Microsoft Releases Box to Microsoft 365 Migration Tool

One of the more challenging tasks in the world of IT is migrating from one service to another. Because of the overhead involved, many companies will opt to stick with an existing solution, even if it’s not perfect, rather than devote the dollars and time to migrating and then educating users about the new software.

But large service providers know this and will often provide migration services for a reasonable fee or sometimes no fee at all. Microsoft provides similar offerings and also automated tools to help move from popular data services as well.

Announced today, via MC244608, the company’s tool for migrating from Box to Microsoft 365 is launching in public preview. This tool will help you move data stored in the Box cloud repository over to OneDrive or SharePoint.

The solution works by linking your Microsoft 365 and Box accounts with the migration tool and then mapping the Box users and their files to the same mapping within OneDrive. You will also have the option to map users to a SharePoint site and a Teams channel as well.

As you would expect, there is a scan discovery tool that lets you see the files and mapping prior to making the move from Box to Microsoft 365. Keep in mind that to perform these actions, you will need to be the Global admin or OneDrive/SharePoint admin for your tenant.

One thing to consider is that Microsoft says that this tool is designed for small and medium-sized Box accounts. The company doesn’t explicitly define this size but says for larger companies using Box, you may need to use Mover.io – a tool that Microsoft acquired in 2019 – to complete your migration.

The rollout of the preview is starting now for the Box migration tool with expected completion by the end of the month.