Migration
What Data Actually Moves During an Email Migration
Quick Answer
A typical email migration covers mailbox messages and folders. Contacts and calendar events are often separate migration steps and are not always included automatically, depending on the tool and source system used.
It is easy to assume "migrating email" means everything related to email moves together, but contacts, calendar entries, and shared mailboxes are frequently handled as separate steps, sometimes with separate tools.
Common Causes
- Assuming contacts migrate automatically along with mail.
- Assuming calendar events migrate automatically along with mail.
- Shared or departmental mailboxes overlooked because they were not part of an individual user's migration.
Safe Troubleshooting Steps
- Confirm what your specific migration method covers: mail only, or mail plus contacts/calendar.
- If contacts and calendar are not included, plan a separate export/import step for them.
- List shared mailboxes separately from individual user mailboxes so they are not missed.
What to Verify
- You know exactly what data types your migration tool covers.
- Contacts, calendar and shared mailboxes each have an explicit plan, not an assumption.
When Professional Help May Be Useful
If historical data across mail, contacts and calendar all matter for your team, it is worth confirming the full scope before migration starts rather than discovering gaps afterward.