Unifying IT Systems for a Growing Accountancy Firm

We had been supporting a small Bristol-based accountancy firm of 10 staff for several years when they were acquired by another practice of a similar size. The new owners were keen to keep working with us – not just to maintain continuity, but because they knew the IT platform we had put in place could support their growth.

From the outset, we were asked to bring the two businesses together on a single, secure system that everyone could rely on.

The Challenge

Post-acquisition, the combined business faced a significant challenge: two completely different IT environments.

• The original firm operated on Microsoft 365 and a Remote Desktop Services (RDS) platform – secure, centralised and professionally managed.
• The acquiring firm relied on Google Workspace with no central server, limited security measures and a fragmented setup.

This disparity made collaboration difficult, increased operational inefficiency and introduced security vulnerabilities – particularly concerning for an industry handling sensitive financial data.

The Solution

EvolvIT was brought in to lead the migration and integration process, tasked with:

• Consolidating all users onto the Microsoft-based platform
• Migrating email, documents, and other critical data from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365
• Expanding the existing RDS platform to accommodate new users
• Ensuring business continuity throughout the transition
• Enabling secure remote access from multiple locations

The project was delivered over a focused two-week window, during which all services remained fully operational.

The Outcome

The result was a single, secure, industry-standard IT platform that improved both day-to-day operations and long-term strategic flexibility.

• Improved Collaboration: All staff now operate within a unified Microsoft environment, with streamlined communications and document sharing.
• Enhanced Security: Centralised management and advanced security protocols replaced the previously inconsistent approach.
• Operational Continuity: No business disruption during migration.
• Cost Efficiency: Reduced reliance on multiple, overlapping systems.
• Scalability: The RDS platform now serves as a foundation for further acquisitions.

Why EvolvIT?

When the acquisition was completed, the new owners told us one of their key motivations for the deal was the IT platform we had already put in place. They recognised that it was secure, scalable and could support their plans for growth.

We were pleased to be asked to continue supporting both firms through the merger. For us, the priority was to make the transition as smooth as possible — ensuring staff could carry on working while we brought everything together in the background. By working closely with both teams, we delivered a seamless migration and laid the foundations for future acquisitions.