Skip to Content
Version 4.2 by Agnease on 2026/07/03 11:57
Hide last authors
Agnease 1.2 1 {{velocity}}
2 #set ($discard = $xwiki.ssx.use('PublicWebSite.WebHome'))
Agnease 4.2 3
4 #set ($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
Agnease 1.2 131 {{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>
Agnease 3.2 138 XWiki migration and collaboration guidance
Agnease 1.2 139 </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">
Agnease 3.2 145 A practical guide for moving durable knowledge, documentation and governance from Google Workspace
Agnease 4.2 146 into XWiki, while keeping the right tools for files, meetings, chat, office editing and communication.
Agnease 1.2 147 </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>
Agnease 4.2 159 <li><a href="#quick-view">Quick view</a></li>
Agnease 3.2 160 <li><a href="#workspace-map">Google Workspace map</a></li>
Agnease 4.2 161 <li><a href="#replacement-map">Replacement map</a></li>
Agnease 3.2 162 <li><a href="#what-belongs-in-xwiki">What belongs in XWiki</a></li>
Agnease 4.2 163 <li><a href="#not-xwiki">What not to replace</a></li>
164 <li><a href="#open-source-stack">Open-source stack</a></li>
Agnease 1.2 165 <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>
Agnease 4.2 168 <li><a href="#implementation">Implementation checklist</a></li>
Agnease 3.2 169 <li><a href="#related-resources">Related resources</a></li>
Agnease 1.2 170 <li><a href="#faq">FAQ</a></li>
171 </ul>
172 </aside>
173
174 <article class="resource-content">
175
176 <p>
Agnease 3.2 177 Moving an organization away from <a href="https://workspace.google.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google Workspace</a>
Agnease 4.2 178 is rarely just a software migration. It changes habits, ownership, permissions, document lifecycle and the
179 way people expect collaboration to happen.
Agnease 1.2 180 </p>
181
182 <p>
Agnease 4.2 183 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.
Agnease 1.2 186 </p>
187
188 <div class="resource-note">
189 <p>
Agnease 4.2 190 <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.
Agnease 1.2 193 </p>
194 </div>
195
Agnease 4.2 196 <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
Agnease 3.2 205 <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
Agnease 4.2 214 <h2 id="quick-view">Quick view: how to position the transition</h2>
Agnease 1.2 215
Agnease 4.2 216 <div class="services-grid resources-grid">
217 #foreach ($entry in $summaryCards)
218 <article class="service resource-card">
219 <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
220 <i class="fa fa-$entry.icon"></i>
221 </div>
222 <div class="service-body">
223 <h4>$entry.title</h4>
224 <p>$entry.content</p>
225 </div>
226 </article>
227 #end
Agnease 1.2 228 </div>
229
230 <h2 id="workspace-map">What Google Workspace usually provides</h2>
231
232 <p>
Agnease 4.2 233 Before proposing a transition, it is useful to explain what people currently get from Google Workspace.
