ShortPoint Microsoft 365 Classic Pages Deprecation: Transforming Classic Pages to Modern Pages

In this article, you will learn more about the upcoming deprecation of Scripting Capabilities and what you need to do to keep your SharePoint pages up and running.


You will gain insights on the following:


  1. SharePoint is deprecating support for Scripting Capabilities on Microsoft 365, which means that third-party add-ons like ShortPoint will no longer work on Classic Pages in Microsoft 365 Environments.
  2. Creating new ShortPoint Classic Pages in Microsoft 365 is not recommended. Instead, we recommend transforming your Classic Pages to Modern Pages on Microsoft 365.
  3. Modern Pages are unaffected, and ShortPoint will continue working on them normally.
  4. SharePoint 2019 will not be affected. However, we still recommend adjusting to Modern Pages instead of Classic ones since they have better support and stability.
  5. Steps on how to transform Classic Pages into Modern Pages.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


Background


Starting November 2024, SharePoint will deprecate support for keeping Scripting Capabilities enabled on Microsoft 365 sites. This means that ShortPoint will stop working stably on Classic Pages in Microsoft 365 environments.


Microsoft currently automatically disables Scripting Capabilities every 24 hours unless you run the command below. However, starting November 2024, it will be removed and you will have to re-run the command daily on all sites to keep Scripting Capabilities enabled.


Set-SPOTenant -DelayDenyAddAndCustomizePagesEnforcement $True


NOTEShortPoint will continue working normally on Classic Pages on SharePoint 2019 and SharePoint SE environments as they are unaffected by this deprecation. To learn more about these changes, check out Persist Custom Script Settings.


persist custom script settings

Solution


To avoid any inconvenience due to the deprecation of Scripting Capabilities, we highly recommend transforming your Classic pages to Modern Pages. This article will provide some recommendations, steps, and links related to this transformation. 


We also recommend stopping the use of other SharePoint add-ins that require Scripting Capabilities to avoid having issues with your SharePoint pages after November.


NOTEYou're only required to transform Classic Pages built using ShortPoint or other Classic add-ins to Modern Pages. This needs to be done for Classic Pages to ensure that ShortPoint continue working. If you are using Modern pages, ShortPoint will run smoothly on your page. It doesn't require Scripting Capabilities to run on Modern Pages.

Aspects of Classic / Modern Pages


SharePoint has multiple aspects that can be either Classic or Modern:


(A) A site/site collection can be classic or modern based on the template that it was created from.

  • A classic site/site collection can be modernized by following Microsoft’s instructions in Modernize your Classic SharePoint sites.
  • A classic site/site collection can have Classic and Modern Pages.
  • A Modern site/site collection can have Classic and Modern Pages.
  • You don’t need to migrate or modernize your Classic Sites to keep ShortPoint Pages working. You only need to transform Classic Pages built using ShortPoint into Modern Pages.
  • Modernizing your sites should be done if you want to keep using Theme Builder to customize your site. This is because the modern Theme Builder won’t be able to customize the look of a Classic Site’s Lists/Libraries, System Pages, and Header area.

    

(B) Lists, Libraries, and System pages can also be shown with a “Classic” or “Modern” experience.

  •  Lists, Libraries, and System pages are not set as Classic or Modern at a deep level. You can experience the same list in a Classic View and a Modern View.
  • Toggling between the 2 experiences usually takes a few clicks. This only affects how the list appears visually.
  • The Modern experience has a few extra benefits such as better responsiveness for Mobiles and Tablets, and extra features related to interacting with columns.
  • Modern Theme Builder only applies to the Modern Experience of Lists/Libraries and System Pages.

toggle to classic experience


(C) A page can be Modern or Classic


  • This article only focuses on transforming Classic Pages into Modern Pages because ShortPoint and other third-party add-ons require scripting capabilities. Otherwise, if not transformed, your page will appear to be blank.

Benefits of Modern SharePoint Sites


Below are the benefits you can gain from transforming your Classic Pages into Modern Pages:


  • Utilize ShortPoint Live Mode


ShortPoint’s new editing interface, Live Mode, is available for Modern pages. It allows designers to see changes in real-time as they work on the page. Additionally, it introduces features that simplify the process of updating and redesigning existing pages.


  • Enhanced Security


Modern SharePoint sites carefully evaluate and control user-generated scripts, providing users with better security. Unlike Classic sites, your IT teams can scrutinize and approve scripts before they are executed. This ensures a safer environment for your sites.


  • User-Friendly Interface


Modern SharePoint pages have a clean and responsive design that users can easily navigate. Furthermore, it provides you with additional customizable options that can level up the look of your page.


  • Improved Performance


Modern SharePoint sites improve loading times as they consume fewer server resources than Classic pages. It also provides better storage for your files and other documents.


  • Better Accessibility


Modern SharePoint sites are optimized for mobile devices and different screens, providing your users with a more seamless experience.


How to transform Classic Pages built using ShortPoint into Modern Pages


Limitations to keep in mind:


  • Classic SharePoint web parts can’t be copied over and will need to be replaced by alternative Design Elements.
  • Content within the ShortPoint “Web Part Container” Design Element won’t be copied over to the modern page. This web part is only available on classic pages. You can configure the “ShortPoint Embedded Web Part” Design Element as a replacement for some cases.
  • Web Parts outside of the ShortPoint Web Part won’t be copied over when copying the page using the ?spcopy=1 command.
  • Transforming Classic Web Part pages will have to be done manually by recreating the layout and design of that page (you can copy any ShortPoint Web Parts within that page).
  • If a page doesn’t have a ShortPoint Design Element (or any other third-party web part that requires scripting capabilities), it will work as usual after this change. You’re not required to transform it.
  • Ensure that you have scripting capabilities enabled on the site that you’re trying to transform the pages in or ShortPoint content won’t be displayed.
  • The Pre-loader option that can be enabled using ShortPoint’s Classic Theme Builder doesn’t work on modern pages, and it’s not possible to add a pre-loader using Modern Theme Builder.
  • Classic Theme Builder customizations will not be ported to Modern pages. This is because Modern Theme Builder is used for Modern pages. 
    • After you copy your settings from a Classic Theme Builder to the Modern Theme Builder, you can go ahead and export these customizations from that site’s Modern Theme Builder and import them on the Modern Theme Builder on other sites.
    • We recommend manually copying the settings from Classic Theme Builder to Modern Theme Builder to avoid issues.


