Microsoft Announces the Retirement of Project Online: What’s Next for Your Organization?
- Project Made Easy
- Sep 5
- 3 min read
Microsoft has officially announced that Project Online will retire in September 2026. For organizations that have relied on this platform to manage projects, portfolios, and resources, the news can feel overwhelming. The good news? You have options—and you don’t have to navigate them alone.
At Project Made Easy, we’ve been preparing for this moment. The Project Made Easy team have been helping organizations map their digital transformation paths and project and portfolio management strategy for decades. Every organization uses Project Online differently, which is why there’s no one-size-fits-all replacement. Instead, there are four main transition paths—and the right one for you depends on your business needs, compliance requirements, and vision for digital transformation and project management going forward.
Four Paths Beyond Project Online
1. Microsoft Planner
Planner is the right choice for teams managing simple, standalone projects that don’t require complex portfolio oversight. It’s user-friendly, requires virtually no training, and supports Kanban-style project tracking. With Planner Premium, AI can even help generate schedules automatically—making it a great fit for project managers running campaigns, events, or other small projects.
2. Fluid PPM
If your organization is doing more than basic task tracking—such as managing portfolios, tracking resources, or running project-level financials— Project Made Easy’s Fluid PPM solution may be the right fit.
Designed for medium complexity use cases
Offers timesheet functionality
Flexible enough to build in custom workflows and reporting
Runs within your Microsoft environment for security and control
Integrations easily with your project schedule tools, such as Planner
For organizations that want tailored solutions built around their processes, Fluid PPM provides a highly configurable foundation.
3. OnePlan
For enterprises looking for a modern SaaS platform with strategic portfolio management (SPM) capabilities, OnePlan delivers. It includes out-of-the-box integrations with tools like Jira and Azure DevOps and supports roadmap planning, advanced timesheets, and portfolio-level reporting.
Because it can “do everything,” OnePlan requires configuration and training to ensure you’re only enabling the features that matter to your business. It’s an excellent fit for organizations with mid-to-high complexity needs that want a constantly evolving, cloud-native solution.
4. Microsoft Project Server
For highly regulated industries—such as government contractors, defense, or pharmaceuticals—keeping data in a secure, compliant environment is non-negotiable. Microsoft Project Server provides a path to keep everything within your own Azure or on-premises environment, mirroring the capabilities of Project Online.
This option is especially well-suited for organizations managing large, interconnected projects where one change impacts multiple programs.
Why Partner with Project Made Easy?
Choosing the right path is only the first step. The real challenge lies in planning, configuring, and implementing your new solution without disrupting your business. That’s where Project Made Easy comes in.
Our team:
Understands the unique ways organizations have used Project Online
Helps you evaluate which path aligns with your goals, complexity, and compliance needs
Provides hands-on implementation, configuration, and training to set your teams up for success
As Gaurav notes, “The key is flexibility. The right solution should work for your organization—not the other way around.”
The Time to Plan is Now
With Project Online support ending in 2026, organizations have a limited window to evaluate, decide, and migrate. Waiting until the last minute increases the risk of disruption and missed opportunities.
At Project Made Easy, we’re ready to guide you through the decision-making process and ensure a smooth, confident transition.
Let’s talk about your path forward.
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