In April and October newsletters of 2020, we informed you about the discontinuation of the standard authentication by Microsoft as follows:
"Microsoft has announced that, starting in the second half of 2021, it will remove standard authentication via user name and password for Exchange Online for security reasons. Originally this was planned for October 2020 - but due to COVID pandemic this was postponed by about one year."
Since this authentication is currently used by Connect to Mail, changes in DocuWare were necessary. For this reason, DocuWare customers will soon have the option to change the authentication.
Who is affected?
A change is only necessary for customers if a DocuWare system is connected with Exchange Online and Connect to Mail is being used. Exchange on-premises users are not impacted by the change.
How will DocuWare implement the change?
In the future, Connect to Mail will use the secure OAuth2 security protocol to continue supporting Exchange Online. To do this, we have added another authentication method to the "mail services." DocuWare Cloud customers only need to select the new "Exchange online" mail service when making the change.
These changes will be made available in the next few weeks (via a "Minor Update") for all DocuWare installations from Version 7.2 onwards. The switch can be made at any time once the update has been installed, so even before Standard Authentication is discontinued.
Please note that older versions will not be updated. If customers are still using them, we recommend that they update before Microsoft makes the change.
What do you need to do?
Cloud customers:
Users of DocuWare Cloud will automatically receive the necessary updates in the coming weeks. Under "General email," existing accounts can be directly connected to the Exchange Online account. The requirements for administrator settings are listed here.
On-premises customers:
When connecting Connect to Mail to Exchange Online, you must create an OAuth app in your Azure Active Directory and connect it in DocuWare using "Mail Services.” Please note: if you use Exchange On-Premises, no change is necessary. Detailed instructions can be found here (available in English).
What is the deadline for customer action?
In official statements, Microsoft speaks of a changeover in the second half of 2021. An exact date has not yet been set, but it will probably take place towards the end of 2021. By then, customers must have completed the changeover with Connect to Mail. We will remind you about this again in a future PartnerInfo.
