Google Workspace to Microsoft 365: The Complete Migration Playbook

Migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 means moving your business emails, files, calendars, and contacts into a more integrated and collaborative environment with tools like Outlook, OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint. But like any large-scale migration, things can go wrong and knowing what to expect makes all the difference.

Why Migrate From Google Workspace to Microsoft 365? 

1. Seamless Integration with Microsoft Tools
   1. Microsoft 365 works effortlessly with apps like Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Excel, allowing your team to communicate, manage data, and collaborate without switching between multiple platforms.
2. Advanced Security & Compliance
   1. With built-in features like Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), access control policies, and Advanced Threat protection; Microsoft 365 protects your digital identity and data from threat even before it happens.
3. Centralized Document Management
   1. Using Microsoft SharePoint, organizations can store, organize, and securely share documents from a single platform and many more features.

Prerequisites

1. Global Admin access in Microsoft 365 Admin Center
2. Super Admin access in Google Workspace
3. Disable 2FA in Google Workspace, this is the most commonly missed step and will cause your migration to fail if skipped

What’s Included in a Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Migration?

1. Email Migration (Gmail → Outlook)
   1. All your emails, folders, and attachments from Gmail are migrated to Microsoft Outlook
2. Contacts Migration
   1. Your complete contact lists—including personal and shared contacts
3. Calendar Migration
   1. All meetings, schedules, and recurring events from Google Calendar are moved to Microsoft 365 calendars, so your team stays organized without interruption.
4. File Migration (Google Drive → OneDrive / SharePoint)
   1. Files and folders from Google Drive are migrated to Microsoft OneDrive and Microsoft SharePoint

What’s Not Included in the Migration Scope?

1. Third-Party Application Integrations
2. Network or Connectivity Issues
3. On-Premises Servers or Local File Systems
4. End-User Device Configuration

Steps For Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Migration(Mail, Contact and calendar) as follows:  

1. Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Centre i.e., https://aka.ms/admincenter
   1. Navigate to Settings → Domains and select Add domain
   2. In the Domain Name Text box enters the Google Workspace domain name (source.com) and click use this domain
   3. In Domain Verification section, select Add a TXT record to the domain’s DNS records
   4. If you have access to the Domain Registrar or coordinate with Admin who has the access to the Domain registrar to add the TXT Record
   5. Once added in the Domain Provider site, click Verify (Note - *Domain Setup would appear as incomplete till the MX Cutover is Carried out)
2. In the same admin center, Navigate to Users → Active Users ; Click Add a user Fill all the necessary details  
   1. First Name and Second Name followed by Display Name
   2. Username (*should be same as Google Workspace user account) → then in domain dropdown select the newly verified domain i.e., source.com
   3. Assign Microsoft License based on your requirements (Minimum requirement is Microsoft Business Basic)
   4. Review the Configurations and Click Finish         
   5. Once the users are created, use the following PowerShell command to Pre-Provision the OneDrive "Request-SPOPersonalSite -UserEmails (Get-Content "C:\Users\YourPath\users.txt"); create .csv files with users. 
3. Visit Google Cloud with super admin access          
   1. Navigate to IAM & Admin → Service Accounts
   2. Click Create Project(if you have already have created a project select that project) →New Project
   3. Enter the project name with as per your naming policy or keep as it is default one → click create
   4. In the created Newly Created project window, select +Create service account → give a name for the service account and click done
   5. Select the Created service account -->  copy the 21 numbered Unique ID for later use.
   6. In the same window, select Keys tab and click Add Key → Create new key
   7. Select Key type as JSON and create, first time JSON key creation will result in Failure, to resolve it,
      1. Select Manage Resources → select your domain and click +Add Principal
      2. In New Principals, enter the Super Admin (GWS) account and select role as Organization Policy Administrator
      3. Navigate to Organization Policies and search for iam.disableServiceAccountKeyCreation; click edit and Set policy source as Google-managed default
      4. After few minutes, try to create JSON Key it will work
   8. Enable the recommended APIs in Google cloud for Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, People and Drive.
4. Open Google Admin Console  
   1. Navigate to Security → Access and data control → API Controls.
   2. In API controls, select MANAGE DOMAIN WIDE DELEGATION
   3. In Domain-wide Delegations, select Add new → Paste the copied Unique ID and in the OAuth Scopes paste the following “https://mail.google.com/,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/calendar,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.user.readonly, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.settings.sharing,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/contacts,https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive”
5. Open Exchange Admin Centre 
   1. Navigate to Migration → select Add migration batch
   2. Name the Migration Batch i.e., GWS_To_M365 and Select Migration to Exchange online 
   3. Select the migration type as Google workspace (Gmail) migration
   4. Create a Migration Endpoint → Name the Migration same as the Migration batch
   5. A prompt will opened to login with Google Workspace Superadmin account  
   6. Import the Created JSON file which you have created previously
   7. Add the user csv file in the by click the Import CSV file → Click Next
   8. In Move Migration section, select the target delivery domain and click next
   9. Click Next and review the configuration; change the time zone based on your region → click Save.
6. The Above steps are all for Migrating Mails, Contacts and Calendar from Google Workspace to Exchange Online