234 Users are not only using a document editor. They are using a complete collaboration habit.
Agnease 1.2 235 </p>
236
237 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
238 <thead>
239 <tr>
240 <th>Google Workspace area</th>
Agnease 4.2 241 <th>What users value</th>
242 <th>Risk over time</th>
Agnease 1.2 243 </tr>
244 </thead>
245 <tbody>
246 <tr>
247 <td>Google Docs</td>
248 <td>Fast writing, real-time editing, comments and suggestions.</td>
Agnease 4.2 249 <td>Important documents become isolated files instead of maintained knowledge.</td>
Agnease 1.2 250 </tr>
251 <tr>
252 <td>Google Drive</td>
Agnease 4.2 253 <td>Easy sharing, folders, file ownership and external collaboration.</td>
254 <td>Folder structures grow organically and become hard to govern.</td>
Agnease 1.2 255 </tr>
256 <tr>
257 <td>Google Sheets</td>
Agnease 4.2 258 <td>Trackers, lists, budgets, lightweight databases and reports.</td>
259 <td>Business processes become hidden in spreadsheets.</td>
Agnease 1.2 260 </tr>
261 <tr>
262 <td>Google Slides</td>
263 <td>Presentation creation and sharing.</td>
Agnease 4.2 264 <td>Reusable knowledge remains locked in slide decks.</td>
Agnease 1.2 265 </tr>
266 <tr>
267 <td>Google Forms</td>
Agnease 4.2 268 <td>Quick surveys, registrations and data collection.</td>
269 <td>Collected data may remain detached from internal processes.</td>
Agnease 1.2 270 </tr>
271 <tr>
272 <td>Google Sites</td>
273 <td>Simple internal or public pages.</td>
Agnease 4.2 274 <td>Content can be separated from the wider knowledge base.</td>
Agnease 1.2 275 </tr>
276 <tr>
277 <td>Gmail, Calendar, Meet and Chat</td>
278 <td>Communication, scheduling, meetings and quick coordination.</td>
Agnease 4.2 279 <td>Decisions remain scattered in messages, calls and informal conversations.</td>
Agnease 1.2 280 </tr>
281 </tbody>
282 </table>
283
Agnease 4.2 284 <h2 id="replacement-map">What can move to XWiki, and what should move elsewhere</h2>
Agnease 1.2 285
286 <p>
Agnease 4.2 287 A successful transition separates content by purpose. Some content belongs naturally in XWiki. Some should
288 remain in office collaboration tools. Some should move to other open-source or self-hostable systems that
289 complement XWiki.
Agnease 1.2 290 </p>
291
292 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
293 <thead>
294 <tr>
295 <th>Current Google Workspace usage</th>
Agnease 4.2 296 <th>Recommended destination</th>
297 <th>Transition guidance</th>
Agnease 1.2 298 </tr>
299 </thead>
300 <tbody>
301 <tr>
302 <td>Official documentation in Google Docs</td>
Agnease 4.2 303 <td>XWiki pages, spaces, page history, comments and permissions.</td>
304 <td>Move final and maintained documentation into XWiki pages.</td>
Agnease 1.2 305 </tr>
306 <tr>
307 <td>Policies, procedures and governance documents</td>
Agnease 4.2 308 <td>XWiki pages with templates, metadata, review dates and ownership.</td>
Agnease 1.2 309 <td>Move to XWiki and add lifecycle rules.</td>
310 </tr>
311 <tr>
312 <td>Meeting notes</td>
313 <td>XWiki meeting note templates inside team or working group spaces.</td>
Agnease 4.2 314 <td>Start new meeting notes in XWiki and link older notes only when useful.</td>
Agnease 1.2 315 </tr>
316 <tr>
317 <td>Working group or committee documents</td>
Agnease 4.2 318 <td>XWiki spaces with homepage, members, notes, decisions and documents.</td>
Agnease 1.2 319 <td>Create one structured space per group.</td>
320 </tr>
321 <tr>
322 <td>Decision records</td>
Agnease 4.2 323 <td>XWiki decision page template.</td>
Agnease 1.2 324 <td>Move decisions out of scattered Docs, email and chat.</td>
325 </tr>
326 <tr>
327 <td>Google Sites pages</td>
Agnease 4.2 328 <td>XWiki public or private spaces.</td>
329 <td>Move informational pages that need history, permissions or governance.</td>
Agnease 1.2 330 </tr>
331 <tr>
332 <td>Shared file archive</td>
Agnease 4.2 333 <td>XWiki attachments for curated files; <a href="https://nextcloud.com/files/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Files</a> for general file sharing.</td>
334 <td>Use XWiki for files attached to knowledge pages, not for massive file sync.</td>
Agnease 1.2 335 </tr>
336 <tr>
337 <td>Simple trackers in Google Sheets</td>
Agnease 3.2 338 <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 4.2 339 <td>Move recurring lists with stable fields and clear ownership.</td>
Agnease 1.2 340 </tr>
341 <tr>
342 <td>Collaborative drafting in Google Docs</td>
Agnease 4.2 343 <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>
344 <td>Use XWiki for the maintained version, not every draft.</td>
Agnease 1.2 345 </tr>
346 <tr>
347 <td>Forms and surveys</td>
Agnease 4.2 348 <td>XWiki forms for internal processes; <a href="https://www.limesurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LimeSurvey</a> for advanced surveys.</td>
349 <td>Use the right tool depending on whether it is workflow data or survey data.</td>
Agnease 1.2 350 </tr>
351 </tbody>
352 </table>
353
354 <h2 id="what-belongs-in-xwiki">What belongs naturally in XWiki</h2>
355
356 <p>
357 XWiki is a strong destination for information that should be easy to find, maintain, discuss, review and trust
358 over time.
