Project Online Migration Risks and How to Avoid Them

September 30th is the deadline to migrate your projects from Project Online. According to Microsoft (Microsoft Project Online is retiring: What you need to know | Microsoft Community Hub), “After Project Online is retired in September 2026, you will no longer be able to access your projects or any associated data within the service.” For PMOs, this system transition introduces risk to ongoing operations, reporting, and data continuity. Acting early allows organizations to manage this transition in a way that avoids unnecessary disruption.

At enterprise scale, migration is complex. Discrepancies between environments, user access issues, and delays in execution can quickly create downstream problems. Risks further compound when project data, configurations, and reporting structures do not fully align before migration begins. A structured approach, including pre-migration validation, access verification, and coordinated communication, is essential to reduce these risks. Resource mapping and enterprise configurations should be validated in advance to ensure consistency across systems.

Implementation Challenges

Most system migrations fall short due to operational challenges rather than technical limitations. Common issues include a lack of clear governance, poor data quality, and misaligned configurations between systems. When combined with inadequate user preparation, these challenges can lead to workflow disruptions, reduced adoption, and delays in realizing value from the new system.

The 5 Critical Risk Areas

1. Data Integrity Risk. Loss or corruption of project data, along with inconsistent fields and structures, can undermine the reliability of the new environment.
2. Configuration Risk. Misaligned enterprise fields, calendars, and resource structures can create inconsistencies and limit the new system’s effectiveness.
3. Operational Disruption. Unplanned downtime or interruptions to workflows can affect current project execution.
4. Reporting and Alignment Risk. Broken or misaligned reporting structures can reduce visibility and affect decision-making.
5. User Adoption Risk. Insufficient training and preparation can lead to low adoption and inefficient use of the new system.

How to Mitigate These Risks

A structured, phased approach helps reduce uncertainty and maintain control throughout the migration process:

• Assessment Phase: Validate the current environment, including data quality and system complexity
• Planning Phase: Define a clear migration roadmap aligned to business priorities
• Configuration Phase: Rebuild and standardize enterprise structures in the target system
• Migration Execution: Move projects in a controlled, phased manner to limit disruption
• Validation Phase: Confirm data accuracy and system functionality before full deployment
• Training and Support: Prepare users and provide ongoing support to ensure continuity

A Successful Migration

Stability and continuity define a successful migration. This means ensuring minimal disruption to operations, verifying data accuracy, aligning reporting structures, and preparing users to work effectively in the new system. Organizations that take a structured approach are better positioned to maintain performance during the transition and realize value more quickly.

Project Online migration introduces real risk, but those risks can be managed with the right approach. Organizations that plan early, validate thoroughly, and execute in phases are far more likely to achieve a smooth transition.

SMA: The Program Lifecycle Company

Evaluate your migration risk profile to understand where your organization stands or engage us for end-to-end support. We can help you navigate this transition: Contact Us

Jacque Keats, CF APMP, is SMA’s Chief Operations Officer and is a recognized industry expert in the field of system integration for project management, with over 30 years of experience developing and implementing award winning scheduling, resource planning, costing, and enterprise project management systems for fortune 500 companies and government agencies.

Tawnia Luong is a Senior Marketing Specialist at SMA: The Program Lifecycle Company. With a background in digital audience strategy, she brings experience in content development and communications across federal, commercial, and non-profit sectors. Her work includes translating complex concepts into content that resonates with her intended audiences.