How to Replace Legacy InfoPath with Forms 

Many organizations still operate significant legacy on-premises SharePoint Server environments (2016, 2019) even as they begin to migrate processes to the cloud. Within those environments, InfoPath forms often represent a complex liability: convertible only with significant effort, dependent on specialist skills, and increasingly obsolete. 

Why InfoPath is a risk 

• InfoPath has been discontinued by Microsoft, and though support for InfoPath 2013 lasts until July 14, 2026, organisations relying on it face increasing compliance and compatibility risk. Wikipedia+2Microsoft Learn+2 

The migration dilemma 

There are a few common paths when replacing InfoPath: 

1. Move to cloud-native solutions such as Microsoft Power Apps and Microsoft Forms. But if your organisation remains on-premises (or strongly tied to on-prem infrastructure), these may not be practical. 
2. Adopt third-party on-prem-capable forms platforms that support migration from InfoPath.  
3. Use a hybrid or gradual approach — keep some processes on-premises while planning cloud transition. 

If your organisation “wants to stay on-premises and move to SharePoint SE (site-based/structured experience)”, then the migration path requires a solution tailored to on-premises deployments with minimal coding, strong forms logic, and options to mimic InfoPath constructs (e.g., repeating tables, cascading look-ups, tabbed layouts). 

Introducing “Forms from SOS” 

For organizations with on-premises SharePoint who want an InfoPath-replacement that stays in their control, the product Forms from SOS is designed to fit the gap. 
Key features: 

• Controls similar to InfoPath: cascading lookups, repeating rows. 
• Support for permissions, validations, layout across tabs. 
• Designed for ease of use: a low-code interface aimed at site owners rather than full developers. 
• Extendable via scripting and CSS for advanced scenarios. 
• Compatible with on-premises SharePoint (i.e., not purely cloud). 

Why this matters 

By choosing a solution built for on-premises and cloud with familiar form requirements, you reduce risk of disruption, avoid full rewrites into high-complexity platforms, and maintain governance and ownership within your team. In contrast, generic cloud-only solutions may require wholesale rework of process logic or rely on IT/developer resources. For example, many InfoPath migration guides stress the challenge of migrating complex workflows and business logic. Crow Canyon Software 

Migration approach: Gradual & practical 

Here’s a recommended step-by-step approach: 

1. Inventory and assess: Identify all existing InfoPath forms across your SharePoint 2016/2019 estate. What are they used for? Who uses them? Which are critical vs. which are obsolete? skybow.com+1 
2. Prioritize: Pick a manageable batch of forms (e.g., 5–10) that are critical but of moderate complexity. Avoid starting with extremely large or deeply integrated workflows. 
3. Prototype with Forms from SOS: Build one representative form in the new tool. Use controls for cascading lookup, repeating rows, tabbed layout, validation, and permissions. Validate with your business users. 
4. Iterate and refine: Capture lessons (what mappings from InfoPath needed manual work, what validation logic had to be rebuilt, how permissions translate). 
5. Roll out in waves: Move groups of forms in batches (e.g., department by department), rather than a “big bang”. This limits disruption and gives your team time to adapt. 
6. Archive or retire legacy forms: For forms that are rarely used or obsolete, consider retiring them, rather than migrating. 
7. Govern & train: Equip your site-owners and citizen developers with training on the low-code interface. Establish governance around who can create/modify forms, versioning, testing. 
8. Monitor and optimise: After migration, monitor usage, error-rates, performance, user feedback. Optimize as needed. 

Benefits achieved 

• Continuity: Business users keep using forms they recognise, with features they depend on (e.g., repeating rows, cascading lookups). 
• Reduced disruption: Because migration is gradual and on-premises, you don’t force a full cloud transition at once. 
• Lower skill barrier: Site owners (rather than full-blown developers) can build and maintain many forms. 
• Extensibility: Scripting/CSS support means you can still handle advanced scenarios or custom layouts when needed. 
• Future-proofing: Though you stay on-premises, you are moving away from an unsupported platform (InfoPath) and modernizing your form layer. 

Considerations & caveats 

• Even with a low-code tool, very complex InfoPath forms (with heavy custom code, web-services, external data connections) will need careful migration and possibly logic rework. 
• Permissions and workflows tied to older InfoPath forms may need redesign when moving to the new tool. 
• If your organization eventually plans to migrate to SharePoint Online (or hybrid), ensure the chosen on-prem solution aligns with future architecture or can be migrated again. 
• Training and governance are key: even “easy” tools need oversight to prevent form sprawl, duplication, or uncontrolled modifications. 

Summary 

If your organization is still relying on InfoPath in an on-premises SharePoint 2016/2019 environment, and you wish to modernize without immediately embracing full cloud migration or highly complex developer-centric tools, then a purpose-built solution like Forms from SOS offers a balanced path: retaining familiar form capabilities, supporting on-premises deployment, and empowering site-owners with a low-code building interface. By adopting a gradual, batch-based migration approach, you can minimize disruption, control risk, and transition your form infrastructure into a modern, maintainable era.