Strategy to Switch to Google Drive from Box During an M&A

Switching to Google Drive from Box during an M&A means moving the acquired company’s files, permissions, shared and embedded links, version history, and timestamps into one unified Google Workspace.

For IT teams, the goal is to get every employee working in the same environment after migration, with no lost data or broken access. And doing that takes a clear strategy.

Here are the critical points to plan for when you migrate from Box to Google Drive during a merger or acquisition.

Why Box to Google Drive Migrations Are Common During M&A

When two companies merge, they rarely keep two separate content platforms for long. Running Box and Google Workspace side by side means duplicate licensing costs, split security policies, and employees hunting across two systems for the same files.

If the acquiring company already runs on Google Workspace, consolidating the acquired company’s Box content into Google Drive is usually the fastest route to a single collaboration environment.

It also gives IT one place to manage access, retention, and compliance for the combined workforce.

The challenge is that M&A migrations run under tighter constraints than standard cloud migrations. Deadlines are tied to the deal. Stakeholders span two organizations, and data often includes sensitive legal and financial records. That is why the strategy points below matter.

1. Aligning Data Migration Timeline With M&A Deadline

The internal IT team would estimate the duration of an M&A process before kick-starting it. So when you plan to migrate Box data to Google Drive, the migration timeline must align with the estimated M&A deadline.

One of the best practices to follow when you switch to Google Drive from Box is to segregate the migration into multiple batches. Along with batch processing, include pre-migration assessment and delta migration approaches to precisely measure the time-based progress of the migration.

You can also check out this migration timeline guide to learn more about how to plan the migration timeline.

2. Transfer of Permissions

Transferring File/Folder permissions from one cloud to another is quite challenging if done manually. So as a part of an M&A strategy, you must plan a strategic approach to move permissions from the source to the destination cloud.

CloudFuze is a cloud data migration tool that makes an effortless transfer of file/folder permissions when you migrate Box content to Google Drive.

3. Preparing the Destination Cloud

Before initiating the process to migrate Box data to Google Drive, it is important to prepare and pre-provision the destination cloud path. This ensures the target path is readily available when transferring data from the source cloud.

CloudFuze’s migration team helps prepare the destination paths in Google Drive to store the user data.

4. Migrating Box Notes to Google Drive

Your data migration strategy should also include a proper plan to handle the migration of Box files to Google Drive during an M&A. This is important because Box Notes are incompatible with Google Drive and must be converted to a supported format.

CloudFuze Migrate is a leading data migration tool that supports Box Notes migration and converts Box Notes to .docx format, supported in Google Drive.

5. File Features

During an M&A, consider transferring the associated file features when you move data from the source to the destination cloud to maintain accuracy.

CloudFuze Migrate enables migration of critical file features like external and shared links, version history, permissions, etc., to maintain the exact data in the target (Google Drive) the way they are in the source (Box).

6. Migration of Timestamps

If your company has an upcoming M&A project, you must make strategic decisions in migrating the timestamps of the files/folders.

Maintaining the original timestamps helps employees to sort and access the files easily.

CloudFuze enables transferring the associated timestamps of the data when you migrate from Box to Google Drive. You can also refer to this metadata migration guide to learn more.

Reach out to our data migration experts to assist you in creating a custom strategy for your data migration project during an M&A.

7. Mapping Users and Domains Across Both Organizations

In most M&A scenarios, employees from the acquired company move to a new email domain or are added as users in the acquiring company’s Google Workspace. Every Box user, group, and collaborator needs a clear match in the destination.

Build a user mapping sheet early that pairs each Box account with its new Google Workspace identity. Include groups, service accounts, and departed employees whose data still needs an owner. Accurate mapping is what allows permissions, ownership, and sharing to land correctly after migration.

Also decide how to handle external collaborators. Partners, vendors, and advisors who had access in Box may need to be reinvited or reviewed against the combined company’s sharing policies.

