Successfully Migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365: Issues and Solutions

I recently did a successful migration from #GoogleWorkspace to #Microsoft365, however, there were some issues during the process.

Below are some practical tips and solutions to help streamline the migration process and resolve common issues I faced:

Tip #1: Adding Users Efficiently

When migrating from GWS to M365, it is necessary to add users as Contacts in the Exchange Admin Center (EAC) and then assign additional SMTP addresses to each user. This process can become a nightmare if done manually for many users. To speed up this step, create a CSV file template as shown below:

Once the CSV file is prepared, run the following PowerShell command to create the users and automatically add the SMTP addresses:

# Import the CSV file
$users = Import-Csv .\users.csv

# Loop through each user in the CSV
foreach ($user in $users) {
    # Create a new mail user with the details from the CSV
    New-MailUser -Name $user.Name `
                 -MicrosoftOnlineServicesID $user.mainTenantDomain `
                 -Password (ConvertTo-SecureString $user.Password -AsPlainText -Force) `
                 -DisplayName $user.DisplayName `
                 -ExternalEmailAddress $user.GoogleEmailAddress `
                 -FirstName $user.FirstName `
                 -LastName $user.LastName
}

Start-Sleep -Seconds 7

foreach ($user in $users) {
    # Create a SMTP
    Set-Mailuser -Identity $user.mainTenantDomain -EmailAddresses @{add=$user.m365SMTP}
}        

Tip #2: Resolving Migration Batch Creation Errors

During the creation of the migration batch, you might encounter this error:

Despite having the necessary permissions (Create Service Accounts and Project Creator) for the superuser.

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

1. Delete all previous projects from GCP
2. Remove (Create Service Accounts) and add (Service Account Admin)
3. Allow pop-ups for this site
4. Retry and it should work

Tip #3: Handling JSON Key File Download Issues

When creating the migration batch, there may be a situation where all check marks are completed, but the JSON key file required for the next authentication step is not downloaded. This issue may arise due to the enforcement of the Disable Key Creation policy.

: To resolve this:

1. Go to GCP
2. Select IAM and admin.
3. In IAM on left-hand menu, edit permissions for organization.
4. Add Organization Policy Administrator role to the superuser and save.
5. Go to Organization policies in left-hand menu.
6. Search for 'Disable service account key creation'.
7. Edit policy, set Enforcement to Off and save.

Tip #4: Migrating User Data from Google Drive to OneDrive

After completing the migration, you may need to transfer user data from Google Drive to OneDrive. For this step to work, users must have their OneDrive set up. Setting up OneDrive for each user individually can be time-consuming.

To speed this process:

1. Create a CSV file named “users.csv" containing all email addresses in one column
2. Connect to SharePoint as a SharePoint Administrator in Microsoft 365 using PowerShell
3. Run the following code to set up OneDrive for all users in the list:

$users = Get-Content -path .\users.csv
Request-SPOPersonalSite -UserEmails $users        

This command will set up OneDrive for all users in the list, allowing you to migrate each user's data to their OneDrive account efficiently.