Blog » ITSM » Microsoft 365 Migration: An IT Support Checklist for a Smooth Move

Microsoft 365 Migration: An IT Support Checklist for a Smooth Move

Ramya Balakrishnan
-
Updated on : September 1, 2026 September 1, 2026

Share this blog via -

Microsoft 365 Migration - IT Support Checklist

Summarize this post with:

ChatGPT Claude Perplexity Grok Google AI overview

Moving your business to Microsoft 365?

Move the email. Move the files. Set up the users. Done. Sounds simple, right?

That’s not the real case; anyone who has actually handled a migration knows there is usually a little more to it.

A question on Reddit from an IT admin planning a Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration summed up the situation well: they knew they wanted to move mail and files, but were not sure about things like SSO, migration tools, and how long to keep the old environment active.

And that’s often the tricky part of a Microsoft 365 migration.

You also need to think about your users, applications, devices, security, and what happens after everyone starts using Microsoft 365.

The good news is that you don’t need to make it complicated.

Whether you’re moving from Google Workspace, an on-premises Exchange server, another cloud platform, or one Microsoft 365 tenant to another, the process can be broken down into a few simple stages:

This blog is all about that. We walk you through each stage in simple terms, so you know what to prepare, what to watch out for, and what to do after the migration is complete.

Quick tip:

Don’t try to migrate everything at once. Start with a clear plan, test the process with a small group, and then move the rest of your users into manageable batches. Microsoft also recommends choosing your migration approach based on your source environment and the workloads you’re moving.

What is a Microsoft 365 migration?

A Microsoft 365 migration is the process of moving your organization’s work and data to Microsoft 365.

Depending on your current setup, this might include:

Email and calendars
User accounts
Files and documents
Microsoft Teams
SharePoint and OneDrive
Applications
Devices
User permissions

The exact migration will look different for every organization.

A small company moving from another email provider may have a relatively simple migration. A larger organization moving from an on-premises environment or another Microsoft 365 tenant will have more to consider.

But the basic process remains the same.

Microsoft 365 migration checklist

Before we get into the details, here’s the simple version:

Plan what you need to move
Review your users and data
Prepare your Microsoft 365 environment
Choose a migration approach
Test with a small group
Migrate your users and data
Check that everything works
Help users get comfortable with the new environment
Automate and improve your IT processes

Now let’s look at each step.

1. Start by figuring out what you're moving

Before you start moving anything, take a step back and look at your current setup.

Who are your users?

Where does their email live?

Where are their files?

Which applications do they use every day?

Are there devices or integrations that depend on your current environment?

You don’t need to document every tiny detail on day one. Just get a clear picture of what you’re working with.

This is also a good time to clean things up.

If you have old user accounts nobody uses, files nobody has opened in years, or applications that have quietly been forgotten, you probably don’t need to take all of that with you.

2. Get Microsoft 365 ready

Once you know what you’re moving, it’s time to prepare the new environment.

Set up your Microsoft 365 tenant and make sure the basics are ready:

Verify your domain

Create your users

Assign the right licenses

Set up the Microsoft 365 services you plan to use

This is also the time to get your security in place:

Enable MFA

Review user permissions

Check admin access

Configure your security policies

Think of it like moving into a new house. You don’t want the boxes arriving before the electricity, internet, and basic utilities are ready.

3. Decide how you want to move

Not every Microsoft 365 migration needs to happen in the same way.

If you have a small team, you may be able to move everyone within a single migration window.

If you have hundreds or thousands of users, moving everyone at once can make things unnecessarily stressful. In that case, it usually makes more sense to move people in smaller groups.

For example, you could start with your IT team, then move a few business teams, and finally move everyone else.

There’s no single “right” migration method. The best approach depends on where you’re starting, how much data you have, and how much disruption your business can handle.

4. Try it with a small group first

This is probably one of the most useful things you can do before the big move.

Pick a small group of users and migrate them first.

Don’t just choose the IT team. Include a few people who use different applications, work from different locations, or have different types of files and devices.

Then ask them to actually work as they normally would.

Can they sign in?

Can they send and receive email?

Can they find their files?

Can they use Teams?

Can they access the applications they need?

This is where you’ll often find the little things that weren’t obvious during planning.

Fix those issues now, while you’re dealing with 10 or 20 users, rather than after you’ve moved everyone.

5. Now it's time to move

Once your test group is working well, you can start the actual migration.

If you’re moving in batches, keep each group manageable and give your IT team enough time to check things before moving on to the next one.

Keep an eye on the migration as it happens. If something fails or a user suddenly can’t access something important, you’ll want to know about it quickly.

And don’t worry if everything doesn’t go perfectly.

Most migrations have a few bumps along the way. The important thing is to catch them early and deal with them before they affect more people.

6. Don't forget to check what actually moved

When the migration says “complete,” resist the temptation to immediately close the project.

