Skip to Content
Version 3.2 by Agnease on 2026/07/03 11:49
Hide last authors
Agnease 1.2 1 {{velocity}}
2 #set ($discard = $xwiki.ssx.use('PublicWebSite.WebHome'))
3 {{html clean="false"}}
4
5 <section class="resource-header" aria-labelledby="hero-title">
6 <div class="container">
7 <div class="text-center">
8 <div class="hero-kicker">
9 <i class="fa fa-exchange" aria-hidden="true"></i>
Agnease 3.2 10 XWiki migration and collaboration guidance
Agnease 1.2 11 </div>
12 </div>
13
14 <h1 id="hero-title">From Google Workspace to XWiki: a practical transition guide</h1>
15
16 <p class="resource-summary">
Agnease 3.2 17 A practical guide for moving durable knowledge, documentation and governance from Google Workspace
18 into XWiki, while keeping the right tools for real-time editing, files, meetings and communication.
Agnease 1.2 19 </p>
20 </div>
21 </section>
22
23 <section class="resource-page">
24 <div class="container">
25 <div class="resource-layout">
26
27 <aside class="resource-sidebar" aria-label="Page summary">
28 <h4>In this guide</h4>
29 <ul>
30 <li><a href="#main-idea">Main idea</a></li>
Agnease 3.2 31 <li><a href="#workspace-map">Google Workspace map</a></li>
Agnease 1.2 32 <li><a href="#replacement-map">What can move to XWiki</a></li>
Agnease 3.2 33 <li><a href="#what-belongs-in-xwiki">What belongs in XWiki</a></li>
34 <li><a href="#not-xwiki">What should not move</a></li>
Agnease 1.2 35 <li><a href="#open-source-stack">Open-source alternatives</a></li>
36 <li><a href="#transition-plan">Transition plan</a></li>
37 <li><a href="#pilot">Pilot example</a></li>
38 <li><a href="#adoption">Adoption guidance</a></li>
Agnease 3.2 39 <li><a href="#implementation">XWiki features to implement</a></li>
40 <li><a href="#example-architecture">Example architecture</a></li>
41 <li><a href="#related-resources">Related resources</a></li>
Agnease 1.2 42 <li><a href="#faq">FAQ</a></li>
43 </ul>
44 </aside>
45
46 <article class="resource-content">
47
48 <p>
Agnease 3.2 49 Moving an organization away from <a href="https://workspace.google.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google Workspace</a>
50 is rarely just a software migration. It is also a change in habits, ownership, permissions, document lifecycle
51 and the way people expect collaboration to happen.
Agnease 1.2 52 </p>
53
54 <p>
55 Google Workspace is often successful because it is the default place where people write documents, share files,
56 collaborate in real time, collect information, meet, chat and search. This makes any transition feel difficult,
57 especially when users are already comfortable with the existing tools.
58 </p>
59
60 <div class="resource-note">
61 <p>
62 <strong>The practical position:</strong> XWiki should not be presented as a full one-to-one replacement for
63 Google Workspace. XWiki is strongest as the structured knowledge layer: official documentation, working group
64 spaces, policies, procedures, meeting notes, decisions, knowledge bases, governance content and maintained
65 organizational memory.
66 </p>
67 </div>
68
Agnease 3.2 69 <div class="resource-note">
70 <p>
71 <strong>Summary recommendation:</strong> use XWiki as the trusted knowledge and governance layer. Move official
72 documentation, procedures, decisions, policies, meeting outcomes and maintained knowledge into XWiki. Keep
73 real-time office editing, email, calendar, chat, video meetings and large file sync in dedicated tools that
74 can integrate with or link back to XWiki.
75 </p>
76 </div>
77
Agnease 1.2 78 <p>
79 A realistic transition does not start by moving everything out of Google Drive. It starts by deciding what kind
80 of information should become durable, structured and maintained in XWiki, and what kind of work should remain
81 in office, file-sharing, communication or meeting tools.
82 </p>
83
84 <h2 id="main-idea">The main idea: do not replace the suite, replace the knowledge problem</h2>
85
86 <p>
87 The strongest argument for XWiki is not that it can imitate Google Workspace. The strongest argument is that
88 it can solve a problem that often appears inside Google Workspace over time: scattered documents, unclear
89 ownership, duplicated files, weak navigation, old links, inconsistent permissions and no obvious place for
90 the trusted version of important knowledge.
