Import data during setup

During the setup process for your Google Workspace account, you can import data from a Microsoft or IMAP account or a personal Google Account. You can also choose to import the data later. The data import doesn't delete or modify the other account. Instead, the information is copied to Workspace.

If you import your data during setup, you don't need to complete any further data import steps. Running multiple data imports for the same content creates duplicate data in Workspace.

Import Microsoft data

If you have a Flexible Plan for Workspace, you can import up to 10 Microsoft users when you set up your Workspace account. If you have an Annual/Fixed-Term Plan, you need to add more licenses before you can import users during Workspace setup. For details, go to Add licenses or change purchase cap.

To import users from Exchange Online (Microsoft 365) during Workspace setup:

  1. Click Go to import tool.
  2. Click Microsoft and then Continue.
  3. Click Connect.
  4. Select the account you want to connect and then click Accept.
  5. (Optional) To view a list of users that will be imported, for Review your users, click Edit.
    1. To remove a user from the list, uncheck the box beside the user's email address.
    2. Click Confirm users.
  6. (Optional) To specify what types of data will be imported for all users:
    1. For Review data import settings, click Edit.
    2. Check one or more of the following boxes:
      • Email
      • Calendar events
      • Contacts
      • Files
      • Tasks
    3. Click Confirm settings.
  7. Click Start import.

  8. (Optional) To stop the import, click Stop import.

    It might take a few minutes for the import to stop, and the import process does not roll back. Any data that was imported before you stopped the process isn't deleted from Workspace.

    You can't restart an import. To learn about starting a new data import, go to Use the default data import method for Exchange Online or Use the default data import method for OneDrive.

  9. (Optional) To continue setting up your Workspace account while the user import runs, click Continue with setup and select an option:

    • Check status—Monitor the progress of your data import.
    • Authenticate—Make sure your email messages are sent correctly.
    • Get started—Open a step-by-step guide to premium Workspace features.

  10. Forward the Workspace sign-in email you get for each imported user to the user's secondary email address.

  11. (Optional) To import more Microsoft data when your data import is done, click Import email data. For details, go to Use the default data import method for Exchange Online or Use the default data import method for OneDrive.

Import your IMAP account

To import your IMAP email data during Workspace setup:

  1. Click Go to import tool.
  2. Click Other email sources and then Continue.
  3. Enter your IMAP server name and then click Test connection.
  4. Enter your IMAP email address and password and then click Start import.

  5. (Optional) To stop the import, click Stop import.

    It might take a few minutes for the import to stop, and the import process does not roll back. Any data that was imported before you stopped the process isn't deleted from Workspace.

    You can't restart an import. To learn about starting a new data import, go to Import email from an IMAP account.

  6. (Optional) To continue setting up your Workspace account while the IMAP import runs, click Continue with setup and select an option:

    • Check status—Monitor the progress of your data import.
    • Authenticate—Make sure your email messages are sent correctly.
    • Get started—Open a step-by-step guide to premium Workspace features.

  7. (Optional) To import more IMAP users when your data import is done, click Import email data. For details, go to Import email from an IMAP account.

Import data from your personal Google Account

You can import Gmail and Google Drive data from your personal Google Account during the Workspace setup process. This method doesn't import shortcuts. If your Google Account is 100% full, the data import won't include files created in Workspace apps, such as Google Docs, Sheets, or Forms. Instead, it imports other files, such as PDFs and JPEGs.

To import your Gmail or Drive data during Workspace setup:

  1. Click Go to import tool.
  2. Click Personal Google Account (Gmail, Google Drive) and then Continue.
  3. Enter your Gmail address and then click Connect and then Authorize connection.
  4. (Optional) To specify what types of data will be imported, complete the following steps:
    1. For Review data import settings, click Edit.
    2. Check one or both of the following boxes:
      • Email
      • Files
  5. Click Start import.

  6. (Optional) To stop the import, click Stop import.

    It might take a few minutes for the import to stop, and the import process doesn't roll back. Any data imported before you stopped the process remains in Workspace.

    You can't restart an import. To learn about starting a new data import, go to Import email from a Gmail account.

  7. (Optional) To continue setting up your Workspace account while the import runs, click Continue with setup and select an option:

    • Check status—Monitor your data import's progress.
    • Authenticate—Set up DomainKeys Identified Mail (DKIM) to protect your domain and ensure that your email messages are sent correctly. For details, go to Set up DKIM.
    • Get started—Open a step-by-step guide to premium Workspace features.

  8. (Optional) To import other users' Gmail data when your data import is done, click Import email data to start importing Gmail data for more users. For details, go to Import email from a Gmail account.

    The data import tool doesn't support additional imports from Google Drive.

Import your data later

If you want to continue with other setup options and come back later to import data, click Import later . You'll get a reminder email in 7 days.

When you're ready to import your data to Workspace, choose one of the following options:

  • In the Optional setup steps, for Import your business data, click More and then Go to import tool.
  • In your reminder email, click Go to import tool or Get started to open the data import tool. You can also click the image in the middle of the email to start importing data.
  • Go to About the data import tool and follow the steps for the type of data you want to import.


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