Why Migrate
Microsoft’s investment is in online. Features, Copilot, Power Platform integration all flow to online first. On-prem is maintenance mode.
Assessment
Inventory customizations: plug-ins, workflows, SSRS reports, integrations. Assess each for online compatibility. Most plug-ins migrate; some custom auth won’t.
Data Movement
Dataverse Migration Tool for bulk data. Staged by entity — reference data first, transactional second. Plan for downtime or delta sync.
Integrations
Every integration needs rework. Endpoints change, auth changes, some pipes will rebuild. Budget 20–40% of total effort for integrations.
Cutover
Pick a low-traffic window. Freeze changes to on-prem. Final delta sync. Repoint integrations. Monitor 24h post-cutover.