Project Online is ending: what does this mean for you?

Microsoft has announced that Project Online will be retired as of 30 September 2026. That may sound significant, but for many organisations this is primarily an opportunity to modernise in a controlled and thoughtful way. No panic, but clear ownership. Below, we explain what this means, which routes are available, and how to have a calm, fact-based internal conversation.

What is ending (and what is not)

• Project Online (PWA) will be retired.
• Project (desktop) will remain available for working with .mpp schedules.
• Depending on your situation, the main paths forward are either towards modern work management (the Planner/Teams ecosystem) or an on-premises option (Project Server Subscription Edition).

Key point: this is not about “everything called Project”, but specifically about Project Online.

Do you recognise yourself? Three common scenarios

Scenario A — PWA as the heart of PPM

You use Project Online for portfolio management, resource management, timesheets, reporting and governance.

Scenario B — Desktop-first with shared storage

You mainly plan in Project desktop and share .mpp files via SharePoint or OneDrive.

Scenario C — Already (partly) modern

Your teams work in or alongside Planner or Teams, and Project Online mainly functions as a legacy layer.

Which route fits which scenario?

Question 1: Do you use PWA features such as the Resource Center, Timesheets or Portfolio management?

• Yes → you need a PPM-oriented route (and migration is more than just moving data).
• No → in many cases you can modernise more simply (or continue with a desktop or hybrid setup).

Question 2: Where does your value primarily lie — in planning, or in governance & reporting?

• Planning → focus on the file model and collaboration approach.
• Governance & reporting → focus on data architecture and processes.

The “calm” approach in five steps

1. Inventory (what do you actually use?): features, processes, integrations, reports, stakeholders
2. Dependencies & risks: data, integrations, KPIs, compliance, resource planning
3. Target architecture & governance: ownership, decision rights, ways of working, Teams/Planner agreements
4. Pilot (1–2 teams): start small, gather evidence, capture lessons learned
5. Controlled phase-out & adoption: training, cadence, support, monitoring, definition of done

What you can already do this month

• Create an overview of processes and applications (what, who, why).
• Appoint a single owner (PMO/IT) and agree on decision-making.
• Prepare a no-panic communication for users.
• Select a pilot area (low dependencies, high learning value).

Conclusion

Would you like to discuss this without a sales pitch? We are happy to schedule a short impact & options session in which we map your situation to a realistic, actionable roadmap. You stay in control; we provide clarity, structure and execution.