The starting point can be an Exchange server in your office, Google Workspace or IMAP email at a web host. The migration method depends on that source system, the number of mailboxes and the pace you want.
Short answer
You describe your needs once: your request is reviewed by the Courtier TI team, then entrusted to the IT services company that will prepare your quote.
What the quote should cover
- The migration method chosen and why
- Which data is included and which is not
- The cutover sequence, including DNS changes
- How account security will be configured
- Support for employees during and after the cutover
What a Microsoft 365 migration involves
- A starting inventory: mailboxes, aliases, shared mailboxes, distribution lists, email volume, shared files and mobile devices.
- Choosing the method based on the source system. Microsoft documents cutover, staged and Exchange Hybrid migrations from an Exchange server, a dedicated Google Workspace migration type, and IMAP migration for other email systems.
- Creating users and assigning licences in Microsoft 365 before mail is moved.
- Migrating data in batches, then syncing the messages received during the migration.
- The DNS cutover at the domain registrar: MX record, autodiscover CNAME record and an adjusted SPF record.
- Securing accounts: two-factor authentication, and administrator accounts kept separate from everyday work accounts.
- Supporting employees on cutover day: reconfiguring Outlook and phones, answering questions.
Questions to ask yourself before requesting a quote
- What is your current system: an Exchange server, Google Workspace, email from a web host or something else?
- How many mailboxes need to be migrated, including shared mailboxes and those of former employees?
- Should only email be migrated, or calendars, contacts and files as well?
- Who manages your domain name and holds the registrar login?
- Which Microsoft 365 licences do you already have, if any?
- Do you prefer to migrate everyone in a single operation or in groups of employees?
Risks and pitfalls to avoid
- Choosing IMAP migration without knowing what it leaves out. According to Microsoft, it only moves items in mail folders, not contacts, calendar items or tasks.
- Changing the MX record too early. Microsoft recommends adding users and setting up mailboxes before updating the MX record, so that email keeps working without interruption.
- Creating a second SPF record. Microsoft states there should be a single SPF TXT record that includes the values for both the previous email provider and Microsoft 365.
- Forgetting existing mail. Once the MX record is updated, new email arrives in Microsoft 365, but existing email stays with the previous provider unless it is migrated.
- Leaving accounts protected by a password alone. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security recommends two-factor authentication and recommends requiring it in particular for cloud administrators and important accounts.
- Cancelling the old service before confirming that all email, calendars and contacts have actually been moved.
What to specify in your request
- Your current email system and, if it is an Exchange server, its version
- The number of users and shared mailboxes
- The data to migrate: email, calendars, contacts, archives, files
- Your domain registrar and who has access to it
- The licences you want or already have
- The approach you prefer: a single operation or in groups
- Training and support needs after the cutover
- Any requirements about where your data is stored
You can then describe your project: the team will contact you to clarify your needs and send you a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Can we migrate from Gmail to Microsoft 365?
Yes. Microsoft's batch migration tool offers a Google Workspace migration type. Microsoft also documents IMAP migration, which applies to Gmail among others, but only moves email. Specify in your request whether your Gmail account is managed through Google Workspace.
What is the difference between a cutover and a staged migration?
A cutover migration moves all mailboxes from an Exchange server in a single operation, while a staged migration moves them in groups of users. According to Microsoft, staged and Exchange Hybrid migrations also require directory synchronization. The choice depends on the source system, the number of mailboxes and the pace you want.
Could our employees lose email during the cutover?
The risk is managed mainly through the order of the steps: create users and mailboxes before changing the MX record, as Microsoft recommends, then sync the messages received in the meantime. Ask for the quote to describe the planned cutover sequence.
Does the migration include our shared files?
Not necessarily. Migrating email and migrating files to OneDrive, SharePoint or Teams are two separate pieces of work. State where your files are today and who needs access to them.
Is a privacy impact assessment needed to move to Microsoft 365?
Section 3.3 of Québec's Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector requires a privacy impact assessment for any project to acquire or overhaul an information system involving personal information, and section 17 requires one before entrusting that information to an organization outside Québec. The person in charge of the protection of personal information must be consulted from the outset. See our guide Law 25: what SMBs need to do on the IT side.