Folder Structure Analyzer GPT

Written By Andrew Mccollum

Internal folder structures often grow wild over time. Whether you are prepping for a file migration, conducting a MAD (Migrate, Archive, Delete) analysis, or auditing your content, the first step is usually the same: understanding what is actually in the folders.

That is where our free Folder Structure Analyzer custom GPT comes in. It takes any plain-text folder tree and instantly turns it into a clean, exportable CSV or JSON table. Perfect for reporting, auditing, or prepping data for migration tools.

Try Folder Structure Analyzer GPT

Here is why we built it, how it works, and how you can use it today.

Feature Highlight: Folder Structure Analyzer GPT

What it is

Folder Structure Analyzer is a Custom GPT Agent we built to convert indented folder tree dumps into structured tables.

You give it a text-based folder tree like this:

|-- Projects |-- Alpha |-- README.md |-- src |-- main.py |-- Beta |-- docs |-- spec.docx

It returns a CSV or JSON table like this:

LevelNameParentPath0ProjectsProjects1AlphaProjectsProjects/Alpha2README.mdAlphaProjects/Alpha/README.md2srcAlphaProjects/Alpha/src3main.pysrcProjects/Alpha/src/main.py1BetaProjectsProjects/Beta2docsBetaProjects/Beta/docs3spec.docxdocsProjects/Beta/docs/spec.docx

Why it matters

If you have ever run a MAD analysis, planned a SharePoint migration, or needed to explain folder sprawl to a client, you know how painful it can be to get usable folder structure data.

Traditional tools like tree dumps or Explorer exports are not structured. They look fine for humans but are terrible for Excel, Power BI, or content audits.

This GPT solves that:

  • Saves hours of cleanup when prepping folder data

  • Works with any text-based tree dump (Windows tree, Linux/macOS tree, PowerShell scripts, Robocopy logs, manually formatted lists)

  • Outputs clean CSV or JSON, ready to analyze or import into migration planning tools

  • No local install required. Just run it in ChatGPT.

Real-world use cases

We built Folder Structure Analyzer originally to support SharePoint migration projects.

Example uses so far:

  • Creating structured folder inventories for SharePoint content mapping workshops

  • Helping clients visualize large, nested file shares during MAD analysis

  • Feeding the output directly into migration planning spreadsheets

  • Cross-checking actual file server structures against documented governance models

A recent client with a 2 TB file server said this tool saved 2 days of manual work for their IT team during the inventory stage.

How to get started

1. Generate a Folder Tree Text Dump

On Windows (with PowerShell):
You can use this PowerShell script to generate a clean, indented folder tree:

powershell

CopyEdit

# Define root folder path $rootPath = "C:\Path\To\Your\Folder" # Define output file path $outputFile = "C:\Path\To\Your\FolderTree.txt" # Function to recursively write the tree function Write-Tree { param ( [string]$path, [int]$level ) $indent = ("| " * $level) + "|-- " # Write current folder name $folderName = Split-Path $path -Leaf Add-Content -Path $outputFile -Value "$indent$folderName" # Write files in current folder Get-ChildItem -Path $path -File | ForEach-Object { $fileIndent = ("| " * ($level + 1)) + "|-- " Add-Content -Path $outputFile -Value "$fileIndent$($_.Name)" } # Recurse into subfolders Get-ChildItem -Path $path -Directory | ForEach-Object { Write-Tree -path $_.FullName -level ($level + 1) } } # Clear output file if it exists if (Test-Path $outputFile) { Remove-Item $outputFile } # Start the tree generation Write-Tree -path $rootPath -level 0 Write-Host "Folder tree export completed. Output saved to $outputFile"

2. Copy the Tree Dump

  • Open the generated FolderTree.txt in Notepad or any text editor.

  • Select all, copy the content.

3. Paste into the GPT

4. Get the Output

  • The GPT will return a CSV or JSON table.

  • Copy the output into Excel, Power BI, or any analysis tool.

👉 Pro tip:
Start with a smaller test folder first. Once you confirm it is working as expected, analyze your larger content sets.

Rollout & Next Steps

  • Use it for content migration planning (SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive).

  • Use it for MAD analysis and content clean-up projects.

  • Share it with your IT team or migration consultants.

  • Combine with Power BI to visualize folder depth and sprawl.

  • Provide feedback, we are continuously improving the tool.

Conclusion

We built Folder Structure Analyzer to solve a simple but annoying problem: getting structured folder data from messy tree dumps.

If you are doing SharePoint migrations, Teams cleanups, or IT audits, this tool can save hours and give you a professional result in seconds.

👉 Give it a try here and start turning those unruly folder trees into clean data today.

Andrew Mccollum
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