Migrations & Systems

Switching from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace.

The direction few providers actively offer — we do. From Exchange, OneDrive and SharePoint to Gmail and Drive: mail, calendars, contacts, files and permissions move across in phases and tested, without your team standing still.

Why this direction

When Google Workspace is the calmer choice.

Most IT providers only migrate one way: towards Microsoft. Yet there are good reasons to choose the opposite direction. Microsoft 365 is powerful, but also layered: if you want device management, advanced security or extra tooling, you quickly move up to more expensive plans — whereas with Google relatively much functionality is already included in the standard plans. Administration is clearer, the workplace lighter, and real-time collaboration in Docs and Sheets is the norm there rather than the exception.

For browser-first teams that put speed and simplicity first and aren't tied to heavy Excel models, Google Workspace is often the more logical workplace. Because we also migrate the other way, we advise honestly whether this step suits your organisation — as preparation, read our comparison Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365. Does it fit? Then we move your environment as a project with a playbook: take inventory, run a pilot, sync in advance and only switch over once everything is tested.

What moves across

From Microsoft to Google — structure, permissions and all.

Exchange Online → Gmail

Mail, calendars & contacts

Everything from Outlook and Exchange comes back in Gmail and Google Calendar — including folders, which we translate into labels.

  • Email incl. folders → labels
  • Calendars & recurring appointments
  • Contacts & distribution lists
  • Shared & functional mailboxes
  • Forwarding rules & alias addresses
  • Signatures set up again
OneDrive & SharePoint → Drive

Files, sites & permissions

OneDrive moves to My Drive, SharePoint and Teams files to Shared Drives — together with the access permissions that go with them.

  • OneDrive → My Drive
  • SharePoint / Teams → Shared Drives
  • Office files stay usable in Drive
  • Folder & permission structure
  • Users, groups & MFA setup
  • Meet & Chat set up for your team
The step-by-step plan

Phased over, no big bang.

The essence of migrating without downtime: move as much data as possible in advance while Microsoft 365 is still running, test on a small group and only switch over for good at a quiet moment. In short:

01

Inventory

Users, mailboxes, SharePoint sites, integrations and licence choice per user group — the scope is fixed before we move anything.

02

Environment & pilot

We set up Google Workspace (domain, MFA, Drive structure) and first migrate a representative test group.

03

Synchronise

We copy Exchange mailboxes and SharePoint libraries in bulk to Gmail and Drive in advance — folders become labels along the way, while your team simply keeps working in Microsoft 365.

04

Cutover & aftercare

Outside working hours we redirect the mail flow to Google, with a final delta sync. Microsoft 365 stays in place as a fallback until everything is checked; after that, support and clean-up.

Curious how such a phased migration looks phase by phase? Our migration step-by-step plan in the knowledge base describes the approach in detail — the same method, applied in mirror image.

How we work

Clear commitments, on paper up front.

Timing

Good moments to switch to Google Workspace.

You can switch any time of year, but a few moments make the migration just that bit more straightforward.

Your Microsoft licence renewal is coming up

Switching just before the annual renewal of your Microsoft 365 licences avoids paying for two environments at once for months on end.

The team already works in the browser anyway

Does everyone open Outlook only through webmail, and does the team mainly share files via links? Then the step to Gmail and Drive is small — and buy-in is high.

Administration takes more than it gives back

Nobody can keep track of the pile-up of Microsoft plans, add-ons and admin centres anymore. The switch is the moment to replace all that with one clear management console.

A quiet period is coming

We plan the cutover outside the busy times anyway. A summer period or seasonal dip also gives your team room to get used to Docs and Drive at a calm pace.

Explore further

Other direction, or what comes after the switch?

Frequently asked questions

From Microsoft to Google: what you'll want to know.

Why would you switch from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace?

The most common reasons: simplicity and clear administration, browser-first working with real-time collaboration as the norm, and a licensing model where relatively much functionality is already included in the standard plans. For teams that want to work light and fast — and aren't tied to heavy Office files — Google Workspace is often the calmer choice.

What happens to our Word and Excel files?

You won't lose them. Google Drive can store, open and edit Office files, or we convert them to Docs and Sheets where that makes sense. Very complex Excel models and macros need extra attention — we map those out during the inventory beforehand, so nothing grinds to a halt after the switch.

Can we keep using Teams alongside Google Workspace?

Yes. Many organisations keep running Teams even when they otherwise use Google, simply because clients and partners expect it. It's not an all-or-nothing choice; during the inventory we look at what needs to stay alongside Meet and Chat and set that up properly.

How long does a switch from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace take?

For a small team, expect one to two weeks from inventory to cutover. In this direction, it's mainly the file migration that determines the lead time: how many SharePoint libraries need to move to Shared Drives and how much mail we translate from folders into labels. Larger environments we phase over several weeks, always with a pilot group first — so the planning stays predictable.

Do SharePoint and OneDrive move to Google Drive?

Yes. OneDrive files move to My Drive, SharePoint libraries and Teams files to Shared Drives — including folder structure and access permissions. So after the switch, everyone finds their files in the logical place in Drive, with the same access as before.

Get started

Ready to switch to Google Workspace?

Book a no-obligation intro call — we'll take a look at your Microsoft 365 environment and sketch a migration plan with zero downtime.

First a message, then a short video call, then a fixed-price proposal — you decide.