Last modified by Agnease on 2026/07/03 12:22

From version 4.9
edited by Agnease
on 2026/07/03 12:22
Change comment: There is no comment for this version
To version 1.1
edited by Agnease
on 2026/07/03 11:08
Change comment: There is no comment for this version

Summary

Details

Page properties
Content
... ... @@ -1,773 +1,0 @@
1 -{{velocity}}
2 -#set ($discard = $xwiki.ssx.use('PublicWebSite.WebHome'))
3 -
4 -#set ($summaryCards = [{
5 - 'icon': 'book',
6 - 'title': 'Use XWiki for trusted knowledge',
7 - 'content': 'Move official documentation, policies, procedures, decisions, meeting outcomes, working group spaces and maintained knowledge into XWiki.'
8 -},{
9 - 'icon': 'pencil',
10 - 'title': 'Keep specialist tools where needed',
11 - 'content': 'Do not force XWiki to replace email, calendar, video calls, chat, desktop file sync, complex spreadsheets or presentation editing.'
12 -},{
13 - 'icon': 'road',
14 - 'title': 'Transition gradually',
15 - 'content': 'Start with one useful pilot space, define templates and ownership rules, then expand once users see XWiki as the trusted source.'
16 -}])
17 -
18 -#set ($xwikiFitCards = [{
19 - 'icon': 'sitemap',
20 - 'title': 'Structured knowledge spaces',
21 - 'content': 'Create clear spaces for teams, working groups, committees, projects, departments or public documentation areas.'
22 -},{
23 - 'icon': 'file-text-o',
24 - 'title': 'Official pages and procedures',
25 - 'content': 'Turn important documents into maintained wiki pages with history, ownership, review dates and clear navigation.'
26 -},{
27 - 'icon': 'check-square-o',
28 - 'title': 'Decision records',
29 - 'content': 'Capture decisions separately from chats, meetings and drafts so users can understand why something was agreed later.'
30 -},{
31 - 'icon': 'users',
32 - 'title': 'Working group collaboration',
33 - 'content': 'Provide each group with a homepage, meeting notes, decisions, files, responsibilities and links to external tools.'
34 -},{
35 - 'icon': 'database',
36 - 'title': 'Lightweight structured apps',
37 - 'content': 'Replace some spreadsheet-based lists with XWiki applications when the data has stable fields, owners and lifecycle rules.'
38 -},{
39 - 'icon': 'shield',
40 - 'title': 'Governed access',
41 - 'content': 'Use XWiki groups, rights and page hierarchy to create a more explicit model for internal, restricted and public knowledge.'
42 -}])
43 -
44 -#set ($notXWikiCards = [{
45 - 'icon': 'envelope-o',
46 - 'title': 'Email and calendar',
47 - 'content': 'XWiki is not a mail or scheduling platform. Keep the existing groupware or evaluate tools such as Nextcloud Groupware for calendar and contacts.'
48 -},{
49 - 'icon': 'comments-o',
50 - 'title': 'Real-time chat',
51 - 'content': 'XWiki comments and notifications do not replace chat. Use Matrix/Element, Mattermost, Nextcloud Talk or another dedicated messaging tool.'
52 -},{
53 - 'icon': 'video-camera',
54 - 'title': 'Video meetings',
55 - 'content': 'XWiki can store agendas and notes, but it should not host meetings. Use Jitsi, Nextcloud Talk or another video conferencing solution.'
56 -},{
57 - 'icon': 'cloud',
58 - 'title': 'Large file sync',
59 - 'content': 'XWiki attachments are useful around pages, but XWiki is not a desktop file synchronization platform. Use Nextcloud Files for that role.'
60 -},{
61 - 'icon': 'table',
62 - 'title': 'Complex spreadsheets',
63 - 'content': 'Budgets, calculations, pivot tables and reporting workbooks should remain in office tools such as LibreOffice, ONLYOFFICE or Collabora.'
64 -},{
65 - 'icon': 'desktop',
66 - 'title': 'Presentation editing',
67 - 'content': 'XWiki can store final decks and document the reusable knowledge behind them, but presentation authoring belongs in an office suite.'
68 -}])
69 -
70 -#set ($roadmapSteps = [{
71 - 'title': '1. Define the role of XWiki',
72 - 'content': 'Agree that XWiki is the trusted knowledge and governance layer, not a clone of Google Workspace.'