91 </p>
92
93 <p>
94 A useful message for an organization is:
95 </p>
96
97 <div class="resource-note">
98 <p>
99 <strong>Use Google-style office tools for fast drafting and real-time editing when needed. Use XWiki for
100 trusted, maintained, structured knowledge that people need to find and rely on later.</strong>
101 </p>
102 </div>
103
104 <h2 id="workspace-map">What Google Workspace usually provides</h2>
105
106 <p>
107 Before proposing a transition, it is important to understand why users are attached to Google Workspace.
108 They are not only attached to a document editor. They are attached to an entire collaboration habit.
109 </p>
110
111 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
112 <thead>
113 <tr>
114 <th>Google Workspace area</th>
115 <th>What users usually value</th>
116 <th>Typical organizational risk over time</th>
117 </tr>
118 </thead>
119 <tbody>
120 <tr>
121 <td>Google Docs</td>
122 <td>Fast writing, real-time editing, comments and suggestions.</td>
123 <td>Documents become isolated files instead of part of a maintained knowledge structure.</td>
124 </tr>
125 <tr>
126 <td>Google Drive</td>
127 <td>Easy file sharing, folders, ownership and external collaboration.</td>
128 <td>Folder structures grow organically and become difficult to clean up or govern.</td>
129 </tr>
130 <tr>
131 <td>Google Sheets</td>
132 <td>Simple trackers, lists, budgets, lightweight databases and reports.</td>
133 <td>Business processes become hidden in spreadsheets without clear ownership or validation.</td>
134 </tr>
135 <tr>
136 <td>Google Slides</td>
137 <td>Presentation creation and sharing.</td>
138 <td>Final knowledge remains locked in presentation files instead of reusable documentation.</td>
139 </tr>
140 <tr>
141 <td>Google Forms</td>
142 <td>Quick surveys, registration forms and internal data collection.</td>
143 <td>Collected data may not become part of a structured internal process.</td>
144 </tr>
145 <tr>
146 <td>Google Sites</td>
147 <td>Simple internal or public pages.</td>
148 <td>Content may be separated from the broader knowledge base and governance model.</td>
149 </tr>
150 <tr>
151 <td>Gmail, Calendar, Meet and Chat</td>
152 <td>Communication, scheduling, meetings and quick coordination.</td>
153 <td>Decisions and knowledge remain scattered in messages, meetings and informal conversations.</td>
154 </tr>
155 </tbody>
156 </table>
157
158 <h2 id="replacement-map">What can move to XWiki, and what should only partially move</h2>
159
160 <p>
161 A good transition separates content by purpose. Some content belongs naturally in XWiki. Some content should
162 remain in office collaboration tools. Some content should be moved to other open-source or self-hostable
163 systems that complement XWiki.
164 </p>
165
166 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
167 <thead>
168 <tr>
169 <th>Current Google Workspace usage</th>
170 <th>XWiki replacement or equivalent</th>
171 <th>Fit</th>
172 <th>Recommended transition</th>
173 </tr>
174 </thead>
175 <tbody>
176 <tr>
177 <td>Official documentation in Google Docs</td>
Agnease 3.2 178 <td><a href="https://www.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Documentation/UserGuide/Features/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">XWiki pages</a>, spaces, navigation, page history, comments and permissions.</td>
Agnease 1.2 179 <td>Excellent</td>
180 <td>Move final and maintained documentation to XWiki pages.</td>
181 </tr>
182 <tr>
183 <td>Policies, procedures and governance documents</td>
184 <td>XWiki pages with templates, metadata, review dates, ownership and approval workflows.</td>
185 <td>Excellent</td>
186 <td>Move to XWiki and add lifecycle rules.</td>
187 </tr>
188 <tr>
189 <td>Meeting notes</td>
190 <td>XWiki meeting note templates inside team or working group spaces.</td>
191 <td>Excellent</td>
192 <td>Start new meeting notes in XWiki and link older notes when useful.</td>
193 </tr>
194 <tr>
195 <td>Working group or committee documents</td>
196 <td>XWiki spaces with homepage, members, notes, decisions, documents and tasks.</td>
197 <td>Excellent</td>
198 <td>Create one structured space per group.</td>
199 </tr>
200 <tr>
201 <td>Decision records</td>
