The Google Workspace to Microsoft Office 365 migration is a common occurrence. It is interesting to note we have never moved anyone back to Google.
What's the difference?
Microsoft combines the following into one thing:
- Contacts
- Calendar
With Google these things are separate entities. That is a big difference. Microsoft is the gold standard when it comes to E-Mail for business.
What are some technical differences?
Most E-Mail providers like Google use IMAP. Microsoft (Exchange) E-Mail uses a rich mailbox experience that is more advanced than IMAP.
With Microsoft Exchange all your Inbox and Sent Items are synced across all your devices and computers. In fact all your folders are synced.
What should you know before you migrate?
You should know:
- Are you transferring Contacts and Calendar items in addition to E-Mail?
- Are you transferring items from Google Drive?
What are some of the reasons you may want to migrate to Office 365?
1. Tired of using IMAP
IMAP is an inferior protocol to the protocol Microsoft Exchange uses.
When you have a Microsoft Exchange mailbox everything in the mailbox follows you including contacts and your calendar.
2. IMAP can be difficult to setup
Trying to remember the settings for your E-Mail can be a real pain in the neck. With Exchange you do not need to remember any settings you just need your E-Mail address and password.
3. Contacts and calendar items get lost or do not stay with your mailbox using IMAP
With Exchange your E-Mail, contacts, and calendar always stay together.
4. Microsoft E-Mail is much more responsive and reliable than Google E-Mail
We look at the downtime with Google and Microsoft and we find that Microsoft is much more reliable, in a business environment this is super important.
5. Microsoft rules the desktop with their applications
There are many new technologies (like Microsoft Teams) that will eventually take over your desktop. Microsoft Teams as an example is more advanced than Zoom or Google Hangouts.
Staying with the leader (Microsoft) in office desktop applications means you continue to use the best offerings for the business world. By consolidating your apps with one company you also have less logins to worry about.
Other benefits of using Office 365:
- You get Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is the best E-Mail client on Windows, MacOS, Android, and iOS.
There are many integrations that work only with Outlook and it is by far the gold standard in E-Mail clients.
What is Outlook? Only using webmail?
Some people are used to only using webmail. That is when you just log into your E-Mail from a browser (e.g. gmail.com) Some people may not even know the difference between using webmail and using an E-Mail “client.” Outlook is an E-Mail client.
It can even be slightly more confusing because when you go to http://office.com to read your Microsoft E-mail you will be using the web version of Outlook. But the Outlook application is distinctively more flexible and powerful.
It does not matter if you use webmail or the Outlook application. Use the one you are more comfortable and efficient with. But, if you are wanting to use more advanced features you must use the Outlook application.
If you decide to use Microsoft Outlook on your desktop you should consider also using the mobile apps for Android or iOS, they are both free and excellent for checking E-Mail.
Save money on licensing Microsoft Office applications
Many people have to buy Microsoft Office to use Word, Excel, Powerpoint or Outlook. When you get a license for Microsoft Office you could potentially be saving money by using their E-Mail as well. Getting Microsoft E-Mail (Exchange) depends on which Office 365 plan you purchase.
If you purchase a Home or Personal license you will not get Exchange E-Mail, only the applications. Purchase an Enterprise or Business license to get Exchange.
Compare all Office 365 products (Personal & Family)
Compare Office 365 Enterprise licenses
Purchasing the right license can save you money. This is where a trusted consultant can be very helpful. E-Mail us if you have questions about Microsoft licensing.
Tip of the day
When you use any of the Microsoft Office 365 services like E-mail, simply go to the following URL to login:
The rest of this article is for advanced users, enterprise users, and those seeking more technical insights.
If that is not your thing then just switch to Microsoft, that is all you need to know for now. Contact us if you need help.
Advanced & Enterprise Users Only
What about advanced users like lawyers and public corporations?
In some companies there is a need for advanced threat protection and methods to track all activity.
The Microsoft Office 365 platform and Exchange offer some of the most advanced capabilities for information and event management.
- Exchange Admin Center
- Enterprise threat detection for malware, spam, and phishing attack
Security
https://security.microsoft.com/ – Monitor security across devices, apps, and infrastructure
Compliance
https://compliance.microsoft.com – resources to manage security and compliance across an enterprise
Device Management
https://endpoint.microsoft.com – Dashboard to manage devices and the applications
Exchange Admin Center
https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com/ – Manage mailboxes and advanced message trace
Security Examples
Compliance Examples
Device Management Examples
Exchange Admin Center Examples
The Microsoft Office 365 platform offers the most advanced protection in the industry. Their offerings can scale from a small company to even the largest companies and organizations in the world.
