Illustrative IT engineer helping a small office team move email and files to the cloud on new laptops

Moving to Microsoft 365 is one of the most common IT projects for small businesses in Bury and across Greater Manchester. Whether you are coming from an old email host, a server in the office or Google Workspace, the steps are broadly the same. This plan shows them in order.

1. Audit what you have

How many users, shared mailboxes and email aliases you have.
Where files live now: a server, a NAS, Dropbox, Google Drive or individual PCs.
Which applications depend on email (scanners, accounts software, website forms).
Who controls your domain name and DNS.

2. Choose the right licences

Most small businesses choose between Business Basic, Business Standard and Business Premium. Premium adds important security features such as device management and conditional access. See which Microsoft 365 licence your business needs. Shared mailboxes usually do not need a licence; see shared mailboxes and licences.

3. Set up the tenant securely

Add and verify your domain.
Turn on multi-factor authentication for everyone, starting with administrators.
Create separate admin accounts that are not used for everyday email.
Set up email security (SPF, DKIM and DMARC records).
Plan the SharePoint and Teams structure before moving files.

4. Migrate email

Mailboxes can be copied in advance, with a final sync at cutover. Plan the change to your MX records for a quiet time, such as an evening or weekend, and check that mail is flowing afterwards. Remember calendars, contacts and shared mailboxes.

5. Migrate files

Tidy up before you move: archive old data, fix permissions and agree a folder structure. Personal files go to OneDrive; shared files go to SharePoint sites, usually one per department or function.

6. Devices and apps

Install the Microsoft 365 apps, connect Outlook and OneDrive, and reconfigure scanners and other systems that send email. With Business Premium, enrol devices in Intune so they can be managed and secured centrally.

7. Train people and tidy up

Give staff a short session on OneDrive, SharePoint and Teams, and how to share files safely.
Keep the old system read-only for a short period, then decommission it.
Set up a separate backup for Microsoft 365 (see does Microsoft back up your 365 data?).

Common pitfalls

Moving files with broken or overly open permissions.
Forgetting devices and services that send email, such as scanners and website forms.
Skipping multi-factor authentication “until later”.
Not telling staff what is changing and when.

When to speak to BMT

If you are based in Bury and planning a move to Microsoft 365, see IT support in Bury or our Microsoft 365 support page. We plan the migration around your working hours and stay with you after cutover. Call us on 0161 672 7461 or 01706 391 047, or get in touch online.

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Moving a Bury Business to Microsoft 365