73 -},{
74 - 'title': '2. Select high-value content',
75 - 'content': 'Start with policies, procedures, decisions, working group documents, onboarding guides and maintained knowledge.'
76 -},{
77 - 'title': '3. Create templates',
78 - 'content': 'Prepare templates for working group homepages, meeting notes, decision records, policies, procedures and FAQs.'
79 -},{
80 - 'title': '4. Design permissions',
81 - 'content': 'Define public, internal, restricted and external collaboration areas before migrating content.'
82 -},{
83 - 'title': '5. Reduce login friction',
84 - 'content': 'Connect XWiki to the organization identity provider through OIDC, SAML, LDAP or another SSO approach.'
85 -},{
86 - 'title': '6. Migrate into structure',
87 - 'content': 'Do not only copy files. Give each page an owner, location, purpose, access model and review expectation.'
88 -},{
89 - 'title': '7. Expand after a pilot',
90 - 'content': 'Start with one working group or department, collect feedback, improve the structure, then repeat with more teams.'
91 -}])
92 -
93 -#set ($pilotCards = [{
94 - 'icon': 'home',
95 - 'title': 'Working group homepage',
96 - 'content': 'Purpose, scope, members, priorities, important links and current responsibilities.'
97 -},{
98 - 'icon': 'calendar',
99 - 'title': 'Meeting notes',
100 - 'content': 'Consistent notes with agenda, participants, decisions, actions and links to related pages.'
101 -},{
102 - 'icon': 'check',
103 - 'title': 'Decisions',
104 - 'content': 'Short decision records with context, options considered, decision, owner and date.'
105 -},{
106 - 'icon': 'folder-open-o',
107 - 'title': 'Documents and files',
108 - 'content': 'Important documents converted to pages when possible, with attachments or external links where needed.'
109 -},{
110 - 'icon': 'question-circle',
111 - 'title': 'Open questions',
112 - 'content': 'A visible place for unresolved topics instead of hiding them in chat or email.'
113 -},{
114 - 'icon': 'link',
115 - 'title': 'External tool links',
116 - 'content': 'Clear bridges to Drive, Nextcloud, office editors, issue trackers, chat or other tools still in use.'
117 -}])
118 -
119 -#set ($implementationItems = [
120 - 'Single sign-on with OIDC, SAML, LDAP or another identity provider.',
121 - 'A simple space model for departments, working groups, projects and public documentation.',
122 - 'Page templates for recurring content types such as meeting notes, decisions, policies and procedures.',
123 - 'Metadata fields such as owner, status, review date, audience and document type.',
124 - 'Clear group and permission model for public, internal, restricted and external collaboration areas.',
125 - 'Notifications and watch rules so users know when important pages change.',
126 - 'Structured applications for lists, registers and lightweight internal processes.',
127 - 'Optional office document integration when page-based content is not enough.',
128 - 'A migration dashboard showing selected content, owners, status and unresolved questions.'
129 -])
130 -
131 -{{html clean="false"}}
132 -
133 - <section class="resource-header" aria-labelledby="hero-title">
134 - <div class="container">
135 - <div class="text-center">
136 - <div class="hero-kicker">
137 - <i class="fa fa-exchange" aria-hidden="true"></i>
138 - XWiki migration and collaboration guidance
139 - </div>
140 - </div>
141 -
142 - <h1 id="hero-title">From Google Workspace to XWiki: a practical transition guide</h1>
143 -
144 - <p class="resource-summary">
145 - A practical guide for moving durable knowledge, documentation and governance from Google Workspace
146 - into XWiki, while keeping the right tools for files, meetings, chat, office editing and communication.
147 - </p>
148 - </div>
149 - </section>
150 -
151 - <section class="resource-page">
152 - <div class="container">
153 - <div class="resource-layout">
154 -
155 - <aside class="resource-sidebar" aria-label="Page summary">
156 - <h4>In this guide</h4>
157 - <ul>
158 - <li><a href="#main-idea">Main idea</a></li>
159 - <li><a href="#quick-view">Quick view</a></li>
160 - <li><a href="#workspace-map">Google Workspace map</a></li>
161 - <li><a href="#replacement-map">Replacement map</a></li>
162 - <li><a href="#what-belongs-in-xwiki">What belongs in XWiki</a></li>
163 - <li><a href="#not-xwiki">What not to replace</a></li>
164 - <li><a href="#open-source-stack">Open-source stack</a></li>
165 - <li><a href="#transition-plan">Transition plan</a></li>
166 - <li><a href="#pilot">Pilot example</a></li>
167 - <li><a href="#adoption">Adoption guidance</a></li>
168 - <li><a href="#implementation">Implementation checklist</a></li>
169 - <li><a href="#related-resources">Related resources</a></li>
170 - <li><a href="#faq">FAQ</a></li>
171 - </ul>
172 - </aside>
173 -
174 - <article class="resource-content services">
175 -
176 - <p>
177 - Moving an organization away from <a href="https://workspace.google.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google Workspace</a>
178 - is rarely just a software migration. It changes habits, ownership, permissions, document lifecycle and the
179 - way people expect collaboration to happen.
