Sharepoint 2010 workflows end-of-support
The 1st November 2020 marks the end of support for SharePoint 2010 workflows in SharePoint Online. This means that for organisations using SharePoint 2010, workflows created using out of the box features, SharePoint Designer, or workflows created through Visual Studio will no longer work from this date.
How will end-of-support impact my organisation?
SharePoint 2010 workflows let organisations using SharePoint Online to automate and streamline business processes. End-of-support for SharePoint 2010 workflows will impact any organisation’s business processes which are using the workflows.
Running end-of-life technology is a risky undertaking for any organisation, especially when processes automation is relied on for daily operations.
End-of-support timelines for SharePoint workflows in SharePoint Online
| SharePoint Workflows version | Retirement date |
SharePoint 2010 workflows for new tenants |
1st August 2020 |
SharePoint 2010 workflows for existing tenants |
1st November 2020 |
SharePoint 2013 workflows for new tenants |
1st November 2020 |
SharePoint 2013 workflows for existing tenants |
To be confirmed |
What are the risks of not upgrading SharePoint 2010 workflows?
Missed opportunities – Organisations who do not move to supported systems or newer technologies are missing the benefits and new features that can improve and streamline business processes.
Reduced efficiencies – If the processes in place no longer work, it forces employees to carry out additional tasks and processes manually, which will lead to inefficient use of their time and impact on organisational costs.
Now is the time to act
With the retirement of SharePoint 2010 workflows approaching, organisations using SharePoint 2013 workflows should also consider the implications of end-of-support on their organisation. From the 1st November 2020, SharePoint 2013 workflows will also be retired for new tenants.
Although end-of-support may be a concern for many users of SharePoint 2010 workflows, it’s a lifecycle milestone that offers organisations an opportunity to re-evaluate their current position and investigate options to move forward using the latest technologies available in Microsoft 365. Moving to the latest digital tools ensures a future-driven platform and provides opportunities to significantly improve the extensibility and reliability of systems currently in place.
Could a move to Microsoft Power Automate be an option? If you want to make sure that your existing business processes continue to work, then the answer is likely to be yes.
Mitigate the risks of end-of-support with Power Automate
Since the release of SharePoint workflows, Microsoft has evolved workflow orchestration to not only encompass SharePoint but all the productivity services you use with Microsoft 365 and beyond.
Microsoft Power Automate is a versatile automation platform that integrates seamlessly with hundreds of apps and services to enable organisations to build custom workflows.
If you have SharePoint Online, then you have a Microsoft 365 subscription and you may already have Power Automate as part of this. If not, you can easily purchase licenses for your users and migrate your existing SharePoint workflows to Power Automate. If you move to Power Automate, you can leverage the added benefits that Microsoft provides through their modern workflow stack and have access to endless connectors to build and improve on your existing business processes.
Get in touch with us, if you need any guidance or support moving SharePoint 2010 workflows to Power Automate.