When do you need a tenant-to-tenant migration?
You need a tenant-to-tenant migration when people and data in one Google Workspace account must move into a different one. The most common reasons are an acquisition, a merger of two organizations, a division splitting off into its own company, or separate departments that each set up their own account years ago.
If the goal is simply to bring an extra domain into your account, our guide to consolidating domains may cover it. Our email migration guide shows how this fits with other kinds of moves.
Why is the domain the hardest part?
The domain is the hardest part because a domain can be used in only one Google Workspace account at a time. You cannot have users on both accounts using the same domain at once. The whole plan is built around the moment the domain moves.
A common approach:
- Create users in the target account on a temporary address, such as a secondary domain the target already owns.
- Copy mail, calendars, and files to those temporary accounts while people keep working in the source.
- On cutover day, remove every user, group, and alias on the domain from the source account, then remove the domain itself.
- Add the domain to the target account and rename users to their final addresses.
If the domain is the source account's primary domain, it cannot simply be removed. You either change the source's primary domain first or close the source account. Mail sent while the domain is between accounts can be delayed or rejected, so keep that window short and schedule it for a quiet time.
What data moves, and what changes?
Mail, calendars, contacts, and Drive files can be copied between accounts with migration tools, but several things change along the way. Knowing them in advance avoids surprises.
- File links change. Copied files get new addresses, so links in old emails, documents, and bookmarks point to the original files.
- Sharing must be rebuilt. Who can see which file has to be mapped to users in the new account. Our guide to Drive sharing settings helps you set good defaults.
- Shared drives need new owners and members in the target account.
- Connected apps and single sign-on need to be set up again.
- Some data may not copy, depending on the tool, such as chat history, Sites, form responses, and scripts. Check our list of what does not migrate automatically.
How do you plan the cutover?
You plan the cutover as a short, scripted sequence, usually over a weekend, with every step written down and assigned. The data copy happens in the weeks before. Cutover day is about the domain and a final sync.
- Freeze changes to users and groups in the source account.
- Run a delta sync to copy recent mail and files. Our explainer on delta migrations covers how it works.
- Release the domain from the source and add it to the target.
- Rename users to their final addresses.
- Generate a new DKIM key in the target account and update DNS.
- Send test messages in and out, and run a last sync for anything that arrived.
- Help people sign in on Monday morning, including on their phones.
The weeks after matter too. Our guide to the first 30 days after migration covers what to watch.
Next step
Tenant-to-tenant moves are part of our mergers and acquisitions service. Tell us about both accounts and your timeline, and we will plan the cutover with you.
Frequently asked questions
Can both companies keep separate Google Workspace accounts?
Yes. Some organizations keep separate accounts and share files and calendars between them. That avoids a migration, but it means two admin consoles, two bills, and two sets of policies. You can still combine them later once the business structure is settled.
Will old Drive links still work after the move?
Usually not. Copied files get new addresses in the new account, so links in old emails, documents, and bookmarks point to the original files. Tell people early, and keep the source files available until teams have updated the links they rely on.
