One of the best ways to set yourself up for success when moving your business to Office 365 is a seamless migration with no downtime for employees. We've helped hundreds of companies migrate to Office 365 and have picked up some tricks along the way.
Follow these steps for a successful migration:
Determine your needs and priorities
The first step in migrating your business to the cloud is to determine your needs and priorities. The overarching question is what do you want to put in the cloud? Is it just email, or are you also trying to move documents and file shares?
You also need to know what your requirements are. For example, if you have specific compliance requirements, you’ll need to know what those are. If your business is heavily dependent on specific programs (like your ERP system) make a list of those, too.
Not everyone in your organization has the same requirements to perform their job: some are deskless workers that only check email on their mobile devices, others use the full suite of Microsoft Office products on their desktop. Get input from key contributors up front so you can incorporate it into your plan.
Regardless of your answer, our suggestion is to go ahead and choose an Office 365 plan that includes file storage (SharePoint and OneDrive). Whether you plan on implementing a file plan in SharePoint or not, everyone should take advantage of OneDrive – each user gets 1TB of space to backup and secure their files. Also, purchasing a bundle of services is cheaper than subscribing to individual service (Email only is $4 user/month whereas the Business Essentials package is $5 user/month).
Assessing Security and Compliance Needs
Migrating to Office 365 is a great opportunity to evaluate and enhance your security and compliance framework. Moving to a cloud platform can introduce new vulnerabilities, so addressing these proactively will protect your data and ensure a smooth transition.
- Identify Advanced Security Requirements: Office 365 offers various security features that can be tailored to your organization’s needs. For example:
- Advanced Threat Protection (ATP): Helps to protect against sophisticated threats, such as phishing attacks and malware, with features like Safe Attachments and Safe Links.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP): This feature helps prevent sensitive data from leaving the organization by detecting and blocking risky content, which is particularly useful for industries with high compliance requirements.
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Adding MFA to your user accounts provides an additional layer of security, reducing the chances of unauthorized access.
- Compliance Standards and Legal Requirements: Depending on your industry, specific regulations may govern data handling and storage. Office 365 offers a range of compliance tools, including:
- GDPR Compliance: Office 365 can help with GDPR compliance by providing tools for data discovery, classification, and reporting.
- HIPAA: For healthcare providers, Office 365 includes features like data encryption and auditing, making it suitable for HIPAA-compliant environments.
- SOC2: Many organizations in the financial and technology sectors require SOC2 compliance, which Office 365 supports through data access controls and monitoring.
- User Permissions and Access Controls: As you plan your migration, review your user permissions:
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Assign permissions based on user roles to limit access to sensitive data.
- Conditional Access Policies: Use conditional access to restrict logins based on factors like location, device, or network, which is useful for remote or distributed teams.
Proactively assessing security and compliance needs will help prevent issues later on, ensuring that data is protected and all regulatory requirements are met.
Get a Microsoft Partner
This step is optional, though we recommend it. If you have a tech-savvy team, you may be able to handle the migration yourself. But if you don’t have much experience with this, it’s better to get an experienced Microsoft Partner involved up front – even if it’s just to help you with the planning phase.
A Microsoft Partner should help answer your questions (including which plans to get), plan your migration, help you purchase your licenses, perform the migration (at a time that isn’t disruptive to your business), and provide post-migration support.
You will want to find a partner with experience moving a company similar to yours (ideally, you’ll find a partner with experience moving companies of all sizes), both in size and requirements.
If a company has lots of experience, but only with migrations from large companies using a corporate email system, they may not know the best migration path for a smaller company and vice versa.
Pick a Plan - or Plans
After you know your requirements, you’ll need to choose your plan(s) based on the requirements you determined. If you’re not sure what to get, your Microsoft partner can help you choose the plans that best fit your needs.
One of the great things about Office 365 is the ability to mix and match plans within your organization and easily move between plans. If you later determine an employee needs a different plan, you can switch them to a different license at any time.
There are a few options to choose from (even more when you consider add-ons and Microsoft 365). You can compare the most popular plans here. Microsoft also has comparisons of small business and enterprise plans.
Some notes about plans:
- If you just want to move your email to the Cloud, you can get an Exchange Online plan for $4/user/month. But Office 365 Business Essentials starts at $5/user/month. It may be worth looking at paying the extra $1-2 month per user to get the online storage and other apps.
