By Frank Suglia, VP of technical services at BitTitan

On April 11, 2023, Microsoft is ending support for Office 2013 and will no longer provide bug or security fixes, software updates or technical support. Considering the popularity of the product, this development could have serious security consequences for many organizations, as  information left within the platform is vulnerable to threats that cannot be resolved or reported. As a result, many companies will be looking to migrate to Microsoft Office 2019, Microsoft 365 or another productivity suite such as Google Workspace.

IT professionals preparing to migrate from Office 2013 should consider several steps to ensure the migration goes smoothly and that the transition to another productivity suite is a good fit for all departments and employees across the company.

Migrating from Office 2013

Although the move from Office 2013 may be a big change for some, IT professionals have many alternate options to choose from as a replacement, including Office 2019, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.

Modern-cloud-based platforms like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace offer enhanced security and easier cross-team collaboration. In addition, these productivity suites have continued technical support from support teams in case issues arise. They also offer the latest bells and whistles, including compatibility with popular software such as Salesforce and other CRM platforms, which may have updates and capabilities that aren't compatible with Office 2013.

However, a move from Microsoft Office 2013 may be a challenge for IT teams. For starters, it will take time, money and resources to upgrade productivity suites and migrate data. This could impact operations and cause disruptions, especially if the migration is not planned efficiently.

Additionally, IT teams will have to train employees to use the new solutions, especially if they move to cloud-based suites like Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. This will also require time and resources that can disrupt operations and potentially cause employee pushback.

Finally, Office 2013 and Office 2019 have software purchase models that are a one-time expenditure. Meanwhile, Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 are subscription-based. If companies are moving from one payment model to another, this can impact accounting teams. So, it's essential to identify which productivity suite you're moving to early to allow different departments (HR, finance, IT, etc.) adequate time to prepare for the change.

To mitigate as much disruption as possible, IT professionals can take several steps to make certain a migration happens smoothly, effectively and with as few disruptions as possible to daily operations.

Migration best practices

IT professionals can implement and execute numerous best-practice strategies before, during and after a migration process. By following these steps, they can ensure that the move from Office 2013 is smooth and that all team members and affected departments are prepared for the change.

• Plan ahead: First and foremost, IT professionals must always understand how much data needs to be moved before a migration. What file types need to be moved? How big are the files? Where do they need to be moved to, and during which timeframe? It is also important to understand the platform you are migrating to. How is the new productivity suite different from the previous one? What learning curves are there to operate and navigate within the new productivity suite? Is all of the information transferable from one productivity suite to another? By taking the time to analyze and answer these questions, you can ensure IT teams are prepared to migrate effectively without unexpected problems or surprises.
  

• Implement the right tools: Every migration is different. Each requires moving different amounts of data, file types and destinations. As a result, it's important to select a migration tool that will support the amount and type of data that needs to be moved in the timeframe needed. You'll also want to make sure the migration tool supports the productivity suite upgrade and that data can be migrated from one platform to another safely and efficiently. This is essential to ensure the transition from Office 2013 is smooth and that end users aren't disrupted.
  

• Test the productivity suite: Pilot the new software, whether it's Office 2019, Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, with internal users and use disparate workforces (marketing, sales, and IT, for example) to anticipate potential setbacks and speed bumps with migrating - and address them accordingly ahead of time. "Satisfying the end user is essential to the migration process," says Lon Clark, global channel sales director at BitTitan. "IT professionals should ensure migrations don't negatively impact operations and leave end users in a lurch. Piloting the new software before a migration is one way to mitigate any risks or issues that may arise and allow end users the opportunity to adjust accordingly and prepare for the change. Leaning on IT services providers can alleviate much of this burden for companies." 
  

• Offer training: Upgrading to a new productivity suite will always have a learning curve. As a result, training should be offered to employees unfamiliar with the platform the company is migrating to. With access to training resources, employees can ensure they understand how to use the platform and its tools and work across teams efficiently without slowing down operations during this transitional period.
  

• Get employee buy-in: The last thing companies and IT professionals want following a migration is to revert back to their original productivity suite. However, we sometimes hear of companies migrating to a new productivity suite only to realize the system doesn't work well with their operations, which is incredibly costly in terms of time, money, resources and disrupted operations. Assess findings from the pilot and make sure everyone is happy with the transition, so no surprises and pushback occur. If the majority of the company is not on board with the move, reconsider your options and adjust accordingly.
  

Looking ahead

Migrating from Office 2013 may be a big lift and adjustment for IT professionals and employees. However, by following these steps and best practices, IT professionals can smoothly migrate from Office 2013 to whichever productivity suite they choose.

Whether it's Office 2019, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace or another platform, migrating from Microsoft 2013 by April 11, 2023 will ensure important data and information is safe and allow end users to access support teams in case security threats or other problems arise.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Frank Suglia is the vice president of technical services at BitTitan, where he works closely with the company's partners to showcase and drive new and recurring revenues. His areas of expertise include SaaS, digital marketing and performance optimization, enterprise solution delivery, technology sales and delivery methodologies, and user interface design.