For staff · Staff whose Microsoft 365 account, email and files are moving to a new organisation's Microsoft 365
Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant: staff guide
What staff need to know in a Microsoft 365 tenant-to-tenant move: new sign-in, Outlook and phone set-up, Teams changes, what to redo and ready-to-send emails.
What is different for you
| Item | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Your Microsoft 365 account | [OLD SIGN-IN, e.g. you@old.contoso.com] | [NEW SIGN-IN, e.g. you@contoso.com]. [HOW YOU GET YOUR PASSWORD] |
| Sign-in security (MFA) | Set up for your old account | Set up again for your new account the first time you sign in |
| Outlook on your computer | Connected to the old organisation | Set up again with your new account. Outlook downloads your mail again. |
| Phone apps (Outlook, Teams, OneDrive) | Signed in with the old account | Old work account removed and new account added |
| Teams | Teams and channels in the old organisation | Teams in [NEW ORGANISATION]. [TEAMS PLAN] |
| Your email address during the move | [OLD EMAIL ADDRESS] | [TEMPORARY ADDRESS IF ANY] until [DOMAIN MOVE DATE], then [FINAL EMAIL ADDRESS] |
What stays the same
- Your email, calendar, contacts, tasks and notes. Your whole mailbox moves.
- Your OneDrive files. Old OneDrive links redirect to the new location for a while.
- Files in team SharePoint sites in scope for the move. [SITES IN SCOPE]
- [CHATS AND MEETINGS: moved with you / not moved. See TEAMS PLAN]
Your checklist
Before the move
- Note your move date: [DATE].
- Tell [IT CONTACT] by [DATE] if you manage someone else's mailbox or calendar, or someone manages yours, so you move together.
- Copy your email signature somewhere safe. Signatures do not move.
- If you own a Planner plan, a Microsoft Form, a Power Automate flow or a Power BI report, tell [IT CONTACT] by [DATE]. These are rebuilt, not moved. Form owners should export responses to Excel first.
- If you organise recurring Teams meetings, list them. Teams meeting links do not carry over, so you will send new invites.
- Save any files on your computer's desktop or Documents folder into OneDrive.
- Email to [DOMAIN] may not be delivered for a short time during the domain move on [DOMAIN MOVE DATE] at [TIME]. Warn key contacts if that matters for your work.
On the day
- Sign in with your new account: [NEW SIGN-IN]. When asked, set up sign-in security (MFA) again using [MFA METHOD, e.g. an authenticator app on your phone].
- Set up Outlook again with your new account. IT will give you steps or help you: [OUTLOOK STEPS LINK]. Leave Outlook open while it downloads your mail.
- On your phone, remove the old work account from Outlook, Teams and OneDrive and sign in with your new account.
- Sign out of Teams and sign back in with your new account.
- If your computer is being moved too, follow the device instructions from IT. [DEVICE PLAN]
After the move
- Set up your email signature again in Outlook.
- Check that people you delegate to (or who manage your calendar) still have access. IT restores Send on Behalf permissions, so report any gaps.
- Send new invites for recurring Teams meetings you organise, so attendees get working links.
- Rejoin your teams and channels in [NEW ORGANISATION] and check pinned files and tabs.
- Report anything missing to [IT CONTACT] by [DATE]. Your old mailbox is removed after the move.
Questions people ask
Will I lose any email?
No. Your whole mailbox moves, including calendar, contacts, tasks and notes.
Do I keep my email address?
You keep [FINAL EMAIL ADDRESS] once the domain moves on [DOMAIN MOVE DATE]. Before that you may use [TEMPORARY ADDRESS IF ANY].
Why is there an email gap during the domain move?
An email domain can only belong to one Microsoft 365 organisation at a time. Mail to [DOMAIN] cannot be delivered while it moves from one to the other, so IT keeps this window as short as possible.
What about my Teams chats?
[TEAMS PLAN]
Do my Planner plans and Forms move?
No. They are rebuilt in [NEW ORGANISATION]. Form owners should export responses before the move.
Why do I have to set up MFA again?
Your new account is in a different organisation, so its sign-in security is set up fresh.
Outlook keeps opening my old mailbox. What do I do?
Outlook needs a new profile for your new account. Contact [IT CONTACT] and we will set it up with you.
My old OneDrive link opens a different page. Is that right?
Yes. Old OneDrive links redirect to the new location for a while. Update bookmarks to the new address.
Emails you can send
Announcement (2 weeks before)
Subject: Your Microsoft 365 account moves to [NEW ORGANISATION] on [DATE]
Hi all, On [DATE] your Microsoft 365 account moves to [NEW ORGANISATION]'s Microsoft 365. Your email, calendar, contacts and OneDrive files move with you. What changes: - You sign in with a new account: [NEW SIGN-IN] - You set up sign-in security (MFA) again - You set up Outlook and your phone apps again - Teams: [TEAMS PLAN] What does not move, so please act before [DATE]: - Email signatures (copy yours somewhere safe) - Teams meeting links (organisers will send new invites) - Planner plans, Forms, flows and Power BI reports (owners, contact [IT CONTACT]) If you manage someone else's mailbox or calendar, reply to [IT CONTACT] by [DATE]. Questions: [IT CONTACT] Thanks, [SENDER NAME]
Reminder (2 days before)
Subject: Reminder: your account moves on [DATE]
Hi all, Your account moves to [NEW ORGANISATION] on [DATE]. Before then: - Copy your email signature. - Save desktop and Documents files into OneDrive. - List any recurring Teams meetings you organise. - Have [MFA METHOD] ready on your phone. You will set up MFA again. Email to [DOMAIN] may be briefly undeliverable during the domain move on [DOMAIN MOVE DATE] at [TIME]. Thanks, [SENDER NAME]
Go-live (the morning after)
Subject: Welcome to [NEW ORGANISATION] Microsoft 365: start here
Good morning, Your account has moved. Please do these now: 1. Sign in with [NEW SIGN-IN] and set up MFA when asked. 2. Set up Outlook with your new account: [OUTLOOK STEPS LINK]. Leave it open while your mail downloads. 3. Sign out of Teams and sign in again with your new account. 4. On your phone, remove the old work account from Outlook, Teams and OneDrive and add your new account. If Outlook keeps opening your old mailbox or you cannot sign in, contact [IT CONTACT] on [PHONE OR CHAT]. Extra support is on hand this morning. Thanks, [SENDER NAME]
Action needed: finish your set-up
Subject: Action needed: signatures, meetings and permissions
Hi all, A few things need redoing after the move: 1. Add your email signature in Outlook again. 2. If you organise recurring Teams meetings, send new invites so attendees get working links. 3. If you work on someone else's mailbox or calendar, check you can still open it and send for them. Tell [IT CONTACT] if not. 4. Rejoin your teams and check pinned files and tabs. Thanks, [SENDER NAME]
Completion
Subject: The move to [NEW ORGANISATION] Microsoft 365 is complete
Hi all, Everyone has now moved to [NEW ORGANISATION]'s Microsoft 365, and our email domain is working in the new organisation. Thanks for your patience. If anything is missing from your mailbox, OneDrive or team sites, tell [IT CONTACT] by [DATE]. Thanks, [SENDER NAME]