How an Accounting Firm Migrated to Infomaniak

Cabinet Lemoine & Associés (name changed) is an 8-person accounting firm based in Paris. Specializing in SMB advisory services, the firm decided to migrate its email and storage to Infomaniak for confidentiality reasons. Here\'s their experience.

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The Context

Cabinet Lemoine & Associés has been in business for 15 years. Eight people work there: two partner accountants, four associates, and two assistants. The firm manages about 150 client accounts, from micro-businesses to SMBs with up to 50 employees.

On the IT side, the firm had been using Microsoft 365 Business Basic since 2019, after migrating from a standard email host. The accounting production software (Cegid) is hosted separately by the vendor.

The Trigger

It all started with a client\'s question during an advisory engagement.

"A client asked me if the accounting data I was sending him by email was accessible to American authorities. I instinctively said no, then I checked. The answer was yes. I was uncomfortable."

Digging into the Cloud Act issue, the partner realized that emails exchanged with clients were passing through American servers, potentially accessible to US authorities without notification. For a professional bound by professional secrecy, this was problematic.

The Professional Secrecy Question

Article 21 of the ordinance of September 19, 1945, imposes professional secrecy on chartered accountants. This secrecy covers all information brought to their attention in the course of their work, including electronic exchanges.

If these exchanges are hosted by an American company subject to the Cloud Act, is the guarantee of confidentiality truly ensured? The question is legally complex, but commercially and ethically, the firm preferred to remove any doubt.

Choosing Infomaniak

After evaluating several alternatives, the firm chose Infomaniak for:

• Swiss hosting – Beyond the reach of the Cloud Act and American jurisdictions
• Outlook compatibility – Staff used Outlook and didn\'t want to switch
• Value for money – Less expensive than Microsoft 365 for comparable features
• French-speaking support – Important for a firm with no in-house IT staff

The Assisted Migration

The firm engaged InfoSwitch to support the migration. With sensitive client data, there was no room for risk.

Phase 1: Audit and Preparation (3 days)

Inventory of mailboxes (8 mailboxes, volumes from 2 to 8 GB), shared calendars (absence schedule, client appointments), aliases and shared mailboxes (contact@, accounting@). Verification of compatibility with Cegid software, which sends automated emails.

Phase 2: Data Migration (weekend)

IMAP email migration on Saturday. Migration of shared files from OneDrive to kDrive on Sunday. Staff had been advised not to work that weekend.

Phase 3: Switch and Reconfiguration (Monday)

DNS change early Monday morning. Outlook reconfiguration on all 8 workstations (about 1 hour per workstation). Configuration of partners\' smartphones. Send/receive testing.

Phase 4: Training and Stabilization (one week)

Quick training on the Infomaniak webmail and kDrive. Phone support throughout the week for questions. Settings adjustments based on feedback.

Integration with Business Tools

Cegid

Cegid software sends automated emails (client reminders, document delivery). Reconfiguring SMTP to Infomaniak took 30 minutes. No issues since.

Electronic Signatures

The firm uses DocuSign for electronic signatures. No changes needed — DocuSign works with any email address.

Digital Vault

Client documents are shared via MyCompanyFiles (a digital vault for accountants). Again, independent from the email system, so no changes were needed.

Results After 4 Months

From Users\' Perspective

Feedback has been positive. Staff kept Outlook, their familiar environment. The only visible difference: the server displayed in the settings.

"Honestly, in day-to-day use, I don\'t see any difference. That\'s probably the best compliment you can give a migration."

From a Security Perspective

The firm can now tell clients that their data is hosted in Switzerland, beyond the reach of American jurisdictions. It has become a selling point in business proposals.

From a Financial Perspective

The savings are significant for a small firm. They easily cover the migration service cost in the first year.

Key Considerations for Accounting Firms

Based on this experience, here are tips for firms considering a similar migration.

Inform Your Professional Body

It may be useful to inform your Regional Council of the Order about the hosting change, especially if you handle sensitive engagements. They will appreciate the compliance initiative.

Check Your Integrations

List all tools that send emails (accounting software, CRM, signature tools) and verify they can be reconfigured. In 99% of cases, it\'s just an SMTP settings change.

Schedule Outside of Tax Season

Avoid migrating in January (VAT returns), May (financial statements), or December (year-end closings). Choose a quiet period.

Keep Temporary Access to the Old System

Keep Microsoft 365 active for a few weeks after the migration so you can check old emails or recover forgotten data.

Conclusion

For Cabinet Lemoine & Associés, migrating to Infomaniak was primarily a matter of professional consistency. How can you advise clients on data protection while using American tools yourself?

Four months after the migration, the firm is satisfied. Staff were not disrupted, clients are reassured, and costs have gone down. The migration required an investment in time and support, but the return on investment is fast.

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