Look, I need to talk to you about SharePoint. Whether you’re running it on your own servers or using SharePoint Online without Office 365, Microsoft’s making some serious changes this year that could hit your business hard.
I’ve watched too many SMEs get caught out by these transitions, and I don’t want you to be one of them.
The Three Dates That Matter
Let me be straight with you. Three critical deadlines are coming up, and each one could disrupt your daily operations:
March 15th
Your custom scripts stop working. Permanently. If you’ve got custom code running your SharePoint sites, it stops. No fixes, no extensions, no workarounds.
April 2nd
Those add-ins and custom tools you rely on? They stop functioning. If your invoicing, workflows, or client portals depend on SharePoint add-ins, they’ll simply break.
July 14th
If you’re running SharePoint on your own servers (2016 or 2019 versions), security patches stop. Completely. No more updates, no more protection.
Why This Actually Matters to You
Here’s what I’m seeing with SMEs right now. Invoice approvals suddenly stop working. Client portals break overnight. Document workflows freeze up. And when security patches stop in July, you’re not just facing IT problems – you’re looking at compliance issues, potential audit failures, and real business risk.
I’m not trying to scare you, but I am trying to get your attention. These aren’t “maybe” problems – they’re certainties.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Most SMEs I speak to think “it probably won’t affect us” or “our IT people have it covered.” Then their IT supplier mentions it once in a technical email that gets filed away, and nothing happens.
Here’s reality: proper migration takes 3-6 months minimum. Emergency fixes in April or July cost three times more than planning now. I’ve got no skin in this game – I genuinely just don’t want to see businesses scrambling when deadlines hit.
What Happens Next
In my next article, I’ll help you assess whether your business is affected and what your options are. No sales pitch, just practical guidance.
Whether you work with us or sort this elsewhere, you need to act. If you want help figuring out where you stand, contact be braver online.
Let’s talk about your risk exposure today.
Official Microsoft Sources:
- SharePoint Add-In retirement in Microsoft 365
- Azure ACS retirement in Microsoft 365
- SharePoint Add-Ins and Azure ACS retirement FAQ
- Updates to custom scripting (Message Center MC1117115)
- SharePoint Server lifecycle
Industry/Partner Sources:
- ShareGate – SharePoint 2016/2019 end of life
- NGenious Solutions – SharePoint Classic end of life