359 </p>
360
Agnease 4.2 361 <div class="services-grid resources-grid">
362 #foreach ($entry in $xwikiFitCards)
363 <article class="service resource-card">
364 <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
365 <i class="fa fa-$entry.icon"></i>
366 </div>
367 <div class="service-body">
368 <h4>$entry.title</h4>
369 <p>$entry.content</p>
370 </div>
371 </article>
372 #end
373 </div>
Agnease 1.2 374
375 <h2 id="not-xwiki">What should not be replaced by XWiki</h2>
376
377 <p>
378 A credible transition guide should clearly explain where XWiki is not the right tool. This avoids unrealistic
Agnease 3.2 379 expectations and helps the organization design a better collaboration stack.
Agnease 1.2 380 </p>
381
Agnease 4.2 382 <div class="services-grid resources-grid">
383 #foreach ($entry in $notXWikiCards)
384 <article class="service resource-card">
385 <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
386 <i class="fa fa-$entry.icon"></i>
387 </div>
388 <div class="service-body">
389 <h4>$entry.title</h4>
390 <p>$entry.content</p>
391 </div>
392 </article>
393 #end
394 </div>
Agnease 1.2 395
396 <div class="resource-note">
397 <p>
398 <strong>In practice:</strong> the goal is not to make XWiki do everything. The goal is to make XWiki the
399 trusted home for maintained knowledge, while integrating or linking to the right tools for files, office
400 editing, chat, meetings and identity.
401 </p>
402 </div>
403
404 <h2 id="open-source-stack">Open-source alternatives that can complement XWiki</h2>
405
406 <p>
Agnease 4.2 407 For organizations trying to reduce dependency on Google Workspace, XWiki can become part of a broader
408 open-source collaboration architecture. The exact stack depends on hosting preferences, support needs,
409 security requirements and user expectations.
Agnease 1.2 410 </p>
411
412 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
413 <thead>
414 <tr>
Agnease 4.2 415 <th>Need</th>
416 <th>Possible solution</th>
Agnease 1.2 417 <th>How it works with XWiki</th>
418 </tr>
419 </thead>
420 <tbody>
421 <tr>
422 <td>Structured knowledge base</td>
Agnease 3.2 423 <td><a href="https://www.xwiki.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">XWiki</a></td>
Agnease 4.2 424 <td>Main platform for documentation, governance, knowledge management and structured content.</td>
Agnease 1.2 425 </tr>
426 <tr>
Agnease 4.2 427 <td>File sync and sharing</td>
Agnease 3.2 428 <td><a href="https://nextcloud.com/files/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nextcloud Files</a></td>
Agnease 4.2 429 <td>Use for general file storage and sharing; link important files from XWiki pages.</td>
Agnease 1.2 430 </tr>
431 <tr>
432 <td>Office document editing</td>
Agnease 3.2 433 <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 4.2 434 <td>Use for documents, spreadsheets and presentations that need office-style editing.</td>
Agnease 1.2 435 </tr>
436 <tr>
437 <td>Chat and team messaging</td>
Agnease 4.2 438 <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>
439 <td>Use for real-time conversation; move durable decisions and outcomes back into XWiki.</td>
Agnease 1.2 440 </tr>
441 <tr>
442 <td>Video meetings</td>
Agnease 4.2 443 <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 1.2 444 <td>Use for calls; store agendas, notes and decisions in XWiki.</td>
445 </tr>
446 <tr>
447 <td>Surveys and advanced forms</td>
Agnease 3.2 448 <td><a href="https://www.limesurvey.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LimeSurvey</a></td>
Agnease 4.2 449 <td>Use for survey campaigns; publish results, summaries or procedures in XWiki.</td>
Agnease 1.2 450 </tr>
451 <tr>
452 <td>Identity and SSO</td>
Agnease 4.2 453 <td><a href="https://www.keycloak.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keycloak</a>, Microsoft Entra ID, Google identity or another OIDC/SAML provider.</td>
Agnease 1.2 454 <td>Use SSO so users access XWiki without a separate password and with mapped groups where appropriate.</td>
