On July 14, 2026, Microsoft will end support for SharePoint 2016 and 2019. For midsize companies, this is more than just a technical update date—it’s a strategic turning point. This article outlines the risks, migration paths, real costs, and—for bold decision-makers—the alternative beyond Microsoft.

It works. It’s always worked. And somehow, we’ve gotten used to that one server in the basement—or in the data center—simply doing its job without us having to give it much thought.

SharePoint 2016. SharePoint 2019. In thousands of medium-sized companies, it’s the platform

behind document management, the intranet, project storage, and quality assurance. It’s grown. It’s been adapted. Somehow, it’s become irreplaceable.

Until now.

What does “End of Life” really mean?

End of Life does not mean that SharePoint will stop working. It means that Microsoft will stop protecting it.

After July 14, 2026:

• No more security patches—newly discovered vulnerabilities will remain unpatched permanently and will be listed in the public CVE directory.
• No official support—even Premier and Extended Support will end completely.
• No new features—further development will take place exclusively in SharePoint Online.
• Growing incompatibility—newer versions of Office, browsers, and system integrations are no longer guaranteed to work.

This sounds like a technical problem. But it’s also a legal, organizational, and strategic one.

Where to Migrate? An Overview of the Three Paths

Once the end of support is confirmed, the question arises: Where to go? There are essentially three options—each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Option A — SharePoint Subscription Edition (SE)

SharePoint SE is the direct on-premises successor. For companies that want to keep their data in their own data center—whether for regulatory reasons, data protection requirements, or IT strategy—SE is the most obvious choice.

The migration is technically straightforward, as the architecture is familiar. The main effort lies in analysis, test migration, and change management. The trade-off: ongoing server maintenance, responsibility for updates, and continued infrastructure costs remain with the company.

Option B — Microsoft 365 / SharePoint Online

Moving to the cloud means: no more patching, no server room, and immediate access to Microsoft Teams, Power Automate, and AI-powered features. Microsoft handles security, updates, and availability.

The trade-off: Companies lose full control over their data and become dependent on a U.S.-based provider—an issue that is viewed with increasing skepticism in light of the GDPR and geopolitical uncertainty.

Option C — Nextcloud & LibreOffice

The most consistent—and for many, the most surprising—option: switching to a European open-source platform, with a focus on digital sovereignty. Nextcloud offers document management and collaboration on your own infrastructure. LibreOffice completely replaces Microsoft Office.

How long does a migration really take?

“We’ll get it done in time.” IT managers hear themselves say this—until the calendar proves them wrong.

The honest answer: A SharePoint migration takes between 1 and 6 months, depending on the volume of data, complexity, and customizations. Anyone who hasn’t started yet is taking a big risk.

The key phases:

1. Assessment & Analysis

Which sites, libraries, workflows, and custom solutions are in use? What’s actively used, and what’s just a data graveyard? This analysis alone takes time—and surprises are guaranteed.

2. Target Architecture & Migration Strategy

Which of the three approaches is the right one? This requires an honest examination of IT strategy, data protection, and resources.

3. Pilot Phase & Test Migration

No serious migration happens without a pilot phase. Workflows, permissions, integrations—everything must be tested before production is migrated.

4. Technical Rollout

Data, metadata, permissions, custom solutions—step-by-step or as a “big bang.” Both approaches have pros and cons; the right path depends on complexity and risk tolerance.

5. Change Management & Training

Anyone who underestimates this will face a support overload after go-live. Users must be informed, trained, and supported.

What does migration cost, and what does inaction cost?

Migration costs money. That’s common knowledge. What’s less well known is that doing nothing costs more.

The visible migration costs

• Licensing costs: SharePoint SE requires new server licenses; Microsoft 365 runs on monthly subscriptions per user—which quickly adds up to a five-figure annual amount for 100 users.
• Migration tools: Whether it’s Microsoft Migration Manager, ShareGate, or Quest—professional tools come at a cost, but they significantly reduce error rates.
• Project effort: Analysis, architecture, testing, rollout, and training tie up internal and external resources for months.

The Hidden Costs of Continuing to Operate the System After EOL

• Rising maintenance costs: The older the system, the scarcer the expert knowledge, and the more expensive every change becomes.
• Unplanned Outages: An incompatible combination of operating system, browser, and SharePoint can bring operations to a halt at any time.
• Security incident: A successful attack on an unpatched system costs, on average, many times the cost of migration—in terms of data, operations, and reputation.
• Compliance Fines: Those in regulated industries who continue to operate past the EOL date risk severe penalties.

The question isn’t: Can I afford the migration? The question is: Can I afford to wait?

Is this the moment to rethink the platform question?

Those who must migrate today have a rare opportunity: not just to move—but to make a fundamentally new decision.

For decades, SharePoint was the standard solution for document management and collaboration within the Microsoft ecosystem. But the IT landscape has changed. And the EOL date is a forced moment of reflection.

3 questions that need to be addressed now:

1. Is Microsoft 365 really the only option? SharePoint Online is powerful—but it’s a U.S.-based cloud service. For companies that take data sovereignty seriously, the question is valid: Do we want to place our entire document landscape in an infrastructure over which we have no complete control?

2. Does SharePoint still fit the company’s size? For many midsize companies, SharePoint is an oversized platform whose functionality remains 70% unused—but for which they pay 100%.

3. What does the company want to achieve in 5 years? A platform decision isn’t an IT decision—it’s a business decision. Where should data be stored? Who should control it? What dependencies are acceptable?

The bold alternative: Nextcloud & LibreOffice

For a growing number of medium-sized companies, the answer to SharePoint’s EOL isn’t Microsoft 365—it’s a return to data sovereignty.

What is Nextcloud?

Nextcloud is an open-source platform for document management, collaboration, file storage, and communication—run on your own infrastructure or with a European hosting provider. LibreOffice complements it as a full-featured office suite that reads and writes Microsoft Office formats without forcing you into the cloud.

What are the benefits?

• Complete data control: Data is stored wherever the company chooses—in its own data center or with a German hosting provider, fully GDPR-compliant with no ifs or buts.
• No license dependency: No monthly Microsoft subscription, no price increases, no forced updates.
• No vendor lock-in: Open source means no vendor can withdraw the platform or unilaterally change terms.
• Active development: Nextcloud is continuously being developed by a global community and European companies.
  
  

What are the downsides?

• Migration effort: The switch is technically more challenging than moving to SharePoint SE—especially with deep Microsoft integrations.
• Ecosystem: Those with deep integrations into Microsoft Teams and Power Automate will need to fundamentally rethink their processes.
• Change management: LibreOffice requires an adjustment period and targeted training—an effort that should not be underestimated.

Best Practices: How to Ensure a Successful Migration

• Start now , don’t wait: Every extra month is valuable. You can begin the inventory right away.
• Use data cleanup as an opportunity: The migration is the ideal time to declutter—what’s no longer needed doesn’t have to be migrated.
• Involve pilot users: Power users provide valuable feedback and act as advocates during the rollout.
• Governance from the start: If you’re waiting until after the migration to establish authorization policies, naming conventions, and storage structures, you clearly didn’t have them under control beforehand.
• Don’t underestimate change management: Technically successful migrations fail due to a lack of user acceptance—communication and training are not optional, but mandatory.
• Use external support: Tools such as ShareGate, Quest, or Microsoft Migration Manager reduce error rates and save time—the ROI is usually positive.

Do you have questions about migration? VIALUTIONS provides independent and structured consulting. Feel free to contact us!