It’s Not The End Of The World, Just Microsoft Office 2010

The end of support for Microsoft Office 2010 is looming (October 13, 2020) and the end of life for two more products are closing in. The end of support for SharePoint 2010 and Project Server 2010 in April 2021. But it doesn’t have to be the end of the world (or even a big hassle) for your business.

We’re Still Using Microsoft 2010!?!

When business leaders hear that some part of their network is running 10-year-old software, their reaction usually ranges from disbelief to concern. But it’s not that uncommon and there’s usually a valid business reason. Many businesses were on Office 2010 when Office 365 came out and were reluctant to move to subscription-model pricing. Or, there may be one critical piece of equipment or software that doesn’t meet the requirements for an upgrade. Those less comfortable with technology often adopt a “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” approach to upgrades.

But as of October 14, 2020, MS Office 2010 will absolutely be “broken,” even if it seems to keep working perfectly. That’s because it will no longer be supported.

The End of Support and Your Security

Products that are supported have regular releases of bug fixes and security patches to plug up any holes or vulnerabilities detected. Without support, your network is at a much higher risk of being infected with malware (malicious programs) including viruses, spyware and ransomware. And it only takes one device (endpoint) running unsupported software to put the entire network at risk.

Support ends for Microsoft Office 2010 on October 13, 2020. 2010 SharePoint and Project Server support will end April 13, 2021. After those dates, users can no longer:

• Download the programs themselves
• Download updates, bug fixes and security patches
• Email, call or chat with support about these products
• Access the product’s support documents or knowledgebase

What Leaders Should Do TODAY to Prepare

Find out if you are running Microsoft Office 2010 anywhere in your environment. If Office 2010 is still in use, fast track a plan to replace this software with a supported version. Then look ahead to MS Sharepoint 2010 and Project Server 2010. Start planning now for those transitions. The further ahead you plan, the smoother the transition will be.

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