How to Sync Google Workspace with Microsoft 365

Many organizations use both Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, whether during migrations or for hybrid environments. This guide covers practical methods to sync calendars, email, contacts, and files between the two platforms.

Sync Google Calendar with Outlook

Method 1: Subscribe to Google Calendar (Read-Only)

1. Open Google Calendar
2. Click the three dots next to your calendar
3. Select Settings and sharing
4. Scroll to Integrate calendar
5. Copy the Secret address in iCal format
6. In Outlook desktop: File > Account Settings > Internet Calendars
7. Click New and paste the iCal URL
8. Name the calendar and click OK

Note: This creates one-way sync. Events added in Google appear in Outlook (read-only).

Method 2: Two-Way Sync (Third-Party Tools)

For bidirectional calendar sync, consider:

• Sync2 - Desktop app for Outlook-Google sync
• CalendarBridge - Cloud-based calendar sync service
• Zapier/Power Automate - Create automation for event copying

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Add Gmail to Outlook

Outlook Desktop (Windows/Mac)

1. Open Outlook
2. Go to File > Add Account
3. Enter your Gmail address
4. Click Connect
5. Sign in to Google when prompted
6. Grant Outlook access permissions
7. Gmail syncs to Outlook automatically

Outlook Web

1. Go to outlook.com
2. Click Settings (gear) > View all Outlook settings
3. Go to Mail > Sync email
4. Click Gmail
5. Follow prompts to connect your account

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Sync Contacts

Export from Google, Import to Microsoft

1. Go to contacts.google.com
2. Click Export in the left sidebar
3. Select Outlook CSV format
4. Click Export and save the file
5. In Outlook: File > Open & Export > Import/Export
6. Choose Import from another program or file
7. Select Comma Separated Values
8. Browse to your CSV file and complete import

For Ongoing Sync

Use third-party services:

• ContactSync - Dedicated contact sync tool
• PieSync (HubSpot) - Two-way contact sync
• Zapier - Automate contact creation between platforms

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Share Files Between Google Drive and OneDrive

Manual Transfer

1. Download files from Google Drive
2. Upload to OneDrive
3. Tip: Use Google Takeout for bulk export

Third-Party Sync Tools

Tool	Features	Best For
MultCloud	Sync, transfer, backup	One-time migrations
CloudHQ	Real-time sync	Ongoing synchronization
Rclone	Command-line sync	Technical users, automation
Air Explorer	Desktop app, multi-cloud	Managing multiple clouds

Run Both Desktop Apps

Install both Google Drive for Desktop and OneDrive. They can sync different folders simultaneously without conflict.

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Migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365

For full migration, use Microsoft's built-in tools:

Microsoft 365 Admin Center Migration

1. Sign in to admin.microsoft.com
2. Go to Setup > Data migration
3. Select Gmail as source
4. Create migration batches
5. Map users from Google to Microsoft 365
6. Start migration
7. Monitor progress in admin center

What Migrates

• Email (all folders, labels become folders)
• Calendar events
• Contacts

What Requires Separate Migration

• Google Drive files (use separate tool or manual)
• Google Sites
• Google Forms
• Google Sheets/Docs (convert to Office format)

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Coexistence Scenarios

Email Coexistence

When both platforms need to receive email for the same domain:

• Use email routing rules
• Configure MX records for primary platform
• Set up forwarding for users on secondary platform
• Consider dual-delivery during transition

Calendar Coexistence

For teams split between platforms:

• Use free/busy sharing between systems
• Subscribe to shared calendars across platforms
• Consider Calendar Interop tools for enterprises

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Using Power Automate for Integration

Create automated workflows between platforms:

Example: Sync Calendar Events

1. Go to flow.microsoft.com
2. Create new Automated flow
3. Trigger: "When a new event is created" (Google Calendar)
4. Action: "Create event" (Outlook)
5. Map fields (title, date, time, location)
6. Save and enable flow

Common Automations

• Copy new Google Calendar events to Outlook
• Sync Google Contacts to Microsoft 365
• Save Gmail attachments to OneDrive
• Create Outlook tasks from Google Tasks

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Best Practices

• Plan before migrating: Inventory what needs to move
• Test with pilot users: Validate sync before full rollout
• Document DNS changes: Track MX, SPF, DKIM records
• Train users: Provide guidance on new workflows
• Monitor sync status: Check for errors regularly

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• How to Update Microsoft Outlook
• How to Use Microsoft Lists