Steps For Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Migration(Google Drive) as follows:  

1. Open Microsoft 365 Admin Centre  
   1. Navigate to Setup →Migration and select imports Migrate Google Drive.
   2. Select Google Workspace and wait for few seconds → select Get started
   3. Select Install and authorize → Install Microsoft 365 Migration tool with Super admin access and consent for the agreement.
   4. Return to configuration and authenticate Google workspace with super admin and click Finish
   5. Select Add Drives and select All new Drives  
   6. Wait for Drive to Load; Once the Drives are visible, select the Drives and Click Copy to Migration
   7. A Pop up with Copy ‎Venkatesh S‎ drive to Migrations (i.e., if multiple users are going to be copied to drive migrations, destination .csv should be uploaded with source and target users)
2. Once the Destination is verified, in Drive Migrations tab select the copied drive and Click Migrate.
3. Once Migrate status has been changed to Completed, the Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 has been completed !!!

Migration Results

Gmail (Google Workspace)                                       

Outlook (Microsoft 365)                                            

Google Drive (Google Workspace)                             

OneDrive (Microsoft 365)                                          

Calendar (Google Workspace)                                  

Calendar (Microsoft 365)  

Contacts & People (Google Workspace)

Contacts (Microsoft 365)

Post-Migration Steps (Google Workspace To Microsoft 365)

1. Validate Migrated Data - Verify that all emails, folders, and attachments from Gmail Mailboxes are accessible in Microsoft Outlook.
2. Update MX Records - Change your domain’s MX records to point to Microsoft 365 to enable email delivery and domain verification; wait for DNS to propagate. After this Your domain should be appeared as Healthy
3. Run a delta sync after cutover — emails and files created during the migration period may have been missed. A final delta sync catches everything added between the start and end of migration
4. Stop Google Workspace Migration Sync - Once migration is complete, stop the Google Workspace migration batch to disconnect synchronization between Google Workspace and Microsoft 365.
5. Verify and confirm the mail flow by sending test mail to your domain.
6. Share new Microsoft 365 login details securely with users and provide basic guidance for accessing Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive.

Troubleshooting Guide –  Google Workspace To Microsoft 365

1. 2FA not disabled - The migration tool cannot authenticate into Google accounts with 2FA active. Disable it for all users in scope before starting
2. OneDrive not pre-provisioned - OneDrive storage doesn't exist until it's been provisioned. Run the PowerShell script first, otherwise Drive migration will fail entirely
3. Check MX records before cutover - MX records must point to Microsoft 365 at the right time. Switching too early or too late means mails go missing during the transition period
4. Users missing or unlicensed in M365 -Data can only migrate to accounts that exist and are properly licensed. Audit your M365 user list before you begin
5. Migrate in batches, not all users at once - migrating all users simultaneously overloads the migration tool between Google and Microsoft Side

You now have a clear picture of what can go wrong during a GWS to M365 migration — and more importantly, how to fix it. But knowing the problems and solving them at scale are two different things. If you'd like expert support for your migration whether you're just planning or already mid-move get in touch with us. We'll make sure nothing gets left behind.