From Outlook
Migrate from Outlook or Microsoft 365 to Missive. Distribution lists, shared mailboxes, and rollout tips.
Leaving Outlook usually means leaving behind distribution lists, shared mailboxes, and a lot of reply-all. This page covers the parts that are specific to Microsoft 365.
Read Migrating to Missive first. It's the team rollout playbook (pilot, workflow, sandbox week, cutover) and applies no matter where you're coming from. Migrating a single account rather than a team? Use Outlook / Office 365 instead.
Converting distribution lists to shared inboxes
This is the core of an Outlook migration, and it's invisible to your contacts.
A distribution list (Microsoft 365 group) can't be connected to Missive directly. You bring it over as a shared mailbox or a shared address:
In Microsoft 365, convert the distribution list to a shared mailbox.
In Missive, go to Settings → Accounts → Add account, connect the mailbox, and choose shared when asked.
Assign it to the right team.
Send a test email to confirm mail is flowing in.
The email address stays exactly the same, so clients keep emailing the address they always have. They won't notice the switch.
Tip: Internal distribution lists (an it@ or accounting@ list) convert the same way. They make great low-stakes inboxes for your pilot.
What's different coming from Outlook
Folders become labels. Same idea, but one email can carry several labels at once.
Outlook rules still apply, so pin their target labels. If a rule auto-files mail into a folder, that mail skips your inbox in Missive too, exactly like in Outlook. Pin those labels to your sidebar (+ Pin to Sidebar → Labels) or you won't see the filed mail.
You can retire old distribution-list rules. Personal rules that moved distribution-list mail into a folder no longer fire. That mail now routes to the shared inbox instead of your personal one.
Stop CC'ing the old distribution list on replies. The shared inbox already gives the whole team visibility. CC'ing just recreates the duplicate copies you're leaving behind.
Outlook and Missive stay two-way synced. Nothing is stranded during the move. Do all real work (replying, assigning, closing, commenting) in Missive, though, or you lose the ownership tracking that's the point of switching. Keep Outlook for old history only.
Note: Missive rules are way more flexible and powerful than Outlook rules, so once you're settled, we recommend looking at recreating your Outlook rules in Missive and expanding upon them.
Outlook-specific checklist
In addition to the main rollout checklist:
Next steps
Migrating to Missive, the full rollout playbook
Outlook / Office 365 for per-account connection, folders, history import, and sync
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