Microsoft to retire SharePoint Workflow 2013 by 2026
Microsoft recently confirmed its plans to retire SharePoint 2013 Workflow in Microsoft 365 by 2026. The company had previously retired SharePoint 2010 Workflow in November 2020. The retirement schedule for SharePoint 2013 Workflow is as follows:
- April 2, 2024: SharePoint 2013 Workflow will be turned off for new tenants.
- April 2, 2026: SharePoint 2013 Workflow will be removed from existing tenants and fully retired, including in Government Clouds and Department of Defense environments.
This announcement marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. While SharePoint 2013 Workflow has been a trusted tool for many organizations, Microsoft believes that customers will benefit more from modern workflow solutions.
To help customers make a smooth transition, Microsoft recommends migrating to Power Automate or other supported workflow orchestration solutions, such as those provided by Preferred members of the Microsoft 365 Business Apps Partner Program.
Power Automate, Microsoft's solution for workflow orchestration, connects to all Microsoft 365 services and over 700 other services, enabling enterprises to build custom workflows. There are also several third-party solutions that can directly orchestrate SharePoint data via SharePoint's open API platform.
Microsoft acknowledges that these changes may require additional effort from some customers and pledges to provide support during the transition. The company is committed to investing in business process modernization in Microsoft 365 on the Power Platform.
To identify and plan the migration of SharePoint 2013 workflows, Microsoft suggests that customers use the Microsoft 365 Assessment tool. This tool scans tenants for SharePoint 2013 workflow usage and generates a Power BI Workflow Report, which can help administrators evaluate usage patterns and identify upgradable actions to Power Automate.
Tenant administrators can also disable the creation of new SharePoint 2013 workflows using a PowerShell command, as recommended by Microsoft. Existing SharePoint 2013 workflows will continue to function and be editable, but Microsoft advises choosing a modern workflow orchestration solution instead.
Overall, this retirement highlights the importance of keeping up with technology advancements and taking advantage of the latest features and capabilities available. While the transition may require some effort, it presents an opportunity for organizations to streamline their workflows and improve business processes.