What happens when we migrate your email
What to expect when Chykalophia moves your email to a new platform, and how we make sure nothing gets lost.
Moving your email to a new platform (or from an old host to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365) sounds daunting. But with careful planning, it can happen with minimal disruption to your team. This guide explains what we do and what to expect.
Why migrate email?
Common reasons for moving email include:
- Upgrading from host-bundled email to Google Workspace or Microsoft 365
- Moving to a new domain name
- Switching email platforms (e.g., from Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace)
- Consolidating multiple separate email accounts into one platform
- Improving deliverability and security
What gets migrated
Depending on your setup and what you need, an email migration can include:
| What | Notes |
|---|---|
| Emails (inbox, sent, folders) | Moved to the new platform: nothing lost |
| Contacts | Exported and imported to the new address book |
| Calendar events | Exported and imported to the new calendar |
| Email signatures | Recreated on the new platform |
| Filters and rules | Plan to set these up again on the new platform |
| Out-of-office settings | Recreated on the new platform |
The migration process
Every migration is different depending on your current setup. Here's the typical sequence:
- Before the cutoverAssess, plan, set up the new platform and copy your old email
- CutoverPoint your MX records at the new platform, then check mail flows
- After the cutoverReconnect devices, then retire the old setup
Stage 1 of 3: Before the cutover
Assessment. We review your current email setup: what platform, how many users, how much data, and any special requirements.
Plan and schedule. We agree on a migration date and time, preferably during a quieter period for your business. We brief your team on what to expect.
Set up the new platform. We create the new email accounts, configure settings, and verify everything is ready before touching your live email.
Migrate historical data. We copy your existing emails, contacts, and calendar events to the new platform. Your old email continues to work during this process.
Stage 2 of 3: Cutover
Update DNS records. We change your domain's MX records to point to the new platform. This is the moment email starts flowing to the new system. We also update SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
Monitor and verify. We check that email is being received correctly on the new platform, that old messages are visible, and that sent mail works.
Stage 3 of 3: After the cutover
Reconnect devices. Your team will need to update their phone, desktop app, and any other devices to connect to the new platform. We provide instructions or do this directly.
Decommission the old setup after a period of running both in parallel.
What about email sent during the transition?
During the DNS changeover, there is a brief period where email might route to either the old or new system. This is normal DNS propagation: other mail servers keep using their cached copy of your MX records until the TTL on those records runs out. With a low TTL that's minutes; otherwise it can be as long as the full TTL. We lower the TTL ahead of the cutover and time it carefully to keep that window short. See DNS propagation: why changes take time.
Any email that arrives at the old system during migration is captured and moved to the new platform.
Let us know about critical email systems
If your business relies on automated emails (e.g., order confirmations from WooCommerce, booking systems, CRM integrations), let us know before the migration. These systems may also need to be updated to use the new email credentials.
What your team needs to do
The main thing your team needs to do after an email migration is reconnect their devices:
- Phone: Remove the old email account and add the new one (new login details will be provided)
- Desktop app (Outlook, Apple Mail, etc.): Update account credentials or add the account fresh
- Webmail: Log in at the new platform's URL with the new credentials
We'll provide clear instructions for your specific setup.
Common questions
Will I lose any emails during the migration?
A properly managed migration loses nothing. We migrate historical emails before the cutover, monitor for any gaps, and keep the old system accessible briefly as a backup.
How long does a migration take?
Making the DNS change (the actual cutover) takes minutes; how long it takes to reach every mail server depends on the TTL on your MX records. Migrating historical email data can take hours for large mailboxes. This happens in the background while everything is still working. The whole process, from planning to completion, typically spans a few days to a week.
Do I need to do anything the night of the migration?
We'll tell you exactly what's expected. Usually it's just confirming that your team knows new login credentials are coming, and being available to quickly test email on the cutover evening.
What if something goes wrong?
We keep the old email setup running until we're confident everything is working on the new platform. If there's any problem, we can roll back the DNS change and you'll continue on the old system while we diagnose the issue.
Related guides
Was this page helpful?
Go deeper on chykalophia.com
Talk it through
Want a second pair of eyes on this?
Book a free discovery call, up to an hour. Bring the question you're stuck on and we'll tell you honestly what we'd do.
Already a client? Email support@chykalophia.com.
Last updated