Introduction
Comprehensive Teams Migration Solution
Cloudiway provides enterprise-grade Microsoft Teams migration capabilities for tenant-to-tenant scenarios, Slack to Teams transitions, and Google Chat to Teams conversions. Preserve all conversations, files, and team structure seamlessly.
Microsoft Teams has become the central hub for collaboration in modern organizations. When companies undergo mergers, acquisitions, or platform changes, migrating Teams data becomes critical to maintaining business continuity and preserving institutional knowledge.
Unlike simple file migrations, Teams migration involves complex conversation threading, user mentions, reactions, file attachments embedded in messages, channel tabs, and team membership structures. Cloudiway's specialized Teams migration platform handles all these complexities while ensuring zero data loss.
Whether you're consolidating tenants after an acquisition, moving from Slack to standardize on Microsoft 365, or transitioning from Google Chat to Teams, this guide covers everything you need to know for a successful migration.
Teams Migration Scenarios
Cloudiway supports multiple Teams migration scenarios to meet diverse business needs:
Tenant-to-Tenant Migration
Migrate Teams between Microsoft 365 tenants during M&A, divestitures, or consolidations
Common Use Cases:
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Corporate restructuring
- Tenant consolidation
- Cloud region changes
Slack to Teams
Convert Slack workspaces to Microsoft Teams channels with full conversation history
Common Use Cases:
- Platform standardization
- License optimization
- Microsoft 365 adoption
- Collaboration unification
Google Chat to Teams
Migrate Google Chat spaces and conversations to Microsoft Teams structure
Common Use Cases:
- Google to Microsoft migration
- Workspace consolidation
- Enterprise platform switch
- Communication centralization
Tenant-to-Tenant Migration Details
When migrating Teams between Microsoft 365 tenants, Cloudiway creates identical team structures in the destination, preserves all channel conversations with original timestamps, migrates SharePoint files with versions, and automatically maps users based on email addresses or custom mapping files. This is essential during M&A activities where business units need to merge their collaboration platforms quickly.
Slack to Teams Conversion
Slack workspace migration to Teams involves converting Slack channels to Teams channels, mapping Slack threads to Teams conversation threads, migrating all file attachments to SharePoint, and converting reactions and mentions. While Slack's emoji reactions translate directly, custom emoji are documented for manual recreation. Slack integrations and bots need to be replaced with Teams equivalents.
Google Chat to Teams Migration
Google Chat spaces become Teams channels, with conversation history fully preserved. Files shared in Google Chat are migrated to the corresponding Teams SharePoint library. Google Meet recordings linked in conversations are documented, and users are mapped from Google Workspace accounts to Microsoft 365 accounts. This enables complete platform switching from Google to Microsoft ecosystems.
What Gets Migrated
Cloudiway ensures comprehensive migration of all Teams data and structure:
Detailed Migration Coverage
Conversations & Messages
- Message Threading: Complete conversation threads with reply chains preserved
- Timestamps: Original post and edit times maintained for audit compliance
- Author Attribution: All messages show original authors (mapped to destination users)
- Formatting: Rich text, code blocks, tables, and mentions preserved
- Reactions: Emoji reactions and likes migrated with user attribution
Files & Attachments
- File Versions: Complete version history for all documents
- Metadata: Created/modified dates, authors, and file properties
- Folder Structure: SharePoint library organization maintained
- Inline Images: Images embedded in messages migrated and re-linked
- Links: File links in conversations updated to new locations
Team Structure
- Team Settings: Privacy settings, descriptions, and configurations
- Channels: Standard and private channels with permissions
- Membership: Team owners and members with correct roles
- Guest Access: Guest user permissions preserved where applicable
Migration Process
Follow this proven process for successful Teams migration:
Connect Tenants
Authorize Cloudiway to access both source and destination Microsoft 365 tenants (or Slack/Google) securely via OAuth or admin consent.
Discover & Map Teams
Cloudiway scans all teams and channels, then maps source teams to destination teams. Map users between tenants automatically based on email or UPN.
Configure Migration Settings
Set date ranges for conversations, choose what to migrate (channels, chats, files), configure naming conventions, and set migration priority.
Run Pre-Migration Validation
Perform test migration with sample teams to validate settings, verify user mapping, and identify any permission or licensing issues.
Execute Full Migration
Start the migration and monitor progress in real-time. Cloudiway processes teams in parallel while maintaining message order and threading.
Verify & Complete
Review migration reports showing success metrics, verify conversation history and files, and provide users with access to migrated teams.
Migration Timeline
A typical Teams migration follows this timeline:
- Week 1: Planning, user mapping, and pilot team selection
- Week 2: Pilot migration, validation, and setting adjustments
- Week 3-4: Full migration execution in phases
- Week 5: Verification, user training, and cutover
Best Practices
Follow these best practices for a successful Teams migration:
Plan User Mapping Carefully
Ensure all users exist in the destination tenant before migration. Create a comprehensive user mapping file matching source UPNs to destination UPNs. For Slack/Google Chat migrations, map email addresses to Microsoft 365 accounts. Test mapping with pilot teams first.
