Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, set up right the first time
Business email on your own domain, shared files that don't walk out the door with an employee, and two-step sign-in for everyone. For Middle Tennessee small businesses and nonprofits, from first setup to moving off an old host, with published prices.
Which one fits
Both are good. The wrong one, or the wrong license level, costs you every month. We will tell you which, and which license, before you buy anything.
| Microsoft 365 | Google Workspace | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Teams that live in Word, Excel and Outlook | Teams that work in the browser and want the simplest admin |
| Files | OneDrive and SharePoint, synced to Windows and Mac | Google Drive and shared drives |
| Laptops and phones | Stronger device control on Business Premium (Intune) | Basic device management included |
| Business list price | About $6 to $22 per user per month | About $7 to $22 per user per month |
| Nonprofits | Business Basic free up to 300 users; Premium discounted | Free edition for verified 501(c)(3)s |
List prices are Microsoft's and Google's, change from time to time, and are paid to them directly.
What we do
Setup
A new account built the way it should have been from the start.
- Domain connected, users and licenses created
- SPF, DKIM and DMARC so your mail is trusted
- Shared mailboxes and calendars for the front desk
- Admin accounts locked down and documented
Migration
Off Gmail, GoDaddy, an old web host or another tenant, without losing anything.
- Email, calendars and contacts copied in the background
- Files moved to OneDrive, SharePoint or Google Drive
- Cutover after hours, final sync the next morning
- Old service left running until you sign off
Security
The settings that stop most account takeovers.
- Two-step sign-in for every user
- Phishing and spoofing protection turned on
- Sign-in alerts and admin-change alerts
- Backup of mail and files where you need it
Shared files and staff changes
So a resignation is not a data-loss event.
- Shared folders owned by the organization, not a person
- Permissions set by role, not one-off shares
- New-hire accounts and departures handled same day
- Laptops and phones signed in, plus a short staff walkthrough
The free licenses changed. Most nonprofits haven't caught up.
Microsoft ended its free Business Premium grant on July 1, 2025, and many organizations only find out at renewal. What's still available:
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic
- Free for eligible nonprofits, up to 300 users. Email, Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint, with web and mobile Office apps.
- Microsoft 365 Business Premium
- Discounted for nonprofits (about $5.50 per user per month). Adds desktop Office and device management. Worth it for staff with laptops that hold sensitive data.
- Google Workspace for Nonprofits
- Free for verified 501(c)(3) organizations, with discounted paid editions if you need more.
- What we do
- Eligibility and verification paperwork, the right mix of free and paid licenses (often a few Premium seats and the rest Basic), and 20% off our setup and migration prices.
A Middle Tennessee nonprofit on Microsoft 365
We support a local nonprofit's Microsoft 365: staff shared folders in OneDrive and SharePoint set up so files open fast and stay with the organization, a weekly check that their domain's email security records are passing, and daily monitoring of sign-ins and admin changes. Explanations go to staff in plain language they can forward.
Published prices
Starting prices for the one-time work, plus a flat monthly add-on. Your final price is confirmed in writing after the free assessment, before any work starts. Licenses are separate and paid to Microsoft or Google.
- New setup
- Starting at $300 plus $35 per user. New account on your domain, email security records, two-step sign-in, shared mailboxes, admin lockdown and handover documents.
- Migration
- Starting at $750 per project plus $90 per mailbox (email, calendar, contacts and files up to 10 GB each). Includes the setup above. Example: a straightforward 10-person move off Gmail or GoDaddy is $1,650.
- Nonprofits
- 20% off setup and migration, and eligibility paperwork at no charge. The same 10-person move is $1,320.
- Monthly management
- $15 per user per month (nonprofits $10), minimum 5 users. Adds to any managed service plan or stands on its own. Covers new users and departures, password and two-step resets, license right-sizing, security settings kept current, email-record monitoring and a monthly admin review.
- What raises the price
- Mailboxes over 10 GB, lots of shared files and permissions to rebuild, more than 50 users, or a move between two Microsoft tenants. If any of these apply, we tell you during the assessment and quote it before you commit.
From assessment to handover
Free assessment
We look at what you have today: where mail lives, who has admin, what licenses you're paying for and what nobody is using.
Plan & fixed quote
Platform, license mix and a written, fixed price. No surprises after we start. Nonprofit eligibility starts here.
Cutover after hours
Data copied in the background, domain switched after close, final sync the next morning.
Cleanup & training
Laptops and phones signed in, a short staff walkthrough, documentation you own, and monthly management if you want it.
Before you call
Will we lose email during the move?
No. We copy mail, calendars and contacts in the background while you keep working, then switch your domain over after hours. Anything that arrives during the switch is picked up in a final sync.
Can we keep our email addresses and domain?
Yes. Your domain stays yours. We point it at the new service and set up the records that keep your mail out of spam folders (SPF, DKIM and DMARC).
Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace: which should we pick?
If your team lives in Word, Excel and Outlook, or you need tighter control over laptops and phones, Microsoft 365. If you work mostly in a browser and want the simplest admin, Google Workspace. We tell you which, and which license level, before you buy anything.
Do nonprofits still get Microsoft 365 for free?
Partly. Microsoft ended the free Business Premium grant on July 1, 2025. Eligible nonprofits can still get Business Basic free for up to 300 users, and Business Premium at a nonprofit discount. Google Workspace for Nonprofits is free for verified 501(c)(3) organizations. We handle the eligibility paperwork.
Who pays for the licenses?
You do, directly to Microsoft or Google, at their price. We do not resell or mark up licenses. Our fee is for the setup, the migration and the ongoing management.
Who has admin access when you are done?
You do. You keep the top-level admin account, we work under our own named admin account, and everything we set up is documented and handed over.
Let's look at what you have
Tell us where your email and files live today. We'll assess it at no charge and send a written price, and if you're already set up well, we'll tell you that instead.
Black Pearl Automation LLC is an independent IT provider. We are not a Microsoft or Google partner and do not resell licenses. Microsoft 365 is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation; Google Workspace is a trademark of Google LLC.