180 - </p>
181 -
182 - <p>
183 - Google Workspace is popular because it combines documents, files, email, calendar, meetings, chat, forms,
184 - sharing and search in one familiar environment. A transition to XWiki should therefore avoid the weak argument
185 - that XWiki can replace everything. It cannot, and it should not try to.
186 - </p>
187 -
188 - <div class="resource-note">
189 - <p>
190 - <strong>The practical position:</strong> XWiki is strongest as the structured knowledge layer. It is the place
191 - for official documentation, maintained knowledge, working group spaces, policies, procedures, decisions,
192 - governance content and organizational memory.
193 - </p>
194 - </div>
195 -
196 - <h2 id="main-idea">The main idea: replace the knowledge problem, not the entire suite</h2>
197 -
198 - <p>
199 - The strongest argument for XWiki is not that it imitates Google Workspace. The strongest argument is that it
200 - solves a problem that often appears inside Google Workspace over time: scattered documents, unclear ownership,
201 - duplicated files, weak navigation, old links, inconsistent permissions and no obvious place for the trusted
202 - version of important knowledge.
203 - </p>
204 -
205 - <div class="resource-note">
206 - <p>
207 - <strong>Summary recommendation:</strong> use XWiki as the trusted knowledge and governance layer. Move official
208 - documentation, procedures, decisions, policies, meeting outcomes and maintained knowledge into XWiki. Keep
209 - real-time office editing, email, calendar, chat, video meetings and large file sync in dedicated tools that
210 - can integrate with or link back to XWiki.
211 - </p>
212 - </div>
213 -
214 - <div class="resource-inline-cta">
215 - <p>
216 - <strong>Need help positioning the transition?</strong>
217 - Agnease can help map current Google Workspace usage, identify what should move to XWiki,
218 - define the right open-source alternatives, and prepare a realistic pilot migration.
219 - </p>
220 - <a class="btn btn-secondary" href="$xwiki.getURL('contact.WebHome')">Request a customization review</a>
221 - </div>
222 -
223 - <h2 id="quick-view">Quick view: how to position the transition</h2>
224 -
225 - <div class="services-grid">
226 - #foreach ($entry in $summaryCards)
227 - <article class="service">
228 - <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
229 - <i class="fa fa-$entry.icon"></i>
230 - </div>
231 - <div class="service-body">
232 - <h4>$entry.title</h4>
233 - <p>$entry.content</p>
234 - </div>
235 - </article>
236 - #end
237 - </div>
238 -
239 - <h2 id="workspace-map">What Google Workspace usually provides</h2>
240 -
241 - <p>
242 - Before proposing a transition, it is useful to explain what people currently get from Google Workspace.
243 - Users are not only using a document editor. They are using a complete collaboration habit.