8. Fixing Embedded Box Links Inside Documents

Many teams link files to each other and external sources. After migration, those embedded links still point to Box and break once Box access is removed.

For an M&A, broken links create confusion right when employees are adjusting to the new cloud platform. Plan to identify and update embedded Box links, so they point to the new Google Drive locations.

CloudFuze Hyperlink Fixer scans migrated documents and updates embedded links so files keep working after the move.

9. Planning Around Google Drive Limits

Google Drive has platform limits that directly affect how fast and how cleanly you can migrate. Factoring them into your plan helps avoid surprises close to the M&A deadline.

Key limits to account for include:

• Daily upload limit: Each Google Workspace user can upload up to 750 GB per day. Large Box accounts may need to be spread across multiple days or batches.
• Shared Drive item limit: A single shared drive can hold up to 500,000 items. Large Box enterprise folders may need to be split across several shared drives.
• Folder structure: Deeply nested Box folders may need restructuring before they move into shared drives.

Deciding up front which Box folders become personal My Drive content and which become Shared Drives also makes ownership clearer for the combined organization.

10. Post-Migration Validation and Cutover

A migration is only complete when users can find and trust their data. Before retiring Box, validate files, folder structures, permissions, and version history match between source and destination.

A reliable cutover plan usually includes:

• Running a final delta migration to capture incremental changes.
• Reviewing migration reports for skipped or failed items.
• Communicating the cutover date and new file locations to employees.
• Setting Box to read-only for a short period before decommissioning.
• Aligning Box license termination with your contract renewal date to avoid paying for both platforms.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in an M&A Box to Google Drive Migration

Starting the migration before user mapping is finalized is one of the most frequent issues. It leads to orphaned files and permissions that point to accounts that no longer exist.

Other common mistakes include:

• Skipping a pre-migration assessment.
• Underestimating data volume against Google Drive’s daily upload limit.
• Ignoring Box Note files and embedded links.
• Decommissioning Box before validation is complete.

Each of these can delay the integration timeline and frustrate employees during an already sensitive transition.

Plan Your M&A Migration With Confidence

An M&A migration has little room for error. CloudFuze has helped enterprises consolidate content across Box, Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, and other cloud platforms during mergers and acquisitions, with full support for permissions, Box notes, version history, timestamps, and embedded links.

Get a free migration consultation and walk away with a migration plan built around your deal timeline. Contact us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long does a Box to Google Drive migration take during an M&A?

The timeline depends on data volume, number of users, and complexity of permissions. Small migrations can finish in days while enterprise migrations with terabytes of data often take several weeks. Batch migration and delta passes help teams meet the M&A deadline without disrupting users.

2. Can permissions be migrated from Box to Google Drive?

Yes. With a tool like CloudFuze, file and folder permissions can be migrated from Box to Google Drive, including internal user access and sharing settings. Accurate user mapping between both organizations is essential for permissions to transfer correctly.

3. What happens to Box Notes when migrating to Google Drive?

Box notes are not natively supported in Google Drive. CloudFuze converts Box notes to the .DOCX format during migration which enables users to open and edit them in Google Drive after migration.

4. Will version history be preserved after migration?

Yes. CloudFuze supports migration of version history, along with other file features like shared links and timestamps, so the destination reflects the source as closely as possible.

5. Can users keep working in Box during the migration?

Yes. Users can continue working in Box while the initial migration runs. A delta migration then captures any new or modified files before final cutover, which minimizes downtime.

6. How do you handle external collaborators during an M&A migration?

Review external sharing in Box before migrating and decide which collaborators should retain access under the combined company’s policies. Approved external users can then be mapped and reinvited in Google Drive.

7. Is Box to Google Drive migration secure for sensitive M&A data?

A secure migration uses encrypted transfers, role-based access for the migration team, and detailed audit reports. Choose a migration provider with recognized security certifications, especially when moving legal, financial, or HR records tied to the deal.