Your Ultimate Roadmap to G Suite to Microsoft 365 Migration

Businesses always try to find solutions that boost their productivity as well as collaboration. Google Workspace and Office 365 are two popular platforms businesses consider due to their exclusive features. Even though both of these platforms have similar benefits for the users, Microsoft 365 has an edge over G Suite because of its advanced security and features. This is why businesses are shifting towards Office 365 to promote their business efficiency.

However, migrating data from G Suite to Microsoft 365 is not something you can rush into just after making a decision for the migration. You need to plan the strategy step by step to avoid challenges and mistakes that might otherwise cost you resources and money. This article provides you with a detailed guide that explains the ultimate roadmap you should follow to migrate from G Suite to Microsoft 365.

How to migrate Google Workspace to Office 365?

The process of migrating data from Google Workspace to Office 365 is categorized into three stages: pre-migration assessment, strategizing & preparation, and migration & maintenance. Each stage includes a set of activities required to perform a smooth data transfer with zero hassles and data loss. Let’s learn about these phases in detail.

Pre-migration Assessment

It includes all the activities that you complete even before starting the migration planning. This helps you build a strategy that supports smooth migration. Here’s a detailed explanation of what you need to do:

Analysis of the source environment

Start the process with the analysis of the source environment. Find out the number of source users, mailboxes, and the amount of storage their saved data occupies. Identify the structure and hierarchy in which your Google Workspace accounts are organized to map them into the destination easily.

Take inventory of the source data

Identifying the amount of data stored in the source helps you plan the migration accordingly. Your next steps in the process include:

1. Determine all the data stored within the source G Suite user accounts.

2. Categorize data into irrelevant/outdated/ duplicate and necessary.

3. Get rid of all the duplicate and unnecessary content to create storage.

This will help you organize the source environment, allowing you to migrate the data effortlessly.

Strategizing and Preparation

In this step, you need to prepare the destination to accommodate data after the migration. Here are the steps that this stage requires:

Prepare the destination

Use the admin account and sign in to Office 365 to prepare the destination. Create the same number of users as in the Google Workspace. Assign the users with the licenses, mailboxes, and storage space enough to handle the migrated data and the future growth.

Once you’ve created the required users, grant them the necessary permissions and map the source (Google Workspace) to the destination (Office 365).

Communicate and train

The next important step is to inform the users as well as the stakeholders about the change way before you start with the process. It provides them with enough time to learn about the new platform and train on how to use it with ease once the transfer is completed.

Choose the right migration solution

There are native methods available to support the shift, however, the best way to migrate from Google Workspace to Office 365 is with a professional Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration tool. With the right migration solution, you can transfer the data without experiencing any data loss. Moreover, you can migrate bulk data, preserving the hierarchy and permissions.

Migration & Maintenance

To start with the migration, you first need to test the migration process so that you can identify the errors and eliminate them before time. Take a batch of data and run multiple pilot migrations until no errors are found.

Now, you can simply transfer the data without any worries. After the data transfer, you must continuously track the way users are interacting with the new environment. This will help you detect any unusual activity and errors, allowing you to resolve them in real-time.

ConclusionWith the right action plan, you can execute a smooth G Suite to Office 365 migration. Follow this article step by step to find an approach that keeps you ahead while staying organized and on the same page as your users. For better results and migration with accuracy, use Kernel Google Workspace to Office 365 migration tool. The tool allows you to easily move primary, archive, and shared mailboxes from G Suite to Office 365.

Xanthe Clay is a highly skilled Technical Content Writer at Kernel Data Recovery, headquartered in New York, USA. With over 6 years of professional experience, she has established authority in the domain of cloud migration technologies.