Before You Migrate G Suite to Office 365: What Breaks and How to Grant API Access
TL;DR
- Several data types never make the jump from G Suite: tasks, chat history, calendar attachments and reminders, some calendar colors, Google Groups, and Google's category flags.
- BitTitan MigrationWiz only moves items visible through IMAP, and email attachments that are Google Drive links do not migrate as files.
- The source-side setup is the part that trips people up: you authorize MigrationWiz in the Google Admin console by entering its client ID and a specific list of API scopes.
- MigrationWiz's client ID is 113321175602709078332, and granting it admin access lets you migrate without every user's password.
- Enable API access under Security must be turned on, or the migration cannot read source mailboxes at all.
The mechanics of a G Suite to Office 365 move with BitTitan are mostly straightforward. The two things that derail projects are not knowing which data will silently fail to migrate, and getting the Google-side API authorization wrong so the source mailboxes never connect. This guide handles both, then walks the exact Google Admin steps to authorize MigrationWiz.
The full BitTitan playbook
BitTitan publishes a complete migration guide for this scenario, with screenshots for the entire process.
Click here for the complete BitTitan Migration Playbook (G Suite to 365) (opens in new tab)
What will not migrate, and plan around it
Set expectations before the cutover, because some data types never move:
- Calendar attachments
- Calendar reminders
- Some calendar colors
- Tasks
- Chats and chat history
- Google Groups for Business, including forums and collaborative inboxes
- Google Categories (the Google category flags: Social, Promotions, Updates, Forums)
- Anything not visible through IMAP (MigrationWiz can only migrate IMAP-visible items)
- Email attachments that are links to Google Drive
Authorizing MigrationWiz in the Google Admin console
This is the source-side prep, and it is where most failed migrations begin. Each step happens inside bittitan.com (opens in new tab)'s required Google configuration.
Sign in
Sign in to Google using the G Suite admin credentials.
Open the Admin tile
Click the waffle icon in the top-right corner and click the Admin icon.
Go to Security
Next, go to Security.
Open Advanced settings
Scroll down and click Advanced settings.
Open API client access
Click "Manage API client access."
Enter the MigrationWiz client ID
Type 113321175602709078332 into the Client Name field. Note: this grants MigrationWiz admin access to the account.
Enter the API scopes
Enter the following into the "One or More API Scopes" section, then click Authorize:
https://mail.google.com/, https://www.google.com/m8/feeds, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/contacts.readonly, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/calendar.readonly, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.group.readonly, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.user.readonly, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive, https://sites.google.com/feeds/Return to Security
Go back to the Security section under Admin.
Open API reference
Click API reference.
Enable API access
Make sure "Enable API Access" is selected. Without this, the migration cannot read source mailboxes.
With the data caveats understood and API access authorized, the source side is ready and MigrationWiz can connect to every mailbox without chasing individual passwords. The destination tenant is the part worth treating with more care than most migrations do, because a brand-new Office 365 environment is the easiest time to set a clean security baseline and the easiest time to forget to.
Frequently asked questions
What does not migrate from G Suite to Office 365?
Calendar attachments, calendar reminders, some calendar colors, tasks, chats and chat history, Google Groups for Business (including forums and collaborative inboxes), and Google category flags (Social, Promotions, Updates, Forums). MigrationWiz can only move items visible through IMAP, and email attachments that are links to Google Drive do not come across as files.
Do I need every user's password to migrate from G Suite?
No. You authorize MigrationWiz at the admin level by entering its client ID and API scopes in the Google Admin console, which grants the impersonation access needed to read every mailbox without individual passwords.
What client ID do I authorize for MigrationWiz?
Enter 113321175602709078332 in the Client Name field under Manage API client access. This grants MigrationWiz admin access to the G Suite account for the duration of the migration.
Lock down the new tenant before users land in it
A migration is the moment a tenant is most exposed: fresh accounts, broad admin rights, and no baseline yet. CloudCapsule scores the destination tenant against 250+ controls in 60 seconds so the new environment starts hardened, not hopeful.
Run a free scan
Written by
Nick Ross
CEO · Microsoft MVP · Founder, T-Minus 365
Nick is not just a CEO, he's a respected thought leader and influencer in the MSP space. Tens of thousands of MSPs learn through his YouTube channel, T-Minus365. Nick has been honored as a three-time Microsoft MVP for his educational content; his expertise and influence are the backbone of our mission, ensuring that you are in the best hands when it comes to security.
Nick joined Pax8 in 2017, where he would ultimately oversee product management for PSA and Microsoft integrations. Following his tenure at Pax8, Nick has continued to demonstrate his leadership prowess as an executive at various MSPs, culminating in his most recent role at Sourcepass.
Nick holds a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management from Florida State University, as well as a Minor Degree in Entrepreneurship. In his free time, Nick is an avid hiker, reader, and fitness-junkie.
