Microsoft 365 is a modern cloud service toolpack that adapts to various needs and different user profiles.
Microsoft 365 is currently the most popular and valid productivity cloud for organizations of various sizes. Microsoft 365 is a modern cloud service toolpack that adapts to various needs and different user profiles, regardless of the company size. The wide variety of centralized services of M365 can replace systems for which you may have previously paid substantial amounts. There are not many similar system packages on the market. G Suite maintained and developed by Google can be considered the closest competitor. However, it does not reach the level of M365 for its extension or pace of updating.
Discussions are currently taking place in many organizations related to the introduction of M365 tools, but carrying out the project itself may cause headaches. How to deploy M365 throughout the organization as smoothly as possible without interruptions in data transfer or unnecessary costs and who, in general, should be responsible for carrying out a successful migration?
1. Careful analysis is the basis for planning
Deployment of M365 tools should always be carefully planned, particularly if the number of users is large. Even if changing the email platform only, you may find yourself faced with many unexpected challenges and questions that were not envisaged. With a competent partner, even difficult challenges can be tackled already in advance.
When migrating from an old system to Microsoft 365, it is important to solve questions related to e.g.:
- servers
- integrated services
- data management
- user profiles
right at the start of the project. With a careful analysis of all important areas, both the customer and the partner who carries out the project can better understand the scope and duration of the project and anticipate potentially upcoming challenges.
The first step consists of defining appropriate M365 licensing for the organization as well as the data security features. Microsoft 365 offers a wide variety of alternative licenses and there are many variations of different packages. At this stage, a competent M365 system partner knows how to chart the right alternatives and suggest suitable solutions for each situation.
A good system partner understands the customer’s needs and wishes regarding the new system, knows the different solutions and alternatives and can make them easily understandable to the customer. A good partner can also give outside-the-box suggestions even in cases where the customer does not necessarily request them.
2. Multi-step testing enables a smooth cutover
It is good to carry out the testing of M365 tools in three steps.
The first step often consists of establishing an M365 tenant or a test environment. The tenant can be established quickly and at a low cost. All M365 services to be introduced are tested in this environment and the tests ensure that they are successfully taken into use as all potential problems can be identified well in advance.
The second level testing is carried out in the production environment. Tools and services are used with test accounts before taking them into final use with the actual user accounts.
If necessary, it is possible to carry out a pilot stage with a small group using the system features genuinely before the actual rollout. This pilot may last from a few days to a couple of weeks. Particularly when the number of users is large, the test and pilot stage is of critical importance and can be further divided into smaller parts, if needed. After careful testing, the transfer to the actual production and daily use, the so-called cutover, is much easier.
3. Anticipate and identify necessary support services
After the migration project, various support services are generally also needed to get expert help in administering the new environment and for potential problem situations. Regardless of the migration and the scope of the “service package” introduced, a transfer to M365 tools always means shifting to the use of new types of tools and thereby even a new way of operation.
Most often, particularly end users have many questions about the tools or face problems or conflicts that were not envisaged related to their appropriate use. System experts and the IT department may also have various needs for expert advice later after the system has been taken into use, for example, regarding the integration of the M365 environment or background systems. In this case, support services play a key role and they should be defined already in advance in accordance with the needs and skills of the organization.
In the best case, a support service offered by the partner enables for M365 users to directly turn to the support service provider, which will reduce the workload of the organization’s own IT administration.
+1. Pay attention to partner selection
When selecting your M365 partner, you should pay particular attention to the partner candidate’s knowledge of your current complete system package. For example, if the system package currently used is even slightly less common than normal, finding a competent migration partner plays a key role to ensure a successful project.
If the M365 partner also knows the “initial system”, it can be ensured that data is not lost during the journey and a successful migration is guaranteed. The partner should also have solid competence and references for public cloud governance since it is one of the most central parts when acquiring a productivity cloud service.
Hence, introduction of Microsoft 365 tools need not be a demanding or difficult project, but a successful outcome can be easily reached with a competent partner and careful planning and testing.
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