How to Migrate to Microsoft 365 or Office 365
Microsoft 365 offers more tools and services in a single package than many of its competitors, making it an appealing choice for solo entrepreneurs and small businesses.
In addition, many companies already use Microsoft tools, such as the Windows operating system on their computers and Office applications. Microsoft 365 offers seamless integration with these tools, simplifying workflows and improving user experience.
Whether you want to transition from Google Workspace (formerly G Suite), GoDaddy Office, or personal accounts to Microsoft 365 or Office 365, it's important to understand how to prepare for the transition and what to expect throughout the process.
This article will guide you step-by-step, from the initial planning stages to evaluating the results and decommissioning your old system. Our guide explains how you can prepare for the transition, migrate multiple email accounts to Microsoft 365, and ensure that the changes do not disrupt the daily operations of your business. You can use this article as an Office 365 migration checklist to avoid common pitfalls during your transition.
Office 365 is the historical name of the business Microsoft 365 package. In this article, we use the terms "Office 365" and "Microsoft 365" interchangeably.
Plan your Microsoft 365 migration
Planning is a crucial aspect of the migration process. A thorough migration plan can help you prevent unnecessary tasks, address potential issues before they impact your daily operations, and ensure you know what will happen next.
During the planning stage, consider doing the following:
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Determine what types of data you will be migrating.
Some organizations need to migrate only email accounts, while others may need to transfer drive files, contacts, and calendars, too. Decide what services you will use in Microsoft 365 and whether you want to transfer all the existing content.
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Decide how many users you will be migrating.
First, create a list of all active and inactive accounts. Then, decide which user accounts will remain functional in Microsoft 365 and which can be left behind. Remember that while you may no longer be using some of the old mailboxes, you may need to retain them for future reference anyway. In this case, you can migrate them all into one archival mailbox in the destination.
Additionally, it would be helpful to review the contents of smaller accounts in your organization. If a small account contains little to no useful content, you may decide not to migrate it at all.
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Decide when you will migrate users and how much time you may need.
While migration of 1-3 accounts can be completed over a weekend, larger organizations typically have more complex scenarios and need more time. It's best to begin the process early and allow extra time for unexpected delays.
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If you have a domain, decide whether to keep or change it.
You can switch email service providers without changing the domain (i.e., your existing domain can continue working when you switch to Microsoft 365). However, you will also have the option of changing it. If you choose to change the domain, make a purchase before setting up a migration.
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Select your subscription and decide how many user licenses you need.
Microsoft 365 offers several plans for businesses starting from $6 per user per month. You can even use Microsoft's tool for selecting the ideal plan for your needs. To begin, navigate to this page: Find the right plan for your business.
Decide on the Microsoft 365 / Office 365 migration service
After you've drafted a basic transition plan, you must decide how you want to migrate user data.
There are two approaches to transferring user data to Microsoft 365: using a paid third-party service such as VaultMe for Admins or utilizing Microsoft's free migration products.
The following factors may affect your decision:
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Ease of use.
Microsoft's native migration tools tend to require more manual work and offer limited flexibility, making the process more cumbersome. Third-party solutions, in contrast, often provide more user-friendly interfaces with automated processes, reducing the need for manual effort. If your team has limited technical expertise, a third-party solution might be the best fit for your needs.
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The scope of your migration.
If you're dealing with large volumes of data or multiple types of content like emails, calendars, and files, third-party tools are often better suited for handling complex scenarios.
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Reliability of the tool and available support channels.
While Microsoft's free tools may work for more straightforward migrations, they may not be as effective in handling larger, more intricate projects as third-party tools. Additionally, support for free tools is limited. Third-party solutions, like VaultMe for Admins, generally offer dedicated support that is available even during weekends and holidays.
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Cost considerations.
Microsoft tools are included with a Microsoft 365 subscription, meaning there is no extra cost for basic migrations. Third-party tools are usually paid services, and prices vary based on factors such as the number of users and the migration’s complexity. While third-party tools come at a cost, they can save time and reduce the risk of errors, making them worth the investment for more complex migrations.
In this article, we are comparing VaultMe for Admins with Microsoft's free migration services, but there are other tools out there that may work for your project as well.
Option 1: Migrate to Microsoft 365 or Office 365 using VaultMe for Admins
VaultMe for Admins is an automated migration tool for transferring emails, drive files, contacts, and calendars between online accounts. It helps businesses migrate data between different online platforms. VaultMe is a popular choice for Office 365 to Office 365 migrations as well as migrations from Google Workspace to Office 365.
