Proarc EDMS
Proarc Release Model and Path Forward for On-Premises Deployments
Subject: Update to the Proarc Release Model and Path Forward for On-premises Deployments
[ Updated August 2026 ]
Evolving the Way We Deliver Proarc
Ascertra is committed to ensuring that Proarc customers benefit from a product that keeps pace with modern security requirements, technology standards, and the evolving demands of complex asset information management. As part of this commitment, we are sharing an important update on the future release model for Proarc and what it means for customers running on-premises deployments.
This communication sets out the changes taking effect, the timeline you can plan against, and — importantly — the significant opportunity that the Proarc Online platform now represents for your organisation.
What Is Changing: From Service Packs to Maintenance Releases
Historically, on-premises Proarc customers received product updates in the form of large, periodic Service Packs. While this model served its purpose, it created challenges: long gaps between security updates, increased complexity in managing code branches, and a growing gap between the capabilities available on-premises and those available in Proarc Online.
Beginning with Proarc 7.6, Ascertra is transitioning to a streamlined maintenance-release model. Security and quality updates will be delivered more frequently and consistently, without the complexity of traditional large-scale upgrade paths. Each maintenance release will be scoped to bug fixes and security patches, reducing regression risk and simplifying deployment planning. The branching and compatibility issues associated with traditional Service Pack architecture will be eliminated over time.
Under the maintenance-release model, on-premises customers will need to be on the latest maintenance release to receive ongoing bug fixes and product changes. Critical security patches will continue to be backported to supported prior releases in line with Ascertra's security policy.
This change does not require customers to take immediate action today. It does, however, represent a meaningful improvement in how on-premises customers will receive support going forward.
Proarc 7.6: The Final On-premises Release
Proarc 7.6, scheduled for General Availability in November 2026, will be the final full on-premises release of Proarc.
Following 7.6, on-premises deployments will continue to receive maintenance releases focused on security, stability, and operational continuity. However, the majority of new features, user-experience enhancements, integration extensions, and platform-level capability additions will not be delivered to on-premises maintenance releases and will be available exclusively through Proarc Online. Only a limited subset of functionality, primarily changes already developed within the core product, may be included in on-premises releases where appropriate.
We recognise that this represents a significant milestone for customers who have invested in on-premises deployments, and we want to be clear about what this means in practical terms:
- Proarc 7.6 will receive a full and transparent lifecycle — you can plan with confidence. The timeline of support milestones is set out below.
- No customer will be required to move to Proarc Online before their current version reaches End of Life. Migration is a planned transition, not an emergency measure.
- Ascertra’s customer success team is available to support migration planning well in advance of any lifecycle milestone.
Proarc Online Platform
The Proarc Online platform ensures reliability, security, and performance by leveraging the following:
- Mature, secure, and scalable online services & applications
- Enterprise-grade hardware, network, and storage
- Infrastructure services for performance optimization, monitoring, disaster recovery, and security against attacks
- Detailed audit logging, policy governance, and workflow-driven compliance to processes
- ISO 27001 certified Proarc Online application
- Cloud Service Provider (CSP), Microsoft Azure, with the largest compliance portfolio, including ISO 27001, SOC2, and CSA Star
Proarc Support Timeline: What You Can Plan Against
The following table sets out the key milestones for all active and upcoming Proarc on-premises versions, together with Proarc Online, so you can plan your organisation’s implementation roadmap.
|
Version / Product |
Milestone |
Date |
Notes |
|
Proarc 7.4 |
[Previously announced] End of Life |
April 2026 |
|
|
Proarc 7.4 |
[Current] End of Active Support |
March 31, 2027 |
Reflects extended maintenance period purchased by 7.4 customers |
|
Proarc 7.4 |
[Current] Final End of Life |
March 31, 2028 |
Extended support* window closes |
|
Proarc 7.5 |
EOL Notice** |
November 4, 2026 |
To be issued following 7.6 GA |
|
Proarc 7.6 |
General Availability |
November 4, 2026 |
Final full on-premises release |
|
Proarc 7.5 |
End of Active Support** |
November 4, 2027 |
12 months after EOL notice |
|
Proarc 7.5 |
Final End of Life* |
November 4, 2028 |
Extended Support window closes |
|
Proarc 7.6 |
EOL Notice |
November 4, 2027 |
12 months after 7.6 GA |
|
Proarc 7.6 |
End of Active Support |
November 4, 2028 |
12 months after EOL notice |
|
Proarc 7.6 |
Final End of Life |
November 30, 2029 |
Extended Support* window closes |
|
Proarc Online |
Continuous Delivery |
Ongoing |
Majority of new features, AI capabilities, and security updates delivered exclusively through Proarc Online |
*Note on Extended Support: Extended Support is an Ascertra support service for software that has reached End of Life (EOL) and is no longer part of the mainstream development roadmap. Extended Support provides a time-limited safety net—ensuring continuity while you transition to a modern platform like Proarc Online. See the Ascertra Product Lifecycle Policy for details on Extended Support.
