Direction for Discontinued Use of Microsoft Office 2010 Software

IT Policy Implementation Notice (ITPIN)

ITPIN No:

2017-01

Date:

August 7, 2017

The purpose of this ITPIN is to direct departments and agencies to discontinue the use of Microsoft Office 2010 software.

This ITPIN is effective immediately and applies to all Government of Canada (GC) departments and agencies within the meaning of Schedules I, I.1 and II of the Financial Administration Act. Departments and agencies are expected to be in compliance with the requirements as set forth in this ITPIN by January 1, 2018 for Microsoft Office 2010 Standard Edition and by March 31, 2019 for Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Edition.

Background

As stated on Microsoft’s Support website, Microsoft Office 2010 mainstream support ended October 13, 2015. The Microsoft Office 2010 Standard edition falls under a Custom Support Agreement for which the first option year is set to expire on March 31, 2018.  An extension to obtain a second option year will not be acquired as additional costs to the GC would be incurred. The GC is licensed for Microsoft Office 2010 Professional edition under the Enterprise Agreement until October 13, 2020. Extended support allows for security fixes only and no new features or functions. 

Microsoft Office 2013 was introduced January 9, 2013 and will have mainstream support until April 10, 2018.  The GC is licensed for its Professional edition under the Enterprise Agreement until October 13, 2020.  Microsoft Office 2016 was released September 22, 2015 and will have mainstream support until October 13, 2020. The GC has adopted a Managed Lifecycle Schedule for Commonly Used Workplace Technology Devices Software Products (MLS) which establishes a software lifecycle schedule for the introduction and retirement of commonly used software, based on vendor mainstream support and extended support dates.

Following a managed transition to newer versions of software is a sound investment approach, which manages risk due to aging of IT investments and aligns capabilities across the GC.

Direction

Departments and agencies are to discontinue the use of Microsoft Office 2010 Standard edition software by January 1, 2018. They have until March 31, 2019 to discontinue the use of Microsoft Office 2010 Professional edition software.  Exemptions to this directive will not be provided.

Departmental Chief Information Officers or equivalents are directed to put in place active measures to ensure that usage of Microsoft Office 2010 Standard edition software is prohibited after January 1, 2018.

TBS will monitor the retirement of this product and may take actions to ensure the security of the GC networks and data.

References

Additional information may be found in the following resources: Microsoft Support

Please address any inquiries you may have by email to the CIOB IT Division.

Marc Brouillard
Chief Technology Officer of the Government of Canada
Chief Information Officer Branch
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat