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How to Migrate SharePoint Designer 2013 Workflows to Power Automate
Question details
The user needs to migrate legacy SharePoint Designer 2013 workflows to Power Automate but finds no direct migration method available.
- Product
- SharePoint Designer 2013, Power Automate
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Modernizing SharePoint environments by moving unsupported legacy workflows to modern Power Automate cloud solutions.
- Observed behavior
- SharePoint Designer 2013 is no longer supported, and there is no direct, automated migration path for moving on-premises workflows to Power Automate.
Fully document the logic, conditions, and actions of your current SharePoint Designer 2013 workflows before attempting to recreate them in Power Automate.
Manually Recreate Workflows in Power Automate
Since there is no direct migration tool available, the most reliable method for SharePoint Online users is to manually rebuild the workflow logic using Power Automate.
Because SharePoint Designer is deprecated, direct migration from on-premises environments is not natively supported by Microsoft. Manual recreation ensures your new flows are optimized for the modern Microsoft 365 ecosystem and take full advantage of Power Automate's cloud capabilities.
Open your existing SharePoint Designer 2013 workflow and map out all triggers, conditions, variables, and actions required for the process.
Navigate to make.powerautomate.com in your web browser and sign in using your Microsoft 365 administrator or user credentials.
Click on 'Create' from the left sidebar and select 'Automated cloud flow' to trigger the flow based on a specific SharePoint event, such as 'When an item is created or modified'.
Add the corresponding SharePoint actions and logic steps (like conditions or loops) in Power Automate to match your mapped legacy workflow.
Run tests on the new flow using sample data to ensure it behaves exactly like the old SharePoint Designer workflow before disabling the legacy process.
Redesign the Process for On-Premises Environments
For strictly on-premises SharePoint environments where Power Automate isn't feasible, redesigning the workflow strategy with alternative tools is necessary.
Boost Your Productivity with WPS Office
While modernizing your IT infrastructure and workflows, consider switching to WPS Office for a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative to Microsoft Office. It covers all your document, spreadsheet, and presentation needs without the heavy subscription costs.
- 1. Download the installer: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free installation package for your operating system.
- 2. Install the software: Run the downloaded file and follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process.
- 3. Start creating: Open WPS Office and immediately start creating or editing your documents with full Microsoft format compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't I directly migrate my SharePoint Designer 2013 workflow to Power Automate?
Microsoft has deprecated SharePoint Designer 2013 and has not provided a direct, native automated migration tool for moving complex legacy on-premises workflows directly into the Power Automate cloud architecture.
Is SharePoint Designer 2013 still supported by Microsoft?
No, SharePoint Designer 2013 has reached the end of its support lifecycle. Organizations are strongly advised to transition their processes to Power Automate or other supported modern workflow strategies.
Are there any third-party tools available for this migration?
Yes, several third-party vendors offer specialized enterprise migration tools designed to help transition complex SharePoint on-premises workflows to Microsoft 365 and Power Automate, though they require careful evaluation and testing.
What should I do if Power Automate lacks an equivalent action for my old workflow?
You may need to rethink the logic of your business process. Because Power Automate uses a different architecture, you can often achieve the same goal using alternative built-in actions, HTTP requests, or Azure Logic Apps integrations.