202 <td>XWiki decision page template with context, options, decision, owner and date.</td>
203 <td>Excellent</td>
204 <td>Move decisions out of scattered Docs, email and chat.</td>
205 </tr>
206 <tr>
207 <td>Google Sites pages</td>
208 <td>XWiki spaces and pages, public or private depending on rights.</td>
209 <td>Very good</td>
210 <td>Move informational pages to XWiki when they need structure, history or governance.</td>
211 </tr>
212 <tr>
213 <td>Shared file archive</td>
Agnease 3.2 214 <td>XWiki attachments, File Manager-style applications or linked external storage such as <a href="https://nextcloud.com/files/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Files</a>.</td>
Agnease 1.2 215 <td>Good, with limits</td>
216 <td>Use XWiki for curated files attached to knowledge pages, not for massive file sync.</td>
217 </tr>
218 <tr>
219 <td>Simple trackers in Google Sheets</td>
Agnease 3.2 220 <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>
Agnease 1.2 221 <td>Good for structured records</td>
222 <td>Move recurring lists with stable fields; keep complex spreadsheets elsewhere.</td>
223 </tr>
224 <tr>
225 <td>Collaborative drafting in Google Docs</td>
Agnease 3.2 226 <td>XWiki real-time editing or office document integrations such as <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>
Agnease 1.2 227 <td>Partial</td>
228 <td>Use XWiki for final content; test collaborative editing needs separately.</td>
229 </tr>
230 <tr>
231 <td>Forms and surveys</td>
Agnease 3.2 232 <td>XWiki forms for internal structured data; <a href="https://www.limesurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LimeSurvey</a> for advanced surveys.</td>
Agnease 1.2 233 <td>Partial</td>
234 <td>Use XWiki for workflow forms, not necessarily for all survey campaigns.</td>
235 </tr>
236 <tr>
237 <td>Slides and presentation decks</td>
Agnease 3.2 238 <td>XWiki pages for the reusable knowledge behind the presentation; office tools for authoring.</td>
Agnease 1.2 239 <td>Limited</td>
240 <td>Store final slides as attachments if needed, but document the core knowledge in XWiki.</td>
241 </tr>
242 </tbody>
243 </table>
244
245 <h2 id="what-belongs-in-xwiki">What belongs naturally in XWiki</h2>
246
247 <p>
248 XWiki is a strong destination for information that should be easy to find, maintain, discuss, review and trust
249 over time.
250 </p>
251
252 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
253 <thead>
254 <tr>
255 <th>Content type</th>
256 <th>Example</th>
257 <th>Why XWiki is a good fit</th>
258 </tr>
259 </thead>
260 <tbody>
261 <tr>
262 <td>Organizational knowledge</td>
263 <td>How the organization works, who owns what, internal processes.</td>
264 <td>Structured spaces, navigation, search and page history make the knowledge easier to maintain.</td>
265 </tr>
266 <tr>
267 <td>Working group spaces</td>
268 <td>Homepage, members, meetings, decisions, documents and open questions.</td>
269 <td>Each group gets a stable knowledge home instead of a folder full of unrelated files.</td>
270 </tr>
271 <tr>
272 <td>Policies and procedures</td>
273 <td>Security policy, onboarding procedure, publication process, governance rules.</td>
274 <td>Ownership, review date, approval state and history can be made explicit.</td>
275 </tr>
276 <tr>
277 <td>Decision records</td>
278 <td>Why a tool was selected, why a policy changed, why a migration approach was chosen.</td>
279 <td>Decisions become searchable and linked to related documentation.</td>
280 </tr>
281 <tr>
282 <td>Community documentation</td>
283 <td>Member guides, contribution guides, public project pages, FAQs.</td>
284 <td>XWiki can support public and private content with a consistent structure.</td>
285 </tr>
286 <tr>
287 <td>Structured internal apps</td>
288 <td>Registers, inventories, simple approval requests, directories, lists.</td>
289 <td>XWiki can model structured data instead of leaving every process in a spreadsheet.</td>
290 </tr>
291 </tbody>
292 </table>
293
294 <h2 id="not-xwiki">What should not be replaced by XWiki</h2>
295
296 <p>
297 A credible transition guide should clearly explain where XWiki is not the right tool. This avoids unrealistic
Agnease 3.2 298 expectations and helps the organization design a better collaboration stack.
