SharePoint 2010 Workflow Retirement: Are You Ready?

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Is your organization currently using SharePoint 2010 workflows? If so, the retirement deadlines are fast approaching. But are you ready?

Back in July, Microsoft announced the retirement of the SharePoint 2010 workflows with the following deadlines:

  • Starting August 1, 2020: SharePoint 2010 workflows will be turned off for any newly created tenants.
  • Starting November 1, 2020: SharePoint 2010 workflow services will be removed from existing tenants. This includes the ability to run or create SharePoint 2010 workflows from existing tenants.
  • Starting November 1, 2020: SharePoint 2013 workflows will be turned off by default for new tenants.

What is Impact?

If you are using SharePoint Online and are running any SharePoint 2010 Workflows, you will be affected by this change.

What does that mean?
The short answer: you will need to replace them. Our recommendation is to replace or transition the SharePoint workflows with Microsoft Power Automate flows.

Power Automate [previously known as Microsoft Flow] is an online workflow service that allows automating tasks across multiple services using connectors or UI automation. As SharePoint evolves from InfoPath and SharePoint Designer workflow, Power Apps and flows within Power Automate provides more versatility and simplicity for process automation and building apps.

A Bit of Background

In the context of SharePoint, Microsoft describes a workflow as an automated movement of documents or items through a sequence of actions or tasks that are related to a business process. An organization can use workflows to attach business logic to documents or items in a SharePoint list or library.

Classic workflows in SharePoint constitute two workflow systems namely:

  •  SharePoint 2010 workflow
  • SharePoint 2013 workflow

While both workflow systems allow you to build and publish workflows in SharePoint, below are some of the key differences:

  • SharePoint 2010 workflows, released along with SharePoint Server 2010, are hosted and executed in the SharePoint workflow runtime.
  • SharePoint 2013 workflows, released along with SharePoint Server 2013, are hosted in SharePoint and executed in the Workflow Manager, which runs independently.

Most people use SharePoint Designer to author and publish workflows in SharePoint while professional developers looking to extend and build workflows use Visual Studio to build and publish workflows in SharePoint.

Modern Workflows with Microsoft Power Automate Flows

Since the release of classic workflows, SharePoint and Microsoft 365 apps have evolved to provide compelling, flexible, and more performant experiences.

SharePoint Workflows

Via Microsoft

Modern experiences in SharePoint integrate with the rest of the Microsoft 365 apps and services driving security, productivity, and collaboration. With Microsoft Power Automate, you can streamline repetitive tasks and paperless processes by creating automated workflows between your favorite apps and services to get notifications, collect data, automate business policies, and more.

What Should Your Organization Do?

First, determine if your organization is using SharePoint 2010 workflows. Microsoft recommends running the SharePoint Modernization Scanner tool to scan your tenants for legacy workflows usage. Next, identify which workflows and processes are still relevant and develop a strategic plan for the transition or replacement. Don’t overlook licensing requirements.

Learn more:
Microsoft Guidance: Migrate from classic workflows to Power Automate flows in SharePoint

Our Team is Here to Help

At Xgility, we know that this transition process can be daunting. Yet, it also provides the opportunity to review and enhance your current processes with Microsoft’s latest tools and technologies to drive efficiency and innovation across your organization – especially in today’s remote work environment.

By leveraging our strategic solutions with Microsoft’s latest automation tools, we can help transform your business processes and workflows – and avoid disruption for your organization and employees. Our team can:

  • Scan and analyze tenants to identity legacy workflows usage.
  • Work closely with your team to help identify and prioritize which processes and workflows should be re-evaluated and/or redesigned – and develop a strategic action plan that meets the unique needs of your organization.
  • Plan, architect, and design the workflows.
  • Re-build/Build workflows using Power Automate.

Contact us today to discuss how our team can help replace or transition your SharePoint 2010 or 2013 workflows. We know that starting a new technology project can be overwhelming. As a Microsoft Gold Partner with vast experience under our belts, we are ready to help. Contact Us Now »