244 - </p>
245 -
246 - <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
247 - <thead>
248 - <tr>
249 - <th>Google Workspace area</th>
250 - <th>What users value</th>
251 - <th>Risk over time</th>
252 - </tr>
253 - </thead>
254 - <tbody>
255 - <tr>
256 - <td>Google Docs</td>
257 - <td>Fast writing, real-time editing, comments and suggestions.</td>
258 - <td>Important documents become isolated files instead of maintained knowledge.</td>
259 - </tr>
260 - <tr>
261 - <td>Google Drive</td>
262 - <td>Easy sharing, folders, file ownership and external collaboration.</td>
263 - <td>Folder structures grow organically and become hard to govern.</td>
264 - </tr>
265 - <tr>
266 - <td>Google Sheets</td>
267 - <td>Trackers, lists, budgets, lightweight databases and reports.</td>
268 - <td>Business processes become hidden in spreadsheets.</td>
269 - </tr>
270 - <tr>
271 - <td>Google Slides</td>
272 - <td>Presentation creation and sharing.</td>
273 - <td>Reusable knowledge remains locked in slide decks.</td>
274 - </tr>
275 - <tr>
276 - <td>Google Forms</td>
277 - <td>Quick surveys, registrations and data collection.</td>
278 - <td>Collected data may remain detached from internal processes.</td>
279 - </tr>
280 - <tr>
281 - <td>Google Sites</td>
282 - <td>Simple internal or public pages.</td>
283 - <td>Content can be separated from the wider knowledge base.</td>
284 - </tr>
285 - <tr>
286 - <td>Gmail, Calendar, Meet and Chat</td>
287 - <td>Communication, scheduling, meetings and quick coordination.</td>
288 - <td>Decisions remain scattered in messages, calls and informal conversations.</td>
289 - </tr>
290 - </tbody>
291 - </table>
292 -
293 - <h2 id="replacement-map">What can move to XWiki, and what should move elsewhere</h2>
294 -
295 - <p>
296 - A successful transition separates content by purpose. Some content belongs naturally in XWiki. Some should
297 - remain in office collaboration tools. Some should move to other open-source or self-hostable systems that
298 - complement XWiki.
299 - </p>
300 -
301 - <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
302 - <thead>
303 - <tr>
304 - <th>Current Google Workspace usage</th>
305 - <th>Recommended destination</th>
306 - <th>Transition guidance</th>
307 - </tr>
308 - </thead>
309 - <tbody>
310 - <tr>
311 - <td>Official documentation in Google Docs</td>
312 - <td>XWiki pages, spaces, page history, comments and permissions.</td>
313 - <td>Move final and maintained documentation into XWiki pages.</td>
314 - </tr>
315 - <tr>
316 - <td>Policies, procedures and governance documents</td>
317 - <td>XWiki pages with templates, metadata, review dates and ownership.</td>
318 - <td>Move to XWiki and add lifecycle rules.</td>
319 - </tr>
320 - <tr>
321 - <td>Meeting notes</td>
322 - <td>XWiki meeting note templates inside team or working group spaces.</td>
323 - <td>Start new meeting notes in XWiki and link older notes only when useful.</td>
324 - </tr>
325 - <tr>
326 - <td>Working group or committee documents</td>
327 - <td>XWiki spaces with homepage, members, notes, decisions and documents.</td>
328 - <td>Create one structured space per group.</td>
329 - </tr>
330 - <tr>
331 - <td>Decision records</td>
332 - <td>XWiki decision page template.</td>
333 - <td>Move decisions out of scattered Docs, email and chat.</td>
334 - </tr>
335 - <tr>
336 - <td>Google Sites pages</td>
337 - <td>XWiki public or private spaces.</td>
338 - <td>Move informational pages that need history, permissions or governance.</td>
339 - </tr>
340 - <tr>
341 - <td>Shared file archive</td>
342 - <td>XWiki attachments for curated files; <a href="https://nextcloud.com/files/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Files</a> for general file sharing.</td>
343 - <td>Use XWiki for files attached to knowledge pages, not for massive file sync.</td>
344 - </tr>
345 - <tr>
346 - <td>Simple trackers in Google Sheets</td>
347 - <td>XWiki structured applications, <a href="https://extensions.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Extension/App%20Within%20Minutes%20Application" target="_blank" rel="noopener">App Within Minutes</a> or custom XWiki apps.</td>
348 - <td>Move recurring lists with stable fields and clear ownership.</td>
349 - </tr>
350 - <tr>
351 - <td>Collaborative drafting in Google Docs</td>
352 - <td>XWiki pages for final content; <a href="https://www.onlyoffice.com/docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ONLYOFFICE Docs</a> or <a href="https://www.collaboraonline.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Collabora Online</a> for office editing.</td>
353 - <td>Use XWiki for the maintained version, not every draft.</td>
354 - </tr>
355 - <tr>
356 - <td>Forms and surveys</td>
357 - <td>XWiki forms for internal processes; <a href="https://www.limesurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LimeSurvey</a> for advanced surveys.</td>
358 - <td>Use the right tool depending on whether it is workflow data or survey data.</td>
359 - </tr>
360 - </tbody>
361 - </table>
362 -
363 - <h2 id="what-belongs-in-xwiki">What belongs naturally in XWiki</h2>
364 -
365 - <p>
366 - XWiki is a strong destination for information that should be easy to find, maintain, discuss, review and trust
367 - over time.