Agnease 1.2 299 </p>
300
301 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
302 <thead>
303 <tr>
304 <th>Need</th>
305 <th>Why XWiki is not the best replacement</th>
306 <th>Better direction</th>
307 </tr>
308 </thead>
309 <tbody>
310 <tr>
311 <td>Email</td>
312 <td>XWiki is not an email platform.</td>
313 <td>Keep the existing mail system or evaluate dedicated mail/groupware solutions.</td>
314 </tr>
315 <tr>
316 <td>Calendar and scheduling</td>
317 <td>XWiki can display or manage calendar-like information, but it is not a full scheduling suite.</td>
Agnease 3.2 318 <td>Use a groupware platform such as <a href="https://nextcloud.com/groupware/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Groupware</a> or keep the existing calendar system.</td>
Agnease 1.2 319 </tr>
320 <tr>
321 <td>Video meetings</td>
322 <td>XWiki is not a video conferencing system.</td>
Agnease 3.2 323 <td>Use <a href="https://jitsi.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jitsi</a>, <a href="https://nextcloud.com/talk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Talk</a> or another dedicated meeting tool.</td>
Agnease 1.2 324 </tr>
325 <tr>
326 <td>Instant messaging and chat</td>
327 <td>XWiki comments and notifications do not replace real-time chat.</td>
Agnease 3.2 328 <td>Use <a href="https://element.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matrix/Element</a>, <a href="https://mattermost.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mattermost</a>, Nextcloud Talk or another chat platform.</td>
Agnease 1.2 329 </tr>
330 <tr>
331 <td>General file sync and desktop folder replacement</td>
332 <td>XWiki attachments are useful around pages, but XWiki is not designed as a Dropbox or Drive sync client.</td>
333 <td>Use Nextcloud Files or another file sync and sharing platform.</td>
334 </tr>
335 <tr>
336 <td>Heavy spreadsheets</td>
337 <td>Complex formulas, pivot tables, financial models and large spreadsheet workflows are not XWiki's role.</td>
338 <td>Use ONLYOFFICE, Collabora, LibreOffice or another office suite.</td>
339 </tr>
340 <tr>
341 <td>Presentation authoring</td>
342 <td>XWiki can document knowledge and store final files, but it is not a presentation editor.</td>
343 <td>Use ONLYOFFICE, Collabora, LibreOffice Impress or another presentation tool.</td>
344 </tr>
345 <tr>
346 <td>Large survey campaigns</td>
347 <td>XWiki can collect structured data, but advanced surveys need branching, reporting and respondent management.</td>
348 <td>Use LimeSurvey or another survey platform.</td>
349 </tr>
350 </tbody>
351 </table>
352
353 <div class="resource-note">
354 <p>
355 <strong>In practice:</strong> the goal is not to make XWiki do everything. The goal is to make XWiki the
356 trusted home for maintained knowledge, while integrating or linking to the right tools for files, office
357 editing, chat, meetings and identity.
358 </p>
359 </div>
360
361 <h2 id="open-source-stack">Open-source alternatives that can complement XWiki</h2>
362
363 <p>
364 For organizations trying to reduce dependency on Google Workspace, XWiki can be part of a broader open-source
365 collaboration architecture. The exact stack depends on hosting preferences, support needs, security requirements
366 and user expectations.
367 </p>
368
369 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
370 <thead>
371 <tr>
372 <th>Collaboration need</th>
373 <th>Possible open-source or self-hostable contender</th>
374 <th>How it works with XWiki</th>
375 </tr>
376 </thead>
377 <tbody>
378 <tr>
379 <td>Structured knowledge base</td>
Agnease 3.2 380 <td><a href="https://www.xwiki.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">XWiki</a></td>
Agnease 1.2 381 <td>Main platform for documentation, governance, knowledge management and structured pages.</td>
382 </tr>
383 <tr>
384 <td>File sync and file sharing</td>
Agnease 3.2 385 <td><a href="https://nextcloud.com/files/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Files</a></td>
Agnease 1.2 386 <td>Use for general file storage and sharing; link important files from XWiki pages when needed.</td>
387 </tr>
388 <tr>
389 <td>Office document editing</td>
Agnease 3.2 390 <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>
Agnease 1.2 391 <td>Use for documents, spreadsheets and presentations; integrate with XWiki where office attachments must be edited directly.</td>
392 </tr>
393 <tr>
394 <td>Chat and team messaging</td>
Agnease 3.2 395 <td><a href="https://element.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matrix/Element</a>, <a href="https://mattermost.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mattermost</a> or Nextcloud Talk</td>
Agnease 1.2 396 <td>Use for real-time conversations; move durable decisions and outcomes back into XWiki.</td>
397 </tr>
398 <tr>
399 <td>Video meetings</td>
Agnease 3.2 400 <td><a href="https://jitsi.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jitsi</a> or Nextcloud Talk</td>
Agnease 1.2 401 <td>Use for calls; store agendas, notes and decisions in XWiki.</td>
402 </tr>
403 <tr>
404 <td>Surveys and advanced forms</td>
Agnease 3.2 405 <td><a href="https://www.limesurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LimeSurvey</a></td>
Agnease 1.2 406 <td>Use for survey campaigns; publish results or documentation in XWiki.</td>
407 </tr>
408 <tr>
409 <td>Identity and SSO</td>
Agnease 3.2 410 <td><a href="https://www.keycloak.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keycloak</a>, existing Google identity, Microsoft Entra ID or another OIDC/SAML provider</td>
Agnease 1.2 411 <td>Use SSO so users access XWiki without a separate password and with mapped groups where appropriate.</td>
