Nintex Migration Before the SharePoint End-of-Life: Migrate Safely by 14 July 2026
Why SharePoint 2016/2019 and Nintex workflows become a compliance risk – and how to migrate to a modern, GDPR-compliant platform without extra cost
On 14 July 2026, Microsoft support for SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 ends – and with it the secure foundation of many Nintex workflows. This article explains what happens on the deadline, why unpatched workflows become a GDPR and insurance risk, and how migrating to FireStart is fast, GDPR-compliant and cheaper – including a cost comparison, a real-world example and an FAQ.
On 14 July 2026, support for SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 ends – and with it the secure foundation for countless Nintex workflows across the DACH region. For many companies this is not merely an IT topic, but a compliance, liability and insurance risk. The good news: migration is achievable – and it pays off twice over.
This article explains what really happens on the deadline, why Nintex workflows become a risk afterwards, and how to migrate to a modern platform safely, in a GDPR-compliant way and without extra cost.
What really happens on 14 July 2026
On 14 July 2026, extended support for SharePoint Server 2016 and 2019 ends. In concrete terms: no more security updates, no more patches, no more technical support from Microsoft. The servers keep running, but every newly discovered vulnerability stays open permanently. Unpatched systems thus become a preferred target for attackers.
Because many Nintex workflows run directly on SharePoint Server, they lose their secure operating foundation too. Anyone who fails to act now runs business-critical processes on a platform without a safety net.
The real problem: your processes are no longer GDPR-compliant
The bigger risk is not downtime, but the legal situation. Article 32 GDPR requires that personal data be protected on an ongoing basis by appropriate technical measures – in line with the state of the art. Software that no longer receives security updates does not meet this requirement. Processing personal data in unpatched Nintex and SharePoint workflows therefore risks a permanent GDPR breach.
Breaches of Art. 32 GDPR can lead to fines of up to 20 million euros or 4% of global annual turnover – whichever is higher.
Your cyber insurance might not pay out
In an emergency, many companies rely on their cyber insurance. But almost every policy contains obligations: the insured must keep their systems up to date and patched. If a known but unfixed flaw is exploited, the insurer can reduce or fully refuse to pay.
According to the Cyber Monitor 2025, nearly one in three claims is already rejected – often due to breached duties of care. An unpatched SharePoint server is exactly such a case.
Compliance and audits: ISO 27001, SOC 2 and NIS-2
Anyone certified to ISO 27001 or SOC 2 must demonstrate effective patch and vulnerability management. Software without vendor support is immediately flagged in audits and can jeopardize certification.
On top of that comes NIS-2: the EU directive holds management personally accountable. Failures in IT security can lead to personal liability. A known but ignored end of support is hard to justify in this context.
Migration is unavoidable anyway
An often underestimated truth: there is no 1:1 transfer of Nintex workflows to a new system. Regardless of the target product, workflows must be rebuilt manually. So migration is coming either way – the only question is whether you simply replace one old problem or move straight to a future-proof platform.
This is exactly where the opportunity lies: instead of investing in Microsoft dependency again, you can now put your processes on an open, standards-based and GDPR-compliant foundation.
Save money instead of paying more
Switching does not have to be expensive – quite the opposite. A direct comparison shows how clearly entry cost, hosting and feature scope differ:
| Criterion | Nintex Automation CE | FireStart |
|---|
| Entry price | from $15,000/year | Best value for money |
| Hosting / GDPR | US provider | hosted in Germany, GDPR-compliant |
| BPMN 2.0 | limited | full standard |
| On-premise | K2 line only | cloud / on-prem / hybrid |
| DACH support | international | Made in Austria, German-speaking |
| Go-live | project-dependent | typically 1–6 weeks |
Proof in practice: 50 processes in just 10 weeks
A fast, clean migration is possible – as an example from public administration shows. The State Office for Central Tasks and Technology of the Police, Fire and Disaster Protection of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (LPBK M-V) moved numerous workflows to FireStart in a very short time:
"With FireStart we were able to map and put a large number of workflows into operation in the shortest possible time. The platform impresses us above all with its ease of use, its flexibility and the ability to map even more complex use cases that were not feasible this way with our previous solution."
LPBK M-V, State Office for Central Tasks and Technology of the Police, Fire and Disaster Protection of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
50 processes successfully mapped – in just 10 weeks.
The No. 1 alternative for Nintex migration
FireStart was built for exactly this switch. The platform is independent of the SharePoint and Microsoft lifecycle, follows the "GDPR by design" principle with hosting in Germany and Austria, and offers full no-code process design based on the open BPMN 2.0 standard. Typical projects go live in 1 to 6 weeks.
FireStart explicitly replaces SharePoint Designer and Nintex Workflow for Office 365 – without you having to give up the rest of your Microsoft world.
FireStart is the No. 1 alternative for migrating from Nintex – awarded first place at the Toolmasters 2026.
More than 220 companies across the DACH region already rely on FireStart, including PwC, KTM and Wien Energie. How FireStart and Nintex differ in detail is shown in the direct comparison: FireStart vs. Nintex.
FireStart compared to other alternatives
Of course, FireStart is not the only option. Two alternatives are frequently mentioned:
skybow is a good choice if you deliberately want to stay within the Microsoft 365 and SharePoint ecosystem. But this very tie-in is the cause of the current problem – the dependency remains.
n8n is a flexible, developer-oriented automation tool. However, it is not a compliance-oriented BPM platform with true BPMN 2.0, human-in-the-loop and governance.
| Feature | FireStart | skybow | n8n |
|---|
| BPMN 2.0 | Yes | No | No |
| Independent of SharePoint | Yes | No | Yes |
| GDPR hosting in Germany | Yes | Partly | Self-hosting required |
| No-code for business teams | Yes | Yes | Limited |
| Governance & audit trail | Yes | Partly | No |
You can find a detailed comparison in the full comparison.
Frequently asked questions
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Act now, before the deadline decides for you
14 July 2026 is approaching – and migration is coming anyway. Those who plan now avoid compliance risks, save costs and make their processes future-proof. Arrange a migration consultation or learn all the details about Nintex migration.
Sources
- Microsoft Lifecycle: end of support for SharePoint Server 2016/2019 (14 July 2026)
- Art. 32 and Art. 83 GDPR (dsgvo-gesetz.de)
- sharepointsupport.com – end of support and risks
- ing-ism.de – obligations in cyber insurance
- docusnap.com – Cyber Monitor 2025 (rejected claims)
- a7.de – NIS-2 and personal liability of management
- linqi.de and skybow.com – manual rebuilding of workflows
- nintex.com – Nintex Automation Cloud pricing
FireStart wird in Deutschland gehostet (DSGVO-konform, EU-Datenspeicherung). Website: www.firestart.com. Kontakt: sales@firestart.com.