Introduction
It’s a common situation: a client’s domain and email accounts were set up by an agency using the agency’s own Google Workspace organization. Now, as the client grows or the agency moves on, it’s time for the client to take ownership and migrate everything to their own, independent Google Workspace.
This guide will walk you through the exact steps to ensure a smooth transfer of the domain, users, and data—without losing emails or important files in the process.
1. Setting Up the New Google Workspace Account
Before you can move the domain, you need to create a new Google Workspace account for the client.
- Register a Temporary/Test Domain: Use a spare domain, or buy a low-cost domain for setup. This acts as a placeholder so you can get everything ready before the main domain is moved.
- Walk the Client Through Initial Setup:
- DNS Verification: Prove ownership of the temporary/test domain.
- MX Records: Set up if you want to test email delivery, though this is optional for the main migration.
- Billing: Enter payment info to activate the Workspace.
- User Accounts: Create accounts for each user, setting temporary passwords.
- Aliases and Groups: Set up as needed for the client’s team.
2. Releasing the Domain from the Old Google Workspace
The domain your client actually uses for email is still “owned” by the old agency’s Google Workspace. Here’s how to reclaim it:
- Coordinate with the Old Agency:
The agency must remove (delete) the client’s domain from their Google Workspace organization. This is a required step—Google will not allow you to add a domain that’s still associated elsewhere. - Quickly Add Domain to New Workspace:
As soon as the old agency removes it, add the domain to your client’s new Google Workspace. Occasionally, there’s a brief delay; if you run into any roadblocks, reach out to Google Support for help.
3. Avoiding Email Loss During Transition
To make sure no emails are lost in the time between removing and adding the domain:
- Set Up Email Forwarding via Cloudflare:
Before the cutover, use Cloudflare (or your DNS provider) to forward all incoming emails from the client’s domain to temporary addresses set up on your placeholder/test domain. - Communicate with Users:
Tell users to check email in the temporary accounts, but hold off on sending mail until the real domain is fully moved over.
4. Migrating Email and Google Drive Data
Once the domain is on your new Google Workspace, it’s time to move the data.
Email Migration:
- Use Google Workspace Migrate or IMAP:
If you don’t have admin access to the agency’s Workspace, you’ll need to migrate via IMAP using Google’s built-in migration tool. Each user will need an app password or temporary password from the old account to complete this. - Coordinate with the Old Agency:
Make sure they keep all the old user accounts active until the migration is done.
Drive and File Migration:
- Transfer Google Drive Ownership:
Users (or the old admin) should transfer ownership of Google Drive files to the new accounts. This can be a manual but important step.
Here’s the official Google guide on transferring Drive files.
Conclusion
Moving a client’s domain and data out from under an agency’s Google Workspace into their own account is completely doable—just plan each step, coordinate closely with the old agency, and be proactive about email and data migration.
If you get stuck, Google Support is helpful, and their migration documentation covers most edge cases. With a bit of planning, your client will soon have full ownership of their domain and Workspace.
