When is Microsoft Project Online being shut down?

Microsoft retires Project Online on 30 September 2026. It has not been available to new customers since 1 October 2025. After the shutdown, projects and related data are no longer accessible.

What is synchronised in the free stage?

Projects, tasks and resources with standard fields, daily from Project Online into Altus PPM or Projectum xPM. Project Online stays in the lead. Custom fields are migrated with Smart Start Express.

How quickly is my Project Online data secured?

Setting up the synchronisation takes a few hours: about one hour with your IT for the environment, service account and licences, then Holert sets up the synchronisation. It is usually live within one week – from the first sync run your data is safe in your tenant.

How long does the complete implementation take?

The full migration and introduction with Smart Start typically takes 4 to 12 weeks. Smart Start Express is shorter: full migration including custom fields, condensed training, no process workshop. In any case we complete the data takeover from Project Online before 30 September 2026 – within a few days; training and introduction can follow afterwards.

What happens on 1 October 2026 if I have not decided yet?

Your standard data sits synchronised in Altus PPM or Projectum xPM in your Microsoft 365 tenant and remains usable. Anything that exists only in Project Online – such as custom fields – is no longer accessible after the deadline. That is why we complete the full migration before 30 September – within a few days. Contact us even shortly before the deadline.

Is the last-minute migration free, and what does the full migration cost?

The first stage – provisioning and synchronisation – is free as part of a trial. The full migration and introduction is delivered at a fixed price with Smart Start or Smart Start Express. Licence costs depend on the solution and number of users.

What are the best alternatives to Microsoft Project Online?

The recommended alternatives are Altus PPM (integrates existing Microsoft 365 apps such as Planner, Teams and Power BI into a complete PPM system), Projectum xPM (comprehensive portfolio and resource management including an integrated data warehouse) and Jira for Atlassian environments.

What is the difference between Altus PPM and Projectum xPM?

Altus PPM integrates existing Microsoft 365 tools (Planner, Jira, Azure DevOps, Project Desktop) into a central PPM hub. Projectum xPM offers more comprehensive portfolio management with roadmap planning and an integrated data warehouse. Both run entirely within your own Microsoft 365 tenant.

Which PPM software runs entirely within Microsoft 365?

Altus PPM and Projectum xPM are both Microsoft 365-native: all data stays within your organisation's own Microsoft 365 tenant, without external SaaS silos or third-party clouds. This meets typical IT security and GDPR requirements.

Which PPM software supports both classic and agile project management?

Altus PPM and Projectum xPM support hybrid approaches: classic and agile project management can be run side by side. Integrations with Jira and Azure DevOps bring agile teams into the portfolio reporting.

Project Online Last-Minute Migration: switched over safely by 30 September

Microsoft shuts down Project Online on 30 September 2026. We migrate your projects, tasks and resources including custom fields into Altus PPM or Projectum xPM. What makes it different: we do this within a few days – and your data is already synchronised during the free trial and is safe immediately. You check that everything fits, keep working in Project Online for the last days – and as soon as the sync stops, you continue productively in the new solution. About one hour of your IT's time, all data stays in your Microsoft 365 tenant.

Project Online Last-Minute Migration – switched over safely by 30 September

How do I secure my Project Online data before 30 September 2026?

How do I check that everything fits without losing the last days in Project Online?

How do I keep working until the deadline without losing data?

Your data is synchronised into Altus PPM or Projectum xPM from the first day of the trial – and is safe immediately.

You check during the trial that everything fits and keep working in Project Online or Project Desktop for the last days.

Stop the sync – and you continue productively in Altus PPM or Projectum xPM right away. We complete the full migration including custom fields before 30 September – within a few days.

How the Project Online Last-Minute Migration works

Microsoft retires Project Online on 30 September 2026. Holert provisions Altus PPM or Projectum xPM in your Microsoft 365 tenant and synchronises projects, tasks and resources with standard fields from Project Online – daily, until your cut-over. This first stage is free as part of a trial: your data is safe immediately, you check that everything fits and keep working in Project Online until the cut-over. As soon as the sync is stopped, you continue productively in the new solution. The full migration including custom fields must be completed before 30 September 2026, because Project Online is no longer available as a data source afterwards – we do this within a few days. The introduction follows at a fixed price with Smart Start or the shorter Smart Start Express variant.

Step 1: IT appointment

About one hour with your IT
Provision the environment in your Microsoft 365 tenant
Set up service account and licences

Step 2: Sync set-up by Holert

Projects, tasks and resources with standard fields
Daily synchronisation, Project Online stays in the lead – your data is safe immediately
Live within one week; you check during the trial that everything fits

Project Online Last-Minute Migration – Step 2: Sync set-up

Step 3: Cut-over by 30 September

Full migration including custom fields before the deadline – within a few days
Stop the sync – continue productively in the new solution right away
After that, Project Online is no longer available as a data source

What the free stage includes

Provisioning of Altus PPM or Projectum xPM in your tenant and the daily synchronisation of projects, tasks and resources with standard fields from Project Online. Not included are custom fields – Smart Start Express covers these in the full migration, which must be completed before 30 September 2026 because Project Online is no longer available as a data source afterwards. As soon as the synchronisation is stopped, you continue productively in the new solution right away.

Integrated

Completes and integrates what is missing

Uses existing Microsoft 365 apps such as Power BI, Microsoft Teams, Project and Planner and integrates tools such as Azure DevOps, Jira and SAP as standard

Automated

With process automation and artificial intelligence

Automates many processes, supported by Copilot and other AI technologies, which relieve you of a lot of tedious manual work.

Safe

All data in your Microsoft environment

The software runs entirely within your Microsoft 365 environment, which means that you and your IT have full control over all data. Your IT already knows the ropes and you save yourself lengthy approval processes.

The cooperation with Holert is really recommendable. They are much more than just a Power Apps or Power BI development company — first and foremost a consultancy that can also implement what they advise.

Andreas Plodek

PMO Lead and Engagement Manager, Amer Sports

I definitely recommend Holert due to the very high level of expertise and the pragmatic and thus strongly customer-oriented consulting approach.

Ralf Czymmek

PMO, Rohde & Schwarz

The cooperation is very pleasant and the commitment of the employees, even after many years of working together, is very good.

Gerald Dohle

Cost Engineering | Next Generation Technology, Evonik Operations GmbH

Our consultant from Holert - Great, customer-oriented, fantastic.

Volker Jach

Head of Project Management, Member of the Executive Board, KPT Krankenkasse AG

We work a lot with Holert and they always solve our challenges, they have a lot of expertise and you can rely on them 100%.

Alexander Luna

Strategic Project Manager, Rohde & Schwarz

Together with Holert, we sat down and asked ourselves how we could represent the many projects coming our way in a way that truly matched our own terminology. We then adapted the software accordingly, a process that was actually quite quick and straightforward - and in the end, we felt it really reflected our needs.

Thilo Fuchs

PMO, Miele & Steelco-belimed

Working with Holert has been very successful. You have always found the right solutions to our problems and implemented them. This has allowed us to benefit from your experience. I am therefore delighted that we have worked together so successfully and will continue to do so.

David Kurz

PMO, KUKA

I particularly liked the documentation provided. It was possible to check the current status at any time. You are very professional and you simply understand how to identify and perceive needs as they really are and try to find solutions for them.

Oliver Haak

Project Manager, Accompio