Take some time to check the things your users actually care about.

Can they send and receive email?

Are their important files there?

Can they access Teams?

Do their applications still work?

Can they sign in from their usual devices?

You don’t need to test every possible scenario. Focus on the things people use every day.

A migration isn’t really successful just because the data moved. It’s successful when people can get back to work.

7. Expect a few questions

Even if everything goes smoothly, your helpdesk is probably going to get busier for a while.

Someone won’t be able to find a file.

Someone else will forget their new sign-in details.

Another person will say Outlook isn’t working.

And that’s completely normal. Make it easy for users to get help. A few simple knowledge base articles covering the most common questions can take a lot of pressure off your IT team.

It’s also worth having a clear support process ready before migration day. You don’t want to figure that out while 500 people are asking for help

8. Once everyone is settled, connect the pieces

This is the part that’s often overlooked.

After everyone has moved to Microsoft 365, you have a great opportunity to make your IT processes simpler too.

For example, your Microsoft Entra ID directory already contains important information about your users. Instead of asking your IT team to maintain the same information manually in the helpdesk, you can connect the two.

With Desk365, you can use Microsoft Entra ID user provisioning to automatically create and update contacts in the helpdesk as user information changes.

So when someone joins the company, changes their details, or leaves, your helpdesk doesn’t have to be updated separately every time.

Keep your Microsoft 365 users in sync

Connect Microsoft Entra ID with Desk365 and keep user information automatically up to date.

LEARN HOW IT WORKS

9. Bring your devices into the picture

If your organization uses Microsoft Intune, there’s another useful connection you can make.

Intune already knows a lot about your organization’s devices. Your helpdesk can use that information too.

Desk365 can sync Intune-managed devices into Asset Management, giving your support team access to device information while they’re working on tickets.

So instead of asking someone:

“Which laptop are you using?”

your support team can already have that information available.

Bring Intune devices into your helpdesk

Sync your Intune-managed devices with Desk365 and make it easier for your team to support users.

LEARN MORE

10. Look for the things you're still doing manually

Once the migration is over and things have settled down, take a look at your team’s day-to-day work.

Are you still creating users manually?

Are you copying information between systems?

Are you updating tickets in one place and then updating another application separately?

These are good candidates for automation.

Desk365’s Power Automate connector can help connect your helpdesk with Microsoft and other business applications, so repetitive tasks can happen automatically instead of relying on someone to do them every time.

Learn more about the Desk365 Power Automate connector

And if you need a more customized connection, Desk365 also provides APIs that you can use to connect the helpdesk with other systems.

Explore the Desk365 API documentation

11. Give yourself time before switching off the old system

Finally, don’t be too quick to shut down your old environment.

Give your team some time to make sure everything they need is available in Microsoft 365.

You may discover an old file someone still needs or an application that was still relying on the previous setup.

Once you’re confident that everything has moved, users are comfortable, and there are no important dependencies left, you can start retiring the old environment.

Microsoft 365 migration checklist: A ready-to-use template

You’ve made it through the migration steps. Now here’s something you can actually use.

Save this checklist, share it with your IT team, and tick things off as you work through your migration.

You don’t need every item for every migration. Simply keep the ones that apply to your organization.

Before the migration

Decide what you want to move to Microsoft 365

Make a list of users and groups

Review your existing email, files, and applications

Remove old users, files, and data you don't need

Check your Microsoft 365 licenses

Set up your Microsoft 365 environment

Verify your domain

Set up users and security policies

Decide how you will migrate

Create a migration timeline

Tell users what to expect

Choose a small group for the pilot migration

During the migration

Complete the pilot migration

Check email and file access

Check Teams and important applications

Fix issues found during the pilot

Migrate users in manageable groups

Monitor the migration

Track and resolve migration issues

Keep users informed

After the migration

Confirm users can sign in

Check email, files, and Teams

Check important business applications

Make sure users can access what they need

Prepare answers for common user questions

Monitor support requests

Keep the old environment available for a suitable period

Confirm there are no remaining dependencies

Retire the old environment when you're ready

After things settle down

Connect Microsoft Entra ID with your helpdesk

Keep user information synchronized

Connect Microsoft Intune with your asset management

Look for repetitive tasks you can automate

Connect other applications using Power Automate or APIs

Review what could be improved

START YOUR FREE TRIAL

Trusted by 7,000+ customers

Need assistance with Desk365? Get started with our articles in the Help Center!

HELP CENTER

Related Blogs

Helpdesk Migration: Why and When to Make the Move

Ramya Balakrishnan – February 23, 2026

How to Get Every Team Onboard with Enterprise Service Management

Suvedha Balasubramanian – June 4, 2026

Why Should You Use a Cloud-Based Helpdesk?

Ramya Balakrishnan – June 25, 2026