Categories: PPM, Project Management, Technology

by Carolina Bieri

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Categories: PPM, Project Management, Technology

Microsoft recently announced that MS Project Online — its cloud-based project and portfolio management (PPM) tool — is “retiring.” In other words, MS Project Online has hit its end of life. Starting September 30, 2026, it will no longer be supported or available. 

Why Is MS Project Online Retiring?

Microsoft says the following: “Project Online has served organizations well, but its legacy architecture limits innovation and integration that enhance today’s collaborative work environments, as we announced in 2018.”

What This Means to Organizations

Companies will need to migrate their data from MS Project Online to another strategic portfolio management software (SPM) before the end of September 2026. If companies don’t migrate data, they may encounter big issues.

Starting September 30, 2026 ….

  • You will not be able to access any of your data (projects, timelines, dependencies, reports, workflows).
  • Integrations and automations won’t work, including workflows, custom integrations, or connected tools.

CIO claims that “Failing to migrate before he cutoff leads to total loss of access to project data, schedules, and governance records.” The magazine claims that a two-week disruption for a medium-sized company could cost up to 2 million dollars in recovery costs due to delays and productivity issues.

Even Microsoft is advising companies to migrate to a new solution as soon as possible.

Plan Your Migration Now

Because MS Project Online is ending in less than a year, Rego recommends starting now in finding new software, planning the migration, and moving to a new solution.

Here are a few steps to take right away.

  • Take inventory of what you currently have. Catalog your projects, reports, workflows, integrations, custom fields, and dependencies that currently rely on Project Online. Capturing your as-is environment is crucial when selecting software.

  • Map requirements. Decide what your organization needs to run your business smoothly. Don’t forget about reports and dashboards.

  • Evaluate your options and choose your new SPM tool. Companies would be happy to demo software, talk through your particular needs, recommend software, and even organize a free trial.

  • Back up your data and document information. Ensure project plans and historical data are exported and archived. Notes and information should be captured, too. Understand how this data maps to your new project tool.

  • Run the migration like a project.

    • Find an executive sponsor.
    • Identify stakeholders and keep them informed.
    • Update documentation and processes. Provide training on the new tool. (Adoption is a critical part of this process, helping determine its success.)
    • Provide governance plans on how you will keep the system updated.
  • Ensure you understand and have standards when it comes to governance, taxonomies, etc. Sign up for our report on standardizing SPM.

Software Options and Choosing the Right Tool

The right SPM software depends on your organizational needs. Most organizations look for the following when choosing a PPM solution.

  • Easy to use
  • Provides visibility for better decision making
  • Flexible, able to handle your complex data and processes
  • Integrates with other solutions
  • Provides the reporting you need, including at-a-glance dashboards
  • In your budget

Be wary of tools that promise everything as well as options that won’t keep up with your organization or its growth.

Of course, some solutions and how they’re deployed depend on the migration partner. The better the partner, the better equipped the solution is to handle everything needed.

Migration Partners

As noted above, partners can make a big difference in migrating to a new tool. They can help guide you as you make key decisions to speed up the migration process as well as ensure its success. Here are a few key attributes to consider:

  • Experience. An experienced guide has been migrating from MS Project Online for more than just a few years.
  • Expertise. Partners with the right knowledge have done these types of projects for organizations in your industry.
  • Practitioners. The best partners are people who’ve been in your shoes – project managers, resource managers, and leaders of the PMO.
  • Guides. People who are in the trenches with you, providing advice and training so that when they leave, you’re able to take over.

How do you get the right partner? Here are a few things you can do. Ask companies for …

  • Case studies
  • References
  • Examples of projects like yours
  • How they would handle your project, knowing some of the details
  • Education opportunities available to help your organization, such as regular user groups
  • Robust documentation online and available

Some consultants provide free consulting time to cover some of these as well as discounts to training options.

Let Rego Be Your Guide

You’re not alone. Rego Consulting has helped switch from MS Project Online before, saving customers time and money.

Our consultants are guides with experience and expertise across every industry and business size. We’ve helped 70% of Fortune 100 companies and have 800+ customers. Customers love us; our retention rate is 98%. Plus, we have robust documentation and education opportunities (from webinars to user groups) for you and your teams.

When it comes to recommendations, Rego typically recommends Clarity by Rego due to its flexibility and ability to grow with your organization. Read more about Clarity by Rego, and why it’s right for your organization.

There may be other tools we can recommend as well as provide demos, ideas, and steps to migrate successfully. Let’s discuss your options.

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