permission settings for a given tool, if supported, must be explicitly selected if desired to be copied.
If a tool is not active in the current site, the tool will have a + mark to indicate that it will be added to the current site if selected for import.
Note: For each tool selected, all of the content for that tool will be copied into the new course.
Click Finish.

Once you have made your tool selections, click Finish to complete the import.
Note: The content import process may take a while depending on how much content you have, or if your institution has a queue for course imports on the server. Please wait for the process to finish.




