Windows 11 migration, sorted from laptop to colleague
Moving from Windows 10 to Windows 11 takes more than switching on an update. Which laptops can make the move, will your software still work and can your colleagues find their way around the new Start menu? We handle both the technology and the adoption, on a schedule that fits your work.
At first glance Windows 11 looks like Windows 10 with a fresh coat of paint. Under the bonnet, though, it sets requirements for your hardware, such as a TPM 2.0 chip, support for Secure Boot and a recent processor. You also want to be sure that your accounting package, your printers and your industry software keep working. And then there are your colleagues, who have their own familiar way of working. A good migration takes all three into account. We start with an inventory and then draw up a plan for each group of devices, so everyone can keep working during the move.
Inventory: which devices can move and which are due for replacement
A test group that tries out your software and integrations first
A phased rollout, largely remote and outside office hours
Explanation and training, so your colleagues quickly find their way
At a glance
Technology
Inventory, compatibility, rollout and aftercare, by engineers who get to know your environment and document everything.
Adoption
A short explanation of what changes, and tailored training in Dutch or English.
Afterwards
After the move we keep Windows 11 up to date with updates and monitoring, as part of our management.
Step 1
First, find out which laptops and PCs can move
We begin with an inventory of all devices. Which laptops and PCs meet the Windows 11 requirements, which can move after a change in the firmware settings and which are due for replacement? You get an overview per device, with our advice alongside it. That shows you at a glance where you stand.
Devices that cannot move, we replace at a pace that suits your budget. We help you choose and buy, and set up new laptops with Windows 11 straight away. That way you can combine the move with a replacement round that may already have been planned.
Step 2
Testing your software before everyone moves
You want everything to simply work on Monday morning. So we start with a small group of colleagues from different departments. They work with Windows 11 and their own applications for a while and report what they notice. If a package needs a new version or a different setting, we arrange that with the supplier before the rest of the organisation follows.
Industry and custom software, and the integrations between them
Printers, scanners and other peripherals
Security, VPN and remote sign-in
Settings, files and shortcuts that need to come along
Step 3
Rolling out Windows 11 in phases while everyone keeps working
After the test we roll out Windows 11 in small groups, by department or by location. Where possible we upgrade the existing device, so files, applications and settings stay in place. Sometimes a clean installation is the better choice, for instance on a laptop that has been in use for years and carries a lot of old software. We discuss that with you beforehand.
Almost everything happens remotely, outside working hours. Your colleagues open their laptops in the morning and carry on in Windows 11. If someone needs to be on site, for example to hand out new devices, we schedule a visit from an engineer who knows your situation.
Adoption
Helping your colleagues find their way in Windows 11
For some colleagues a new version of Windows feels like moving house. The Start menu sits in the centre, the taskbar looks different and some settings have moved. That is why adoption is part of the migration. Before the move everyone gets a short explanation of what is changing, and afterwards they can come to us with their questions.
If you want more, our own trainers put together a tailored training on Windows 11 and your own applications, in Dutch or English. Think of arranging windows side by side with Snap layouts, or working with multiple desktops. That way the move also pays off in everyday work.
Starting points
Every Windows 11 migration starts somewhere different
No two organisations have the same set of devices. These are situations we see often, at small SMEs and at larger organisations alike.
A mixed set of devices
New laptops next to PCs that are a few years old. We decide per device whether it can move, and make a replacement plan for the rest, spread over time and in line with your budget.
Lots of industry software
You work with specialised applications, integrations or older software. We test those first with a small group, together with your suppliers, so the rollout goes smoothly for the rest of the organisation.
Several locations and home workers
Your colleagues are spread across branches and work from home. Because we do most of the move remotely, nobody has to hand in their laptop and the rollout goes at the same pace everywhere.
With your own IT person
Your IT colleague has plenty of other work. We take care of the inventory, the testing and the rollout, and agree with them which decisions they want to make themselves.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about moving to Windows 11
What if a laptop is not suitable for Windows 11?
Sometimes a device turns out to be suitable after a small change in the firmware settings, for example because the TPM chip is still switched off. If it really does not meet the requirements, we advise replacing it. We only install Windows 11 on devices that meet the requirements, so updates and security keep coming in as they should. New laptops we set up properly straight away.
Will my files and settings be kept?
With an upgrade on the existing device, your files, applications and most settings simply stay where they are. If we choose a clean installation or a new device, we make sure your files, shortcuts and important settings move with you. If your files are already in OneDrive or on a server, that makes it even easier.
Do all laptops have to move at once?
No, preferably not. We work in phases: first a test group, then by department or by location. That lets you apply lessons from the first group, and the organisation notices little of the move. We match the pace to your busy periods, so we are not in the middle of a rollout during a peak.
How long does a Windows 11 migration take?
That depends on the number of devices, the amount of software and whether devices need replacing. After the inventory you receive a schedule with the steps and the pace. An organisation with lots of standard laptops is often done sooner than one with many different industry packages.
What happens after the migration?
Then regular management begins. We keep Windows 11 up to date with updates and monitoring, so your devices stay secure and current. If you would like that in one agreement, with management, security and support for a fixed price per employee per month, Managed Operations is a good fit: a module of Digital Care, the platform we built ourselves.
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