Tenant Migration

Should a Multi-Academy Trust Create a Separate Microsoft 365 Tenant?

WPS Content Manager Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

Determine the best approach for setting up a Microsoft 365 Education tenant when a school joins a Multi-Academy Trust and requires independent domains and administration.

Should a Multi-Academy Trust Create a Separate Microsoft 365 Tenant?

Product: Microsoft 365 Education
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A school is becoming part of a Multi-Academy Trust and needs to establish separate user accounts, an independent administration environment, and a dedicated new domain.
Observed behavior: The organization needs to understand if a completely new tenant should be created and how to navigate the complexities of tenant-to-tenant migration rather than a simple merge.

Before you start

Before creating a new tenant, ensure you have administrative access to your DNS provider for domain verification and carefully assess the scope of data, mailboxes, and users that will need to be migrated.

Solution 1Recommended

Create a Separate Microsoft 365 Education Tenant

Establish a new, independent Microsoft 365 Education tenant using the Multi-Academy Trust's new domain to ensure complete separation of accounts and administration.

Setting up a separate tenant is the standard procedure when a Multi-Academy Trust requires distinct branding, separate user sign-ins, and isolated administrative boundaries. However, moving existing school data into this new environment requires a tenant-to-tenant migration.

Because tenant migrations involve transferring complex workloads like Exchange mailboxes, SharePoint sites, and Teams data, it is not a simple 'merge' process. It requires careful planning, specialized tools, and often professional assistance.

Access the Microsoft Entra Admin Center

Sign in to the Microsoft Entra admin center with an account that has Global Administrator permissions, then navigate to Identity > Overview > Manage tenants.

Create the New Tenant

Click 'Create' to start the setup wizard. Select 'Microsoft Entra ID' as the tenant type, and enter the organization name and initial domain name for the Multi-Academy Trust.

Add and Verify the Custom Domain

Once the tenant is created, go to the 'Custom domain names' settings in the new admin center to add your trust's actual domain name. Verify ownership by adding the provided TXT or MX records to your DNS hosting provider.

Engage a Migration Specialist

Because tenant-to-tenant data migration is highly complex, consult Microsoft Support or hire a qualified Microsoft 365 migration partner to execute the transfer of mailboxes and files from the old school tenant to the new trust tenant.

Create a Separate Microsoft 365 Education Tenant

Migration Complexity Warning: Do not underestimate the complexity of a tenant-to-tenant migration. Attempting to manually move thousands of files or accounts without proper migration tools can lead to significant data loss or service disruption.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Equip Your Multi-Academy Trust with WPS Office

While planning your complex Microsoft 365 tenant migration, ensure your educators and students experience zero downtime with their daily document tasks. WPS Office provides a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Office, keeping administrative workflows running smoothly during infrastructure transitions.

1. Download the Installer: Visit the official WPS Office website and download the free installer for your school's operating system.
2. Deploy Across Devices: Install the lightweight suite on staff and student computers to ensure continuous access to office tools.
3. Open Existing Documents: Seamlessly open, edit, and save your existing Microsoft Office files locally while the cloud tenant migration takes place.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint file formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx) to maintain seamless communication during tenant migrations.Free and lightweight office suite ideal for widespread deployment across Multi-Academy Trust devices.Familiar, intuitive user interface that requires no additional training for teachers or students.Built-in PDF editing and document management tools to streamline school administration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we simply merge our existing school tenant into the new Multi-Academy Trust tenant?

No, Microsoft 365 does not support a one-click merge of two distinct tenants. You must perform a tenant-to-tenant migration, which involves using specific migration tools or services to transfer user accounts, emails, and files from the source tenant to the target tenant.

What happens to our old school domain name during the transition?

The old domain remains tied to your original tenant. If you want to use the same domain in the new trust tenant as an alias or secondary domain, you must completely remove it from the old tenant first, which often requires deleting or renaming all user accounts attached to it, and then verify it in the new tenant.

Do I need specialized software or help to migrate between tenants?

Yes. Because tenant-to-tenant migrations require mapping identities, transferring OneDrive/SharePoint files, and moving Teams data, relying solely on manual methods is impractical for schools. It is highly recommended to use third-party migration tools or engage a certified Microsoft migration specialist.

Migration & Recovery