368 - </p>
369 -
370 - <div class="services-grid">
371 - #foreach ($entry in $xwikiFitCards)
372 - <article class="service">
373 - <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
374 - <i class="fa fa-$entry.icon"></i>
375 - </div>
376 - <div class="service-body">
377 - <h4>$entry.title</h4>
378 - <p>$entry.content</p>
379 - </div>
380 - </article>
381 - #end
382 - </div>
383 -
384 - <h2 id="not-xwiki">What should not be replaced by XWiki</h2>
385 -
386 - <p>
387 - A credible transition guide should clearly explain where XWiki is not the right tool. This avoids unrealistic
388 - expectations and helps the organization design a better collaboration stack.
389 - </p>
390 -
391 - <div class="services-grid">
392 - #foreach ($entry in $notXWikiCards)
393 - <article class="service">
394 - <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
395 - <i class="fa fa-$entry.icon"></i>
396 - </div>
397 - <div class="service-body">
398 - <h4>$entry.title</h4>
399 - <p>$entry.content</p>
400 - </div>
401 - </article>
402 - #end
403 - </div>
404 -
405 - <div class="resource-note">
406 - <p>
407 - <strong>In practice:</strong> the goal is not to make XWiki do everything. The goal is to make XWiki the
408 - trusted home for maintained knowledge, while integrating or linking to the right tools for files, office
409 - editing, chat, meetings and identity.
410 - </p>
411 - </div>
412 -
413 - <h2 id="open-source-stack">Open-source alternatives that can complement XWiki</h2>
414 -
415 - <p>
416 - For organizations trying to reduce dependency on Google Workspace, XWiki can become part of a broader
417 - open-source collaboration architecture. The exact stack depends on hosting preferences, support needs,
418 - security requirements and user expectations.
419 - </p>
420 -
421 - <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
422 - <thead>
423 - <tr>
424 - <th>Need</th>
425 - <th>Possible solution</th>
426 - <th>How it works with XWiki</th>
427 - </tr>
428 - </thead>
429 - <tbody>
430 - <tr>
431 - <td>Structured knowledge base</td>
432 - <td><a href="https://www.xwiki.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">XWiki</a></td>
433 - <td>Main platform for documentation, governance, knowledge management and structured content.</td>
434 - </tr>
435 - <tr>
436 - <td>File sync and sharing</td>
437 - <td><a href="https://nextcloud.com/files/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Files</a></td>
438 - <td>Use for general file storage and sharing; link important files from XWiki pages.</td>
439 - </tr>
440 - <tr>
441 - <td>Office document editing</td>
442 - <td><a href="https://www.onlyoffice.com/docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ONLYOFFICE Docs</a> or <a href="https://www.collaboraonline.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Collabora Online</a></td>
443 - <td>Use for documents, spreadsheets and presentations that need office-style editing.</td>
444 - </tr>
445 - <tr>
446 - <td>Chat and team messaging</td>
447 - <td><a href="https://element.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matrix/Element</a> or <a href="https://mattermost.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mattermost</a></td>
448 - <td>Use for real-time conversation; move durable decisions and outcomes back into XWiki.</td>
449 - </tr>
450 - <tr>
451 - <td>Video meetings</td>
452 - <td><a href="https://jitsi.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jitsi</a> or <a href="https://nextcloud.com/talk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Talk</a></td>
453 - <td>Use for calls; store agendas, notes and decisions in XWiki.</td>
454 - </tr>
455 - <tr>
456 - <td>Surveys and advanced forms</td>
457 - <td><a href="https://www.limesurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LimeSurvey</a></td>
458 - <td>Use for survey campaigns; publish results, summaries or procedures in XWiki.</td>
459 - </tr>
460 - <tr>
461 - <td>Identity and SSO</td>
462 - <td><a href="https://www.keycloak.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keycloak</a>, Microsoft Entra ID, Google identity or another OIDC/SAML provider.</td>
463 - <td>Use SSO so users access XWiki without a separate password and with mapped groups where appropriate.</td>
464 - </tr>
465 - </tbody>
466 - </table>
467 -
468 - <h2 id="transition-plan">A practical transition plan</h2>
469 -
470 - <p>
471 - The safest transition is gradual. The organization should not begin by migrating every Google Drive folder.
472 - That approach creates too much noise, too many permission questions and too many low-value documents.
