SharePoint Conference 14 Notes: Update on InfoPath and SharePoint Forms

Below are my raw notes from attending the Update on InfoPath and SharePoint Forms session at the Microsoft SharePoint Conference 2014. Most of these are from my Twitter account, as I live-tweeted the session:Most important first: They don't have a full replacement for InfoPath that they are announcing today. It is a journey, and they are looking for community / client feedback on http://officeforms.uservoice.com . They are planning on multiple technologies primarily investments in Access and related services to be the eventual replacements for InfoPathNext most important: InfoPath 2013 will be supported in the standard lifecycle for the next 10 years. There will just be no new innovation in the software/services.:

• Microsoft will provide full notice before anything is “turned off”
• They are aware of the broad dependency on InfoPath today

• Forms on SharePoint Lists (FoSL) is new functionality. Expected to release mid-to-late this year
• App forms support relational data

Demo of Excel Surveys

• Available today on-premises, Office 365 and OneDrive
• End user experience is a web-based form, which populates a hosted Excel spreadsheet

• Excel Survey demo URL: WopiFrame.aspx-guestaccesstoken=KuVuOimlOszkS9voFfVyqdq8Wc2rWWYAxfCm%2b8rqoCk%3d&docid=1_106965c
• Example capture of data:

Demo of Forms on SharePoint List

• The current experience of List Forms is modal – “This is annoying”
• New customize form button on Ribbon for Lists

• New Form designer in the browser
• Can drag and move elements in the form within the browser
• Can resize form controls in the browser

• Introduced new List Details View
• Looks like Access services
• Uses the same Forms UI as Access Apps, but it is pure SharePoint

• Development if these form technologies will be iterative, and want community feedback on uservoice site

Demo of Structured Documents

• Meant to represent a “paper” form… think PDF forms, using Word technology
• The Microsoft Word team has committed to providing a roadmap later in the year, but no announcements now

Demo of App Forms

• This is multiple forms that are interconnected
• Relational tables, not just based on a list
• Uses same end user UI as Forms on SharePoint Lists

• App forms provides one to many relationship

Continued General Discussion

• There are many more development technologies, like LightSwitch, that are not covered in this session. This session is focused on the Information Worker (no code)

• They do not know exactly what the InfoPath migration tools will be, because they do not yet know what the end target will be.
• If you don’t need relational data, Forms on SharePoint List is probably all you need. #Access is for apps.

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Open Question & AnswersQ: Should we expect contextual experience in #SharePoint Designer? A: It's important, will look at itQ: What about completing a task inside of Outlook like #InfoPath? A: We are talking with teams on this; Not sure dev or IW yet #spc14Q: Why about offline? A: Looking at caching; On radar; Looking at 1 yr in future;Q: What about external data sources? A: Looking at least a year out.Q: Are the #Excel surveys just in Excel 2013? A: On-prem 2013, @Office365 and @onedriveQ: With #FoSL support cascading combos? A: This was added to #Access this last year; Plan to make available to #FoSLWe are aware that #InfoPath#Forms Services if very important to Enterprise customers. We are working on it.Q: What about reusability with #InfoPath / content types A: We are looking at structured documents to answer this.Q: What about code behind? A: This is on the roadmap, for developers to customize even #FoSL. Not sure if it will be "code behind"Q: Current #InfoPath has attached files. A: We are working through this now. SP lists support attachments. One of the 1st things we doQ: Will we lose functionality? A: Nothing formal. Maybe code behind, as focused on Information Workers.Q: When on-premises? A: Not sure yet. We can innovate faster on @Office365. Will come to on-prem sometime.Q: LightSwitch doesn't require HTML, JS, etc. A: True, but it pushes into Visual Studio. Not "IW" space. More "pro dev"Q: Is it possible to inject JavaScript? A: Presently no, closed system. Allows us to refactor for mobile, touch, etcQ: Are you able to propagate environments for #forms on envs? A: You can package it as an App Package. No story yet for #FoSLAt present, no workflow in #Access#forms#spc14<—needQ: Can you change Views on structured docs? A: Probably not. #FoSL#forms definitely will, based on current state.Q: Is there #FoSL integration for workflow with SP Designer? A: We are trying to figure out UI logic, data logic interact. FutureQ: With SP Designer losing design view, what about joining lists? A: Not looking at dev (no CAML intent)Q: Does #Excel survey replace #SharePoint survey? A: NoQ: Using K2 Forms with #InfoPath. What about other data sources? A: That is further out. User Profiles will be 1st. Others later.Q: Use repeating tables today. #FoSL? A: Multi-value fields and repeating are something we are looking at for future.Q: What is the driver for ending #InfoPath? A: We have multiple paths for the tech needs, and #Access made more senseReminder: #InfoPath will be supported for next 10 years, just no new innovation.