Software MigrationCost SavingsOpen Source

Replacing Microsoft 365: A Small Employer’s Guide to LibreOffice Migration

eemployees

2026-01-27

9 min read

Hands-on guide for small employers switching from Microsoft 365 to LibreOffice — file compatibility, templates, training, and cost analysis.

Stop overpaying and simplify HR tech: a practical LibreOffice migration playbook for small employers

Hiring, payroll, and everyday operations already stretch small-business budgets. If Microsoft 365's licensing, management overhead, or privacy and data residency concerns are adding friction, switching to LibreOffice can cut costs and give you control — but only if you migrate deliberately. This guide (2026 edition) gives a hands-on migration path that covers file compatibility, templates, employee training, and a realistic cost/benefit analysis so your team stays productive during the switch.

Executive summary — the bottom line first

If you need a short verdict: LibreOffice is a practical Microsoft 365 replacement for many small employers who prioritize cost savings, privacy, and offline-first workflows. It works best when you treat migration as a managed project, not a flip-the-switch event. Expect the biggest work in complex Excel files (macros, Power Query, linked data) and collaboration workflows that rely on real-time coauthoring in the cloud.

What you'll get from this guide

A migration roadmap: inventory, pilot, conversion, and rollout
File compatibility details and conversion commands you can run today
Template and style migration steps with reuse tips for HR forms
Training curriculum and adoption tactics that reduce support tickets
A practical cost/benefit example and risk mitigation checklist

Why consider LibreOffice in 2026?

Several trends through late 2025 and into 2026 make LibreOffice an attractive choice for cost-conscious employers:

Rising SaaS costs and tighter budgets. Subscription fatigue and higher per-user licensing have pushed small businesses to evaluate free, open-source alternatives.
Stronger document standards and better import/export filters. The LibreOffice engine has improved DOCX/XLSX fidelity across the 7.x–8.x releases, reducing conversion friction for standard business docs.
Privacy and data residency concerns. Businesses handling sensitive HR or payroll documents prefer an offline or self-hosted stack (Nextcloud + Collabora/LibreOffice Online) to avoid storing files in third-party clouds — see practical hybrid options in hybrid workflows.
Open-source procurement momentum. Public-sector and private organizations increasingly demand open standards (ODF and provenance) in contracts — lowering perceived risk.

Step 1 — Scoping and inventory (first week)

Before moving anything, inventory what your team actually uses. This phase determines your migration complexity and how many users need advanced support.

Do this now

Export a list of active users and shared mailboxes (if relevant).
Audit document types over the last 12 months: count .docx, .xlsx, .pptx, .odt, .ods, and identify the top 50 files used in operations and HR.
Flag complex Excel files: macros, pivot-heavy reports, Power Query, external data links.
Create a migration owner and a small steering group: IT/founder, HR lead, and a power-user.

Step 2 — Pilot and compatibility testing (weeks 2–4)

Start with a small, representative pilot (3–10 users) and a file set that includes HR forms, invoices, and a few complex spreadsheets.

File compatibility checklist

DOCX to ODT: Text, styles, headers/footers, images and tracked changes generally convert well. Complex WordArt or SmartArt may need rework.
XLSX to ODS: Basic formulas, formatting, and pivot tables usually survive. Power Query, data model, and some advanced dynamic array behaviors are not fully supported.
PPTX to ODP: Slides convert, but animations and embedded media can break. Recreate key slide templates in LibreOffice Impress when possible.
Macros: Microsoft VBA macros do not run natively in LibreOffice. You can:

Reimplement logic in LibreOffice Basic or Python macros.
Keep a small MS365 license for users who need advanced macros.

Hands-on tests to run

Open your top 20 DOCX files in LibreOffice Writer and note layout differences (styles, spacing, tracked changes).
Open your top 10 XLSX files in LibreOffice Calc and run full reconciliation against original values (sum checks, pivot results).
Test batch conversion with the LibreOffice headless converter on a sample folder:

soffice --headless --convert-to pdf *.docx --outdir converted_pdfs
soffice --headless --convert-to odt *.docx --outdir converted_odt

Note: run these on a test machine first. Back up originals. For larger migrations, integrate batch conversions into operational playbooks and consider spreadsheet-first tooling from teams writing about spreadsheet-first edge datastores.

Step 3 — Templates and HR forms (weeks 3–6)

Your HR templates (offer letters, NDAs, PTO forms) must look and behave consistently. Convert and standardize them as part of the pilot.

Template migration steps

Collect canonical templates currently used by HR (DOCX, XLSX, PPTX).
Recreate them directly in LibreOffice using Styles and Templates rather than relying on manual formatting.
Save canonical templates in ODF formats: .odt (Writer), .ods (Calc), .odp (Impress). Keep original DOCX/XLSX backups for legal continuity.
Publish templates to a shared repository (Nextcloud, internal file share) and add a versioned changelog — treat templates like code and use a desktop preservation / versioning approach for labeling and history.

Tip: use styles for headers, body text, and signatures to avoid layout drift. This reduces help-desk tickets when employees paste content from email or the web.

Step 4 — Training and adoption (weeks 4–8)

Switching applications is a people problem, not a software problem. Invest in short, targeted training that addresses real workflows.