473 - </p>
474 -
475 - <ol class="process-list">
476 - #foreach ($entry in $roadmapSteps)
477 - <li>
478 - <strong>$entry.title</strong>
479 - $entry.content
480 - </li>
481 - #end
482 - </ol>
483 -
484 - <h2 id="pilot">A good pilot: one working group space</h2>
485 -
486 - <p>
487 - A strong pilot is small enough to control but useful enough to prove value. For example, one working group,
488 - committee, project team or community group can move its durable knowledge into XWiki while keeping office
489 - tools for drafting, spreadsheets and presentations when needed.
490 - </p>
491 -
492 - <div class="services-grid">
493 - #foreach ($entry in $pilotCards)
494 - <article class="service">
495 - <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
496 - <i class="fa fa-$entry.icon"></i>
497 - </div>
498 - <div class="service-body">
499 - <h4>$entry.title</h4>
500 - <p>$entry.content</p>
501 - </div>
502 - </article>
503 - #end
504 - </div>
505 -
506 - <div class="resource-note">
507 - <p>
508 - <strong>Pilot success question:</strong> can members find the current and trusted version of important
509 - information faster than before?
510 - </p>
511 - </div>
512 -
513 - <h2 id="adoption">How to convince the team to use XWiki</h2>
514 -
515 - <p>
516 - People do not usually change collaboration habits because a new platform exists. They change when the new
517 - platform makes an important part of their work easier, clearer or more reliable.
518 - </p>
519 -
520 - <p>
521 - A useful adoption message is:
522 - </p>
523 -
524 - <div class="resource-note">
525 - <p>
526 - <strong>XWiki is not another folder where files disappear. It is the place where the organization keeps
527 - the current version, the owner, the context, the decision and the links around important knowledge.</strong>
528 - </p>
529 - </div>
530 -
531 - <p>
532 - Simple rules help adoption more than abstract platform arguments:
533 - </p>
534 -
535 - <ul class="resource-checklist">
536 - <li>If it is official, maintained or reusable, it belongs in XWiki.</li>
537 - <li>If it is a temporary draft, it can stay in an office editor until it becomes useful knowledge.</li>
538 - <li>If it is a complex spreadsheet, do not force it into XWiki.</li>
539 - <li>If it was decided in a meeting or chat, summarize the decision in XWiki.</li>
540 - <li>If nobody owns it, do not migrate it as current content.</li>
541 - <li>If users need the same answer repeatedly, create or improve an XWiki page.</li>
542 - </ul>
543 -
544 - <h2 id="implementation">Practical XWiki features to implement early</h2>
545 -
546 - <p>
547 - The following improvements can make the transition easier to accept and easier to govern.
548 - </p>
549 -
550 - <ul class="resource-checklist">
551 - #foreach ($item in $implementationItems)
552 - <li>$item</li>
553 - #end
554 - </ul>
555 -
556 - <h2>Example transition scenarios</h2>
557 -
558 - <h3>Scenario 1: Working group documentation</h3>
559 - <p>
560 - A working group has Google Docs for agendas, meeting notes, decisions and reference files. In XWiki, this can
561 - become a structured space with a homepage, meeting note template, decision records, document list, open
562 - questions and links to files that remain in Nextcloud or another storage system.
563 - </p>
564 -
565 - <h3>Scenario 2: Policies and procedures</h3>
566 - <p>
567 - Policies stored as Google Docs can become XWiki pages with owner, review date, status, history and restricted
568 - edit rights. This makes it easier to know which version is current and who is responsible for keeping it updated.
569 - </p>
570 -
571 - <h3>Scenario 3: Spreadsheet tracker</h3>
572 - <p>
573 - A simple Google Sheet used as a list of requests, assets, documents or contacts may become a small XWiki
574 - application when the fields are stable. A complex financial model or reporting workbook should remain in an
575 - office spreadsheet tool.
576 - </p>
577 -
578 - <h2>Recommended target architecture</h2>
579 -
580 - <p>
581 - A realistic architecture does not replace every Google Workspace feature with XWiki. It gives each tool a clear role.