412 </tr>
413 </tbody>
414 </table>
415
416 <h2 id="transition-plan">A practical transition plan</h2>
417
418 <p>
419 The safest transition is gradual. The organization should not begin by migrating every Google Drive folder.
420 That approach creates too much noise, too many permission questions and too many low-value documents.
421 </p>
422
423 <h3>1. Define the role of XWiki</h3>
424
425 <p>
426 Start with a clear rule:
427 </p>
428
429 <div class="resource-note">
430 <p>
431 <strong>XWiki is the place for official, maintained and reusable knowledge. Office tools are for temporary
432 drafting, spreadsheets, presentations and real-time editing when they are truly needed.</strong>
433 </p>
434 </div>
435
436 <p>
437 This prevents users from seeing XWiki as just another storage location. It gives XWiki a distinct purpose.
438 </p>
439
440 <h3>2. Identify high-value content first</h3>
441
442 <p>
443 Do not migrate by volume. Migrate by value.
444 </p>
445
446 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
447 <thead>
448 <tr>
449 <th>Move early</th>
450 <th>Move later or archive</th>
451 <th>Usually do not move</th>
452 </tr>
453 </thead>
454 <tbody>
455 <tr>
456 <td>Policies, procedures, onboarding guides, public docs, working group pages, decision records.</td>
457 <td>Older project files, historical meeting notes, reference documents with unclear ownership.</td>
458 <td>Draft files, personal documents, complex spreadsheets, presentation working files, temporary collaboration docs.</td>
459 </tr>
460 </tbody>
461 </table>
462
463 <h3>3. Create templates before asking people to write</h3>
464
465 <p>
466 Empty wiki pages slow adoption. Users should not have to decide the structure every time.
467 </p>
468
469 <p>
470 Useful starting templates include:
471 </p>
472
473 <ul>
474 <li>Working group homepage</li>
475 <li>Meeting notes</li>
476 <li>Decision record</li>
477 <li>Policy or procedure</li>
478 <li>Project homepage</li>
479 <li>FAQ page</li>
480 <li>Onboarding page</li>
481 <li>External collaboration page</li>
482 </ul>
483
484 <h3>4. Reduce login friction with SSO</h3>
485
486 <p>
487 If users need another account and another password, adoption becomes harder. XWiki should be connected to the
Agnease 3.2 488 organization's identity provider where possible. This can use XWiki authentication integrations such as
489 <a href="https://extensions.xwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Extension/OpenID%20Connect/OpenID%20Connect%20Authenticator/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">OpenID Connect</a>,
490 SAML or LDAP, and can also support cleaner group mapping and a better external collaborator lifecycle.
Agnease 1.2 491 </p>
492
493 <h3>5. Define permissions and ownership rules</h3>
494
495 <p>
496 Access rights should be designed before content is migrated. A common model is:
497 </p>
498
499 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
500 <thead>
501 <tr>
502 <th>Area</th>
503 <th>Recommended ownership</th>
504 <th>Typical access</th>
505 </tr>
506 </thead>
507 <tbody>
508 <tr>
509 <td>Public documentation</td>
510 <td>Documentation or communication owner</td>
511 <td>Public view, restricted edit.</td>
512 </tr>
513 <tr>
514 <td>Internal knowledge base</td>
515 <td>Operations, staff or knowledge management owner</td>
516 <td>Authenticated view, controlled edit.</td>
517 </tr>
518 <tr>
519 <td>Working group space</td>
520 <td>Working group chair or coordinator</td>
521 <td>Group members edit, others view depending on sensitivity.</td>
522 </tr>
523 <tr>
524 <td>Board or restricted area</td>
525 <td>Named administrative owner</td>
526 <td>Explicit restricted group access.</td>
527 </tr>
528 <tr>
529 <td>External collaboration area</td>
530 <td>Internal sponsor</td>
531 <td>Limited groups, expiration or periodic review.</td>
532 </tr>
533 </tbody>
534 </table>
535
536 <h3>6. Migrate content into structure, not just into pages</h3>
537
538 <p>
539 A migration that only copies Google Docs into XWiki pages may reproduce the same confusion in a different
540 platform. Each migrated page should have a place, an owner and a reason to exist.
