Folder Mapping for IMAP migrations (example Google G Suite Legacy to Exchange Online)?

Copper Contributor

Hi all

 

I started testing a migration of mailboxes from Google G Suite (now Legacy) to Exchange Online. I am aware of the "New Migration Experience" from G Suite to Exchange Online. In this discussion I try to deepen my understanding of the technical possibilities for IMAP migrations.


Since Gmail uses "labels" instead of "folders", I have the following challenges:

  1. when migrating all labels/folders, mails get migrated several times (example: duplicate mails when migrating the labels/folders "Sent Mail" and "All Mail")
  2. all migrated mails end up in the "Archive" folder

When looking at the Migrate consumer Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) mailboxes to Microsoft 365 or Office 365 instructions (last revised 12/30/2021), substep 10 in step 5 shows how to exclude folders from the migration.

 

My current best shot for overcoming problem 1 is excluding all folders (=Gmail labels) with the exception of "All Mail". This works, but not surprisingly, after the migration bach all migrated mails end up in the "Archive" folder in Exchange Online. This leads to problem 2 - every user would (minimally) need to move all sent mails manually into the "Sent Items" folder.

 

So here's my question to the community: is there something like a "folder mapping" possibility (src folder on IMAP server -> dst folder on EXO) when doing IMAP migrations? Or are there any other suggestions on how to solve problems 1 + 2 with IMAP migrations?


Thanks for reading - hints appreciated!
- Maurice

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