Move company email to VNe without losing mail
From Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Zimbra, cPanel hosting or personal mailboxes: copy the old mail first, switch MX second, and VNe picks up the late arrivals.
Does moving company email lose messages?
Not if you do it in order. VNe copies all old mail while everyone keeps using the old system as usual. Only when the copy is done do you point the MX record at VNe. VNe then keeps syncing for another 72 hours to catch mail that still lands on the old system, and only then tells the admin to press Finish.
Where you can move from
An admin opens «Move to VNe» in the organization admin and picks the current mail system. Each source needs something different:
- Google Workspace: a Google admin pastes VNe's Client ID once. Moves mail, contacts and calendars, with no per-person passwords.
- Microsoft 365: a Microsoft admin clicks «Accept» once. Moves mail, contacts and calendars.
- Zimbra: a Zimbra admin account. Moves mail, contacts and calendars.
- cPanel / DirectAdmin hosting: a hosting account backup file (.tar.gz). VNe reads it once and sorts each message into the right person's mailbox.
- Self-hosted mail server: a Dovecot or Cyrus master user. Moves mail.
- iCloud, Yahoo, Lark, personal Gmail, single hosting boxes: enter each person's app password, or send a link so each employee moves their own mailbox.
The order that loses nothing
- Add the company domain to VNe and verify it. VNe only moves mailboxes on verified domains.
- Create a move and pick the source. VNe creates each person's mailbox and copies the old mail; staff keep sending and receiving on the old system meanwhile.
- When the move page says the copy is done, point the domain's MX record at VNe using the DNS setup guide.
- VNe notices the MX switch and keeps syncing for 72 hours, because outside senders remember the old MX for a while and still deliver there.
- After 72 hours VNe tells the admin they can press Finish. VNe then deletes the stored admin access to the old system; moved mail stays.
What stays the same
- Folders, original received dates, and each message's read / flagged state.
- Safe to rerun: an interrupted move continues where it stopped, and messages already copied are not duplicated.
- Copied old mail does not set off auto-replies or a flood of notifications on employees' phones.
What if I switch MX too early?
New mail arrives at VNe right away and old mail keeps copying in the background, so nothing is lost. Staff will just see their VNe mailbox missing older mail until the copy finishes, which is why it is better to wait for the move page to say the copy is done.
Not ready to move everyone?
A domain can stay on Google Workspace or Lark while a group of people uses VNe («Run alongside» on the Domains page). It is a good way to try VNe with one team before moving the whole company.