541 </p>
542
543 <p>
544 For each migrated document, decide:
545 </p>
546
547 <ul>
548 <li>Who owns this page?</li>
549 <li>Is it current, historical or archived?</li>
550 <li>Who can view it?</li>
551 <li>Who can edit it?</li>
552 <li>Does it need a review date?</li>
553 <li>Should it remain as an attachment instead of becoming a wiki page?</li>
554 <li>What related pages should link to it?</li>
555 </ul>
556
557 <h3>7. Keep a transition dashboard</h3>
558
559 <p>
560 A simple XWiki dashboard can make the transition visible and manageable.
561 </p>
562
563 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
564 <thead>
565 <tr>
566 <th>Dashboard section</th>
567 <th>Purpose</th>
568 </tr>
569 </thead>
570 <tbody>
571 <tr>
572 <td>Content selected for migration</td>
573 <td>Shows the high-value documents that are being moved first.</td>
574 </tr>
575 <tr>
576 <td>Content needing an owner</td>
577 <td>Prevents orphan pages from entering the new system.</td>
578 </tr>
579 <tr>
580 <td>Content to keep in Google or office tools</td>
581 <td>Makes it clear that not everything must move.</td>
582 </tr>
583 <tr>
584 <td>External access review</td>
585 <td>Tracks documents or spaces shared with people outside the organization.</td>
586 </tr>
587 <tr>
588 <td>Recently migrated pages</td>
589 <td>Helps users see progress and discover the new structure.</td>
590 </tr>
591 </tbody>
592 </table>
593
594 <h2 id="pilot">A good pilot: one working group space</h2>
595
596 <p>
597 A strong pilot is small enough to control but useful enough to prove value. For example, one working group,
598 committee, project team or community group can move its durable knowledge into XWiki while keeping office
599 tools for drafting and spreadsheets when needed.
600 </p>
601
602 <p>
603 A pilot space could include:
604 </p>
605
606 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
607 <thead>
608 <tr>
609 <th>Page or section</th>
610 <th>Purpose</th>
611 </tr>
612 </thead>
613 <tbody>
614 <tr>
615 <td>Working group homepage</td>
616 <td>Explains the purpose, scope, members, links and current priorities.</td>
617 </tr>
618 <tr>
619 <td>Meeting notes</td>
620 <td>Uses a consistent template so notes are easy to scan and search.</td>
621 </tr>
622 <tr>
623 <td>Decisions</td>
624 <td>Captures important decisions separately from long meeting notes.</td>
625 </tr>
626 <tr>
627 <td>Documents</td>
628 <td>Links official documents, policies and important files.</td>
629 </tr>
630 <tr>
631 <td>Open questions</td>
632 <td>Tracks unresolved topics without hiding them in chat or email.</td>
633 </tr>
634 <tr>
635 <td>FAQ</td>
636 <td>Collects recurring questions from the community.</td>
637 </tr>
638 <tr>
639 <td>External links</td>
640 <td>Provides a bridge to Google Drive, Nextcloud, issue trackers or other systems still in use.</td>
641 </tr>
642 </tbody>
643 </table>
644
645 <div class="resource-note">
646 <p>
647 <strong>Pilot success question:</strong> Can members find the current and trusted version of important
648 information faster than before?
649 </p>
650 </div>
651
652 <h2 id="adoption">How to encourage adoption</h2>
653
654 <p>
655 People do not usually change collaboration habits because a new platform exists. They change when the new
656 platform makes an important part of their work easier, clearer or more reliable.
657 </p>
658
659 <h3>Use simple rules</h3>
660
661 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
662 <thead>
663 <tr>
664 <th>Rule</th>
665 <th>Example</th>
666 </tr>
667 </thead>
668 <tbody>
669 <tr>
670 <td>If it is official, it belongs in XWiki.</td>
671 <td>Policies, procedures, final decisions, project documentation.</td>
672 </tr>
673 <tr>
674 <td>If it is temporary drafting, it can stay in an office editor.</td>
675 <td>Collaborative draft document, presentation working file.</td>
676 </tr>
677 <tr>
678 <td>If it is a complex spreadsheet, do not force it into XWiki.</td>
679 <td>Budget model, calculations, reporting workbook.</td>
680 </tr>
681 <tr>
682 <td>If it was decided in a meeting or chat, summarize it in XWiki.</td>
683 <td>Decision record linked from meeting notes.</td>
684 </tr>
685 <tr>
686 <td>If nobody owns it, do not migrate it as current content.</td>
687 <td>Mark as archive or leave in the old system until reviewed.</td>
688 </tr>
689 </tbody>
690 </table>
691
692 <h3>Make leadership use the new structure</h3>
693
694 <p>
695 Adoption is much harder if important announcements and decisions still point only to Google Docs or Drive
696 folders. When leadership links to XWiki as the trusted source, the platform becomes part of the organization’s
697 daily rhythm.
698 </p>
699
700 <h3>Start with visible wins</h3>
701
702 <p>
703 The first XWiki spaces should be better organized than the Google Drive folders they replace. They should have
704 navigation, page templates, useful links, ownership, clear permissions and recent activity. Users need to feel
705 that XWiki is not just another repository, but a better way to understand the organization.
