How to Migrate from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™

Migrating from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ is a common consideration for many businesses seeking to change their productivity tools. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, understanding how to migrate from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ can offer new avenues for collaboration and efficiency.

Why Migrate from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™?

Migrating your user accounts from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ is often part of a strategic move aligned with various business objectives.

1. Mergers and Acquisitions
   In mergers and acquisitions, organizations often want to align technology platforms to streamline the business. By moving to a single SaaS platform such as Google Workspace™, companies can streamline collaboration, create uniformity in processes, and enhance overall efficiency across merged or acquired entities.
2. Alignment with Other Cloud Services
   Google Workspace™ may align better with existing cloud services used by the business. Integration with other Google products or third-party cloud solutions might drive a company to carry out a Google Workspace™ migration to create a more cohesive technology platform.
3. Cost Considerations
   While both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace™ offer valuable features, businesses may find one more cost-effective than the other, depending on the features they use. Analyzing the cost and identifying the most financially viable option can lead to a decision to migrate.
4. Buyouts
   Buyouts can significantly change a company’s operational structure, including its technological infrastructure. A buyout might prompt migrating from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ to align with the new ownership’s preferred tools and platforms.
5. Enhancing Collaboration and Productivity
   Some businesses find the collaborative tools in Google Workspace™ more aligned with their needs. Seamlessly integrating applications like Google Docs, Sheets, and Drive can foster enhanced collaboration and productivity.
6. Compliance and Security Needs
   Compliance with regulatory requirements or specific security needs might make Google Workspace™ a more suitable option. Its features and security tools may align more closely with industry standards or company policies.
7. Improved Mobile Accessibility
   The demand for better access on mobile devices may also drive the migration. Google Workspace™’s mobile-friendly interface and apps may provide a better experience for users who frequently access their work from smartphones or tablets.
8. Desire for a New System and Features
   A desire for new features, more streamlined user experience, or a simple need for change can also contribute to the decision to migrate from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™. Evaluating the specific needs of the business and users can uncover reasons that make Google Workspace™ a more appealing option. 

→ For a side-by-side comparison of both platforms, see Google Workspace™ vs Microsoft 365: A Complete Comparison.

Assessing Your Needs and Preparing for Migration

Among the first steps with any data or services migration is assessing the requirements and preparing well for the migration process.

Bring in a third-party consultant if needed

While bringing in a consultant or solutions provider may not seem like a cost-effective move, in the long run, it could save your business from misconfiguration, downtime, and interruptions, security and compliance issues in the long run.

If existing staff lacks the skill set to carry out the migration, bringing in a consultant can help with many of the “gotchas” with the process or unknowns that staff lacking real-world experience may not be aware of or are unsure about. In the long run, it will greatly save costs to have the migration performed correctly and in the desired project time by bringing in outside expertise.

Understanding Your Current Microsoft 365 Setup

Before switching from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ and moving all the accounts out of one into the other, you must assess your current situation.

Consider the users, data, contacts, calendar items, and other services within your existing Microsoft 365 setup. Many users rely on features such as shared calendars and public folders, which may require special attention during the migration process. 

Choosing the Right Google Workspace™ Plan

Google Workspace™ offers various plans tailored to different business needs. Consider the number of users, required migration services, access to Google’s apps like Google Docs and Google Drive™, and the specific needs of your small business or large enterprise.

There may not be a correlating service that is a 1-to-1 match between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace™. So, decisions may need to be made on which services and plans will provide an acceptable equivalent.

Migration Steps

Google provides two primary solutions for migrating from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™: Google Workspace™ Migrate and the Data Migration Service (DMS).

1. Google Workspace™ Migrate
   This enterprise-grade tool is best suited for large organizations handling thousands of users or complex data environments. Originally released in beta in 2019, it is now generally available for specific Workspace editions. It allows admins to perform large-scale migrations with more granular control and detailed reporting.
2. Google Workspace™ Data Migration Service (DMS)
   This is a built-in tool available in the Google Admin console. It works well for straightforward migrations of email, contacts, and calendars, making it an excellent choice for small to mid-sized organizations.

Both tools provide structured guidance and automation to reduce errors, downtime, and manual work.

Capabilities of Google Workspace™ Migrate include:

1. Assessment – Scan and analyze your current Microsoft 365 environment to identify potential issues before migration begins.
2. Migration – Perform large-scale data transfers, including mail, calendars, contacts, and documents.
3. Tracking – Monitor migration progress in real time and generate detailed health and error reports for transparency.

Google Workspace™ Migrate supports migrations from:

1. Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online).
2. Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint.
3. File share systems (on-premises).
4. Box
5. Other Google Workspace™ environments.

The Data Migration Service is available in Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise editions, Education Standard, Education Plus, and legacy G Suite Business.

For more on protecting migrated data, check Backup and Recovery Methods for Google Workspace™.

