How to Migrate Data Between Microsoft Teams accounts?

Microsoft Teams have become a huge part of our life, and it is an essential part of Microsoft’s Office subscription suite which is for many professionals these days. With the pandemic going on for 2 years and work from home becoming the new normal, the boost in the no of users of platforms like Teams was huge.  

With so many new users getting on the platform and since mergers and acquisitions also happen between companies it is no surprise when people want to migrate data between Microsoft Teams accounts. In this article, we are going to look at different methods that we can use for the above including a manual method and migration using a professional tool. 

Why is Migration of Data Hard in Teams?

 You must be wondering why it is hard to migrate teams between Microsoft Teams accounts. There are a few reasons for it. One of them is that unlike Office 365 accounts Microsoft doesn’t provide any public APIs that can be used to transfer files between Microsoft Teams. There is also the fact that most data files that are used in Teams are located elsewhere. 

• SharePoint Team Site:

  All the files and folders stored in the Teams library is stored here. Files like team document library or shared in a channel, external emails sent to Teams, the wiki page, and also all the files of OneNote of every channel. 

• Exchange team mailbox:

  All the group chats, channel chats, team emails, and contacts are stored here. 

• Individual Exchange mailboxes:

  Calendar entries, voicemails, and private chat history is stored here. 

• Individual OneDrive for Business:

  A file shared in a private chat session or during a meeting or a call then those files are stored in the sender’s OneDrive account. 

• OneDrive organizational document library:

  User’s personal OneNotes are stored here. 

• Azure:

  All the images and media (except for gifs) shared in a chat are stored here. 

• Stream:

  All Meeting recordings. 

As you can see from above most of the data used in Microsoft Teams is spread out and stored in different locations. This makes migrating data between Microsoft Teams a very hectic and difficult task.

Now let us take a look at different methods that we can use.

Migrate Data Between Microsoft Teams Accounts Using Manual. 

There isn’t a method wherein we can transfer all of the teams from Microsoft Teams. But you can move some of the data using this method. As this is a manual method and since Teams have their data all over the place. This method involves a lot of heavy lifting for the IT support people that have to move the files between Microsoft Teams. 

Steps For Manual Method

Since the manual method is very long and too complicated. Here is an overview of how to perform the manual method. 

• Re-create the source Teams environment at the destination. 
• Add all the users and allow them the necessary permissions. 
• Transfer contents from source SharePoint team site to Destination SharePoint team site. 
• Finally, export the conversations from the team’s Exchange mailbox and then import them into the destination as a document file. 

As you can see even after listing just the main points of performing the manual method in brief it still is a lot. We don’t recommend using the manual method since it is very long and has the risk of data loss. Let us now look at a much easier method that we can use to migrate data between Microsoft Teams accounts. 

Moving Data Between Microsoft Teams Using Professional Tool 

In this method without performing all the work manually, we are going to also use a tool for an automated tool for the whole process. Microsoft Teams Migration tool is a professional tool that we can use to migrate data between Microsoft Teams. And using this tool makes the process much quicker and simpler. 

Steps to Use Professional Tool 

• Download install and open the tool 
• Choose the source and destination options as Office 365. 
• In the categories of data to migrate deselect everything and just select the Teams option. Users can also select the workgroup option if needed.  
• Now validate the permission for both source and destination accounts by entering their respective credentials and clicking on next. 
• On the next screen click on fetch users if you don’t have a CSV file with the details of the users from the source environment. Select on download template if you want to make it manually.
• After selecting either one of the options above on the previous screen you can see the details of the users from the source. 
• If you have a CSV file with the destination emails then you can import it by clicking on the 3 dots on the top right side.
• If not enter the destination emails for each source email user. 
• If needed users can give higher priority to some emails so that they are migrated first. 
• After seeing the green icons after validating by pressing the validate button, proceed to the resource tab.
• Like the last time, there are multiple ways to import Teams.
• If have a CSV file of the Teams import it using the import option.
• If you want to create your own data then create the data using the template provided. Download the template and add your data to it
• If you don’t have the above 2 options then select fetch options to fetch teams data. Now your teams will be fetched from source teams. 
• Now we have to map the teams to the destination by giving them a name.
• A new window will pop up either give your preferred team name or the tool will automatically assign names from the source names. 
• Click on continue and then on the start button. 
• Now all the Teams will be created on the destination Teams. 
• If needed the user can filter out selected Teams from migration using the drop-down menu. 
• Validate the accounts and select start migration 
• After this, we need to migrate groups from source to destination. Go to the resource tab ad we can see 3 options there. If you want to insert your own data download the template and add your data to it. 
• Or if you have a CSV file then you can import it.
• If you don’t have either of the following you could fetch it from the source.
• After this select filters if required.
• Import CSV file for group destination, if not available enter the destinations manually. 
• Validate permissions by clicking on the validate button and accept the permissions.
• Click on the start migration button to start the process.

Once the process is completed migration of teams between Microsoft Teams will take place. 

Also read :How to Recover Data After Formatting Pen Drive Instantly?

Conclusion 

As we have seen there are 2 methods we can use to migrate data between Microsoft Teams accounts. But the manual method is very long and is a very hectic process to carry out. Hence we recommend using the tool for a seamless and easy experience.