- Office 365 Business Premium includes the Office 365 Business Center with apps you can’t get on any other plans (including the more expensive plans).
- Business plans have a maximum limit of 300 of each license type.
- If you need more advanced features, like PSTN conferencing or advanced security features, you may need Office 365 Enterprise E5.
- There are additional features, like Advanced Threat Protection and Exchange Online Archiving available as add-ons.
- If you need to upgrade operating systems, or if security is a top priority for you, you may also want to consider Microsoft 365, which includes Office 365, Enterprise Mobility + Security, and Windows 10 Enterprise.
Plan Your Migration
After you’ve picked your licenses, the next step is to plan your migration. Planning your migration, whether you work with a Partner or do it yourself, is one of, if not the most critical steps. Without a plan, you’re more likely to miss something. It’s much harder to fix something in the middle of a migration than it is to take the extra time to create a plan from the beginning.
Discovery
The first step in creating a successful plan is to look at how your email/data is currently set up and the way your users access the services. This will help you determine the best way to move your data. It can be done manually or by using an automated migration tool.
During the discovery phase, your partner will also confirm where your current domain and mail records are hosted.
Clean Up
During the planning phase, you’ll need to review and delete any data or old accounts that you do not require. You’ll also need to map out any new workflows, process changes, or compliance settings that will be used with Office 365.
Your migration will likely involve moving some of your data to SharePoint or OneDrive for Business. One of the biggest mistakes we see companies make is just to pick up your files from your physical server and dump them into SharePoint or OneDrive.
If you’re meticulous about file organization now, that may work for you. But if your company struggles with file organization on a physical server, just moving everything over as is isn’t going to change anything. Work on your file organization BEFORE migrating it over. SharePoint includes features like keywords and metadata that can help.
Communication Plan
It is best to work out a solid communication plan to send out to all your users. Your communication plan should include what the users should expect the weeks and days leading up to the migration, what to expect the day of the migration, and after the migration is complete. We’ve gone into more detail about what your communication plan should include in this blog post.
Testing Before Full Migration
Performing a pilot test migration with a small group of users can be invaluable, helping you catch and address potential issues before the entire organization migrates.
- Pilot Group Selection: Choose a diverse test group, including users with different roles, devices, and levels of technical proficiency. This helps ensure that the pilot reveals potential compatibility and usability issues across various user scenarios.
- Test Core Functions: During the pilot migration, focus on key elements:
- Email and Calendar Syncing: Confirm that all migrated emails, contacts, and calendars appear correctly in Office 365, as these are essential tools for most users.
- File Access and Permissions: Verify that SharePoint and OneDrive are accessible to pilot users and that permissions align with your organizational policies.
- Application Performance: Ensure that users can smoothly access and use core Office applications (like Word, Excel, Teams) without experiencing lags or other performance issues.
- Resolve Issues and Adjust Settings: Use feedback from pilot users to identify and resolve common pain points. For example:
- If syncing issues occur with specific devices, adjustments can be made to improve compatibility.
- Permissions can be tweaked to ensure files and folders are accessible only to authorized users.
A well-executed pilot test helps you make final adjustments before the main migration, significantly reducing the likelihood of unforeseen issues and downtime.
Make the Change
Once you have your plan in place, you can make the move. On the move date (which should be predetermined in your plan), you or your Microsoft Partner will actually migrate your information over and make the switch from your old service to Office 365.
The process will vary some from company to company, depending on what data you’re migrating over, but typically the actual migration process looks like this:
- Set up new Office 365 accounts.
- Copy mail (including contacts and calendars) over to Office 365 accounts
- Move any other data over (like stored filed being migrated over to SharePoint or OneDrive). This step is typically where there is the most variation based on what data you’re moving.
- Cut your MX records (your mail records) over to Office 365.
Note: This plan is for a basic migration. Some migrations, especially migrations with customer SharePoint work, will have more steps.
Your users should be able to log in to their new Office 365 account on the next business day with all their old mail already populated in their new account.
Post-Migration Training and Support
Once the migration is complete, post-migration training and support can make a big difference in how quickly your team adapts to Office 365 and maximizes its productivity features.
- Conduct Training Sessions: Introduce users to Office 365’s features and best practices through structured training sessions. Consider focusing on:
- Collaboration Tools: Demonstrate how tools like Microsoft Teams and SharePoint support collaboration, helping teams work together more efficiently.
