Migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365: How to Switch Without Losing Email or Files

In short:

• Mail, calendars and contacts move with Microsoft's migration tools; Gmail labels become folders.
• Google Drive and shared drives go to OneDrive and SharePoint; Google documents become Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.
• Google Forms, Sites and Apps Script do not transfer automatically - they need a separate solution.
• Email is switched by changing the DNS records at a planned time, and Google Workspace stays active until you have checked that everything is in place.

When moving to Microsoft 365 makes sense

The switch is worth it when at least one of these is true for you:

• You work mainly with Word and Excel files - spreadsheets with macros, templates, documents from clients and accounting.
• Your company computers run Windows and you want to manage them centrally - settings, updates, protection, wiping data from a lost laptop.
• You want one account for everything: computer sign-in, email, files and business apps, with two-factor authentication.
• Clients or regulations require demonstrable security and access control measures.

If your team works mainly in the browser, your documents are simple and you have no Windows computers to manage, Google Workspace may be entirely sufficient. Switching is not a goal in itself.

What moves and what does not

The most common surprises are in the last row and in complex spreadsheets: formulas and functions that exist only in Google Sheets need to be checked after conversion.

The migration in 7 steps

1. Inventory of the environment

How many users, how much mail and how many files, which shared drives, which shared addresses and groups, which applications are tied to the Google accounts (sign-in with Google to other systems, integrations, forms). This determines the timeline and the order.

2. Choosing licenses

Microsoft 365 has several business plans - from mail and cloud files only, to a plan with the desktop apps and device management and protection. The choice depends on whether you need desktop Word and Excel and whether you will manage the computers centrally.

3. Preparing Microsoft 365

The domain is added and verified, users, groups and shared mailboxes are created, and two-factor authentication is turned on for everyone - see why businesses use MFA. Email still arrives in Google.

4. Pilot migration

Two or three users are moved, including someone with a lot of mail and files. You check that folders, calendars and shared files are in place and that people can work normally.

5. Transferring the data

Everyone's mail and files are moved in stages while people keep working in Google. The final sync is done just before the switch, so nothing is left behind.

6. Switching the email

At a planned time, usually outside working hours, the DNS records are changed and new mail starts arriving in Microsoft 365. A final sync is run, and phones and mail apps are set up again.

7. Checking and closing Google Workspace

Google Workspace stays active for a few weeks - just in case, and to confirm nothing is missing. Only then is it closed. Remember: data in Microsoft 365 needs its own backup too - see how to back up company data without risk.

The most common mistakes

• Email is switched before the files are ready. People look for their documents in two places.
• Permissions on shared drives are not planned. In SharePoint, the structure and access need to be thought through in advance, otherwise everyone sees everything or nobody sees anything.
• Forgotten "Sign in with Google" logins. If staff sign in to other systems with their Google account, they lose access once it is closed.
• Google is closed too early. If something is missing, there is nowhere left to get it from.
• People are not told. One short email about what changes and when, plus 15 minutes showing Outlook and OneDrive, saves dozens of calls.

How long it takes

It depends on the number of users and the amount of data. For a small team with a moderate amount of mail and files, it usually takes a few days, and the switch itself takes one evening. With more users, large shared drives and applications tied to Google, the project is planned in stages over a few weeks.

How we help

We migrate businesses to Microsoft 365 and then support the environment - users, security, devices and backups. The approach is the same wherever the email comes from: pilot users, a full transfer of the history and a planned switch. See how it works in practice in our case study on migrating from IMAP to Microsoft 365.

If your email is with another provider rather than Google, see our general article on migrating company email to Microsoft 365. For support afterwards - Microsoft 365 support for business and our cloud services.

Frequently asked questions

Will we lose email during the migration?

No, if the order is followed: data is transferred in advance, email is switched at a planned time, a final sync follows, and Google Workspace stays active for checking.

Will Google documents work in Word and Excel?

Most convert without problems. Complex spreadsheets with functions that exist only in Google Sheets, and documents with very specific formatting, should be reviewed after the transfer.

Can we move in stages - email first, then files?

You can, but it is better to have the files ready before or together with the email switch, so people do not work in two environments for long.

Do we have to stop work for the migration?

No. The transfer runs in the background, and the email switch is done outside working hours.

Let's talk about your needs, and we will propose the best solution and price.