Overview of the migration process

The Google Workspace™ Data Migration Service (DMS) provides a guided, wizard-driven experience for migrating data from Microsoft 365 into Google Workspace™. To ensure a smooth transition, follow these steps:

1. Configuring the Data Migration Service

Set up the Data Migration Service in the Google Admin console to establish the framework for your migration.

1. In the Admin console, go to Menu > Data migration.
2. Click Set Data Migration Up.
3. Select Microsoft Office 365 as the migration source.
4. The wizard will prompt you for the data type (Email, Calendar, Contacts) and guide you through setup.

NOTE: TLS certificates are no longer required. Google now uses secure OAuth 2.0 authentication with Microsoft 365, making the process faster and more secure.

2. Verifying Your Source Account Compatibility

Not all environments are the same. Before you begin:

1. Confirm that your Microsoft 365 tenant supports migration (most standard Exchange Online tenants are compatible).
2. If you are in a hybrid setup (on-premises Exchange + Microsoft 365), additional configuration may be required.
3. Review Google’s official compatibility documentation to ensure your environment can be connected.

3. Preparing Your Google Workspace™ Account for Data Reception

Ensure that your Google Workspace™ environment is ready before importing data.

1. Create all user accounts that will receive migrated data. This can be done manually, via CSV upload, or through automated provisioning.
2. Assign appropriate licenses to users.
3. Verify that each user can log in to their account.

If migrating shared mailboxes or distribution groups, consider mapping them to Google Groups or Shared Drive™, since there is no one-to-one equivalent in Google Workspace™.

4. Consideration for Smart Features and Personalization

Before migration begins, decide whether to activate Gmail™ and Workspace personalization features, such as:

1. Smart compose and smart reply in Gmail™.
2. Automatic email categorization (Primary, Social, Promotions).
3. Google Meet integration with Gmail™ and Calendar

These can be enabled at the organizational unit (OU) level for consistency. Enabling them before migration ensures a smooth user experience after the cutover.

5. Setting Up the Source Account for Migration

Prepare your Microsoft 365 source environment for access:

1. Use a Global Admin account for authentication.
2. When prompted by the migration wizard, log in with Microsoft credentials and grant Google Workspace™ the necessary permissions.
3. Ensure that security settings, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), do not block the process.
4. If needed, create an app password specifically for migration.

 6. Initiating the Migration Process Using Data Migration Service

Start the migration process through the guided wizard:

1. Select the data type(s) to migrate: Email, Contacts, Calendar.
2. Define the scope of migration:
   1. Date range (e.g., last 12 months, or all historical data).
   2. Folders/labels (migrate all or specific ones).
3. Assign users to be migrated. You can batch users or migrate all at once.
4. Monitor progress in the Admin console. The wizard provides real-time status, error logs, and retry options for failed items.

Creating Google Workspace™ Accounts

Before migrating from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™, you must create Google Workspace™ accounts for all users. This ensures that every mailbox, calendar, and contact record has a destination during the migration process.

1. For small teams, accounts can be created manually in the Admin console.
2. For larger organizations, accounts are typically created in bulk by uploading a CSV file or through automated provisioning using the Google Workspace™ Admin SDK or Directory Sync.

These tasks are managed by an admin account with super administrator privileges. Properly setting up user accounts in advance prevents migration errors and ensures that permissions, groups, and sharing settings can be mapped correctly once data is transferred.

Setting Up Data Migration Services

The Google Workspace™ Data Migration Service (DMS) is built into the Admin console and is used to migrate email, contacts, and calendar data from Microsoft 365.

Unlike earlier versions of the migration process, Google no longer requires TLS certificates for secure transfers. Instead, the service relies on OAuth 2.0–based authentication, which provides both simplicity and stronger security.

As mentioned in Step 5 above, you will need to set up the source account and grant it access to your M365 environment. To configure DMS, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your Google Admin console. Sign in using an account with super administrator privileges
2. In the Admin console, go to Menu > Account > Data migration.
3. Click Set Data Migration Up.
4. Under Migration Source, select Microsoft Office 365.
5. Choose the data type to migrate: Email, Contacts, or Calendar.
6. Click Authorize and sign in with your Microsoft 365 Global Admin credentials. Grant Google Workspace™ permission to access the source environment.
7. Select the users you want to migrate, define the date range of data to include, and specify whether to migrate all mail or only selected folders.

Click Start to begin migration.

Migrating Emails, Contacts, and Calendars

The Data Migration Service allows you to:

1. Migrate emails (including attachments, labels, and folders).
2. Transfer calendar events (including recurring meetings and shared calendars).
3. Import contacts with associated details.

You can also filter migrations by date range or specific folders. For example, some organizations migrate only the last 12–24 months of email to reduce migration time, while archiving older mail separately.

Once complete, migrated data will be available in Gmail™, Google Calendar™, and Google Contacts, and users can immediately begin working in their new Google Workspace™ accounts.

Finalizing the Migration

Once the migration process has run to completion, it is essential to validate the results thoroughly. Skipping this step may lead to unnoticed gaps, such as missing emails, incomplete calendar entries, or improperly mapped contacts.

