Upgrading from SharePoint 2010 to 2013

[spider1212]

We installed SharePoint 2013 but are still running the database in 2010 mode.  It was an option we were given when we upgraded from 2010.  When I connected the 2010 database to the 2013 server, it asked do you want to upgrade the database to 2013 features or would you like to do it at another time. I choose the “do it at later time” option because I was worried about the workflows breaking.  So we basically didn’t have time to properly upgrade 2013.  I think is why we are seeing the pink prompt  "Experience all that SharePoint 2013 has to offer. Start now or Remind me later".  So basically, we haven’t upgraded our SharePoint database to 2013.  We are still running 2010 mode on SharePoint 2013.  We want to upgrade to 2013 so we can then go to 2016 down the road. Should I upgrade to the SharePoint 2013 interface? I would like to perform the upgrade but I don’t know what to expect. Is there any downside to performing this upgrade?  What is involved? What will change? Could this cause problems or downtime?

[#2]

Hi,
You can start upgrading the DB, but before upgrading take a backup of the DB. There will be downtime at the time of upgrade, after upgrade you can still use SP 2010 workflows since SP 2013 supports SP 2010 workflows too. There will be some design flaws but it should work.

[#3]

@Sudharsan K 

Thanks for your response. I will try it and get back to you later.

Thanks,

-Henry

[#4]

The upgrade message is referring to running Upgrade-SPSite. This is to bring you from v14.5 to v15 mode which also enables things like integration with Office Online Server.

The impact would be to UI elements, i.e. custom master pages, visual web parts (WSP) that wasn't written with support for v15, CSS/JS injection, and so on. Workflows won't be impacted.