In March of 2023, Microsoft will decommission SharePoint 2013, the platform currently hosting society websites.
This means that the societies currently using the SharePoint 2013 platform to host their websites will have the choice to transition their sites to a Higher Logic microsite or to select a different option, independent of CFA Institute support. Below, please find responses to some frequently-asked questions to help your society make an informed decision about the future of your website. You can find more resources and information for this project on Society Center (Society Websites tile).
Q: Why do societies need to move off SharePoint 2013?
A: In March 2023, Microsoft is decommissioning SharePoint 2013, and the platform will no longer be available. This means that any site hosted on SharePoint 2013, including society websites, will no longer be accessible on the internet, and societies will not have access to content stored on the platform.
Q: What did CFA Institute select as a replacement?
A: Society Operations, in partnership with IT, has selected the Higher Logic microsite platform as a replacement to host society websites.
CFA Institute is on a continuous journey to streamline our applications across the organization to allow for greater internal support and sustainability. CFA Institute is using Higher Logic for volunteer management, and with this project will now leverage its microsite feature.
Q: Why are we changing platforms? Why can’t we just move to an updated version of SharePoint?
A: SharePoint’s main use is as an internal collaboration portal and document management solution. Higher Logic microsites are designed to be externally facing and offer a robust, user-friendly, no-code platform that will support many of societies’ key initiatives.
Q: What are the benefits of being on the Higher Logic platform as supported and hosted by CFA Institute (versus a non-CFA Institute–hosted platform)?
A:
- The Higher Logic Platform is a newer, more stable platform than SharePoint.
- The Higher Logic microsite platform is a true website solution; in addition, it is what is known as a “no-code” platform. This will allow societies access to a high-end resource that enables administrators with little training and tech experience to manage and edit their sites with ease.
- It should reduce the number of different systems a society admin has to access, as Higher Logic will also be used for the new Society Leader community.
- CFA Institute will provide training, including recommendations for best practices, on the Higher Logic platform as we have for SharePoint. Although most edits and maintenance will be owned by society staff, societies in need of additional support for adding new leaders to access additional training or making website changes can contact Society Operations.
- The branding we provide on your website template will be aligned with our brand guidelines.
- CFA Institute will periodically push relevant information across all society sites we manage, so societies don’t need to worry about posting or updating the syndicated information.
Q: What are the differences in functionality between the current SharePoint platform and Higher Logic’s microsite platform as supported and hosted by CFA Institute? Will societies lose any functionality?
A: The templated website we are using includes features appropriate for a public-facing website. You may find that your society requires additional features not supported by our version of the Higher Logic microsite. Below is a list of uses that some societies currently leverage within SharePoint that do not exist in Higher Logic:
- Proxy voting
- Document storage and access
- Member login portal/Board-only area
Q: Does CFA Institute have any recommendations to replace the functionality that will be lost in the transition from SharePoint to Higher Logic?
A:
DOCUMENT STORAGE & ACCESS:
Our Product team has recommended the following three platforms as an adequate replacement for document storage: Microsoft 365, Dropbox, or Google Drive. Note that use of these products should be pursued by each society; CFA Institute will not support these alternative platforms.
PROXY VOTING & MEMBER LOGIN PORTAL/ BOARD ONLY AREA:
We encourage societies to research which platforms would be an adequate replacement for these functionalities. SharePoint 2013 was designed for website use, and the extra functionality this platform allowed is not something that the Higher Logic platform and CFA Institute will continue to support.
Q: Will CFA Institute pay for the platform hosting/maintenance costs on the Higher Logic platform?
A: Yes.
Q: If we decide to move forward with a Higher Logic microsite, will our website be inaccessible for any period of time?
A: Websites will be accessible throughout CFA Institute’s transition from SharePoint to Higher Logic website hosting. However, it is important to note that regardless of whether societies opt into the Higher Logic microsite option, SharePoint websites will be decommissioned and inaccessible by March of 2023. We recommend that, regardless of which website platform societies choose to transition to, all documentation and content be downloaded and saved elsewhere before 20 January 2023.
Q: What is the timeline for this project?