706 </p>
707
708 <h2 id="implementation">Practical XWiki features to implement early</h2>
709
710 <p>
711 The following XWiki improvements can make a Google Workspace transition easier to accept:
712 </p>
713
714 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
715 <thead>
716 <tr>
717 <th>XWiki feature</th>
718 <th>Why it helps adoption</th>
719 </tr>
720 </thead>
721 <tbody>
722 <tr>
723 <td>SSO with OIDC, SAML or LDAP</td>
724 <td>Reduces login friction and aligns XWiki with the organization’s identity system.</td>
725 </tr>
726 <tr>
727 <td>Page templates</td>
728 <td>Prevents blank-page confusion and creates consistent documentation habits.</td>
729 </tr>
730 <tr>
731 <td>Working group space model</td>
732 <td>Gives each team or community group a clear home.</td>
733 </tr>
734 <tr>
735 <td>Metadata fields</td>
736 <td>Adds owner, status, review date, audience and document type.</td>
737 </tr>
738 <tr>
739 <td>Comments and annotations</td>
740 <td>Supports discussion around pages without losing context.</td>
741 </tr>
742 <tr>
743 <td>Notifications</td>
744 <td>Keeps users aware of changes in the spaces they follow.</td>
745 </tr>
746 <tr>
747 <td>Structured applications</td>
748 <td>Replaces some spreadsheet-based lists with maintainable data-driven apps.</td>
749 </tr>
750 <tr>
751 <td>Approval workflows or change requests</td>
752 <td>Supports governance for official documents and sensitive content.</td>
753 </tr>
754 <tr>
755 <td>Office document integration</td>
756 <td>Allows attached office documents to be edited when page-based content is not enough.</td>
757 </tr>
758 </tbody>
759 </table>
760
761 <h2 id="example-architecture">Example collaboration architecture</h2>
762
763 <p>
764 A realistic open collaboration architecture may look like this:
765 </p>
766
767 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
768 <thead>
769 <tr>
770 <th>Layer</th>
771 <th>Recommended role</th>
772 </tr>
773 </thead>
774 <tbody>
775 <tr>
Agnease 3.2 776 <td><a href="https://www.xwiki.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">XWiki</a></td>
Agnease 1.2 777 <td>Structured knowledge, documentation, governance, working group spaces, policies and decisions.</td>
778 </tr>
779 <tr>
Agnease 3.2 780 <td><a href="https://nextcloud.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud</a></td>
Agnease 1.2 781 <td>General file storage, file sharing, sync clients and optional groupware.</td>
782 </tr>
783 <tr>
Agnease 3.2 784 <td><a href="https://www.onlyoffice.com/docs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ONLYOFFICE</a> or <a href="https://www.collaboraonline.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Collabora</a></td>
Agnease 1.2 785 <td>Office document editing for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.</td>
786 </tr>
787 <tr>
Agnease 3.2 788 <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>
Agnease 1.2 789 <td>Real-time messaging and team coordination.</td>
790 </tr>
791 <tr>
Agnease 3.2 792 <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>
Agnease 1.2 793 <td>Video meetings and calls.</td>
794 </tr>
795 <tr>
Agnease 3.2 796 <td><a href="https://www.keycloak.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keycloak</a> or existing identity provider</td>
Agnease 1.2 797 <td>SSO, group mapping and identity lifecycle.</td>
798 </tr>
799 <tr>
Agnease 3.2 800 <td><a href="https://www.limesurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LimeSurvey</a></td>
Agnease 1.2 801 <td>Advanced surveys and research-style data collection.</td>
802 </tr>
803 </tbody>
804 </table>
805
Agnease 3.2 806 <div id="related-resources" class="resource-note related-resources">
807 <p><strong>Related Agnease resources:</strong></p>
808 <ul>
809 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('services.xwiki-migrations')">XWiki migration services</a></li>
810 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('services.xwiki-authentication-access-control')">Authentication and access control for XWiki</a></li>
811 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-custom-development')">How to customize XWiki without creating upgrade problems</a></li>
812 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-access-rights-governance')">Why XWiki access rights need a clear governance model</a></li>
813 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-security-review')">What an XWiki security review should actually include</a></li>
814 </ul>
815 </div>
816
Agnease 1.2 817 <h2 id="faq">FAQ</h2>
818
Agnease 3.2 819 <details class="resource-faq-item" open>
820 <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Workspace completely?</summary>
821 <p>
822 Not realistically. XWiki should not be presented as a full replacement for email, calendar,
823 video meetings, chat, file sync, spreadsheets and presentation editing. It is much better
824 positioned as the structured knowledge and documentation layer.
825 </p>
826 </details>
Agnease 1.2 827
Agnease 3.2 828 <details class="resource-faq-item">
829 <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Docs?</summary>
830 <p>
831 It can replace many Google Docs that are actually long-term documentation: policies,
832 procedures, notes, decisions, guides and knowledge base articles. For fast real-time drafting
833 or complex office formatting, an office editor such as ONLYOFFICE or Collabora may still be useful.
834 </p>
835 </details>
Agnease 1.2 836
Agnease 3.2 837 <details class="resource-faq-item">
838 <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Drive?</summary>
839 <p>
840 Partially. XWiki can manage attachments around knowledge pages and can support file-oriented
841 applications, but it should not be treated as a full desktop file sync and sharing platform.
