It started with an IT manager having a bad Friday.
The in-store terminals at a US retailer were causing problems again. He mentioned it to one of our solutions consultants. The terminals were thin clients running on Citrix, the licensing was expensive, and renewal was about a year away. The hardware was getting old, too. Keeping the setup meant another licensing bill and an approaching hardware refresh.
Our consultant asked whether the retailer already had Microsoft Intune.
It did.
Until that conversation, nobody had connected the company’s existing Intune investment to the terminal problem.
The alternative was straightforward: replace the thin clients with standard Windows laptops, managed through Intune and Devicie. Store staff would access their applications on those laptops without needing the Citrix desktop.
For IT, that meant having a way to configure, secure, and maintain devices across the stores. Devicie would automate that work through Intune, starting with provisioning and continuing after the laptops were in use.
The retailer put a Windows laptop in every store, enrolled each one in Intune, and provisioned it through Devicie. Devices arrived configured, saving IT from building them on site.
The rollout finished before renewal. The retailer let the Citrix contract end and retired the aging terminals.
There was still a hardware purchase, but the company was investing in Windows laptops it could manage through its existing Intune environment. It no longer needed the old store VDI setup.
Moving away from Citrix addressed the immediate licensing and aging infrastructure challenges, but it didn't eliminate the ongoing responsibility of keeping Windows laptops configured, secure, and up to date across every store.
That's where Devicie made the difference. Working through the retailer's existing Microsoft Intune environment, Devicie automates ongoing application and configuration management, helping IT keep devices consistent and current without manually tending to each laptop.
The team also has one less system to support. There's no longer a store VDI environment to host, patch, or troubleshoot. Applications, connectivity, and hardware still need attention, but Citrix is no longer part of the troubleshooting path when a store calls.
If you’re approaching a Citrix renewal, start with the cancellation notice period. That’s the deadline your plan needs to meet.
Then look at what staff actually use inside their sessions. Establish how each application would work on a managed Windows device, including access to the systems and data it needs. That determines whether this approach fits your stores.
Include receipt printers, scanners, and payment hardware in the assessment. Test a full working day in one store, including shift changes and busy periods, and agree on a fallback if something doesn’t work.
Use the pilot to estimate the effort per store. Check for differences across locations before setting the rollout schedule.
Already using Intune and Devicie? Ask your Customer Success contact whether your thin clients or Citrix environment could move the same way.
New to Devicie? Talk to us about testing one store before your next renewal.
Can Windows laptops managed through Microsoft Intune replace Citrix thin clients?
Yes, in some environments. Organizations can replace Citrix thin clients with Windows laptops managed through Microsoft Intune when their applications, connectivity, and security requirements support the change. Intune does not directly replace Citrix's virtual desktop capabilities, but it can manage the physical Windows devices used as an alternative.
How can retailers migrate away from Citrix without disrupting store operations?
Start by identifying the applications, peripherals, and workflows that depend on Citrix. Test an Intune-managed Windows device in one store, including receipt printers, scanners, payment systems, and everyday operations. Use the pilot results to plan a phased rollout before the Citrix renewal or cancellation deadline.
What does Devicie add to Microsoft Intune during a Citrix migration?
Devicie works through Microsoft Intune to automate Windows device provisioning and ongoing application and configuration management. This helps IT teams maintain consistent, up-to-date devices across multiple locations without manually configuring and maintaining each laptop.
Will retail applications and peripherals work without Citrix?
Many retail applications and peripherals can operate on standard Windows devices without a Citrix virtual desktop, but compatibility must be verified. Retailers should test application access, network connectivity, receipt printers, barcode scanners, payment hardware, and other store-specific dependencies before migrating.
What costs should retailers evaluate before renewing Citrix?
Retailers should compare Citrix licensing, aging hardware replacement, VDI infrastructure maintenance, migration expenses, and ongoing endpoint management costs. Moving to Intune-managed Windows devices may reduce licensing and infrastructure complexity, although hardware purchases and implementation costs must also be considered.