Training curriculum (recommended)

Day 1: 60-minute live kickoff — what's changing, why, and how to request help.
Week 1: Role-based micro-sessions (20–30 mins) for HR, finance, and sales. Focus on templates and common actions.
Week 2: Deep dives for power-users on Calc compatibility and macro alternatives.
Ongoing: 1-hour office hours twice weekly for 4 weeks; maintain a knowledge base with short videos (~3 minutes each).

Provide cheat sheets: keyboard shortcuts, where to find templates, how to export PDFs, and conversion tips. Encourage employees to keep an ‘original file’ version during early weeks.

Collaboration & cloud options in a LibreOffice world

LibreOffice doesn’t deliver native cloud coauthoring like Microsoft 365, but you have solid options:

Nextcloud + Collabora Online: self-hosted editing in the browser powered by LibreOffice technology. Suitable for teams wanting on-premise control.
OnlyOffice and other editors: May offer better coauthoring fidelity for DOCX/XLSX while still supporting ODF — consider hybrid stacks that combine offline LibreOffice with light cloud editors.
PDF-first workflows: For approvals and HR forms, use PDF exports to lock formatting and reduce cross-editor issues.

Tip: In 2026, many small teams run a hybrid: LibreOffice for daily offline work and a light cloud editor for real-time collaboration on a few shared documents.

Cost / benefit analysis — an example

Do the math before you move. Here’s a simplified example for a 15-person company (all figures are illustrative):

Microsoft 365 Business Standard approx. $12–$18/user/month (2025–26 market range). Annual cost: ~$2,700–$3,240.
LibreOffice is free; add optional costs: Nextcloud hosting, Collabora license, IT migration labor.

Scenario: Keep migration internal, 40 hours of IT time at $60/hr = $2,400. Add training (10 hours × $60/hr = $600). First-year total migration cost = $3,000. Annual license savings vs. Microsoft 365 (at $2,700) turns positive in year 2 and accelerates as user count grows.

Key takeaway: If you can absorb the one-time migration effort, a small employer can break even within 12–24 months and save recurring licensing costs thereafter.

Risks and mitigations

Risk: Excel macros and Power Query workflows fail. Mitigation: Keep a few Microsoft 365 seats for power-users or rewrite key macros in Python/LibreOffice Basic.
Risk: Collaboration slowdown due to lack of real-time coauthoring. Mitigation: Use Nextcloud + Collabora or restrict coauthoring to a small set of documents in a cloud editor.
Risk: User pushback. Mitigation: Run a pilot, show savings and privacy benefits, and provide ample training.

Complete hands-on migration checklist (actionable steps)

Inventory files and tag critical documents (Week 1)
Identify top 10 complex Excel files and schedule reconciliation tests (Week 1)
Create HR canonical templates in ODF and store in shared repo (Week 2–3)
Run a pilot with 3–10 users using a sample file set (Week 3–4)

Batch-convert archival DOCX/XLSX using soffice headless for backups (Week 4)

soffice --headless --convert-to odt *.docx --outdir /archive/odt
soffice --headless --convert-to ods *.xlsx --outdir /archive/ods

Train staff with role-based micro-sessions; run weekly office hours (Weeks 4–8)
Deploy templates and update internal SOPs to reference ODF docs (Week 6)
Monitor support tickets for 60 days and iterate (Post-rollout)

Case studies — two short examples

Case A: Local marketing agency (12 users)

The agency moved to LibreOffice to reduce overhead. They retained two Microsoft 365 licenses for file sharing with large clients. Results: saved ~$1,500 annually on licensing, reduced file-format breakage by standardizing templates, and cut average helpdesk time by 30% after two months of targeted training.

Case B: Field services company (25 users)

They needed offline access for technicians and strict data residency for HR forms. They deployed LibreOffice on endpoints and Nextcloud + Collabora for site supervisors. Results: improved document privacy, stronger offline performance, and predictable hosting costs that were lower than Microsoft yearly licensing.

Advanced strategies for confident adopters (2026+)

Make ODF canonical. Treat ODF as your canonical archival format, export to client-ready DOCX/PDF when needed.
Automate conversions. Use CI tasks (GitLab/GitHub Actions on templates) to run soffice conversions and validate output for compliance before publishing — integrate with your release pipeline playbook (CI/release pipelines).
Version control for documents. Keep templates in a versioned repo with change logs — useful for HR policy updates and audits. See approaches for preservation and smart labeling in the field (desktop preservation kit).
Hybrid licensing strategy. Retain a small set of Microsoft 365 seats for finance or client-facing workflows that demand exact DOCX/XLSX fidelity.

Final recommendations — a pragmatic migration plan

Start with a 6-week pilot focused on HR templates and the top 20 files drive daily operations.
Standardize templates in ODF and publish them centrally.
Train in short bursts and keep office hours for two months post-rollout.
Retain contingency: keep 1–3 Microsoft 365 seats for complex compatibility edge cases.

Closing — is LibreOffice right for your business in 2026?

For many small employers, LibreOffice offers a low-cost, privacy-respecting alternative to Microsoft 365. The migration requires planning — especially for complex spreadsheets and real-time collaboration needs — but the payoff is recurring licensing savings and greater control over document data. With improved compatibility in recent releases and viable cloud-editing options, a phased migration with a small hybrid tail is the most practical approach.

Ready to try it? Download our ready-to-use migration checklist and template pack, or contact our team for a tailored migration assessment.

Call to action: Get the migration checklist and free pilot playbook from employees.info — start your LibreOffice migration with a plan that keeps HR, payroll, and operations running smoothly.

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