Issue

Migration of Google Chat and Google Spaces history is not included in MS FastTrack migration. Decision whether to accept or to pursue an alternative approach.

Recommendation

Option 3 : Not to migrate history, because migrating with tool doesn't give a consistent result and is deemed hardly usable for end-users. Migrating with Google Takeout exports to Json file and then reading this, requires a Open-Source tool.

Background & Context

Chat and Spaces history can be valuable for Syensqo to perserve context and support continuity of work. 

Transporting this history to the Microsoft system is not straight forward activity and requires additional effort/tooling.

Assumptions

• Chat history doesn't hold legal grounds.

Constraints

• No consistent result with migration tool (Cloudiway).

• • Alternative: HTML export option also creates Teams group chats.
    • The HTML file is then stored in the user’s OneDrive.
    • Choosing only an HTML export still results in Teams creating empty group chats.

(source: Workshop Presentation: 20250524-Syensqo-WS-ExchangeMigration.pdf)

(source: Workshop Presentation: 20250524-Syensqo-WS-ExchangeMigration.pdf)

• Google Take-out results in JSON files
  • Manual End User work
  • Exported data requires Open-source tool

(source: Workshop Presentation: 20250524-Syensqo-WS-ExchangeMigration.pdf)

• End-user self extract and import is not an option.

• Change management impact.

Impacts

• If history not migrated - loss of history.

Business Rules

Options considered

Option 1: Migrate Data With Cloudiway

Option 2: Migrate Data With Google Takeout Services

Option 3: No Migration + no Takeout export and disable chat

Option 4: Don't disable Google Chat

Evaluation

Criteria	Option 1: Migrate Data With Cloudiway	Option 2: Migrate Data With Google Takeout Services	Option 3: No Migration + no Takeout export and disable chat	Option 4: Don't disable Google Chat
Technical Feasibility	Tool not Mature, lots of trial and error. Slow Support. Even if you only export, empty group chats are created.	User Action, cannot be done from Admin. Exports data to Json file and reading the exported data requires Open-source tool.	Low - disabling Takeout.	Migration: N/A - no actions to perform. Sunset of GWS: potential issues with chats still in use.
User Impact	Chat can be exported as HTML and in a second stage can be imported in Teams. One on one chats are imported as seperate group chats and not in the one on one chats. (history will be stored in a different conversation than 1:1). User mapping doesn't always work.	Exporting the chat history + spaces is a user action, technical and source of error. Reading the exported data requires Open-source tool. Chat history not imported in Teams. Format is degraded (ex: pictures not available).	Loss of history, without workaround.	Coexistence issue: chats coming to both platofrms (potentially from the same people). User can check history until license is revoked. No incentive to use new Technology.
Security & Compliance	SIP Compliance of Cloudiway TBC.	Watchpoint on using freeware. Watchpoint on what users could do with the extracted data (Takeout can be restricted to some services in particular).	N/A
Time to implement	Procurement delay & SIP delay.	Depends on User.	N/A
Support impact	High as above constraints will cause user issues and aggravation.	Low as pretty straight forward procedure.	More tickets expected of users requiring access to their chat history.
Operational Complexity	Tool and connection needs to setup and maintained during migration.	Open-source tool need to be assed by security + Versions have to followed up. Change management workload around users instructions for Takeout extracts.	Any specific / critical case has to be managed centrally as users can't perform any action themselves.
Cost	License(230,000€) + effort(100,000€).

See also

LM01_KDD001 - Migration Strategy