Steps to confirm successful migration include:

1. Spot-check mailboxes: Verify a sample set of user accounts across different departments. Look for critical emails, attachments, and labels/folders.
2. Validate calendars: Ensure recurring meetings, shared calendars, and meeting invites display correctly in Google Calendar™.
3. Confirm contact data: Check that personal and shared contacts migrated without duplicates or corruption.
4. Review Drive migration (if applicable): If files from OneDrive or SharePoint were included, verify that folder structures and permissions are intact in Google Drive™.

Post-Migration Configuration

To finalize the switch, administrators should complete these critical configuration steps:

1. Update DNS Records
   1. Change MX records to point mail delivery to Google Workspace™.
   2. Update SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to improve email deliverability and prevent spoofing.
   3. Propagation can take up to 48 hours, so plan cutover carefully.
2. Adjust User Permissions and Groups
   1. Recreate distribution lists and groups in Google Workspace™.
   2. Assign sharing permissions for Google Drive™ to align with existing business needs.
3. Decommission Old Services (Optional)
   1. Once you confirm that migration is successful and stable, gradually decommission Microsoft 365 services.
   2. Keep licenses active temporarily if you need fallback access, but shutting down old accounts reduces security risk and cost.

Transitioning Users to Google Workspace™

Transitioning from Office 365 to Google Workspace™ requires a carefully planned process to guide users. Training and support can aid in a smooth transition for Google Workspace™ users as they adapt to the new system.

Ensure data is protected and secured during the migration

One of the most overlooked parts of a SaaS migration is data protection during the transition itself. Many organizations focus on the mechanics of moving accounts and data but only think about security and backup once the migration is complete. This leaves a dangerous exposure window where sensitive business information may be at risk of:

1. Accidental loss: Mistakes during migration can overwrite, skip, or delete important data.
2. Malware and ransomware attacks: Hackers often target organizations during IT transitions, when systems are being reconfigured and oversight is stretched thin.
3. Data leaks and misconfigurations: Improper sharing settings or open permissions in Google Workspace™ can expose confidential information.
4. Compliance violations: Moving regulated data without backup or encryption can lead to violations of GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, and other frameworks.

How SpinOne Protects Your Migration

SpinOne provides that extra layer of data backup, data security and compliance  in SaaS environments to ensure your organization’s data remains protected from day one of migration. It provides data backup and security, helping businesses easily implement the data governance controls needed to prevent shadow IT, data leaks, and ransomware.

Backup and Recovery Features

SpinOne protects your data using SaaS backup and recovery methods. It also provides the following features for your Google Workspace™ environment:

1. Automated Backups – Perform 3x daily backups of Gmail™, Drive, Calendar, and Contacts. Admins can also trigger on-demand backups during critical migration windows.
2. Granular Recovery – Restore individual emails, files, or entire mailboxes. SpinOne maintains up to 100 historical versions of files for rollback flexibility.
3. Flexible Retention Policies – Align retention settings with regulatory and business requirements, from short-term storage to long-term archiving.
4. Local Downloads – Export and download files locally if offline access or additional archiving is required.
5. Cross-Cloud Redundancy – Store backups in multiple geographic regions or across different clouds to strengthen resilience.

Security and Compliance Features

SpinOne also protects your data with:

1. End-to-End Encryption – Data is encrypted both in transit (during migration) and at rest (in storage).
2. Misconfiguration Management – Detect and resolve policy drift, incorrect sharing permissions, or misconfigured security controls before they create vulnerabilities.
3. Third-Party App Visibility and Control – Track which third-party applications and extensions are connected to Google Workspace™, and block risky ones.
4. AI-Powered Risk Assessment – SpinOne analyzes over 15+ risk factors per app or integration, giving admins a clear security score for better decision-making.
5. Comprehensive Reporting – Generate weekly and monthly activity and compliance reports to monitor the security posture of your SaaS environment.

Why Data Protection Should Begin Before Migration

Without an independent backup and security solution, organizations rely entirely on Microsoft and Google’s shared responsibility model, which does not protect against human error, cyberattacks, or third-party risks. SpinOne closes this gap by providing continuous backup and proactive security during the entire migration journey.

→ Schedule a demo today to see how SpinOne protects your Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ migration from start to finish.

Wrapping up

Migrating from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ can be a complex process, but with proper planning, the right tools, and a step-by-step guide, businesses of all sizes can switch. Whether manually transferring data or using Google’s data migration service, use the right tools and enlist the help of third-party solutions providers to avoid pitfalls during migration. Also, remember to properly protect your data as soon as the migration begins.

Migrating from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ is a common consideration for many businesses seeking to change their productivity tools. Whether you’re a small business looking for cost savings or an enterprise aligning with Google Cloud, following this step-by-step approach ensures a seamless transition. 

Combine Google’s migration tools with trusted third-party solutions, and you’ll not only migrate successfully but also secure your data, empower your teams, and future-proof your productivity environment.

FAQs on Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace™ Migration

Was this helpful?

Yes

No

Submit Cancel

Thanks for your feedback!