End of SharePoint 2010 Online Workflow Support | Al Rafay Consulting

By ev3v4hn 2 years ago

As of November 1st, 2020, it is no longer possible to run existing workflows in SharePoint 2010 Online or to create new workflows. So if you are currently still using SharePoint 2010 Online Workflows, you should be aware that they will no longer work as of November! In order to maintain the usual functionality, it is imperative to migrate all your SharePoint 2010 workflows (within SharePoint Online) to a higher version of the SharePoint Workflow Engine or a Power Automate solution.

Who is specifically affected?

All clients using SharePoint 2010 Online Workflows are affected. Furthermore, Microsoft has already announced this step for SharePoint 2013 Online Workflows, but so far without specifying a specific date. The only thing that is clear so far is that from November 1st, 2020, SharePoint 2013 online workflows will also be deactivated by default for new clients.

All SharePoint on-premises users can breathe easy. SharePoint 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019 workflows will continue to be supported by Microsoft as usual with no change until 2026. It is important to note that SharePoint Designer 2013 will work in conjunction with SharePoint 2019 for the remainder of the Client Support lifecycle in 2026. After that, this service will also no longer be supported.

On some workflow pages you already get the following announcement:

What is a workflow?

A SharePoint workflow is usually always related to a business process. Documents or elements are processed automatically, triggered by a sequence of actions or tasks. With the help of workflows, documents and elements in your company can be processed according to your business logic and integrated as required.  

Here you will find some exemplary workflows that are already potentially activated in your company:

• Release/publication

• Notifications

• Changes and enrichment of properties

• Single or multi-level approval processes

• archiving scenarios

• And much more

How do I find out if my workflows are affected?

If you are not sure whether SharePoint 2010 Online based workflows are still used in your company, you can easily find out. The resulting report gives you information about whether you need to take action. You can also use the tool to analyze other areas with regard to the need for modernization. SharePoint 2010 Online-based workflows are just one area that is being modernized so it is worth looking at all areas such as Modern Pages. You can see what this looks like in the two pictures below.

These options are available to you

In the following, we will show you the current options for preventing a system failure from November 1st and ensuring long-term operational security.

Replacement of workflows without migration through manual process steps

With this option, certain workflows may not necessarily have to be re-implemented; For example, if the affected workflows are not used frequently or the workflow no longer makes sense.

Advantages:

  • No implementation costs

Disadvantages:

  • With many and/or complex process steps, manual steps can lead to high costs and inconsistencies
  • Possibly necessary communication to the employees so that any manual work steps can be carried out in good time

Migration to the SharePoint 2013 workflows

If further automation is useful and necessary, the existing logic can be transferred to SharePoint 2013 workflows for existing clients in the short and medium-term. SharePoint Consulting services should be hired if you need professional assistance of Al Rafay Consulting (ARC).

Advantages:

  • Suitable for the short and medium-term transition, as long as the workflow content is not complex and not too many workflows are affected

Disadvantages:

  • It is not yet clear how long SharePoint 2013 workflows will be available
  • According to Microsoft, the direct transition to Power Automate is recommended here

Migrate to the Power Automate platform

Microsoft recommends migrating SharePoint 2010 and 2013 workflows directly to the Power Automate environment.

Advantages:

  • Significantly higher number of interfaces to third-party providers for future requirements
  • Further options for the time of execution of the flow (e.g. daily, every minute and many other events)
  • The Power Automate platform is current and heavily promoted by Microsoft

Disadvantages:

  • Familiarization with a new development environment is necessary
  • Depending on the implementation, dependency on third-party providers for the selected flow actions
  • With certain flow actions, additional costs may arise as part of higher user licenses (e.g. with premium actions)

Decision-making aids for migration

The three different approaches from the previous chapter have already given you an idea of the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. However, thanks to our experience as SharePoint experts, we know that the devil is in the details here too.

Other important points are, for example, the complexity of the currently running workflows and the number of strategically important processes with many and/or sensitive process steps.

It makes perfect sense to look for a long-term permanent solution in the Power Automate environment so that you don’t have to face new problems again and again due to expiring versions. In the course of this conversion, processes can also be optimized and reconsidered at the same time.

Especially for long-term projects, we would like to draw your attention once again to the current Digital Now funding program from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. This supports small and medium-sized companies in particular in the implementation of digitization projects.

Also Read About: Revamp Traditional Business Processes with Innovative Custom SharePoint Development Services

Our recommendation

Existing SharePoint 2010 online workflows must be converted by November 1st, 2020 at the latest, unfortunately, there is currently no way around this. In the long term, Microsoft would like to further expand the Power Automate platform in order to replace previous technologies such as the SharePoint Designer, Workflows 2010 and 2013 in SharePoint Online. We, therefore, recommend considering each problem individually in order to then derive the appropriate solution.

We would be happy to discuss which solution is most suitable for your company in a non-binding consultation with you. At Al Rafay Consulting, you’ll get the guidance you need to get the most out of SharePoint, backed by a vast amount of information management and SharePoint experience. We provide SharePoint Consulting services with all the solutions for all kinds of SharePoint work projects.