Tips for Migrating from G Suite to Office 365

Any IT admin leaving Google’s G Suite for Microsoft’s Office 365 knows that there are some significant differences between these software-as-a-service (SaaS) productivity platforms. As a result, migrating data from Google to O365 requires some careful planning that may not be explicitly addressed in the official Microsoft Office 365 Onboarding Guide.

To ensure your G Suite data isn’t lost in translation, we’ve outlined the best practices for IT admins managing the migration from Google Apps to O365. No matter what third-party tools or services you employ to move your data from Google’s cloud to Microsoft’s online office suite, this guide will help you avoid the common pitfalls and problems associated with G Suite to Office 365 migrations.

Before you begin a migration between Google’s G Suite and Microsoft’s Office 365, you’ll need to answer four key questions. Your answers to these questions will determine the type and scope of your migration. Having these answers firmly in place before the migration process begins will prevent problems down the road.

Migrating Email, or Everything?

Let’s be honest: most migrations to Office 365 are all about Microsoft Outlook. Some organizations simply can’t live without the world’s most famous desktop email application. As such, many G Suite to Office 365 migrations are simply Gmail to Outlook and Exchange online migrations. This is doubly true in mixed-vendor environments where OpenOffice is used instead of Google Docs, or Box or Dropbox are used instead of Google Drive.

Bottom line: are you moving everything to Office 365, or just your email solution? If you’re moving more than email, is all of it coming out of Google Apps, or does data need to be migrated from additional platforms? Be certain you know the answers to those questions before you begin your migration. You’d be surprised how often specific locations, departments, or even individuals use alternate software that IT didn’t know about. Otherwise, you will run the risk of leaving data behind.

DIY, or Partner Migration?

There are a number of third-party services and consultancies out there that specialize in migrating data into Office 365. If your business works with a Managed Service Provider (MSP), he/she may offer to manage the project or at least to assist. If you’re going to involve a third party, make the decision beforehand, as the cost and complexity of bringing in a consultant mid-migration will be much higher.