Migrate Shared Mailbox to Office 365 the Right Way

User Query: We are planning to migrate nearly 600 shared mailboxes from Exchange to Microsoft 365. Most of them have Full Access, Send As, and delegated permissions assigned to multiple users. My biggest concern is losing mailbox permissions or breaking user access after migration. What is the best way to migrate shared mailbox to Office 365 while preserving permissions, folder structure, and mailbox functionality?

Shared mailboxes form the core of corporate communications. However, migration of shared mailboxes to Microsoft Office 365 proves to be more difficult than it should be. Apart from emails, organizations have to preserve permission settings, folder hierarchy, and delegated management. Conventional ways of migration usually involve lots of manual work followed by configuration post-migration. Using the help of Cigati Office 365 Email Backup Tool, migration of shared mailboxes without disturbing mailbox integrity can be easily done.

Quick Answer 

What is the safest way to migrate shared mailbox to Microsoft 365?

Migrating the shared mailbox to Office 365 becomes easiest and most efficient when done via a reliable migration software. Such as Cigati Office 365 Backup Tool, where the integrity of mailboxes, permissions, and folders can be maintained. On the other hand, using methods such as PST file export/import makes it difficult to access mailboxes due to permission issues.

Practical Ways to Migrate Shared Mailbox to Office 365

The migration process from a shared mailbox to Office 365 involves two primary methods. The first one is the traditional manual method via Exchange Admin Center, and the second one is an efficient automatic migration method via Cigati Office 365 Email Backup Tool. Manual migration may work for small setups, but it proves to be complicated when there are many shared mailboxes.

Using Exchange Admin Center (Manual Process)

The first step is to convert the shared mailbox to a user mailbox to migrate it.

Steps To Move Shared Mailbox to Office 365:

1. At first, log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center using the Exchange admin account.
2. After that, proceed to Admin centers > Exchange > Recipients > Shared.
3. Further, click on the selected shared mailbox and click Convert to Regular Mailbox.
4. Next, press the button Yes to confirm conversion.
5. Following that, go to Users > Active Users, and choose the converted mailbox.
6. Moving ahead, grant a valid Office 365 license to the mailbox.
7. Once done, navigate to Exchange Admin Center > Migration > New Migration Batch.
8. As the final step, configure the migration and start the migration process.

The above-mentioned manual process can be useful if you are dealing with a small scenario, but in the case of many shared mailboxes, it may take a lot of time.

Operational Challenges in Shared Mailbox Migration

• First, it is necessary to convert the shared mailbox into a user mailbox.
• Chances of losing permissions such as Full Access and Send As.
• Can take much time to migrate several shared mailboxes.
• High probability of errors when configuring the migration process.
• The necessity of proper license management for each mailbox.
• Little control over bulk migrations.

Recommended Way to Migrate Shared Mailbox to Office 365

If you have many shared mailboxes within your organization, then a dedicated and automatic migration technique will work better. Cigati Office 365 Email Backup Tool is designed to make the migration process more convenient for users and ensure that the integrity of the mailbox remains intact throughout the process.

The application enables users to migrate their mailboxes without converting them into user mailboxes. It also enables users to perform bulk migration and maintain the hierarchy of emails while doing so. Also, filters can be used to migrate selected emails from the mailbox. This ensures that no irrelevant emails are transferred during the process.

Steps To Migrate On-Premises Shared Mailbox to Office 365:

1. To start, download and open the Cigati Microsoft 365 Backup Tool on your system. Then, tap on the Backup button. 
2. Further, select the Modern Authentication option, provide the required details, and click on Sign In.
3. Moving ahead, head under the Get Sub User option and pick Add User Automatically. Also, choose the mailbox type that you want. 
4. Following that, select the Source Mailbox User IDs and tap on the Next button. 
5. Moving on to the next screen, the tool will display all email files in a tree structure. Select the files that you want to move to Office 365.
6. Choose Office 365 from the given Email Clients option and authenticate the destination account. 
7. After that, choose from the additional filters to apply and click on Next. 
8. As the final step, verify the shown information and click on Convert to start the process. 

What Makes This Tool Ideal for Shared Mailbox Migration?

• Migrates shared mailboxes to Office 365 directly without converting manually.
• Allows bulk migration of numerous shared mailboxes at once.
• Keeps the same folder structure of mailboxes during migration.
• Offers selective migration with filtering options.
• Ensures safe migration with encrypted connections.
• Processes even large mailboxes quickly without downtime.

Real Case Study Example

The management of an IT service provider required the migration of a shared mailbox to Office 365 for their support department and their accounting department. They had control over more than 85 shared mailboxes with over 420GB of cumulative data in email.

At first, they tried the manual approach to migrate emails using Exchange Admin Center. However, they encountered several problems, such as loss of permissions and broken shared access.

After that, they decided to use Cigati Office 365 Backup Tool for better results. With the help of the tool, they could do bulk migration and maintain the integrity of the mailbox along with the permissions.

Final Thoughts 

In summary, a proper plan for shared mailbox migration to Office 365 is essential for smooth business operations. Without planning, migration can disrupt communication and daily workflows. Manual migration may work in some cases. However, it often creates issues with permissions and data integrity during the process. Cigati Office 365 Backup Utility offers a reliable solution for shared mailbox migration. It helps to migrate shared mailbox to Office 365 securely and efficiently. It also ensures data safety throughout the migration process.

You May Also Read: Export Office 365 Shared Mailbox to PST

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