A: A timeline with milestones for the transition is highlighted below.
- 16 December: Higher Logic website layout socialized with societies via email
- 9 January 2023: Deadline for societies to decide whether to opt in to a Higher Logic microsite
- 20 January 2023: Deadline for societies to remove documentation/content from existing SharePoint sites
- 27 January 2023: Deadline for societies to finalize new website content
- 1 February 2023: Deadline for society representatives to be trained on Higher Logic functionality; begin uploading content to sites
- 20 February 2023: Higher Logic websites go live
- 1 March 2023: SharePoint 2013 depreciated; websites removed from internet
Q: What will happen to the content and files that are currently housed in each SharePoint site?
A: Societies are responsible for downloading and saving down their existing SharePoint website content for historical reference and use on the new Higher Logic platform. We recommend downloading existing documents and content from existing SharePoint sites before 20 January 2023. Society Operations has created a a step-by-step guide on how to complete this task. Log in to Society Center (Society Websites tile) to access the guide. Additionally, Society Operations will be hosting workshops to guide societies through the process of downloading content:
Q: What training will be available for Higher Logic?
A: A live training session will be available for all users during the month of February. This introductory session will be recorded and saved for future use. Moving forward, we will maintain the same level of service that societies experience with SharePoint. The expectation is that societies are responsible for updating and maintaining their sites. However, moving forward if additional training is needed, it will be created and provided by the Society Operations team.
Q: What specific features will be offered under Higher Logic microsites for society websites?
A: The website template offered via Higher Logic allows for general information sharing in categories as highlighted below. Note that final navigation and website design templates will be provided to societies by 16 December to help inform your final decision about opting into the Higher Logic platform.
- About Us
- Society News and Resources
- Society Events
- Membership
- CFA Program
- Certificates and Courses
Q: I understand that the website template has a navigation menu that will not be editable. Is my society able to add a page as a subcategory to the existing menu?
A: Yes, societies will be able to add pages within the template.
Q: Does Higher Logic have local language support capabilities?
A: No, Higher Logic does not have local language support capabilities and does not have any translation functionality. English is the supported language. However, societies can copy and paste characters into the template as a workaaround.
Q: I’d like to better understand what the Higher Logic platform looks like for society staff who will be responsible for website maintenance. Can you show me?
A: Please explore this article that provides information about Higher Logic's Content Management System (CMS). In addition to this resource, our partners at eConverse will also be curating a CFA Institute, society-specific training to be deployed in February of 2023.
Q: What kind of reports are available in Higher Logic to help our soicety understand website traffic and views?
A: Natively in Higher Logic, you will have access to views per day, unique visitors per day, referrers, views of new posts, and most viewed pages. Societies also have the ability to install Google Analytics should you want to capture additional metrics.
Q: How will society questions and issues be supported?
A: For questions about this project before the Higher Logic websites launch, societies can email us at societywebsites@cfainstitute.org
Once the new platform is launched, societies can follow the current process for support: email societysupport@cfainstitute.org to open a service ticket.
Q: At what time/date do we stop adding custom items to SharePoint?
A: We recommend that, effective immediately, you house any custom items like forms and proxy voting surveys outside of SharePoint.
Q: Will we retain our current domain for our society website?
Yes, societies will retain their current domains. Our internal IT team will facilitate the switch of the domain from SharePoint to Higher Logic.
Q: I have more than one domain. How will this impact the transition?
A: If you currently have more than one domain, please reach out directly to your society operations specialist in region to discuss your specific use case and setup. If you are unsure who your in-region specialist is, please direct your communication to societywebsites@cfainstitute.org.
Q: How do I indicate my choice either to continue on a CFA Institute-hosted site or to pursue another solution?
A: Please refer to the email sent to you on 16 November or log in to Society Center (Society Websites tile) for a link to the form where you can indicate your final decision. The deadline for your decision is 9 January 2023.
Q: Can we change our mind about our decision?
A: We ask that your society make a final decision by 9 January 2023 to ensure a successful transfer of all sites before SharePoint is decommissioned. Changes to your decision will impact our planning and resourcing, so please be firm in your choice.