- OneDrive Basics: Show users how to save and access files in OneDrive to ensure they’re taking advantage of cloud storage.
- New Productivity Features: Highlight productivity features like real-time co-authoring, where multiple users can edit documents simultaneously, and the AI-driven suggestions in Outlook.
- Create an IT Support Structure: Make IT support readily available during the first few weeks to address any questions or technical issues.
- Dedicated Help Desk: Set up a help desk or designated contact person for migration-related support.
- Office 365 Knowledge Base: Compile FAQs, guides, and tutorials to support self-service learning, empowering users to troubleshoot minor issues on their own.
- Gather Feedback and Optimize: Encourage employees to share their experiences with the new system, noting any recurring issues or improvement ideas. Use this feedback to:
- Tweak Permissions: Adjust file access permissions if needed to streamline user experiences.
- Address Common Pain Points: Identify areas where users may need additional support or training, such as navigating SharePoint or using Microsoft Teams.
This approach not only helps employees feel supported but also ensures they’re equipped to leverage Office 365 to its full potential.
Ongoing Maintenance and Monitoring
Migrating to Office 365 is just the beginning—ongoing maintenance ensures that the platform remains optimized and secure for your team’s long-term use.
- Regular Software Updates: Office 365 frequently releases updates to enhance performance, add features, and improve security.
- Schedule regular maintenance checks to ensure all applications are up-to-date, reducing the likelihood of security vulnerabilities.
- Communicate any major updates to users to keep them informed about new features or changes to the interface.
- License and Usage Audits: Periodically review your licenses to ensure you’re not overspending.
- Inactive Licenses: Identify and deactivate unused licenses to optimize costs.
- Usage Patterns: Assess how teams use different Office 365 tools and adjust licenses if some features are underutilized or if others need upgrades.
- Security Audits and Data Protection: As cyber threats continue to evolve, regular security audits are essential.
- Run security checks to ensure permissions, access controls, and data protections remain aligned with your organization’s policies.
- Consider enabling additional security features, such as data encryption, if your organization handles sensitive data.
Ongoing maintenance and monitoring keep your Office 365 environment secure, cost-effective, and aligned with your organization’s changing needs.
Leveraging Advanced Office 365 Features for Business Growth
Once your team is comfortable with Office 365, consider exploring its advanced features to support business growth and collaboration.
- Microsoft Power BI for Data Insights: Office 365’s Power BI tool provides powerful data visualization and analysis capabilities. Encourage your team to use Power BI to create custom reports and dashboards that support data-driven decisions.
- Workflow Automation with Power Automate: Automate repetitive tasks by creating workflows in Power Automate. For example:
- Automated Notifications: Set up automated notifications for approvals, project updates, or task assignments.
- Document Management: Create workflows to route files for review or approval, streamlining document management.
- Enhanced Communication with Microsoft Teams Integrations: Microsoft Teams offers integrations with a wide range of third-party apps and Office tools. Consider:
- Project Management: Integrate Teams with project management tools like Planner or Trello to improve task tracking and team collaboration.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Link Teams to your CRM platform to enable quick access to client data during meetings.
By leveraging these advanced features, you can help your team maximize productivity and efficiency, driving long-term growth for your business.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid During Migration
A successful Office 365 migration requires careful planning, but even with preparation, certain pitfalls can still arise. Here’s a quick look at some common issues to watch out for:
- Underestimating Data Clean-Up: Failing to clean up outdated data before migration can lead to unnecessary clutter and slow performance. Ensure all data is organized and relevant to avoid importing unnecessary files.
- Inadequate Communication with End-Users: Without a clear communication plan, users may feel left in the dark, causing confusion and frustration. Keeping employees informed with regular updates helps ensure a smoother transition.
- Neglecting Post-Migration Support: After migration, users may need additional support and training. Set up a support system in advance to assist employees during the adjustment period.
If you avoid these common pitfalls, you can reduce stress for your team and set your migration up for long-term success.
About PTG
Palmetto Technology Group (PTG) is an award-winning IT support and managed service provider headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina. We believe in delivering phenomenal IT experiences by people you’ll love.
As a trusted partner, our goal is to help business owners lower their risk, secure their data, and promote productive employees. To learn more, book a meeting with one of our solutions specialists here.
