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Email migration
From
Google Workspace
→
To
Microsoft 365

Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration — UK enterprise programme

For UK organisations standardising on Microsoft for security (Defender XDR), identity (Entra ID), compliance (Purview) or cost reasons (consolidated EA / CSP), migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 is a substantial but well-trodden programme. Servnet runs end-to-end Workspace → M365 migrations including identity federation, Gmail → Exchange Online, Drive → OneDrive / SharePoint, and Workspace decommission.

Vendor migration programme — Google Workspace source on the left, Microsoft 365 target on the right, with parallel-running data streams converging through a central Servnet cutover hub.
From → To: Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365
CURRENTGoogle WorkspaceProduction workloadsLegacy management planeRenewal due / EoSServnetparallel-running migrationTARGETMicrosoft 365Production workloadsModern management planeStrategic 5-yr position
Typical outcomes

What good looks like after a Google Workspace → Microsoft 365 migration

Migration window
10-18 wk

End-to-end for a 500-3,000 user estate including hybrid identity + data migration + cutover.

Identity simplification
−1 IdP

Google Workspace identity collapses into Entra ID — single sign-on across the full Microsoft stack.

License cost
Modelled

M365 cost vs existing Workspace cost — depends on tier mix; most enterprise customers see cost parity or improvement via EA.

User retraining
Significant

Users need 2-4 weeks adjustment to Outlook / Teams / OneDrive from Gmail / Meet / Drive. Honest about the impact.

The why

Why UK organisations migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365

  • ✓Consolidate identity + endpoint + email + collaboration into a single Microsoft stack
  • ✓Strategic security alignment — Defender for Endpoint + Entra ID + Defender for O365
  • ✓Modern Teams collaboration replaces Google Meet / Chat / Spaces (broader integration with Office apps)
  • ✓Microsoft Purview compliance posture (UK GDPR, retention, e-discovery)
  • ✓Often cost-favourable through EA / CSP commercial routes
  • ✓Aligns with broader UK enterprise software stack (most line-of-business apps integrate more deeply with M365)
How we run it

Migration phasing — typical Google Workspace → Microsoft 365 programme

Google Workspace → Microsoft 365 — programme timeline
W0W3W6W9W12W15W18Discovery + identity design3wM365 tenant + identity setup3wPilot wave (50-100 users)3wPhased data + user migration7wMX cutover + Workspace decommission2wTotal programme: 18 weeks · parallel running throughout
  1. 1

    Discovery + identity design

    Weeks 1-3

    Workspace estate fingerprint; M365 tenant + licensing design; identity federation design (Entra ID with Google as IdP during transition, eventually cutover); third-party migration tool selection (BitTitan, Quadrotech, Cloudm).

  2. 2

    M365 tenant + identity setup

    Weeks 4-6

    M365 tenant provisioning; Entra ID configured; federation with Google IdP for transition period; Defender + Purview + Conditional Access baseline.

  3. 3

    Pilot wave (50-100 users)

    Weeks 7-9

    Pilot users migrated (mailbox + Drive + calendar + groups); user training delivered; helpdesk feedback gathered; runbook refined.

  4. 4

    Phased data + user migration

    Weeks 10-16

    User waves grouped by department; mailbox + Drive + calendar + group memberships migrated per wave; comms + training delivered per wave.

  5. 5

    MX cutover + Workspace decommission

    Weeks 17-18

    MX cut to M365; Google Workspace contract terminated; legacy Drive data archived per retention requirements.

Included in scope

What Servnet delivers in a Google Workspace → Microsoft 365 migration

M365 tenant + licensing design

E3 / E5 / Business Premium sizing — modelled against your existing Workspace tier mix.

Identity federation during transition

Entra ID federated with Google IdP so users have single sign-on during the migration period; cutover to Entra ID-only at end.

Mailbox + calendar + contacts migration

Via BitTitan / Quadrotech / Cloudm — full fidelity migration with reduced cutover impact.

Drive → OneDrive / SharePoint migration

User Drive content to OneDrive; shared drives to SharePoint Team Sites; permissions preserved.

User training + change management

Outlook / Teams / OneDrive training delivered per wave; helpdesk-ready FAQs + screencasts; on-site or remote support for executives.

Post-migration support

90-day hypercare; optional ongoing M365 managed service.

De-risking the cutover

Top risks + how we mitigate them

⚠️ Users resist the change from familiar Gmail / Drive UI
Change management is critical — comms, training, executive sponsorship + visible quick wins. Most user resistance dissipates within 4-6 weeks of cutover.
⚠️ Calendar invites + shared calendars fragment during transition
Hybrid free/busy lookups during transition period (federated calendar); meeting room resource calendars migrated with care; specific high-volume calendars (executive PA, room booking) migrated last.
⚠️ Third-party apps integrated with Workspace via OAuth / API
App inventory during discovery; each integration re-pointed to M365 equivalents (Graph API, Entra ID SSO) — or kept on Workspace credentials if migration impractical (rare).
⚠️ Drive shared with external partners + customers
External-sharing scope catalogued during discovery; external collaborators re-invited to SharePoint Team Sites or OneDrive shared links; transition comms sent to external parties.
Pricing guide rail

Indicative: Google Workspace → M365 migrations for a 500-3,000 user estate typically run £35k-£80k professional services (excluding M365 licensing + migration tool licences). Total programme cost depends heavily on user count + Drive volume; honest scoping during discovery. Talk to us for a sized commercial proposal.

Frequently asked

FAQs — Google Workspace → Microsoft 365

How do we handle the Drive → SharePoint mapping?

User My Drive content migrates to OneDrive for Business; shared Team Drives migrate to SharePoint Online Team Sites (one site per Team Drive, typically). Permissions preserved via the migration tool. We design the mapping during discovery so users understand where things land.

Can we keep Google Meet?

Some customers keep Meet for specific use cases (external customer-facing meetings, Workspace-integrated workflows) — but most consolidate fully onto Teams over 3-6 months post-migration.

What about Google Sites / Forms / AppSheet / Apps Script?

Each Workspace surface needs a migration target — Google Sites → SharePoint Pages; Forms → Microsoft Forms; AppSheet → Power Apps; Apps Script → Power Automate. Discovery phase catalogues these and sizes the migration effort honestly.

How do we handle a phased migration with both stacks active?

Identity federation during transition keeps single sign-on intact. Email + calendar federated free/busy lookups work cross-platform during the migration window. Users on the migrated platform retain access to the other temporarily via federation.

Go deeper

Ready to scope your Google Workspace → Microsoft 365 migration?

30-minute discovery call with an engineer who's run this migration before. Honest scoping, no sales script.

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