455 </tr>
456 </tbody>
457 </table>
458
459 <h2 id="transition-plan">A practical transition plan</h2>
460
461 <p>
462 The safest transition is gradual. The organization should not begin by migrating every Google Drive folder.
463 That approach creates too much noise, too many permission questions and too many low-value documents.
464 </p>
465
Agnease 4.2 466 <ol class="process-list">
467 #foreach ($entry in $roadmapSteps)
468 <li>
469 <strong>$entry.title</strong>
470 $entry.content
471 </li>
472 #end
473 </ol>
Agnease 1.2 474
Agnease 4.2 475 <h2 id="pilot">A good pilot: one working group space</h2>
476
Agnease 1.2 477 <p>
Agnease 4.2 478 A strong pilot is small enough to control but useful enough to prove value. For example, one working group,
479 committee, project team or community group can move its durable knowledge into XWiki while keeping office
480 tools for drafting, spreadsheets and presentations when needed.
Agnease 1.2 481 </p>
482
Agnease 4.2 483 <div class="services-grid resources-grid">
484 #foreach ($entry in $pilotCards)
485 <article class="service resource-card">
486 <div class="service-icon" aria-hidden="true">
487 <i class="fa fa-$entry.icon"></i>
488 </div>
489 <div class="service-body">
490 <h4>$entry.title</h4>
491 <p>$entry.content</p>
492 </div>
493 </article>
494 #end
495 </div>
496
Agnease 1.2 497 <div class="resource-note">
498 <p>
Agnease 4.2 499 <strong>Pilot success question:</strong> can members find the current and trusted version of important
500 information faster than before?
Agnease 1.2 501 </p>
502 </div>
503
Agnease 4.2 504 <h2 id="adoption">How to convince the team to use XWiki</h2>
505
Agnease 1.2 506 <p>
Agnease 4.2 507 People do not usually change collaboration habits because a new platform exists. They change when the new
508 platform makes an important part of their work easier, clearer or more reliable.
Agnease 1.2 509 </p>
510
511 <p>
Agnease 4.2 512 A useful adoption message is:
Agnease 1.2 513 </p>
514
Agnease 4.2 515 <div class="resource-note">
516 <p>
517 <strong>XWiki is not another folder where files disappear. It is the place where the organization keeps
518 the current version, the owner, the context, the decision and the links around important knowledge.</strong>
519 </p>
520 </div>
Agnease 1.2 521
522 <p>
Agnease 4.2 523 Simple rules help adoption more than abstract platform arguments:
Agnease 1.2 524 </p>
525
Agnease 4.2 526 <ul class="resource-checklist">
527 <li>If it is official, maintained or reusable, it belongs in XWiki.</li>
528 <li>If it is a temporary draft, it can stay in an office editor until it becomes useful knowledge.</li>
529 <li>If it is a complex spreadsheet, do not force it into XWiki.</li>
530 <li>If it was decided in a meeting or chat, summarize the decision in XWiki.</li>
531 <li>If nobody owns it, do not migrate it as current content.</li>
532 <li>If users need the same answer repeatedly, create or improve an XWiki page.</li>
Agnease 1.2 533 </ul>
534
Agnease 4.2 535 <h2 id="implementation">Practical XWiki features to implement early</h2>
Agnease 1.2 536
537 <p>
Agnease 4.2 538 The following improvements can make the transition easier to accept and easier to govern.
Agnease 1.2 539 </p>
540
Agnease 4.2 541 <ul class="resource-checklist">
542 #foreach ($item in $implementationItems)
543 <li>$item</li>
544 #end
Agnease 1.2 545 </ul>
546
Agnease 4.2 547 <h2>Example transition scenarios</h2>
Agnease 1.2 548
Agnease 4.2 549 <h3>Scenario 1: Working group documentation</h3>
Agnease 1.2 550 <p>
Agnease 4.2 551 A working group has Google Docs for agendas, meeting notes, decisions and reference files. In XWiki, this can
552 become a structured space with a homepage, meeting note template, decision records, document list, open
553 questions and links to files that remain in Nextcloud or another storage system.
