Using the Google Workspace Migration for Microsoft Outlook (GWMMO) Tool
Who should use the GWMMO tool?
VCU faculty and staff that were using a VCU Health System (VCUHS) email address (@vcuhealth.org) that need to migrate all their emails, contacts, and calendar items to their @vcu.edu Google account.
What do I need to do prior to starting to use this tool?
You will need a PST backup file created by Outlook that contains all of your emails, contacts, and calendar items to be migrated. If you have not created one yet, instructions can be found here:
https://it.somhelp.vcu.edu/kb/articles/346-microsoft-outlook-pst-backup
Make sure to save your PST backup file in an easily accessible place on your computer such as the Desktop or your Documents/Downloads folder and remember where it is located.
How do I use the GWMMO tool?
1. Download the GWMMO Tool by going to https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gsmmo/ and clicking on the link to Download GWMMO under the Recommended for Users heading as seen below:
2. Locate the downloaded file in your Chrome browser or in your Downloads folder and double-click it to begin the installation process:
OR
3. When this dialogue box pops up, click on Run:
4. You should see a progress box pop up on the screen:
5. Next, a dialogue box should pop up and prompt you for your @vcu.edu email address:
6. A web browser window will pop up and ask you to confirm the Google account that you entered in the first box:
7. After choosing your vcu.edu account, it will ask for permission to access your email, contacts, calendar, etc in order to complete the migration. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Allow to continue to the next step:
8. After clicking Allow, you should see a successful completion message in your web browser and the application dialogue box should pop back up:
9. Use the dropdown menu to select “From PST File(s)” and leave the radio button on “Migrate only new data” to prevent any duplicate emails, calendar items, etc:
10. When the file selection window opens after you select “From PST File(s)”, navigate to the location on your computer where you saved your PST backup file:
11. After you’ve selected the file, click on Next and make sure that at least the options shown below are checked. You may also choose to import Junk and Deleted Items or only items before or after certain dates if you would prefer/have reason to do so, but the items shown below should be the default options for most people:
12. Once you’ve confirmed that the options you would like to use are set correctly, click on Migrate to start the verification and migration process.
The GWMMO Tool will run automatically from this point on, so just make sure that your computer stays powered on and connected to the internet so it will continue running in the background. The migration can take multiple hours to complete, depending on the size of the PST backup file and your internet connection speed, so if you are using a laptop it is a good idea to make sure it is connected to a power adapter during this process.
Can I still use my computer while the GWMMO tool is running?
Yes, you can continue using your computer while the GWMMO tool is running. We recommend waiting at least a few minutes after starting the migration before leaving it unattended in order to make sure that there are no initial errors or hiccups that could prevent the process from continuing as intended.
How long will the migration process take?
Depending on your computer speed, internet connection, and number of items in your PST backup file, the migration could take several hours to complete. As such, we recommend starting it while you will be away from your computer for a while or at the end of your workday, whichever works better for your situation.
How do I know when it’s done?
Once the migration process is completed, a “Success” dialogue box should pop up on your screen. Once you see that, you can click through any final “Finish” dialogue box steps to close the GWMMO tool and move on to verifying that the migration completed successfully in Gmail and Google Calendar.
What should I do after the migration is complete?
1. Log into Google Workspace (https://mail.google.com/a/vcu.edu) through a web browser with your vcu.edu email address.
2. Confirm that all of the emails, contacts, and calendar items you are expecting to see are showing correctly.
Check that the number of total items match between Outlook and Gmail for each folder (Inbox, Sent, etc):
Check that folders/labels migrated correctly with their original contents nested under them.
Check that one-time and recurring calendar items are showing in Google Calendar.
Once you have confirmed that all items have successfully migrated, send an email to somtech@vcuhealth.org and we will take care of alerting VCUHS that your account is ready to have forwarding setup and be deactivated.
What should I do if the migration didn’t complete successfully?
If you are missing email or calendar items after the migration is completed or the migration didn’t complete successfully, please submit a ticket through Cherwell: https://itsupport.vcu.edu/CherwellPortal/
Click on School/Unit Support then School of Medicine then SOM Client Services then Request Service and include as much information as you have about the issue. A SOMTech team member will reach out to assist you with troubleshooting and retrying the migration as soon as one is available.
Please make sure to include any details you have in the ticket including error messages, screenshots, affected email dates, etc.
What resources are available for getting help with VCU Google services?
The VCU Collaboration Team is your number one resource for information and assistance with Google services such as Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Chat at the university. They have agreed to be available for anyone affected by the SOPH digital services transition and provide assistance as needed.
You can also check out their help page https://collaborate.vcu.edu/apps/gmail/ that has lots of great information and suggestions for getting the most out of your VCU Gmail account.
If you are having a specific issue not covered by the information on the Collaboration Services site, you may wish to submit a ticket to Collaboration Services through the Cherwell portal.
How do I access VCU Google apps on my smartphone?
Instructions for adding Google Workspace apps (Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, etc) can be found at https://collaborate.vcu.edu/how-to/get-mobile-access/.
If you have a HIPAA Google account and access HIPAA or other sensitive data, you will also need to follow the instructions found at the link below to install the Google Mobile Device Management (MDM) policy on your mobile device: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YCyjBhpwpkC1wBOhb9AR_NMi6jIK8Ha1hFlm3P3C52A/edit#heading=h.vqvb5fkgv5qu
Note: Installing the Google MDM allows VCU to remotely manage your mobile device, up to and including remotely locking and/or wiping it. This security measure is in place to minimize damage from potential data breaches and/or security vulnerabilities that may occur with or without your knowledge when accessing services that may have PHI or HIPAA protected data on a mobile device.
It is up to each individual to decide whether the benefits of being able to access VCU systems on their personal mobile device outweigh the potential downsides of installing the Google MDM.
If you decide to access VCU Google apps on your mobile device and it is lost or stolen, you should contact the VCU IT Support Center at (804) 828-2227 as soon as possible so that appropriate steps can be taken.