A Microsoft 365 migration proposal should make clear what will move, what staff will need to do and how you will check the result. Use this checklist when discussing a move from an existing email service or shared drive. A provider change within an existing Microsoft 365 environment may only need a management handover; confirm the reason for any proposed migration first.
1. Write down the email and files in scope
Migration methods differ. Some copy email only, so calendars and contacts need explicit confirmation. Microsoft explains how the source system and mailbox requirements affect the options in its email migration guidance.
- List users, mailboxes, shared addresses, aliases, calendars and contacts that need to move.
- Identify active shared files, personal work files and archives. Ask what will stay behind and how it will remain accessible.
- Record mailbox and file sizes, who uses the data and any deadlines the project must work around.
- List scanners, website forms and business applications that send email or depend on existing accounts.
2. Agree the destination and access
Decide where team documents will live in SharePoint or Teams and which files belong in individual OneDrive accounts. Name the people who should have access, including external collaborators. Existing folder permissions and links need checking after the move. Microsoft's file migration guide covers assessing the source, planning destinations and preparing users.
- Confirm the licences each role needs, including desktop apps, email and security requirements.
- Agree administrator access, MFA setup and who approves changes to user access.
- Ask who will manage backup and recovery after the migration, which data is covered and how recovery will be checked.
3. Plan the email changeover with your domain settings
Confirm who can change the domain's DNS records and who approves the timing. Mailboxes need to be ready before incoming mail is redirected. Changing a mail-routing record alone does not move historical messages. Microsoft's domain setup guidance explains the order of mailbox preparation and mail routing.
Ask the provider to include website forms, scanners and other sending applications in the checks. Keep the current service available for the agreed transition period, and confirm when it can be retired.
4. Give staff a practical changeover plan
- Choose a suitable change window and identify any expected interruption to email or files.
- Where appropriate, test with a small group before the wider changeover and review what needs adjusting.
- Tell staff where to sign in, how to complete MFA setup and where shared files will be found.
- Set a clear point for staff to stop editing files in the old location so changes do not split across two copies.
- Arrange help for Outlook, mobiles and other affected devices, with a named contact for problems.
5. Agree how the project will be signed off
Ask for a written completion check that includes the following, plus any requirements specific to your business:
- Incoming and outgoing mail works, including shared addresses and the applications identified in scope.
- Agreed historical mail, calendars, contacts and files are present, with any exceptions documented.
- Named staff can open and edit their working files; confidential folders are limited to the intended users.
- Staff can sign in on the devices they use and know how to request ongoing help.
- The business has agreed the remaining fixes, backup responsibilities and date for retiring old services.
6. Separate the project price from ongoing costs
Ask the quote to distinguish migration work, licences, any equipment, staff setup and ongoing support. The source systems, data volume, access requirements and work involved affect the scope; a user count alone does not describe the whole project.
Simple IT scopes Microsoft 365 migrations separately from managed support. Microsoft 365 licensing may also be billed separately. Bronze end-user support labour is charged at ad-hoc rates, while Silver and Gold include support under their agreed terms. Our team can discuss remote and onsite requirements across the Central Coast, Newcastle and Hunter Valley.
