Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Migration Australia — Complete Guide
· By Shane McFarlane
Migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 in Australia involves moving email from Gmail to Exchange Online, files from Google Drive to SharePoint and OneDrive, and converting Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides to Microsoft Office formats. For most Australian businesses the migration takes 4–8 weeks and can be completed with zero email downtime using Microsoft's native migration tooling.
If you are still deciding between the two platforms rather than planning the move, start with how Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 compare for Australian businesses. This guide is for organisations that have already made the decision and want to know exactly how the migration runs.
Why Australian businesses migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365
Five drivers come up in almost every migration we scope. Essential Eight compliance is the most common: Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes Intune, Defender for Business, Entra ID P1, and Purview, so Essential Eight alignment is largely a configuration exercise — achieving the same coverage in Google Workspace requires third-party tools and significantly more configuration effort. Government and enterprise client requirements come next: many Australian government agencies and large enterprises require suppliers to use Microsoft 365 for secure document sharing via Microsoft Information Protection sensitivity labels, and Google Workspace cannot receive or open sensitivity-labelled files correctly. Desktop Office dependency matters for teams living in complex Excel models, Word documents with tracked changes, or heavily formatted PowerPoint decks — converting formats on every exchange is a daily productivity tax. Windows device management is fourth: Intune manages Windows PCs natively, while Google Workspace MDM for Windows needs a third-party endpoint tool. Finally, Microsoft ecosystem consolidation — businesses already running Azure, Dynamics 365, or Power Platform get far tighter integration with Microsoft 365.
Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration — what moves and what doesn't
Email moves cleanly. Gmail migrates to Exchange Online via IMAP migration or the Google Workspace Migration Tool for Microsoft Exchange, carrying all mail history, folder structure, read/unread status, calendar events, and contacts. Ongoing mail management is covered in our guide to managed Exchange Online in Australia.
Google Drive files move to SharePoint and OneDrive. Google Docs convert to .docx, Sheets to .xlsx, and Slides to .pptx during migration, with fidelity typically 85–95% for simple documents and lower for complex formatting, macros, or embedded scripts. Shared drives map to SharePoint team sites, with Google Workspace group permissions mapped to Entra ID security groups.
Google Chat history does not migrate. There is no automated path from Google Chat into Microsoft Teams, so plan to keep Chat read-only for a defined period post-migration. Google Meet recordings live in Drive and migrate as ordinary video files into SharePoint. Google Forms do not migrate — rebuild them in Microsoft Forms after cutover.
The Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration process — step by step
A typical 6-week migration runs in four stages. Weeks 1–2 — pre-migration: Microsoft 365 tenant creation, domain verification, Exchange Online mailbox provisioning, SharePoint site architecture design, and Entra ID user provisioning from the Google Workspace directory. Weeks 2–3 — pilot: migrate 5–10 pilot users, test mail flow, test file access, surface compatibility issues, and confirm Outlook configuration on both Windows and Mac. Weeks 3–5 — bulk migration: mailboxes move in batches of 20–50 with Outlook profiles configured as each batch lands, Google Drive migrates to SharePoint and OneDrive in parallel, and user training runs alongside. Weeks 5–6 — cutover: the MX record change routes new mail to Exchange Online, a final delta migration picks up everything received during the bulk window, and the Google Workspace subscription is cancelled only after a 30-day parallel run confirms nothing is missing.
Mycelium 365 has completed Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migrations for Australian businesses with zero email downtime using this tested cutover process.
Google Workspace pricing vs Microsoft 365 pricing — the real cost comparison for Australian businesses
At the tier most Australian businesses use, Google Workspace Business Standard is $21.60/user/month and Microsoft 365 Business Premium is $28.10/user/month — a $6.50/user/month difference. For a 30-user business that is $195/month, or $2,340/year more for Microsoft 365.
The sticker comparison is misleading. Business Premium includes Intune ($10.50 standalone), Entra ID P1 ($8.40 standalone), and Defender for Business ($3.50 standalone) — $22.40/user/month of security tooling at no additional cost. Securing Google Workspace to an equivalent level means Business Standard ($21.60) plus Google Endpoint Management Enterprise (~$8/user/month) plus a third-party DLP tool ($5–10/user/month) plus a third-party MFA enforcement tool, landing at $35–40/user/month.
Google Workspace pricing in Australia changed in 2024, so businesses on legacy pricing should confirm their current per-user rate before running the comparison.
What to do with Google Workspace after migration
Keep the Google Workspace subscription live for a 30-day parallel run, then cancel. Before cancellation, export a final copy of Google Drive using Google Takeout and store it as an offline backup. Retain Google Admin Console access for roughly 60 days post-cancellation so any missed data can still be retrieved. Audit which third-party tools authenticate against Google Workspace — Slack, Zapier, Salesforce, e-signature platforms, and line-of-business apps often hold Google OAuth connections that need repointing to Microsoft 365 equivalents. If you are also moving file storage from another platform, our Dropbox to SharePoint migration guide covers the same offboarding discipline. Mycelium 365 manages the full Google Workspace offboarding as part of every migration engagement.
How Mycelium 365 manages Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migrations
Every migration is fixed-price and scoped up front, so there are no hourly surprises. We migrate with zero email downtime using a tested cutover process, and user training on Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive is included rather than sold separately. Every engagement includes 30 days of post-migration support to resolve the small issues that only surface once people are working day to day.
Read Google Workspace vs Microsoft 365 for Australian businesses, see what ongoing support looks like in managed Microsoft 365 services Australia, review the Dropbox to SharePoint migration guide, or contact our team for a fixed-price migration proposal.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 in Australia?
Most Australian businesses complete a Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 migration in 4–8 weeks. A typical 30-user migration runs six weeks: two weeks of tenant setup and planning, one week of pilot migration, two weeks of bulk mailbox and Google Drive migration, and a final week for MX cutover and delta migration. Larger or more complex environments with heavy shared drive structures can take longer.
What data can be migrated from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365?
Gmail, calendars, and contacts migrate to Exchange Online with folder structure and read/unread status intact. Google Drive files, including shared drives, migrate to SharePoint and OneDrive, with Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides converted to .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx. Google Meet recordings migrate as video files. Google Chat history and Google Forms cannot be migrated automatically and need to be retained read-only or rebuilt in Microsoft Forms.
Is Microsoft 365 more expensive than Google Workspace in Australia?
On list price, yes — Microsoft 365 Business Premium is $28.10/user/month versus $21.60/user/month for Google Workspace Business Standard. But Business Premium includes Intune, Entra ID P1, and Defender for Business, roughly $22.40/user/month of security tooling. Securing Google Workspace to an equivalent standard with endpoint management, DLP, and MFA enforcement add-ons typically lands at $35–40/user/month, making Microsoft 365 cheaper on a like-for-like basis.
Can Google Docs be converted to Microsoft Office during migration?
Yes. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are converted to .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx as part of the migration. Fidelity is typically 85–95% for straightforward documents. Complex formatting, pivot-heavy spreadsheets, Apps Script automations, and custom add-ons need manual review and rebuilding, so we identify those files during the pilot stage.
What happens to Google Chat history when migrating to Microsoft 365?
Google Chat history cannot be migrated into Microsoft Teams — no automated export path exists. The standard approach is to keep Google Workspace active in read-only mode for a defined period after cutover so staff can reference old conversations, export any business-critical threads manually, and start fresh in Teams from the cutover date.
