Migration to Cloud
How a Large Trade Company Migrated from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365
Client industry
Trade and retail
Implementation period
3 months
Challenge
Migrate all Google Workspace services to Microsoft 365 and ensure that employees adapt to the new environment without losing productivity.
Trade and retail
Implementation period
3 months
Challenge
Migrate all Google Workspace services to Microsoft 365 and ensure that employees adapt to the new environment without losing productivity.
Key takeaways:
- Full transfer of email, calendars, contacts and files
- Successful move from Google Drive to OneDrive and SharePoint
- Domain migration and environment integration
- Employee training for fast adoption
New Corporate Direction and a Need for Unified Tools
When the client joined a larger parent company, alignment of digital platforms became a priority. The parent company relied entirely on Microsoft 365, while more than 400 employees of the newly joined business had spent years working inside Google Workspace. To ensure smooth collaboration across all teams, the organization needed a complete migration to Microsoft 365 with no loss of data and minimal disruption.
Understanding Years of Work Stored in Google Workspace
The assessment revealed a large ecosystem built on Google services.
Employees depended on these tools daily, so the migration had to preserve structure, access rights, and content accuracy.
Designing the Path Forward and Preparing the Foundation
To begin the transition, the project team created a detailed migration plan that synchronized Google and Microsoft environments. Special attention was paid to directory alignment, mailbox mapping and file ownership configurations. This groundwork made it possible to transition each user to Microsoft 365 with their full digital history intact.
Moving Communication to Exchange Online
Email was the first critical workload to migrate. All Gmail data was transferred to Exchange Online along with personal calendars and contact lists. This move ensured seamless communication across the entire organization and aligned the client with the parent company’s unified messaging system. Employees could immediately continue working in the familiar Outlook interface.
From Google Drive to OneDrive and SharePoint with No Lost Context
The next stage focused on personal and shared storage. Personal Google Drive data was moved to OneDrive, while group folders and departmental storage were migrated to SharePoint Online. The migration preserved file structure, permissions and collaboration logic.
After the migration, all collaboration was connected to Microsoft Teams, allowing users to access SharePoint files directly through team channels.
Domain Transfer and Full Integration with the Parent Company
To ensure consistency across communication channels, the project included the transfer of domain names from Google to Microsoft 365. This step strengthened the unified corporate identity and simplified authentication across systems. The client’s environment became fully integrated with the parent company’s infrastructure.
Training Employees for Confident Work in the New System
A key part of the project was not only moving data but also helping users feel comfortable in their new daily tools. The team delivered a training program for both employees and technical specialists. The focus was on adopting Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams quickly and understanding how Microsoft 365 improves their everyday work.
A Fully Migrated and Modern Collaboration Platform
Within three months, the company transitioned completely from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. The migration included mail, calendars, contacts, personal files, shared drives and the entire collaboration environment. With guided training and a smooth technical process, the organization achieved fast adaptation and became fully aligned with the digital ecosystem of the parent company.
When the client joined a larger parent company, alignment of digital platforms became a priority. The parent company relied entirely on Microsoft 365, while more than 400 employees of the newly joined business had spent years working inside Google Workspace. To ensure smooth collaboration across all teams, the organization needed a complete migration to Microsoft 365 with no loss of data and minimal disruption.
Understanding Years of Work Stored in Google Workspace
The assessment revealed a large ecosystem built on Google services.
- Gmail mailboxes with calendars and contact lists containing 4.5 TB of data
- Google Drive personal storage
- Google Drive shared folders with 6 TB of operational files
- Google Docs, Sheets and Slides used across departments
Employees depended on these tools daily, so the migration had to preserve structure, access rights, and content accuracy.
Designing the Path Forward and Preparing the Foundation
To begin the transition, the project team created a detailed migration plan that synchronized Google and Microsoft environments. Special attention was paid to directory alignment, mailbox mapping and file ownership configurations. This groundwork made it possible to transition each user to Microsoft 365 with their full digital history intact.
Moving Communication to Exchange Online
Email was the first critical workload to migrate. All Gmail data was transferred to Exchange Online along with personal calendars and contact lists. This move ensured seamless communication across the entire organization and aligned the client with the parent company’s unified messaging system. Employees could immediately continue working in the familiar Outlook interface.
From Google Drive to OneDrive and SharePoint with No Lost Context
The next stage focused on personal and shared storage. Personal Google Drive data was moved to OneDrive, while group folders and departmental storage were migrated to SharePoint Online. The migration preserved file structure, permissions and collaboration logic.
After the migration, all collaboration was connected to Microsoft Teams, allowing users to access SharePoint files directly through team channels.
Domain Transfer and Full Integration with the Parent Company
To ensure consistency across communication channels, the project included the transfer of domain names from Google to Microsoft 365. This step strengthened the unified corporate identity and simplified authentication across systems. The client’s environment became fully integrated with the parent company’s infrastructure.
Training Employees for Confident Work in the New System
A key part of the project was not only moving data but also helping users feel comfortable in their new daily tools. The team delivered a training program for both employees and technical specialists. The focus was on adopting Outlook, OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams quickly and understanding how Microsoft 365 improves their everyday work.
A Fully Migrated and Modern Collaboration Platform
Within three months, the company transitioned completely from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. The migration included mail, calendars, contacts, personal files, shared drives and the entire collaboration environment. With guided training and a smooth technical process, the organization achieved fast adaptation and became fully aligned with the digital ecosystem of the parent company.
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