How to Configure Google Drive Migration to Microsoft 365 Using Migration Manager

Migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 is a critical step for organizations moving workloads into the Microsoft cloud ecosystem. Microsoft 365 Migration Manager provides a native and efficient method to migrate Google Drive content into OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online.This guide walks through the complete configuration process for setting up Google Drive migration to Microsoft 365 using Migration Manager.

Overview

Microsoft Migration Manager allows organizations to migrate Google Drive workloads directly into Microsoft 365 services such as OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online.

The migration solution supports:

• Google My Drive to OneDrive migration
• Shared Drives to SharePoint Online migration
• Incremental synchronization
• User and permission mapping
• Migration reporting and monitoring

Migration Manager provides a centralized migration experience without relying on third-party migration utilities.

Supported Migration Scenarios

Supported Workloads

• Google My Drive
• Shared Drives
• Folder structures
• Microsoft Office files
• PDFs and images
• Shared permissions
• Incremental synchronization

Unsupported or Limited Items

The following items may not migrate fully or may require manual validation:

• Google Forms
• Google Sites
• Third-party application metadata
• Unsupported file names
• Google shortcuts
• Files exceeding Microsoft 365 limitations
• Certain external sharing permissions

Prerequisites

Before starting the migration, ensure all prerequisites are completed.

Microsoft 365 Requirements

• Global Administrator account
• SharePoint Administrator role
• OneDrive enabled for users
• SharePoint Online configured
• Microsoft 365 licenses assigned
• Migration Manager enabled

Google Workspace Requirements

• Google Workspace Super Administrator access
• Google Cloud Console access
• Google Drive enabled
• API access enabled

Required Permissions

The following administrative permissions are required.

Platform	Required Role
Microsoft 365	Global Administrator
Microsoft 365	SharePoint Administrator
Google Workspace	Super Administrator
Google Cloud	Project Owner

Pre-Migration Assessment

Before starting migration, perform a detailed assessment of the existing environment.

Recommended Assessment Tasks

• Identify inactive users
• Review storage consumption
• Analyze sharing permissions
• Validate OneDrive provisioning
• Review unsupported file types
• Check path and file naming limitations
• Perform pilot migration testing

A proper assessment reduces migration failures and minimizes business disruption.

OneDrive Provisioning Validation

Before migrating user drives, ensure OneDrive is provisioned for all target users.

Users can provision OneDrive by signing in once, or administrators can pre-provision OneDrive using PowerShell.

Example PowerShell Command

Request-SPOPersonalSite -UserEmails [email protected]

Create Google Cloud Project

Before configuring Google Drive migration in Microsoft 365, a Google Cloud Project must be created. The project is required to enable Google APIs, configure OAuth authentication, and create the service account used by Migration Manager.

Without a properly configured Google Cloud Project, Microsoft 365 will not be able to authenticate against Google Workspace.

Why Is This Required?

The Google Cloud Project is used for:

• Enabling Google Drive APIs
• Creating OAuth authentication
• Creating the service account
• Configuring domain-wide delegation
• Allowing Microsoft 365 Migration Manager access to Google Workspace data

Prerequisites Before Creating the Project

Before proceeding, ensure:

• You have access to Google Admin Center
• You are signed in using a Google Workspace Super Admin account
• Google Cloud Console access is available
• API access is enabled within Google Workspace

Steps to Create Google Cloud Project

Step 1 — Open Google Cloud Console

Open:

https://console.cloud.google.com

Sign in using a Google Workspace administrator account.

Step 2 — Open Project Selection Menu

From the top navigation bar:

1. Click the project dropdown
2. Select:
   • New Project

Step 3 — Configure Project Details

Enter the following details:

Field	Value
Project Name	Enter a meaningful project name
Organization	Select organization
Location	Select appropriate location

Step 4 — Create the Project

After entering the required details:

1. Click:
   • Create
2. Wait for the project provisioning process to complete

Provisioning may take several minutes.

Validate Project Creation

After the project is created:

1. Verify the project appears in the project list
2. Ensure the project is selected in the top navigation bar
3. Confirm no permission warnings are displayed

Common Errors During Project Creation

Several issues may occur while creating the Google Cloud Project.

Error — Permission Denied

Error Example

You do not have permission to create projects in this organization.

Cause

The signed-in account does not have sufficient permissions.

Resolution

Ensure the account has:

• Project Creator role
  OR
• Organization Administrator permissions

Error — Organization Policy Restriction

Error Example

Project creation restricted by organization policy.

Cause

Google Workspace security policies prevent project creation.

Resolution

Contact the Google Workspace administrator to temporarily allow:

• API creation
• Service account creation
• Cloud project creation

Error — APIs Disabled by Administrator

Cause

API access has been disabled within Google Workspace.

Resolution

Enable API access from:

Google Admin Center → Security → API Controls

Enable Google APIs

Migration Manager requires Google APIs to communicate with Google Workspace.

Required APIs

• Google Drive API
• Google Admin SDK API

Steps

1. Navigate to:
   • APIs & Services → Library
2. Search for:
   • Google Drive API
3. Click Enable
4. Repeat the process for:
   • Admin SDK API

Configure OAuth Consent Screen

The OAuth consent screen is required for application authorization.