Agnease 1.2 554 </p>
555
Agnease 4.2 556 <h3>Scenario 2: Policies and procedures</h3>
Agnease 1.2 557 <p>
Agnease 4.2 558 Policies stored as Google Docs can become XWiki pages with owner, review date, status, history and restricted
559 edit rights. This makes it easier to know which version is current and who is responsible for keeping it updated.
Agnease 1.2 560 </p>
561
Agnease 4.2 562 <h3>Scenario 3: Spreadsheet tracker</h3>
Agnease 1.2 563 <p>
Agnease 4.2 564 A simple Google Sheet used as a list of requests, assets, documents or contacts may become a small XWiki
565 application when the fields are stable. A complex financial model or reporting workbook should remain in an
566 office spreadsheet tool.
Agnease 1.2 567 </p>
568
Agnease 4.2 569 <h2>Recommended target architecture</h2>
Agnease 1.2 570
571 <p>
Agnease 4.2 572 A realistic architecture does not replace every Google Workspace feature with XWiki. It gives each tool a clear role.
Agnease 1.2 573 </p>
574
575 <table class="table table-bordered table-striped">
576 <thead>
577 <tr>
578 <th>Layer</th>
579 <th>Recommended role</th>
580 </tr>
581 </thead>
582 <tbody>
583 <tr>
Agnease 4.2 584 <td>XWiki</td>
Agnease 1.2 585 <td>Structured knowledge, documentation, governance, working group spaces, policies and decisions.</td>
586 </tr>
587 <tr>
Agnease 4.2 588 <td>Nextcloud or equivalent</td>
Agnease 1.2 589 <td>General file storage, file sharing, sync clients and optional groupware.</td>
590 </tr>
591 <tr>
Agnease 4.2 592 <td>ONLYOFFICE, Collabora or LibreOffice</td>
Agnease 1.2 593 <td>Office document editing for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.</td>
594 </tr>
595 <tr>
Agnease 4.2 596 <td>Matrix/Element, Mattermost or Nextcloud Talk</td>
Agnease 1.2 597 <td>Real-time messaging and team coordination.</td>
598 </tr>
599 <tr>
Agnease 4.2 600 <td>Jitsi or another meeting tool</td>
Agnease 1.2 601 <td>Video meetings and calls.</td>
602 </tr>
603 <tr>
Agnease 4.2 604 <td>Keycloak or existing identity provider</td>
Agnease 1.2 605 <td>SSO, group mapping and identity lifecycle.</td>
606 </tr>
607 </tbody>
608 </table>
609
Agnease 3.2 610 <div id="related-resources" class="resource-note related-resources">
611 <p><strong>Related Agnease resources:</strong></p>
612 <ul>
613 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('services.xwiki-migrations')">XWiki migration services</a></li>
614 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('services.xwiki-authentication-access-control')">Authentication and access control for XWiki</a></li>
615 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-custom-development')">How to customize XWiki without creating upgrade problems</a></li>
616 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-access-rights-governance')">Why XWiki access rights need a clear governance model</a></li>
617 <li><a href="$xwiki.getURL('resources.xwiki-security-review')">What an XWiki security review should actually include</a></li>
618 </ul>
619 </div>
620
Agnease 1.2 621 <h2 id="faq">FAQ</h2>
622
Agnease 3.2 623 <details class="resource-faq-item" open>
624 <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Workspace completely?</summary>
625 <p>
Agnease 4.2 626 Not realistically. XWiki should not be presented as a full replacement for email, calendar, video meetings,
627 chat, file sync, spreadsheets and presentation editing. It is much better positioned as the structured
628 knowledge and documentation layer.
Agnease 3.2 629 </p>
630 </details>
Agnease 1.2 631
Agnease 3.2 632 <details class="resource-faq-item">
633 <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Docs?</summary>
634 <p>
Agnease 4.2 635 It can replace many Google Docs that are actually long-term documentation: policies, procedures, notes,
636 decisions, guides and knowledge base articles. For fast real-time drafting or complex office formatting,
637 an office editor such as ONLYOFFICE or Collabora may still be useful.
Agnease 3.2 638 </p>
639 </details>
Agnease 1.2 640
Agnease 3.2 641 <details class="resource-faq-item">
642 <summary>Can XWiki replace Google Drive?</summary>
643 <p>
Agnease 4.2 644 Partially. XWiki can manage attachments around knowledge pages and can support file-oriented applications,
645 but it should not be treated as a full desktop file sync and sharing platform. Nextcloud is usually a better
646 fit for that role.