Pros of VaultMe for Admins:
- Supports a wide range of email service providers
- Supports file migrations from Google Workspace and Microsoft OneDrive accounts
- Allows users to be migrated in easy-to-manage batches
- Ensures accurate results, even for accounts containing extra-large amounts of data
- Provides real-time updates on the migration status
- Includes free sync-ups for 30 days after the migration completion date
- Generates comprehensive migration reports for each user account
- Includes dedicated premium support
Cons:
- Paid service
Learn how you can benefit from using VaultMe for your migration project: VaultMe for Business.
Instructions for setting up a VaultMe for Admins migration will be provided in one of the next sections of this guide.
Option 2: Migrate to Microsoft 365 or Office 365 with Microsoft's free migration tools
Microsoft offers several free applications for migrating user content, including the IMAP mailbox migration tool and Microsoft Migration Manager for drive files migrations.
To learn more about Microsoft's free tools for migrating email accounts, see this article: Ways to migrate multiple email accounts to Microsoft 365 or Office 365.
For advanced deployment guides, refer to this guide: Advanced deployment guides for Microsoft 365 and Office 365 products.
Pros:
- Free services
Cons:
- Different types of content need to be transferred separately
- A lot of manual work is required to set up migration for multiple users
- Large accounts may fail to transfer accurately
- No dedicated support
VaultMe does not provide support for migrations using Microsoft's native services. Contact Microsoft for Business support with questions about Microsoft's migration tools or your account(s) configuration.
Prepare for the transition
Now that you’ve selected your migration tool, you can start preparing for your transition.
Here’s what you need to do:
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Sign up for Microsoft 365.
To begin, navigate to Microsoft 365 for Business. During the sign-up process, you will be expected to provide information about your organization and add your domain. After adding the domain, set up the admin account (you can use Microsoft's official training video on YouTube if you need any help: What is a Microsoft 365 admin and what do they do?) and configure the security settings of your Microsoft 365 account by adding SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
If you are not changing your domain name and user email addresses, do not change the MX records at this point. Otherwise, new emails will start arriving in Outlook immediately, and your old email accounts will stop working.
Signing up for Microsoft 365 and configuring the admin account are essential tasks that may require more time than expected. Plan at least several days for this.
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Create and activate user accounts.
Remember that Microsoft 365 user accounts are not fully functional immediately after you create them. You or your users need to sign in to their OneDrive accounts before migration to activate them. For instructions on activating OneDrive for user accounts as an admin, see this article: Pre-provision OneDrive for users in your organization.
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Ensure that users with large accounts have sufficient storage space in Microsoft 365.
By default, Microsoft 365 business users have 50 GB (sometimes 100 GB) of free Outlook storage space and 1 TB of OneDrive storage space. If some users have over 50 GB of email and 1 TB of Drive files in the source accounts, modify their storage limits in Microsoft 365 before the migration.
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Notify users of the change.
Let users know that your company will be moving to Microsoft 365 soon and explain what will change. Additionally, instruct them to minimize using their accounts during the migration process on the scheduled days.
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Back up any critical data (optional).
While neither VaultMe for Admins nor Microsoft's native migration services delete the content in the source accounts, it's a good practice to back up any critical data during the transition period.
Transfer user data
To minimize disruptions to daily operations, we suggest transferring user data over the weekend. Before starting the migration, make sure all essential tasks are completed, users are notified of the schedule, and backups are created.
Option 1: Transfer your organization’s data with VaultMe for Admins
To transfer email accounts to Office 365 / Microsoft 365:
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Access the app.
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Select “Migrate or archive multiple user accounts (advanced).”
How to sign up for VaultMe for Admins (If you have only one or two user accounts, you can use VaultMe for Individuals and migrate your accounts one by one. In this case, select “Migrate a single user account to another account” to be redirected.)
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Create your VaultMe for Admins account.
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Select your source and destination service providers. If your source email service provider is not listed among the popular accounts, select “IMAP.” For the destination service provider, select “Microsoft 365.”
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Decide how you want to connect your source accounts. For some service providers, you may be limited to connecting each source account manually.
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Connect your destination accounts. We recommend using domain authorization for Microsoft 365.
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Create a migration plan by adding user accounts.
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Select what types of content you want to copy. If you are migrating from IMAP accounts, you can only copy emails. If you are migrating to Microsoft 365 from Google Workspace or another Microsoft 365 account, you will be able to copy Drive files, contacts, and calendars as well.
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Decide if you want to merge the copied content with the content in the destination accounts or put it into a separate folder.
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Review the fee totals and proceed to checkout. Our prices are outlined on this page: VaultMe's Pricing. Refer to the VaultMe for Admins pricing.
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Start your migration. Feel free to close your browser or even turn off your computer.
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Check back to see the progress of your migration (optional). You’ll receive an email notification when it's complete.
After your migration finishes, you will have 30 days to sync changes between the accounts if needed.