842 Nextcloud is usually a better fit for that role.
843 </p>
844 </details>
Agnease 1.2 845
Agnease 3.2 846 <details class="resource-faq-item">
847 <summary>What is the best first step?</summary>
848 <p>
849 Start with one high-value pilot: a working group, committee, department or project that has
850 real documentation pain. Create the structure, templates, permissions and migration rules for
851 that pilot before expanding.
852 </p>
853 </details>
Agnease 1.2 854
Agnease 3.2 855 <details class="resource-faq-item">
856 <summary>How do you convince users to try XWiki?</summary>
857 <p>
858 Do not start by saying that XWiki is replacing everything. Start by showing that XWiki gives
859 users a clearer, more reliable place for trusted knowledge: the current document, the owner,
860 the status, the related decisions and the wider context.
861 </p>
862 </details>
Agnease 1.2 863
Agnease 3.2 864 <details class="resource-faq-item">
865 <summary>What should remain outside XWiki during transition?</summary>
866 <p>
867 Temporary drafts, complex spreadsheets, presentation working files, ongoing external collaborations
868 and anything without a clear owner can remain outside XWiki until the organization has a reason
869 to migrate or replace that workflow.
870 </p>
871 </details>
Agnease 1.2 872
873 </article>
874 </div>
875 </div>
876 </section>
877
878 <section class="cta-section" aria-labelledby="google-workspace-xwiki-cta-title">
879 <div class="container">
880 <div class="cta-panel">
881 <h2 id="google-workspace-xwiki-cta-title">Planning a transition from Google Workspace to XWiki?</h2>
882 <p>
883 Agnease can help evaluate what should move to XWiki, what should remain in office collaboration tools,
884 and how to design the right structure, permissions, templates, SSO and migration approach.
885 </p>
886 <a class="btn btn-primary" href="$xwiki.getURL('contact.WebHome')">Request a consultation</a>
887 </div>
888 </div>
889 </section>
890
Agnease 3.2 891 <script type="application/ld+json">
892 {
893 "@context": "https://schema.org",
894 "@type": "TechArticle",
895 "headline": "From Google Workspace to XWiki: a practical transition guide",
896 "description": "Practical guide for moving durable knowledge from Google Workspace to XWiki, with replacement mapping, open-source alternatives, migration steps and tool limits.",
897 "author": {
898 "@type": "Organization",
899 "name": "Agnease"
900 },
901 "publisher": {
902 "@type": "Organization",
903 "name": "Agnease",
904 "url": "https://agnease.com/"
905 },
906 "mainEntityOfPage": "https://agnease.com/bin/resources/from-google-workspace-to-xwiki"
907 }
908 </script>
909
910 <script type="application/ld+json">
911 {
912 "@context": "https://schema.org",
913 "@type": "FAQPage",
914 "mainEntity": [
915 {
916 "@type": "Question",
917 "name": "Can XWiki replace Google Workspace completely?",
918 "acceptedAnswer": {
919 "@type": "Answer",
920 "text": "Not realistically. XWiki should not be presented as a full replacement for email, calendar, video meetings, chat, file sync, spreadsheets and presentation editing. It is better positioned as the structured knowledge and documentation layer."
921 }
922 },
923 {
924 "@type": "Question",
925 "name": "Can XWiki replace Google Docs?",
926 "acceptedAnswer": {
927 "@type": "Answer",
928 "text": "XWiki can replace many Google Docs that are actually long-term documentation, such as policies, procedures, notes, decisions, guides and knowledge base articles. For fast real-time drafting or complex office formatting, an office editor such as ONLYOFFICE or Collabora may still be useful."
929 }
930 },
931 {
932 "@type": "Question",
933 "name": "Can XWiki replace Google Drive?",
934 "acceptedAnswer": {
935 "@type": "Answer",
936 "text": "Partially. XWiki can manage attachments around knowledge pages and can support file-oriented applications, but it should not be treated as a full desktop file sync and sharing platform. Nextcloud is usually a better fit for that role."
937 }
938 },
939 {
940 "@type": "Question",
941 "name": "What is the best first step when moving from Google Workspace to XWiki?",
942 "acceptedAnswer": {
943 "@type": "Answer",
944 "text": "Start with one high-value pilot, such as a working group, committee, department or project that has real documentation pain. Create the structure, templates, permissions and migration rules for that pilot before expanding."
945 }
946 },
947 {
948 "@type": "Question",
949 "name": "What should remain outside XWiki during transition?",
950 "acceptedAnswer": {
951 "@type": "Answer",
952 "text": "Temporary drafts, complex spreadsheets, presentation working files, ongoing external collaborations and anything without a clear owner can remain outside XWiki until the organization has a reason to migrate or replace that workflow."
953 }
954 }
955 ]
956 }
957 </script>
958
Agnease 1.2 959 {{/html}}
960 {{/velocity}}