582 - </p>
583 -
584 - <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
585 - <thead>
586 - <tr>
587 - <th>Layer</th>
588 - <th>Recommended role</th>
589 - </tr>
590 - </thead>
591 - <tbody>
592 - <tr>
593 - <td>XWiki</td>
594 - <td>Structured knowledge, documentation, governance, working group spaces, policies and decisions.</td>
595 - </tr>
596 - <tr>
597 - <td>Nextcloud or equivalent</td>
598 - <td>General file storage, file sharing, sync clients and optional groupware.</td>
599 - </tr>
600 - <tr>
601 - <td>ONLYOFFICE, Collabora or LibreOffice</td>
602 - <td>Office document editing for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.</td>
603 - </tr>
604 - <tr>
605 - <td>Matrix/Element, Mattermost or Nextcloud Talk</td>
606 - <td>Real-time messaging and team coordination.</td>
607 - </tr>
608 - <tr>
609 - <td>Jitsi or another meeting tool</td>
610 - <td>Video meetings and calls.</td>
611 - </tr>
612 - <tr>
613 - <td>Keycloak or existing identity provider</td>
614 - <td>SSO, group mapping and identity lifecycle.</td>
615 - </tr>
616 - </tbody>
617 - </table>
618 -
619 - <div id="related-resources" class="resource-note related-resources">
620 - <p><strong>Related Agnease resources:</strong></p>
621 - <ul>
622 - <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('services.xwiki-migrations')">XWiki migration services</a></li>
623 - <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('services.xwiki-authentication-access-control')">Authentication and access control for XWiki</a></li>
624 - <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-custom-development')">How to customize XWiki without creating upgrade problems</a></li>
625 - <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-access-rights-governance')">Why XWiki access rights need a clear governance model</a></li>
626 - <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-security-review')">What an XWiki security review should actually include</a></li>
627 - </ul>
628 - </div>
629 -
630 - <h2 id="faq">FAQ</h2>
631 -
632 - <details class="resource-faq-item" open>
633 - <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Workspace completely?</summary>
634 - <p>
635 - Not realistically. XWiki should not be presented as a full replacement for email, calendar, video meetings,
636 - chat, file sync, spreadsheets and presentation editing. It is much better positioned as the structured
637 - knowledge and documentation layer.
638 - </p>
639 - </details>
640 -
641 - <details class="resource-faq-item">
642 - <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Docs?</summary>
643 - <p>
644 - It can replace many Google Docs that are actually long-term documentation: policies, procedures, notes,
645 - decisions, guides and knowledge base articles. For fast real-time drafting or complex office formatting,
646 - an office editor such as ONLYOFFICE or Collabora may still be useful.
647 - </p>
648 - </details>
649 -
650 - <details class="resource-faq-item">
651 - <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Drive?</summary>
652 - <p>
653 - Partially. XWiki can manage attachments around knowledge pages and can support file-oriented applications,
654 - but it should not be treated as a full desktop file sync and sharing platform. Nextcloud is usually a better
655 - fit for that role.
656 - </p>
657 - </details>
658 -
659 - <details class="resource-faq-item">
660 - <summary>What is the best first step?</summary>
661 - <p>
662 - Start with one high-value pilot: a working group, committee, department or project that has real
663 - documentation pain. Create the structure, templates, permissions and migration rules for that pilot before
664 - expanding.
665 - </p>
666 - </details>
667 -
668 - <details class="resource-faq-item">
669 - <summary>How do you convince users to try XWiki?</summary>
670 - <p>
671 - Do not start by saying that XWiki is replacing everything. Start by showing that XWiki gives users a clearer,
672 - more reliable place for trusted knowledge: the current document, the owner, the status, the related decisions
673 - and the wider context.
674 - </p>
675 - </details>
676 -
677 - <details class="resource-faq-item">
678 - <summary>What should remain outside XWiki during transition?</summary>
679 - <p>
680 - Temporary drafts, complex spreadsheets, presentation working files, ongoing external collaborations and
681 - anything without a clear owner can remain outside XWiki until the organization has a reason to migrate or
682 - replace that workflow.
683 - </p>
684 - </details>
685 -
686 - </article>
687 - </div>
688 - </div>
689 - </section>
690 -
691 - <section class="cta-section" aria-labelledby="google-workspace-xwiki-cta-title">
692 - <div class="container">
693 - <div class="cta-panel">
694 - <h2 id="google-workspace-xwiki-cta-title">Planning a transition from Google Workspace to XWiki?</h2>
695 - <p>
696 - Agnease can help evaluate what should move to XWiki, what should remain in office collaboration tools,
697 - and how to design the right structure, permissions, templates, SSO and migration approach.
698 - </p>
699 - <a class="btn btn-primary" href="$xwiki.getURL('contact.WebHome')">Request a consultation</a>
700 - </div>
701 - </div>
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