Client Case Study
Moving Lex Talent to Microsoft 365 before a Monday deadline
Forge Digital Technology helped Lex Talent move from a legacy IMAP email environment into a business-owned Microsoft 365 setup, with Exchange Online and a stronger security baseline — completed over a five-day migration window and ready before a new starter joined on Monday morning.
The challenge
A complete Microsoft 365 environment needed before Monday morning
Lex Talent had been using traditional IMAP email hosted by an external provider, with the mailbox configured directly in Microsoft Outlook.
While Outlook provided the familiar desktop experience, the underlying email service remained a basic IMAP setup. The business did not have its own Microsoft 365 environment providing centrally managed identity, security and modern Exchange functionality.
A new member of staff was due to start on Monday morning, creating a clear deadline. Forge began the project on Wednesday and needed to create the new environment, migrate the existing email, configure security, update the domain configuration and make sure everything was working before the new starter arrived.
The existing email service also needed to remain operational while the new platform was prepared, so the migration had to be planned around a live business environment.
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A fixed Monday deadline
Work began on Wednesday, and a new member of staff was starting the following Monday morning.
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Live email could not simply be switched off
The existing IMAP email service had to stay operational while the new environment was being prepared.
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Mailbox history had to come across
The existing mailbox data needed to be retained and moved into the new platform, not left behind with the old provider.
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A new user ready from day one
The new starter needed their own business account and email access in place for their first morning.
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Ownership and control
The business needed a Microsoft environment of its own, with identity and security it manages, rather than an arrangement controlled by the previous email provider.
The solution
Building the new environment before the live cutover
Forge created a dedicated Microsoft 365 tenant owned by Lex Talent and prepared the new environment before touching the live email service.
Separate user accounts were created for the required staff, and the Microsoft environment was configured across identity, email and security so the main services were ready before the domain and mail routing were changed.
This reduced the amount of work that needed to happen during the final migration window and helped minimise disruption.
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Mailbox and mail flowEmail migration to Exchange Online
Lex Talent’s existing mailbox used IMAP and had previously been configured directly within Outlook.
Forge migrated the existing mailbox data into Microsoft Exchange Online so the business could continue using Outlook, but with Microsoft 365 providing the email platform underneath it.
The domain’s DNS records were updated so new email would route through Microsoft 365.
Once the migration was complete, Outlook and mobile access were configured for the users, providing Exchange-based email, calendars, contacts and automatic replies rather than the limitations of the previous IMAP service.
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Security and identityBuilding a stronger security baseline
Security was treated as part of the Microsoft 365 deployment rather than something added afterwards.
Forge configured Microsoft Entra ID as the central identity platform for the business, with individual user accounts managed through the company’s own Microsoft environment rather than relying on credentials controlled by the previous email provider.
Multi-factor authentication was configured for user access, including more than one authentication method, and the wider Microsoft 365 tenant security settings were reviewed and configured as part of the deployment.
Microsoft’s standard preset protection was applied to strengthen Exchange Online protection against spam, phishing and malicious email.
The result was a centrally managed identity and email-security baseline rather than simply reproducing the previous IMAP arrangement on another mail server.
The migration
Wednesday to Sunday, ready for Monday morning
The migration was completed without requiring Lex Talent to change its existing business email addresses or adopt an unfamiliar way of working.
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Wednesday
Work began on Wednesday, with the deadline set by a new member of staff starting the following Monday.
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Before cutover
Forge used the days before cutover to build and secure the Microsoft 365 environment, create the required user accounts, configure the Microsoft services and plan the email migration.
The existing email service remained operational while the new environment was prepared.
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Cutover and validation
The mailbox migration and DNS cutover were then completed, followed by validation of mail flow, mailbox data and user access across Outlook and mobile devices.
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Monday morning
By Monday morning, the Microsoft 365 environment was in place and the new starter could begin with their own business account and email access.
Outcome
Ready when the business needed it
By Monday morning, the migration was complete and Lex Talent had moved from a basic hosted IMAP email arrangement to its own Microsoft 365 environment.
Users had individual Microsoft 365 accounts, email was running through Exchange Online, and Outlook and mobile access were configured.
Identity and email security were now centrally managed through Microsoft rather than being dependent on the previous hosting provider.
The project began on Wednesday and was completed over the following days so the new environment was ready before the new starter joined on Monday morning.
Lex Talent now has a Microsoft environment that the business owns and controls, with a foundation that can support additional users and services as the company grows.
Services delivered
What the project covered
Next step
Planning a Microsoft 365 migration?
If your business is still using legacy email, IMAP hosting or a Microsoft setup it does not fully control, Forge Digital Technology can help you plan and move to a Microsoft 365 environment built around the way your business works.