NOTE:

  • Connected ShortPoint Design Elements copied from a Classic Page to another Modern Page on the same site should work without any changes. 
  • We highly recommend renaming the new page to match the old page’s name so you can keep the links between pages working. 
  • We don't recommend migrating your complete Classic Site to a Modern Site. Modernizing it is a better option so you can keep your lists, libraries, permissions, and more. Only transforming pages built using ShortPoint from Classic to Modern is required to keep them working. For more information, check out Modernize your classic SharePoint sites.

Step-by-step Tutorial


Follow the detailed guide below to learn how to transform your Classic Pages into Modern ones:


Part 1: Rename your Classic Page


Follow the steps below to keep the same URL as your Classic pages:


Step 1: Edit your Classic Page


Go to the Classic SharePoint page you want to transform into a Modern page and click Edit:


Edit


Step 2: Rename your page


As you can see, the page name is Communication Policy.aspx:


Name


All you need to do is add “Classic” to the page name. This way, you can create a Modern Page called Communication Policy and it will have the same URL as your classic page.


Classic


Step 3: Save


Click Save to apply your changes:


Save


Part 2: Copy the Classic Page


Follow the steps below to learn how to copy your Classic Page:


Step 1: Add ?spcopy=1


Add ?spcopy=1 in the top address line and press Enter to launch the ShortPoint Copy-Paste bar:


?spcopy=1


After hitting enter, you will see this page:


copy-paste bar page


Step 2: Copy Page


Click Copy Page:


Copy Page


Part 3: Create a Blank Modern Page


In this part, we will create a Modern Site Page in a Modern SharePoint site. Follow the steps below to learn how:


Step 1: Add a Page


Click the cogwheel icon:


cogwheel icon


Select Add a page:


Add a Page



Note:
If you do not see an option to "Add a page" in the SharePoint settings window or in the left AppBar "+" button options, you may have SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure enabled. Follow the steps in the How to Create New Modern Pages When You Have SharePoint Server Publishing Infrastructure Enabled article to complete Part 3 of the transformation process.



Step 2: Make a Blank page


Click [1] Blank and select [2] Create page:


Blank and create page


Step 3: Rename the page


Rename the page to the original name of your Classic Page. In our case, we will name it Communication Policy:


rename page


Step 4: Add the ShortPoint web part


Hover over the default content and click the trash icon:


Trash icon


Then, hover over a section and click the gray plus icon:


Gray plus icon


Use the search bar to look for ShortPoint and select it:


ShortPoint


Select the Choose Layout icon:


Choose Layout icon


Select the single-row layout:


single-row layout


Step 5: Paste the copied Classic Page


Right-click and select Paste Page Before Section:


paste


(Optional) Step 6: Enable Force Full Width


NOTEYou can apply this step if you notice a width difference between the old Classic page and the Modern page.


Switch to Grid Mode:


Switch to Grid Mode icon


Go to the Section you'd like to adjust the width and click the cogwheel icon:


cogwheel icon


Enable Force full page width and click Update:



Step 7: Save

Click the eye icon to see your page in real-time:


eye icon


Click Save:


Save


Then, click Publish:


Publish


That’s it! You have successfully transformed your Classic page into a Modern page. Proceed to the last part to complete the tutorial.


Part 4: Re-install ShortPoint


After transforming all of your pages in a site, you need to do the steps below to be able to use Modern Theme Builder:


Step 1: Open the ShortPoint Dashboard


Click the [1] ShortPoint icon and select [2] Dashboard:


ShortPoint icon and dashboard


Step 2: Uninstall ShortPoint


Click Uninstall to open the Uninstall page:


Uninstall


Click Uninstall:


Uninstall


Click Yes:


Yes


You will see this page once ShortPoint is uninstalled successfully:

uninstallation successful


Step 3: Reinstall ShortPoint


Click Back:


back


Click Installation to go to the Installation page:


Installation


Make sure [1] Install for Classic Pages is disabled. Click [2] Install:


Install for Classic pages and install


You have now successfully reinstalled ShortPoint:


reinstalled successfully


Tip for AdminsYou can look at the Site Usage to tell which pages are the most viewed and have higher priority to be transformed from Classic to Modern. Simply replace <sharepoint site> and <site_name_here> to your site details:  

https://<sharepoint site>/sites/<site_name_here>/_layouts/15/siteanalytics.aspx?view=19

analytics


OptionalAfter transforming your Classic Pages to Modern Pages, you can opt to Modernize your Classic SharePoint Sites. To do this, check out How to Modernize your Classic SharePoint sites.




Did you find it helpful? Yes No

Send feedback
Sorry we couldn't be helpful. Help us improve this article with your feedback.

World's best intranet sites are designed using ShortPoint

Get started today! Learn more
See all 31 topics

Start a trial

Ignite your vision. Install ShortPoint directly on your site, or play in sandbox mode. No credit card required.

Get started today

World’s best intranet sites are designed using ShortPoint

Thousands of companies using ShortPoint everyday to design, brand and build award winning intranet sites.

Get started Learn more