PlanSwift by ConstructConnect is committed to providing award-winning products and services. To that end, we must occasionally take an inventory of our product versions to determine those that need to be retired (or ‘sunset’). We remain focused on current technology and advancing/improving our software, and that cannot be done if we continue to support outdated versions of our software. So to help you, our clients, understand which products are supported, we developed this "Sunsetting Policy" (aka, End of Life Plan).

We regularly update our System Requirements when we release upgrades to PlanSwift so be sure to check out the System Requirements (in the left Table of Contents) before you install any upgrade.

Although Microsoft attempts to migrate programs and settings when you upgrade your operating system (for example, upgrade Windows 8.1 to Windows 10, in place), it is best practice to remove any applications you have installed, upgrade the OS, and then reinstall those applications after applying the OS Upgrade. Just be sure to decommission the applications before uninstalling them (meaning: return any licenses).

Sunsetting Policy

PlanSwift bases its Sunsetting Policy on Microsoft’s support for various versions of Windows. Microsoft has a two-stage retirement plan for its products. First is the end of "Mainstream" support, the second is the end of "Extended" support. See the table toward the bottom of this article for a list of all supported versions and operating systems.

• Mainstream Support: When Microsoft officially ends "Mainstream" support for an operating system, we no longer test new products on that operating system. You can continue to use versions limited to these operating systems, however, our ability to provide technical support for those product versions is limited to licensing the product and providing basic troubleshooting assistance. Advanced technical support including defect reports, crash-troubleshooting, and installation issues are not supported for products limited to running on any version of Windows that has fallen off "Mainstream" support with Microsoft.

• Extended Support: When Microsoft officially ends "Extended" support for an operating system, we consider versions limited to installation on that version of Windows (or earlier) retired. Products limited to operating systems that fall off Extended Support will no longer be longer distributed by PlanSwift nor will we provide technical support for them. This includes licensing, installation (including product downloads), and any issues, concerns, defects, or feature requests.

Examples

• On January 13, 2015, Microsoft ended "Mainstream" support for Windows 7. Effective that date:

  • PlanSwift stopped testing new products on Windows 7. You may ask "Will new products continue to work on Windows 7?" Probably not, newer versions may require Microsoft system components that are not available on Windows 7. We definitely do not recommend using any "expired" operating system. Updates to the software version originally supported on Windows 7 will work, however…

  • If you call Tech Support to report an issue, if the issue is considered to be due to installation on Windows 7, or is endemic to a product that is limited to installation on Windows 7 or earlier operating systems (meaning it is not reproducible in a supported version on a supported OS), we would log any defects, investigate the cause, or work on fixing the issue.

  • If you call Tech Support for assistance installing or troubleshooting any product on aversion of Windows that is not under mainstream support, the best we can do is provide you with the links to download the software and provide general assistance with using the product.

• On January 14, 2020, Microsoft ended “Extended” support for Windows 7. Effect that date:

  • PlanSwift no longer distributes or supports any versions of the software that are limited to installation on Windows 7 (or any earlier versions of Windows). You will not be able to download these versions from our website anymore (although, there will be a short delay, to allow our existing clients to download installers).

  • We no longer provide assistance with troubleshooting PlanSwift versions limited to Windows 7. See our Windows Compatibility list, below.

  • If you call Technical Support with any problem with a version that is no longer supported, our Support department will do their best to assist you, but the answer may be 'you need to upgrade to a newer version of PlanSwift' or even ‘you need a new operating system’. Feel free to reach out to Customer Success at the link above.

How Does This Affect You?

Now, you are probably going to ask, "Will my software simply 'stop' working on the date Microsoft ends Mainstream Support or Extended Support?" No, of course, not. In fact, it is likely that nothing is going to change except that PlanSwift will no longer test new releases against that operating system, nor will we register new ‘bugs’ that can only be reproduced on that operating system or that are only reproducible on versions of PlanSwift limited to that operating system, nor will we provide installation support or advanced technical support for products on operating systems not under “Mainstream” support with Microsoft.

PlanSwift also may change the way older software is licensed or may require you upgrade to a more current version of the software.

However, when Microsoft ends "Extended Support" for an operating system, they stop publishing security and OS updates. That puts anyone remaining on that OS at risk and you need to migrate/upgrade to a supported Operating System. This means you will likely have to install upgrades to your version of PlanSwift. If you are off-maintenance, or have been, you may be required to renew your maintenance subscription or even purchase new licenses - Contact Us to discuss your options.

What can I do if the version I’m using is no longer support?

This depends on if you kept current with your Maintenance agreement with PlanSwift.

• If you have remained current with your Maintenance Subscription (and are using a supported Operating System), we’ve got you covered - you can download the latest release from our MyAccount portal. Contact Us for help with accessing your account, download updates, or installation/licensing.

• If you have allowed your Maintenance Subscription to expire, your Maintenance contract's expiration date determines the highest version of the software for which you are eligible. That version may no longer be in distribution or may not support the version of Windows you are using (for example, if the highest version of PlanSwift you are eligible to install/license is restricted to Windows 8.1, but you are running Windows 10, you would need to renew your maintenance to get onto a version that does support Windows 10). You’ll need to discuss your options with Client Services Contact Us .