Run Pilot Migrations
Select 3-5 representative teams covering different use cases (small, large, with private channels, with many files). Run pilot migrations to identify issues, validate conversation threading, verify file links, and confirm user permissions before full-scale migration.
Communicate Migration Schedule
Notify all team members about migration timing. Request they avoid posting during migration windows to prevent data inconsistencies. Provide clear guidance on when to switch to the new tenant. Set up redirects or notifications in source teams.
Handle Private Channels Separately
Private channels have restricted membership and require special handling. Ensure private channel members exist in destination tenant. Verify permissions are correctly set after migration. Test private channel access with actual members.
Document Custom Apps and Tabs
Teams apps, custom tabs, and third-party integrations cannot be automatically migrated. Create an inventory of all apps and tabs used. Plan manual recreation in destination tenant. Configure webhooks and connectors after migration completes.
Verify After Migration
Spot-check conversations in migrated teams to confirm threading and attachments. Verify file access in SharePoint libraries. Test @mentions to ensure users are properly mapped. Review migration logs for any errors or warnings that need attention.
Common Challenges
Teams migration presents unique challenges that require specialized handling:
User Mapping Complexity
Users must exist in destination with matching identities. Guest users need special handling. Orphaned messages from deleted users require decision on handling.
Large Data Volumes
Teams with years of conversation history and thousands of files require careful planning. Throttling limits must be respected. Parallel processing optimizes performance.
App & Integration Gaps
Custom apps, bots, and third-party integrations cannot be automatically migrated. Webhook URLs change. Power Automate flows need recreation in destination tenant.
Message Threading
Preserving reply threads and conversation context requires deep API integration. Message order must be maintained. Edited message history should be preserved.
Why Choose Cloudiway for Teams Migration
Cloudiway provides specialized capabilities that ensure successful Teams migration:
Perfect Thread Preservation
Our deep Teams API integration ensures conversation threads are perfectly recreated with all replies, reactions, and mentions intact. Message order and timing are preserved exactly.
Automatic User Mapping
Intelligent user matching based on email, UPN, or custom attributes. Handles user conflicts gracefully. Provides clear reports on unmapped users requiring attention.
File Link Updating
All file links embedded in conversations are automatically updated to point to new SharePoint locations. Prevents broken links and maintains seamless file access.
Real-Time Monitoring
Live dashboard shows migration progress for each team and channel. Detailed logs track every message and file. Immediate alerts for any issues requiring attention.
Delta Migrations
Run incremental migrations to capture new messages posted after initial migration. Enables phased cutover with minimal downtime. Keeps teams in sync during transition periods.
Enterprise Support
24x5 support from Teams migration specialists. Dedicated customer success manager for large migrations. Best practice guidance based on hundreds of successful projects.
Ready to Migrate Your Teams?
Contact our Teams migration experts to plan your tenant-to-tenant, Slack to Teams, or Google Chat to Teams migration. We ensure zero data loss and complete conversation history preservation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I migrate Teams channels and conversations between Microsoft 365 tenants?
Yes, Cloudiway fully supports tenant-to-tenant Teams migration. We migrate entire teams including channels, conversations with threading, file attachments, tabs, and team membership. All conversation history is preserved with original timestamps and author information, ensuring complete continuity for your organization.
How does Slack to Teams migration work?
Cloudiway migrates Slack workspaces to Microsoft Teams by mapping Slack channels to Teams channels, conversations to Teams chat threads, and files to SharePoint document libraries. We preserve message threading, reactions, file attachments, and user mentions. Custom emoji and integrations are documented for manual recreation in Teams.
Are private channels and chats migrated?
Yes, Cloudiway migrates both standard and private channels in Teams, as well as 1:1 and group chats. Private channel membership and permissions are preserved. Chat history including file attachments and inline images are fully migrated to the destination tenant.
What happens to files shared in Teams channels?
All files shared in Teams channels are migrated to the corresponding SharePoint document library in the destination tenant. File versions, metadata, and folder structure are preserved. Links in conversations are automatically updated to point to the new file locations.
Can I migrate from Google Chat to Microsoft Teams?
Yes, Cloudiway supports migrating from Google Chat to Microsoft Teams. We convert Google Chat spaces to Teams channels, preserve conversation threading, migrate shared files to SharePoint, and map Google Workspace users to Microsoft 365 accounts. This enables seamless transition from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365.
How long does a Teams migration take?
Migration time depends on the number of teams, channels, messages, and files. A typical organization with 50 teams can complete migration in 3-5 days. Cloudiway processes multiple teams in parallel for optimal speed. You can monitor real-time progress through our dashboard and receive detailed completion reports.
Are Teams apps and tabs migrated?
Teams tabs (like OneNote, Planner, SharePoint) are migrated when possible. Standard Microsoft apps are recreated in the destination, while custom app configurations are documented for manual setup. Third-party app integrations need to be reconnected in the destination tenant due to security restrictions.