Option 2: Transfer user data using Microsoft's migration tools
Use the following resources:
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For instructions on migrating user mailboxes, see Ways to migrate multiple email accounts to Microsoft 365 or Office 365.
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For instructions on using Microsoft Migration Manager to transfer files to OneDrive, refer How to use Migration Manager.
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For advanced deployment guides, refer to Advanced deployment guides for Microsoft 365 and Office 365 products.
VaultMe does not provide support for migrations using Microsoft's native services. Contact Microsoft for Business support with questions about these tools or your ongoing migration.
After you migrate data to Microsoft 365 or Office 365
After completing the migration of user content, consider taking the following actions:
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Evaluate the results of the migration.
Compare the data in the source accounts with the migration results in the destination accounts. If you’ve used VaultMe for Admins to transfer user data, download the migration reports. These reports contain complete lists of all items copied to the destination and their locations in the old and new accounts. Keep these reports for future reference.
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Train your users.
Before fully switching to Microsoft 365, check if your users are comfortable with the new service and know how to use its features. Training users before making the switch will help you avoid disruptions in daily work. You can use the following learning materials to help your team get themselves familiar with the new service: Microsoft 365 basics video training.
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Update DNS records.
When you are ready to switch to Microsoft 365, modify your domain’s DNS records to point to Microsoft 365. After you update the DNS records in your registrar’s account, emails will start arriving in Outlook.
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Finalize Microsoft 365 settings.
Adjust any final settings in Microsoft 365, such as adding the company logo and setting up email forwarding, auto-replies, and signatures. You may also choose to create shared libraries for collaboration at this stage.
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Decommission the old system.
Avoid deleting your source accounts immediately after the migration. First, ensure that you are happy with the results of the migration and nothing has been overlooked. The best practice is to wait 30-60 days before permanently deleting the old system.
Frequently asked questions about migrations to Microsoft 365
What is the best migration tool for Microsoft 365?
Each migration project is different, so the choice of the migration tool will depend on many factors, including the scope of your project and the availability of resources (time, budget, experience of the person performing the migration). Free options are available, although they come with many limitations and different paid third-party tools. VaultMe is one of the paid tools that can migrate your user mailboxes, contacts, files, and calendars to Microsoft 365.
Why migrate from Google to Office 365?
The choice often comes down to personal preference or specific needs. Many people have grown up using Microsoft applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and this familiarity can make the transition to Microsoft 365 easier. Organizations that rely on a broader suite of Microsoft products, such as Windows Server, Active Directory, and Azure, often find it easier to work within the Microsoft 365 ecosystem due to its seamless integration. Ultimately, the choice is highly individualized, and each platform has its own strengths that appeal to different user types and work styles.
Can I transfer my Google domain to Microsoft 365?
You can continue using the domain purchased through Google with your Microsoft 365 account. The following article provides instructions: Connect your domain to Office 365. However, you cannot transfer your domain subscription from one service provider to another.
What are the top problems when migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365?
The answer depends on the migration service that you choose. For example, metadata such as file creation dates, can be lost or altered during migration if you choose to use free tools.
Another concern is compatibility of file formats. Native Google formats need to be converted to Microsoft Office-compatible formats, and not all tools retain the formatting of the documents during migration.
Other issues include not allocating sufficient storage space to users and not activating their OneDrive prior to the migration, which can extend the migration time and require manual intervention. However, with proper preparation, these issues can be prevented.
What is the Microsoft equivalent of Google Workspace?
Microsoft's equivalent to Google Workspace is a Microsoft 365 package. Microsoft 365 can be purchased for personal use (with or without a personal domain) and for business. Office 365 is the legacy name of the business package.
Additional resources
To find learning content for your team, use Microsoft's learning portal: Small Business Help & learning.
For easy-to-follow video resources on using your Microsoft 365 subscription, see Microsoft's YouTube channel: Microsoft 365 Help for Small Businesses.
If you are having trouble setting up a Microsoft 365 account, refer to Microsoft's official guide for instructions: Set up Microsoft 365 for business.
If you have a question that you’d like to discuss with Microsoft experts or fellow admins, join the Microsoft Community.
Related articles
If you are a Microsoft 365 administrator looking for a mailbox migration tool, explore the options outlined in our guide: How to Choose an Email Migration Tool.
Want to transfer OneDrive to another account? See VaultMe's guide for instructions: How to Transfer OneDrive Files and Folders to Another OneDrive Account.
Planning to switch from Gmail to Outlook? Learn more about your options from our article: Migrate Gmail to Outlook in Two Ways.
Need to migrate Google Drive files to OneDrive? Available options are explained in this article: For Ways to Migrate Google Drive to OneDrive.
Considering using Google Takeout to migrate from OneDrive to Google Drive? Learn more about the pros and cons of this method: Alternative to Google Takeout.