Steps

1. Navigate to:
   • APIs & Services → OAuth Consent Screen
2. Select:
   • Internal
3. Provide:
   • Application Name
   • Support Email
4. Save the configuration

Create Service Account

The service account is used for secure authentication between Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace.

Steps

1. Navigate to:
   • APIs & Services → Credentials
2. Select:
   • Create Credentials → Service Account
3. Enter a service account name
4. Click:
   • Create and Continue

Enable Domain-Wide Delegation

Domain-wide delegation allows the service account to impersonate users within Google Workspace.

Steps

1. Open the created service account
2. Navigate to advanced settings
3. Enable:
   • Domain-Wide Delegation
4. Save the configuration

Copy the following values:

• Client ID
• Service Account Email

These values will be required later.

Create Service Account Key

A JSON key file is required for authentication.

Steps

1. Open the service account
2. Navigate to:
   • Keys
3. Select:
   • Add Key → Create New Key
4. Choose:
   • JSON
5. Download the key securely

Important: Store the JSON key securely and avoid sharing it publicly.

Configure Google Workspace API Access

API permissions must now be delegated within Google Workspace.

Steps

1. Open:
   • Google Admin Console
2. Navigate to:
   • Security → API Controls
3. Select:
   • Domain-Wide Delegation
4. Click:
   • Add New

Enter the following:

• Client ID
• OAuth Scopes

Recommended OAuth Scopes

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.user.readonly
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive
https://www.googleapis.com/auth/drive.readonly

Click Authorize.

Create Google Drive Migration Source in Microsoft 365

Now configure the migration source within Microsoft 365.

Steps

1. Open:
   • Microsoft 365 Admin Center
2. Navigate to:
   • Setup → Migration
3. Select:
   • Google Workspace
4. Choose:
   • Google Drive Migration

Upload:

• JSON key file
• Service Account information

After validation succeeds, continue to the next step.

Start Drive Scan

Migration Manager performs a scan before migration begins.

Steps

1. Select:
   • Scan
2. Wait for discovery to complete
3. Review:
   • Users
   • Shared Drives
   • Storage usage
   • Permission mappings

The scan identifies unsupported items and validates readiness.

Configure Migration Destinations

Map Google Drive sources to Microsoft 365 destinations.

Mapping Examples

Source	Destination
Google My Drive	OneDrive
Shared Drives	SharePoint Online

Steps

1. Select discovered users
2. Assign OneDrive destinations
3. Assign Shared Drives to SharePoint Sites
4. Validate mappings

Start Migration

After validation is completed, begin the migration process.

Steps

1. Select users or drives
2. Click:
   • Migrate
3. Monitor migration progress

Migration Manager supports:

• Incremental migration
• Retry operations
• Reporting
• Error logging

Monitor Migration Progress

Migration status can be monitored directly from Migration Manager.

Common Statuses

Status	Description
Queued	Waiting to start
In Progress	Migration running
Completed	Migration successful
Failed	Requires troubleshooting

Migration Limitations

Organizations should review migration limitations before starting.

Common Limitations

• API throttling may occur
• Invalid characters may block migration
• Maximum file size restrictions apply
• Long path limitations exist
• Some permissions may not map directly
• External sharing behavior differs between platforms

Shared Drive Permission Considerations

Google Drive permissions do not always map directly to SharePoint Online permissions.

Important Notes

• Shared links may require recreation
• External sharing settings may differ
• Some inherited permissions may change
• Manual validation may be required for sensitive sites

Post-Migration Validation

After migration completes, validate migrated content carefully.

Validation Checklist

• Files migrated successfully
• Folder structures preserved
• Permissions mapped correctly
• Shared links validated
• OneDrive accessible
• SharePoint document libraries functioning properly

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Authentication Failure

Cause

Incorrect service account permissions.

Resolution

Verify:

• Domain-wide delegation enabled
• OAuth scopes configured correctly
• JSON key uploaded successfully

API Access Denied

Cause

Required APIs not enabled.

Resolution

Enable:

• Google Drive API
• Admin SDK API

User Mapping Errors

Cause

Target Microsoft 365 users do not exist or are unlicensed.

Resolution

Create and license Microsoft 365 users before migration.

Final Cutover Recommendations

Before finalizing the migration:

1. Stop changes within Google Drive
2. Run incremental synchronization
3. Validate migration reports
4. Notify end users
5. Redirect users to OneDrive and SharePoint Online
6. Disable legacy access after validation

Best Practices

• Perform pilot migrations first
• Use incremental sync before cutover
• Validate permissions after migration
• Avoid migrating inactive users
• Communicate migration timelines clearly
• Monitor migration reports regularly

Conclusion

Microsoft 365 Migration Manager provides a scalable and native solution for migrating Google Drive workloads into Microsoft 365 services such as OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online.

By properly configuring Google APIs, service accounts, authentication, permissions, and migration mappings, organizations can achieve a secure and efficient migration experience.

Careful planning, pilot testing, incremental synchronization, and post-migration validation are essential to ensuring a successful migration outcome.