This deprecation announcement is regarding ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic).
The final release of ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) is scheduled for Q4 2024, at the release of ArcGIS Pro 3.4/ArcGIS Enterprise 11.4. The final releases will be supported until Q4 2027, as established in the ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Enterprise Product Support Lifecycle policy.
What components are being deprecated?
ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) extensions for ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Enterprise along with Workflow Manager (Classic) Pro Admin will be deprecated in Q4 2024.
The components being deprecated are:
- Workflow Manager (Classic) server extension: ArcGIS Enterprise 11.4
- Workflow Manager (Classic) Pro Admin: ArcGIS Pro 3.4
- Workflow Manager (Classic) extension (view/connection) in Pro: ArcGIS Pro 3.4
Why is (Classic) being deprecated?
ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) is a geodatabase-centric product built to support the management of desktop processes and data management needs. It was initially an extension for ArcMap and ArcGIS Server, which evolved to support ArcGIS Pro. Since then, technology trends have moved largely toward web and mobile processes. This led to the product being redesigned and rearchitected in the summer of 2020 to support a service-centric deployment. Since then, we have been building functionality to achieve parity with Workflow Manager (Classic) to enable existing (Classic) customers to easily modernize their ArcGIS environment and transition over to the service-based Workflow Manager. We are happy to report that at the upcoming release of ArcGIS Enterprise 11.2 / Pro 3.2, there will be equivalency for major functionality between (Classic) and Workflow Manager.
Note: ArcGIS Workflow Manager or Workflow Manager refers to the newer, service-based deployment. When (Classic) is added at the end of the product name, it refers to the old, geodatabase-centric deployment.
How does the deprecation impact me?
The deprecation affects those customers who have a (Classic) implementation in ArcGIS Desktop or ArcGIS Server. The final release of ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) in Q4 2024 will follow the ArcGIS Pro 3.4 and ArcGIS Enterprise 11.4 product support lifecycle. This means no new features or enhancements will be built in (Classic) following this release and it will be retired/out of support in Q4 2027. The ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) ArcMap extension will be retired when ArcMap support ends in March 2026.
Workflows and workflow services created in (Classic) will not be accessible or used beyond the Q4 2024 release (ArcGIS Enterprise 11.5 / ArcGIS Pro 3.5 and after).
We recommend that you begin planning your transition to ArcGIS Workflow Manager soon. Otherwise, you would have to stay on ArcGIS Pro 3.4/ArcGIS Enterprise 11.4 to continue using (Classic)-built workflows. See Next Steps section below for details.
What is service-based ArcGIS Workflow Manager?
The vision behind building ArcGIS Workflow Manager with a service-based architecture is to allow organizations to orchestrate seamless end-to-end workflows across the entire ArcGIS ecosystem. Whether processes take people from the web to mobile, to desktop or through purely automated activities and out again, Workflow Manager acts as the glue to combining ArcGIS technology.
The new architecture also enables organizations to scale and support integration with other Esri products and with third-party systems. It provides all major functionality that was available in the older, geodatabase-based ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) extensions, plus additional capabilities.
ArcGIS Workflow Manager is licensed as an organizational capability server in ArcGIS Enterprise or as an organizational extension in ArcGIS Online. There are two license levels—Standard and Advanced. An optional ArcGIS Pro extension is available as well. Talk to your Esri account manager about license migration options available based on how you have licensed (Classic) today.
What are my next steps?
Those currently using ArcGIS Workflow Manager (Classic) are highly encouraged to develop a transition plan to move to the service-based Workflow Manager. This plan should include an implementation of the Workflow Manager capability server (Enterprise) or organizational extension (Online), a redesign of existing workflows, configuration of the workflow item(s), and knowledge transfer. Professional Services experts are available to help with transition efforts.
Note we are using the word transition instead of upgrade or migration because:
- Organizations will need to (newly) implement the Workflow Manager organizational capability, including a new license model
- Redesign/re-configure existing workflows built in (Classic)
While the deprecation does not affect those who are using (Classic) in ArcMap, we still recommend that you transition to the service-based Workflow Manager as support for ArcMap ends in March 2026.
Read the Understanding the Services-Driven Architecture and Best Practices for Transitioning blog.
Article Discussion: