How to Migrate from Microsoft Teams to Cisco Webex

Wondering how to migrate from Microsoft Teams to Webex, the easy way?

There are plenty of reasons why you might find yourself in that position. 

You might have decided to invest in new software because of the benefits of Webex productivity tools. Perhaps a merger or acquisition is pushing you to get all of your team members on the same platform?

Whatever the reason, something is causing you to think about how to switch from one collaboration platform to another.

The question is, where do you begin? 

Step 1: Plan your Webex Spaces

You’ve already dealt with the basics, checked out the Webex landscape, and bookmarked some helpful pages.

If you're not at the stage just yet, here's some recommended reading before you read this blog post in full.

• The Buyer's Guide to Microsoft Teams and Webex
• 5 Ways to Connect Microsoft Teams and Webex
• Top Webex integrations
• 9 Stories from a Year Talking to Microsoft Teams and Webex Customers
• This Guide to Webex
• Cisco’s explanation of Cognitive Collaboration 
• What’s new in Webex?
• Building Bridges between Microsoft Teams and Webex
• Microsoft Teams vs Webex

Now it’s time for the real work to begin. 

Making the migration from Microsoft to Cisco Webex means learning some new lingo. 

For instance, you’re not going to be collaborating in channels anymore. 

Webex delivers teamwork in Spaces. 

Cisco Webex spaces are pretty much the same as your standard Microsoft channels under the surface- just with a different UI.

While the functionality might be the same, the change of language can be confusing when onboarding your new users.

It may be worth adding a glossary of terms to the training you provide to your employees. For instance:

• Webex Spaces are where groups of people collaborate on shared topics – similar to your Microsoft Teams channels. 
• Direct messaging is when people send messages one-on-one, for more intimate and personal conversations. 
• Webex app hub is where you can connect the other tools you use with your Webex portfolio for access to more functionality. 

The Cisco Webex Help Center offers plenty of guidance on how to get savvy. 

You can learn how to create a space, move spaces in and out of Teams, and add people to Spaces, all in the same helpful environment. 

Step 2: Customize your Webex experience

If you’ve been working with Microsoft Teams for a while, then your team has probably made the app their own. 

It's possible to customize the experience with a wide variety of custom or off-the-shelf apps.

Maybe you’ve got piles of information and saved conversations in your channels that you don’t want to abandon when you move to Cisco Webex. 

While Webex can keep track of your files and provide you with a place to sort through conversations, pulling your content from Microsoft Teams is easier said than done. 

There isn’t a feature that allows you to export data from your Microsoft Teams environment into a file that you can place into your Cisco Webex app. 

Instead, you’ll need to use eDiscovery searches to pull pieces of information using the Teams PowerShell module. 

For companies that are keen to convert to a new app as quickly as possible, this can be a very complicated experience. 

On top of that, the apps that you used with Microsoft Teams might not be available with your Cisco Webex landscape. 

While there are some overlapping tools on the Microsoft marketplace and the Webex app hub, there’s a chance that you’ll need to compromise and replace the tools your employees love with something slightly different. 

When planning your migration from Microsoft Teams to Cisco Webex, think carefully about how you’re going to transfer information and add-ons from one service to another. 

Can you give your employees the same empowering experience they got from their old apps? Or will they need new training on how to use these alternative services? 

Step 3: Learn about the links between Microsoft and Cisco

Migrating from Teams to Webex isn’t a walk in the park. 

The good news is that you can plan at your own pace. Particularly with the recent Microsoft and Cisco partnership that allows Webex devices to connect to Microsoft meeting services. 

For instance, Cisco introduced a solution that’s certified as Microsoft Cloud Video Interop to allow Webex Room devices and SIP hardware to join Microsoft Teams meetings. 

When moving from Teams to Cisco, there’s also the option to start, join, or schedule Webex Meetings from Microsoft Teams. 

The Webex Meetings app allows employees to invite people into a Webex meeting, even if they’re using Microsoft Teams. 

This means you can still launch meetings between Microsoft Teams and Webex users though your entire collaboration experience isn't connected.

It’s not an ideal solution for merging Cisco and Microsoft, but the new interoperability features could make it easier to keep your business running as you progress through your migration. 

In the meantime, employees must adapt to:

• Scheduling meetings in the Webex app, sharing agendas, and connecting to video calls with a single click.
• Using Webex whiteboards instead of Microsoft digital boards to create and share visual content. 
• Learning how to stay compliant with the security standards in Webex, compared to the security used in Microsoft Teams. 

Step 4: Begin your migration

Eventually, you’ll get to the point where you can begin your migration from Microsoft Teams to Cisco Webex. 

This process isn’t going to happen overnight. 

There’s going to be a lot of file movement to think about, and you’ll need time to get your team used to a brand-new set of tools. 

It’s worth planning an adoption strategy that will help the move to feel as simple and streamlined as possible. 

Remember, focus on:

• Providing your team members with all the guidance and training they need
• Explaining the benefits of each tool to employees to help them see their value
• Using first-adopters to help other team members embrace new technology