Moving from SharePoint Designer Workflows to Power Automate: What Organizations Need to Know

SharePoint Designer workflows have been a trusted tool for automating processes in SharePoint Online for years. Yet, Microsoft has announced that SharePoint 2013 workflows, including those created with SharePoint Designer, will be fully retired on April 2, 2026. This means organizations relying on these workflows must plan to move from SharePoint Designer to Power Automate to maintain and improve their workflow automation within Microsoft 365.

Why SharePoint Designer Workflow Migration Is Essential Now

The retirement date is fixed, and after April 2, 2026, SharePoint Designer workflows will no longer run in SharePoint Online. This forces organizations to rethink their automation strategies. Staying on SharePoint Designer workflows risks losing critical automation capabilities, which can disrupt business processes.

Moving to Power Automate workflow solutions offers several benefits beyond just avoiding retirement:

• Modern user interface that is easier to use and maintain

• Integration with hundreds of Microsoft 365 and third-party services

• Improved performance and reliability

• Better support and ongoing feature updates from Microsoft

  
  

Planning your SharePoint Designer workflow migration early gives your team time to analyze existing workflows, redesign them for Power Automate, and test thoroughly before the deadline.

Understanding the Differences Between SharePoint Designer and Power Automate

SharePoint Designer workflows are built specifically for SharePoint Online and rely on a limited set of triggers and actions. Power Automate workflows, by contrast, are cloud-based flows that can connect to a wide range of services and data sources.

Key differences include:

• Triggers and actions: Power Automate supports many more triggers and actions, including approvals, notifications, and data operations.

• User experience: Power Automate uses a visual, drag-and-drop interface that is more intuitive.

• Extensibility: Power Automate can integrate with Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Azure services, and hundreds of connectors.

• Mobile access: Power Automate flows can be managed and triggered from mobile devices.

  
  

These differences mean that SharePoint workflow modernization is not just a migration but an opportunity to improve and expand automation capabilities.

Steps to Move from SharePoint Designer to Power Automate

To ensure a smooth transition, follow these practical steps:

1. Inventory your current workflows

   Identify all SharePoint Designer workflows in use. Document their purpose, triggers, and actions.

   
   

2. Prioritize workflows for migration

   Focus first on critical workflows that impact business operations.

   
   

3. Analyze workflow complexity

   Some workflows may be simple and easy to recreate, while others might require redesign or splitting into multiple flows.

   
   

4. Learn Power Automate basics

   Train your team on Power Automate’s interface and capabilities.

   
   

5. Rebuild workflows in Power Automate

   Use the documented workflows as a blueprint. Take advantage of new features where possible.

   
   

6. Test thoroughly

   Validate that the new Power Automate workflows perform as expected without errors.

   
   

7. Deploy and monitor

   Roll out the new workflows and monitor their performance and user feedback.

   
   

8. Retire old SharePoint Designer workflows

   Once Power Automate workflows are stable, disable the old workflows to avoid confusion.

   
   

Practical Example: Migrating an Approval Workflow

Consider a common SharePoint Designer workflow that routes documents for approval. In Power Automate, you can create a flow that triggers when a document is added or modified in a SharePoint library. The flow sends an approval request via email or Microsoft Teams, waits for the response, and then updates the document status accordingly.

This Power Automate workflow can also:

• Send reminders if approvers do not respond within a set time

• Log approval history in a SharePoint list

• Notify stakeholders of the final decision

  
  

This example shows how SharePoint workflow modernization can add value beyond simply replicating old workflows.

Tips for Successful Microsoft 365 Workflow Automation Adoption

• Engage stakeholders early to understand workflow requirements and pain points.

• Document workflows clearly to avoid confusion during migration.

• Use templates and community resources to speed up Power Automate workflow creation.

• Monitor flow runs and errors regularly to catch issues early.

• Encourage user feedback to improve workflows continuously.

  
  

Preparing for the April 2, 2026 Deadline

The retirement of SharePoint Designer workflows is a fixed milestone. Organizations that delay migration risk losing automation capabilities abruptly. Starting now allows time to:

• Avoid last-minute rush and errors

• Train staff adequately

• Explore new automation possibilities with Power Automate

  
  

By moving from SharePoint Designer to Power Automate, organizations not only comply with Microsoft’s roadmap but also position themselves to benefit from the evolving Microsoft 365 workflow automation ecosystem.