Dynamics CRM 2016 Is No Longer Supported: Make a Decision Before the Data Does
As of January 13, 2026, Dynamics CRM 2016 no longer receives any updates. A customer relationship management application installed on a home computer isn’t exposed in the same way as an email server, so the urgency is of a different nature. The problem lies elsewhere, and it’s more insidious: an out-of-support CRM doesn’t degrade; it freezes —and everything around it keeps moving forward.
What is closing, one door after another
A " CRM " never stands alone. It receives messages, sends data to accounting, feeds dashboards, connects to email, and sometimes to phone systems. Each of these touchpoints evolves at its own pace, and every change presents an opportunity for disruption:
- The " Outlook " connector is no longer certified on recent versions;
- Modern authentication is now required in cases where the old method used to suffice;
- the desktop browser drops a component that the interface was using;
- The billing tool has been updated, and it no longer supports your version.
None of these breakdowns occur on a scheduled date. They happen one at a time, each resolving a minor issue for someone else, and it is their accumulation that ultimately forces a decision —usually at the worst possible moment, when a sales team can no longer function.
What's Really in a 10-Year " CRM "
This is the aspect that management most often underestimates, and it is the one that determines the cost.
An “ CRM ” system installed ten years ago doesn’t just contain customers and sales opportunities. It contains years of business rules that have been added over time: fields added to address a one-time need, automations triggered by conditions that no one can recall anymore, custom reports and statements, and often one or two extensions developed by a vendor who is no longer around.
It is this layer—which is invisible in a demonstration—that accounts for the bulk of the effort required to implement the solution. The data is reprocessed; the business logic is rewritten.
Note: This layer also has value. It describes how the company actually works—not how it thinks it works. A release project that documents it provides value far beyond the “ CRM.”
Possible Outings
Switch to Dynamics 365 online. It’s a natural progression: the same product family, data migration via documented procedures, and the end of server operation. The issue isn’t technical; it’s one of scope—each customization that’s retained comes at a cost, and each customization that’s discontinued requires the consent of those who use it.
Switch tools. A 10-year- CRM has often been chosen for reasons that no longer apply. If its actual use has been reduced to managing contacts and sales opportunities, the market offers simpler options. This is a business decision, not an IT one, and it should be based on actual usage—not on a list of features.
Deliberately extending the deadline. Justifiable for a short, fixed period when a larger project is already keeping the teams busy. Unjustifiable as a failure to make a decision: every month adds more data to process and more dependencies to untangle.
How to Know Where You Stand
- How many people visit CRM each week? Not how many have an account—how many visit the site. The difference is often significant, and it shapes everything else.
- Which systems does he use? Email, billing, website, phone system, campaign tools. Each one is an issue that needs to be addressed.
- Who can explain the existing automated processes? If the answer is “no one,” then taking stock is the first step—not the migration.
The effort, without embellishment
A minimally customized CRM , used by a single sales team with its own data: the migration is scheduled to take a few weeks, and the main task is to provide support to users.
A " CRM " at the heart of the information system, linked to billing and customer service, with specific customizations: this is a project in its own right, one that begins with a functional analysis rather than a data migration. Trying to cut this phase short is the surest way to double the budget.
What to Do Now
- Measure actual usage, in terms of the number of active users per week.
- List the connected systems and what is flowing in each direction.
- Identify the customizations and, for each one, determine who is still using it.
- Decide on the scope of the project before choosing the destination.
- Set a date for removing the server, and ensure that management—not the IT department—is responsible for adhering to it.
Step 3 is what distinguishes a well-managed project from one that goes off the rails, and it’s the step people are most likely to skip. Lambert Consulting conducts these assessments and migrations to Dynamics 365, including integrations with the phone system and the rest of the information system.
Even if the question at hand is broader than migration — which tool for which purpose —, our guidelines for choosing a CRM in a Swiss SME still apply.
Microsoft Sources
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An article describes what applies to everyone. What varies from one organization to another is the inventory: which applications, which accounts, and which pieces of equipment are actually involved in your organization. The inventory determines the scope of the effort, and it cannot be summarized on a single page.
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