Legacy applications pose challenges to enterprise digital modernization

Enterprises face significant challenges in modernizing digital workplaces due to the persistence of legacy applications. These critical systems often solve indispensable business problems but rely on outdated code, obscure integrations, and interfaces that can hinder productivity and security.

According to Forrester’s 2026 surveys, 37% of enterprise application software decision-makers are pursuing roadmaps to modernize core legacy systems to reduce technical debt, while 19% cite replacement costs as a primary challenge. In the banking sector, for example, decade-old Java applications often lack current documentation, forcing organizations to reverse-engineer business logic directly from the code to avoid errors during modernization.

While legacy software can tie employees to traditional endpoint architectures, experts suggest organizations can modernize workplace security, cloud services, and employee experiences around these applications while simultaneously working to replace or retire them.