Thinking about upgrading to Microsoft SharePoint 2016? Then you probably want to know exactly how much the transition will cost before you decide to pull the trigger.
Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to this question, other than to say, “It depends.” This is because several variables can affect the cost of moving to SharePoint 2016, and you need to understand how each one applies to your organization before you can come up with an accurate cost estimate.
What Is the Value of SharePoint 2016?
First and foremost, the cost of moving to SharePoint 2016 needs to be weighed against the value that the platform can ultimately provide. From a technical point of view, SharePoint 2016 is more reliable and scalable than previous versions, which can bring significant benefits to big businesses. Users also win when their organization moves to SharePoint 2016, as the new version of SharePoint offers better integration with Office 365, seamless cloud integration, in addition to being easier and simpler to navigate.
When considering the costs of moving to SharePoint 2016, you need to think of the money spent as an investment that could help your business to run more efficiently in future.
Variables That Impact the Price of Moving to SharePoint 2016
Many variables impact the price of moving to SharePoint 2016. Most obviously, purchasing new licenses or upgrading your existing licenses factors into the overall price. You will also need to consider the cost of upgrading your underlying infrastructure, however, as well as the cost of migrating all your content to the new system.
Finally, don’t overlook the costs of managing the change in your organization; you’ll need to train your employees to use the new system. The costs of this training will vary depending on the number of employees in your organization, their level of technical expertise and what version of SharePoint you are upgrading from.
Questions to Ask
Answer the following questions to understand better how much the cost of migrating to SharePoint 2016 could be for your organization:
- What version of SharePoint are you using?
In general, moving to SharePoint 2016 is less expensive if you are currently using the most recent version, SharePoint 2013. This is because Microsoft only supports upgrades from SharePoint 2013, not from older versions such as SharePoint 2010, 2007 or 2003. If you are using an older version, you can first update to 2013 and then update to 2016, but this is time-consuming and costly. The alternative is to use a migration tool such as Metalogix Content Matrix or ShareGate to upgrade your old version of SharePoint to SharePoint 2016. - Do you understand the features that have been removed in SharePoint 2016?
Every time Microsoft updates its software, it takes the opportunity to remove features that are rarely used and replace those that don’t work well. If you are using any of these features, you will need to come up with a plan for managing the change – which, of course, can increase the time and costs of migration. - Is your current SharePoint system highly customized?
If you have implemented a lot of custom settings on your SharePoint system, be aware they might not automatically carry over into SharePoint 2016. You may have to spend time upgrading your customizations and setting them up again on the new system. - Are you using third-party tools?
Third-party tools that you use with your current SharePoint version might not work with SharePoint 2016. So you may need to upgrade the tools to their newest versions, which could involve upgrade or new licenses fees.
Understanding the Cost of Moving to SharePoint 2016
The key to understanding how much SharePoint 2016 migration will cost is to know your current system inside out. Make a detailed inventory of your content and customization so you know what needs to move to the new platform.
There is no one-size-fits-all cost of migrating to SharePoint 2016, but understanding the variables that affect the cost can help you come up with an accurate estimate for your organization.