**Note on EOL dates for Proarc 7.5: The EOL notice for Proarc 7.5 will not be issued until after Proarc 7.6 reaches General Availability. This ensures that no customer receives an EOL notice while 7.5 is the current recommended on-premises version.
For older versions of Proarc (7.3 and earlier), please refer to the Proarc End of Life Policy and Dates. Full lifecycle policy terms are available in the Ascertra Product Support Lifecycle Policy.
Customers Operating End of Life Versions
Customers may continue to operate software versions that have reached End of Life in accordance with their existing license rights. However, End of Life versions fall outside the scope of active maintenance, security patching, and standard support services.
Customers on End of Life versions take responsibility for the associated security and operational considerations within their own environments. If you are currently operating on a version at or approaching End of Life, we encourage you to review your upgrade options. Proarc 7.6 and Proarc Online are both viable destinations and Ascertra’s team can assist with planning the appropriate path.
Proarc Online: What You Gain by Making the Move
The EOL roadmap for on-premises versions is not simply a support-withdrawal schedule. It is the backdrop against which clients are invited to consider a strategic transition to Proarc Online — a fundamentally different platform that cannot be replicated in an on-premises context.
AI-Enabled Capability
Proarc Online is the exclusive vehicle for all new product innovation from Ascertra, including:
- AI-assisted document classification, metadata extraction, and intelligent search
- Automated revision control and change-detection workflows
- Future integrations with large language models for document interrogation and compliance checking
All future AI, automation, workflow, and platform innovation will be delivered through Proarc Online. Organisations that remain on Proarc 7.6 beyond its final End of Life date will be operating a platform that is fixed at the 7.6 feature set.
Enhanced Cybersecurity Posture
Proarc Online is built on Microsoft Azure and certified to ISO 27001. The platform provides:
- Continuous security monitoring, threat detection, and vulnerability patching — applied to all tenants simultaneously.
- Infrastructure-layer protections (DDoS mitigation, zero-trust network architecture, encrypted data at rest and in transit) that are operationally impractical to replicate in self-managed on-premises deployments.
- Regular independent penetration testing and certification audit cycles.
On-premises deployments, by contrast, place full responsibility for patching, access control, and infrastructure security on the client's own IT function. As 7.5 and 7.6 move through their lifecycle stages, the security delta between on-premises and cloud-hosted environments will widen.
Operational Specialty
- No upgrade projects: Proarc Online clients receive continuous updates.
- Reduced infrastructure overhead: no dedicated server estate, no OS, or database version compatibility management.
- Predictable subscription costs in place of periodic capital expenditure on upgrade projects.
Maintenance Release Scope Post-7.6
These releases will include:
- Security patches and vulnerability fixes
- Defect fixes against documented product behaviour
- Regulatory and compliance updates where contractually required
- Limited access to new features and enhancements
The majority of new features, user-experience enhancements, integration extensions, and platform-level capability additions will not be delivered to on-premises maintenance releases and will be available exclusively through Proarc Online. Only a limited subset of functionality, primarily changes already developed within the core product, may be included in on-premises releases where appropriate.
Next Steps
We encourage all on-premises customers to review the lifecycle timeline above and consider how it aligns with their internal planning cycles. You do not need to act today, but we strongly encourage customers to begin transition planning early to maximise flexibility, reduce migration risk, and take advantage of capabilities available through Proarc Online.
To discuss your specific situation, please contact your Ascertra Sales Account Manager directly.
A further communication, including detailed information on Proarc 7.6 and expanded guidance on Proarc Online migration pathways, will follow in due course.