Agnease 3.2 647 </p>
648 </details>
Agnease 1.2 649
Agnease 3.2 650 <details class="resource-faq-item">
651 <summary>What is the best first step?</summary>
652 <p>
Agnease 4.2 653 Start with one high-value pilot: a working group, committee, department or project that has real
654 documentation pain. Create the structure, templates, permissions and migration rules for that pilot before
655 expanding.
Agnease 3.2 656 </p>
657 </details>
Agnease 1.2 658
Agnease 3.2 659 <details class="resource-faq-item">
660 <summary>How do you convince users to try XWiki?</summary>
661 <p>
Agnease 4.2 662 Do not start by saying that XWiki is replacing everything. Start by showing that XWiki gives users a clearer,
663 more reliable place for trusted knowledge: the current document, the owner, the status, the related decisions
664 and the wider context.
Agnease 3.2 665 </p>
666 </details>
Agnease 1.2 667
Agnease 3.2 668 <details class="resource-faq-item">
669 <summary>What should remain outside XWiki during transition?</summary>
670 <p>
Agnease 4.2 671 Temporary drafts, complex spreadsheets, presentation working files, ongoing external collaborations and
672 anything without a clear owner can remain outside XWiki until the organization has a reason to migrate or
673 replace that workflow.
Agnease 3.2 674 </p>
675 </details>
Agnease 1.2 676
677 </article>
678 </div>
679 </div>
680 </section>
681
682 <section class="cta-section" aria-labelledby="google-workspace-xwiki-cta-title">
683 <div class="container">
684 <div class="cta-panel">
685 <h2 id="google-workspace-xwiki-cta-title">Planning a transition from Google Workspace to XWiki?</h2>
686 <p>
687 Agnease can help evaluate what should move to XWiki, what should remain in office collaboration tools,
688 and how to design the right structure, permissions, templates, SSO and migration approach.
689 </p>
690 <a class="btn btn-primary" href="$xwiki.getURL('contact.WebHome')">Request a consultation</a>
691 </div>
692 </div>
693 </section>
694
Agnease 3.2 695 <script type="application/ld+json">
696 {
697 "@context": "https://schema.org",
698 "@type": "TechArticle",
699 "headline": "From Google Workspace to XWiki: a practical transition guide",
700 "description": "Practical guide for moving durable knowledge from Google Workspace to XWiki, with replacement mapping, open-source alternatives, migration steps and tool limits.",
701 "author": {
702 "@type": "Organization",
703 "name": "Agnease"
704 },
705 "publisher": {
706 "@type": "Organization",
707 "name": "Agnease",
708 "url": "https://agnease.com/"
709 },
710 "mainEntityOfPage": "https://agnease.com/bin/resources/from-google-workspace-to-xwiki"
711 }
712 </script>
713
714 <script type="application/ld+json">
715 {
716 "@context": "https://schema.org",
717 "@type": "FAQPage",
718 "mainEntity": [
719 {
720 "@type": "Question",
721 "name": "Can XWiki replace Google Workspace completely?",
722 "acceptedAnswer": {
723 "@type": "Answer",
724 "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."
725 }
726 },
727 {
728 "@type": "Question",
729 "name": "Can XWiki replace Google Docs?",
730 "acceptedAnswer": {
731 "@type": "Answer",
732 "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."
733 }
734 },
735 {
736 "@type": "Question",
737 "name": "Can XWiki replace Google Drive?",
738 "acceptedAnswer": {
739 "@type": "Answer",
740 "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."
741 }
742 },
743 {
744 "@type": "Question",
745 "name": "What is the best first step when moving from Google Workspace to XWiki?",
746 "acceptedAnswer": {
747 "@type": "Answer",
748 "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."
749 }
750 },
751 {
752 "@type": "Question",
753 "name": "What should remain outside XWiki during transition?",
754 "acceptedAnswer": {
755 "@type": "Answer",
756 "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."
757 }
758 }
759 ]
760 }
761 </script>
762
Agnease 1.2 763 {{/html}}
764 {{/velocity}}