Microsoft 365 migration services across Canada
Plan a move from Google Workspace, on-premises Exchange, a hosted provider, or another tenant. Scope the supported mail, calendar, contact, file, and collaboration workloads before scheduling an approved cutover. Security controls, fallback options, licensing, and support responsibilities are agreed for your environment.
Moving to Microsoft 365 can affect email delivery, account access, calendars, files, and connected applications. A useful migration plan identifies these dependencies, tests a representative pilot, and records what will move, what needs separate work, and what will remain behind.
North Star scopes Microsoft 365 migrations around the source platform, data, required access, and business operating windows. We serve Prince George and Northern BC, the rest of British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, and Canada-wide remote teams. Migration sits within our cloud and infrastructure practice; ongoing managed IT services are a separate scope decision.
What Is Included
The proposal identifies the supported workloads, exclusions, security configuration, acceptance criteria, and post-cutover support. A mailbox migration does not automatically include files, Teams content, permissions, or every source feature. Confirm each required outcome during discovery.
Source Coverage and Limitations
Supported content depends on the source platform and migration method. Microsoft's IMAP method transfers mail-folder items, not contacts, calendar items, or tasks. File and collaboration workloads need separate assessment. Review the Microsoft IMAP migration limitations before treating a mailbox move as a complete workspace migration.
Pre-Stage, Then Cut Over
Where the chosen method supports pre-staging, copy data before the approved cutover window. Pilot results, source access, data volume, throttling, DNS, and client changes inform the schedule. Pre-staging does not guarantee uninterrupted access or eliminate the need for final verification.
Security Baseline Planning
Agree security controls and rollout checkpoints during discovery. Conditional Access requires appropriate licensing; other controls depend on the selected products and configuration. Test sign-in and recovery before enforcing changes. Use our Microsoft 365 security baseline as planning guidance, and confirm Microsoft's Conditional Access licence requirements for the proposed scope.
Adoption
Plan role-specific orientation, client reconnection guidance, and support contacts before cutover. The proposal defines the support period, coverage hours, response targets, and exclusions. Training and support help users adapt but do not guarantee day-one productivity.
How It Works
Step 1, Discover
Inventory the mailboxes, shared resources, files, sites, teams, identities, permissions, and connected applications in scope. Identify source access, licensing, retention requirements, and data that the selected method cannot transfer.
Step 2, Plan
Document the pilot, cutover plan, security configuration, acceptance criteria, and fallback decision points. Agree who can approve changes, what evidence is required, and when to stop or reschedule. Fallback options must be assessed for the chosen migration method.
Step 3, Migrate
Run the agreed migration batches and review errors and exclusions. Carry out the cutover only after the approved readiness checks, with named contacts available for the scheduled window. Record any unverified items for follow-up.
Step 4, Stabilise
Review mail flow, account access, permissions, and representative business workflows against the acceptance criteria. Log unresolved issues, owners, and follow-up dates. Support duration and response targets follow the written scope; resolution times depend on the issue and any vendor dependencies.
Who This Is For
- Prince George, Northern BC, BC, Alberta, or Yukon businesses migrating from Google Workspace, on-premises Exchange, or hosted email to Microsoft 365 for the first time
- Organisations already on M365 but with a misconfigured tenant, no MFA, no Conditional Access, missing security baselines, who need a remediation rather than a migration
- Businesses consolidating two M365 tenants following a merger or acquisition
- Teams that tried a DIY M365 migration and ended up with a messy tenant, duplicate accounts, or broken calendars
What buyers ask before they sign
How long does an M365 migration take?
Timing depends on data volume, source access, the selected method, licensing, dependencies, and pilot results. The scoped schedule separates preparation, cutover, verification, and support. User count alone cannot establish a reliable completion date.
Will there be downtime?
Disruption is possible. Pre-staging and a low-traffic cutover window can reduce impact, but DNS, account changes, client reconnection, and source limitations can affect access. Agree an expected window, communication plan, and fallback decision points; there is no zero-downtime guarantee.
What licences do we need?
Discovery identifies licensing for the destination workloads, security controls, and migration tools. Review Microsoft 365 Business Premium alongside the actual requirements rather than assuming one plan fits every user. Confirm entitlements and separate licence costs before approving the scope.
What if we are moving from Google Workspace?
Google Workspace is a source option to assess. Mail, calendar, contacts, Drive content, and sharing requirements need a documented mapping and supported migration method. A pilot should check representative content, permissions, and any features requiring conversion or separate work before cutover.
Do you apply MFA during the migration?
MFA and related access policies are planned with the authorised administrator, subject to licensing, dependencies, and the approved scope. Test enrolment, sign-in, and recovery with a pilot group before wider enforcement. Document exceptions and user support rather than assuming every account can change at once.
What does it cost?
The proposal defines the fee, included workloads, exclusions, licence and tool costs, and how scope changes are approved. Pricing depends on source platform, user count, data volume, and complexity established during discovery.
Why North Star
North Star provides Microsoft 365 migration planning and implementation with customer-approved scope, documented checkpoints, and a named handoff owner. Review the proposed controls, acceptance criteria, outstanding exceptions, and support arrangements before signing off. Ongoing managed service is optional and scoped separately.
Get a Quote on Microsoft 365 Migration
Tell us your source platform, user count, required workloads, and operating constraints. We can use those details to assess the next scoping step and identify information needed for a proposal.
Call 672-983-1174 or request a quote online.
Microsoft 365 migration by city
More cloud services
Get a quote on microsoft 365 migration.
Tell us about your current environment and required outcomes so we can discuss a scoped proposal. No obligation, no pressure.
Request a Quote Back to Cloud & InfraMicrosoft 365 migration across BC, Alberta, and Yukon.
Review the city pages for delivery context, then confirm current pricing, support windows, and scope in your proposal.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Microsoft 365 migration take?
Timing depends on source platform, data volume, access, dependencies, and pilot results. Agree preparation, cutover, verification, and support milestones in the proposal. A migration does not guarantee immediate availability of every item; record priority content and unresolved exceptions explicitly.
Will our email service be down during the migration?
Email access or delivery may be disrupted during a migration. Plan an approved cutover window, test routing and client access, and communicate fallback contacts. Pre-staging and monitoring do not guarantee that no messages will be delayed or missed; verification and exception review remain necessary.
Can you migrate files from local servers and SharePoint?
File migration can be scoped separately from email. Inventory source formats, sizes, paths, sharing, and permissions, then test the selected method against the destination design. Record unsupported content and manual work. Acceptance criteria should include representative file access and business-owner review, not just a completed transfer job.
Do you offer training for employees after the move?
Orientation and post-cutover support can be included in the agreed scope. Confirm the audience, covered tools, support period, hours, and response targets before scheduling. Record user-access problems and follow-up ownership; training does not establish that every workflow is ready or prevent all productivity disruption.