Technology • January 14, 2026
InfoPath was a powerful tool that changed how organizations managed InfoPath form templates and workflows. As part of the Microsoft Office suite, InfoPath allowed you to create electronic forms to collect, share, and integrate structured data into business processes.
Microsoft announced the discontinuation in 2014, mainstream support ended in 2016 and extended support will end in July 2026. InfoPath left a lasting impact on organizations that used its advanced XML format for building templates, so many are looking for an indirect successor.
In this guide we’ll explore the main features of InfoPath, how it helped enterprises streamline processes and solve complex problems, and examine replacements for InfoPath in the modern technology landscape.
InfoPath was a Microsoft tool that allowed organizations to design digital forms for data collection and efficient management of business operations, frequently working alongside SharePoint. These templates could be published across a network or used with SharePoint Server to collect and store information.
The template-based approach allowed forms to include various controls such as text boxes, radio buttons, drop-down menus and more advanced elements like conditional formatting. It was perfect for enterprises that needed to integrate forms into their operational processes efficiently.
InfoPath’s strength was in designing and managing templates. Organizations used those templates as their primary tool for data collection and InfoPath made this process better by using XML that could be adapted to complex requirements thus optimizing business procedures.
InfoPath really came into its own when it came to crafting and keeping track of templates. Companies relied on those templates as their go-to tool for gathering information, and InfoPath made it easier to use them by leveraging XML formats that were flexible enough to handle all sorts of complicated needs which in turn helped to streamline business processes.
InfoPath’s logic integration was one of its key features. Beyond static templates it enabled dynamic behavior making templates interactive and responsive to user input. InfoPath used multiple programming and markup languages to achieve its dynamic functionality: XML, C#, VBA.
InfoPath’s integration with Microsoft SharePoint turned it from a data-entry tool to a collaboration powerhouse especially with the use of SharePoint templates. By using SharePoint you could deploy, manage and share these templates across teams and improve workflows.
Microsoft’s discontinuation of InfoPath forced companies to look for alternatives that offer similar functionality but address the limitations. The transition requires careful planning to ensure operational continuity while adopting modern features.
Microsoft did not release a single direct replacement for InfoPath. Instead, its capabilities were split across several modern tools in the Microsoft ecosystem. Here’s the clear breakdown:
While these are familiar to many and integrate well with existing Microsoft infrastructure, they require a significant rethinking of current processes.
For companies heavily invested in SharePoint, alternatives include:
These tools offer a smoother transition for SharePoint-dependent companies but come with additional licensing costs.
Custom-built solutions offer flexibility to address specific needs:
Custom software is an expensive and resource-intensive approach usually justified only for very specialized requirements.
Off-the-shelf solutions offer a balance of functionality and usability:
These are affordable but may not have the advanced capabilities needed for complex industrial use cases or deep enterprise integration.
For industries that need more than simple forms, checklist software is an InfoPath replacement. These platforms (for ex., ProcessNavigation, Tulip, iAuditor) are designed to overcome the limitations of traditional tools and address the specific needs of production and quality management processes.
Why choose dynamic checklist solutions?
A successful InfoPath migration requires a structured approach to minimize disruption and ensure operational continuity:
This phased approach minimizes risk and ensures operational continuity during transition, typically takes 12-18 months for organizations with large InfoPath portfolio.
Microsoft platform was great for process automation through customizable templates. But with the legacy system discontinued and official support ending, organizations need to find alternatives that address evolving needs and offer modern digital capabilities.
What replaces the legacy platform? The answer depends on your requirements:
While Excel, custom software and standard solutions are options, dynamic checklist software is the perfect answer for industrial use, with the right balance of functionality, usability and modern capabilities.
By addressing the limitations of the legacy platform and adding features for modern processes, dynamic checklist platforms provide seamless integration, scalability and usability. As organizations move into the post-legacy system era, these solutions offer a practical path forward, balancing innovation with efficiency to increase productivity.
The key is not just finding a legacy platform replacement but selecting a modern solution that positions your organization for future success with mobile functionality, process automation, intuitive design and ongoing vendor assistance.
Migrating InfoPath forms starts with auditing all the forms in your SharePoint Server setup. The first step is to sort them into categories by complexity—simple, medium, complex—and then prioritize your most important ones. Try out a pilot migration with a sample group, then get your data stored in the new system. Train your users and have both the new and old systems running side by side to ensure the transition doesn’t cause any hiccups. For a big portfolio, you’re probably looking at 1-2 years. Using a reliable alternative to InfoPath means your teams can whip up new forms in no time—including custom jobs or new ones based on old templates. Many modern platforms integrate with Microsoft Word or Microsoft Power Apps, making it easier to design templates while keeping familiar tools in the workflow. The fact it’s got a user-friendly interface should also mean you can get your staff up and running on it pretty quickly even if they used to swear by InfoPath. Just be sure to keep an eye on those tricky structures like hierarchical data fields in tree views—you might need to do some careful mapping, especially if your forms rely on validation rules or other advanced logic.
The data stored in your legacy InfoPath Forms Services libraries is still structured on your SharePoint Server and will remain accessible even after Microsoft InfoPath Forms Services was retired in July 2021. However, come July 2026, you won’t be able to open or edit these entries through your browser anymore. If you want to hang onto your historical data, you’ll need to start thinking about extracting it and moving it to your new system. A lot of organizations use custom scripts to export information to SharePoint lists or Dataverse—this way they can create all sorts of new forms, or even new InfoPath forms in the target platform, while taking advantage of modern workflow automation features to keep operations running smoothly.
Coming July 2026, continuing to use Microsoft InfoPath is looking like a pretty risky move — here’s why: Your browser-based forms will just stop working, which will cause all sorts of problems. The longer you leave it, the more security vulnerabilities you’ll have to deal with because the software won’t be patched anymore. It’ll be totally incompatible with new SharePoint and Microsoft 365 updates. You’ll lose mobile availability and have to deal with all the technical maintenance headaches. In regulated industries, you could face compliance issues. The bottom line is, getting a good InfoPath replacement is the only way to keep creating forms, continue running your ops, and take full advantage of modern forms platforms whether that’s workflow automation or solutions that integrate with Microsoft Word without downtime or data loss.
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