2013 Minnesota Government IT SymposiumFor State Agencies, Counties, Cities, Higher Education and Nonprofits

 December 10-12, 2013   RiverCentre, St. Paul, MN   www.mngts.org/itsym

(Presented by GTS Educational Events)

Session #98Implementing No Code Solutions with SharePoint and InfoPath

Donald Donais, Avtex Consulting LLC

Thursday, December 12th, 20131:30-2:30 p.m.

SharePoint 2013 OverviewApril 9, 2023

Avtex SharePoint Consultantddonais@avtex.com

Blog – Tales from IT Sidehttp://talesfromitside.wordpress.com

Twitter@dondonais

Donald Donais

Agenda

• Before You Build• What Tools Are We Using?• Base InfoPath Knowledge• Base SharePoint Knowledge• InfoPath Features and Capabilities• Tips for Automation• Other Considerations

BEFORE YOU BUILD

Answer Basic Questions• Is There a Workflow Involved?

Translation of Business Process into SharePoint Workflow/Forms

• What is needed in the form? Fields for Form Information Fields for Workflow Interactivity within the Form Data Connectivity Browser vs. Client

• What is the Overall Solution? SharePoint List and/or Workflow InfoPath Form and/or Workflow .NET Form and/or Workflow 3rd Party Form and/or Workflow

WHAT TOOLS ARE WE USING?

SharePoint Tools

• SharePoint SharePoint 2007 SharePoint 2010 SharePoint 2013 SharePoint Online P1 & P2

• SharePoint Specific Version SharePoint Standard or Online P1 – InfoPath Client/Filler

Only SharePoint Enterprise or Online P2 – InfoPath

Client/Filler or Web Form

SharePoint Tools

• InfoPath SharePoint 2007 = InfoPath 2007 – 2013 SharePoint 2010 = InfoPath 2010 – 2013 SharePoint 2013 = InfoPath 2013

• Document Process Mapping Tool Visio XMind Etc.

BASE INFOPATH KNOWLEDGE

What Is InfoPath?

• Drag and Drop Experience WYSIWYG

• InfoPath Forms Divided Yet United Template = .xsn Data = .xml

• Data Permanently Connected to Template Template Changes – So Does the XML In Other Words – Delete a Field, There Goes Your Data

• Client Options InfoPath 2007 = One Application InfoPath 2010 & 2013 = Designer and Filler Applications

BASE SHAREPOINT KNOWLEDGE

SharePoint with InfoPath

• SharePoint Form Libraries Standard and Enterprise Versions InfoPath Template (XSN) is Content Type

• SharePoint Lists/Libraries (Apps) Can be Used as Data Source

• InfoPath Form Services Enterprise and P2 Available Web Form

SharePoint Specific Features

• Out of the Box Web Parts Form Services Web Parts or Apps

• SharePoint Web Services Web Services Used to Pull Information Example: Automatically Populate Users Name in form

• Data Connection Libraries Sometimes Needed – Working In Claims SharePoint

Environment Or Connecting to Other Data Sources

INFOPATH FEATURES AND CAPABILITIES

Validation• Create Custom Validation Scenarios• Require Something to Exist• Validate the Format

Formulas

• Functionality Without Coding

• Compare Fields• Change Field Values• Work with Dates/Times• Simple Math Functions• Retrieve User Name

(userName)

Rules• Based on Formatting or

Action• Actions Include:

Set a field’s value Query for Data Submit data Send Data to Web Part (2010

& 2013)• Use Conditions to Control

When the Rule is Used

Views

• Different Layouts Possible

• Still Based on the Same Data

• Not All Fields Need to be Displayed ‘Read Only’ View Print View

• Restrict View to a Specific User Role

Web Based Forms

• SharePoint 207-2013 InfoPath Form Services• Fill Out Forms Via the Web

InfoPath Client NOT Required

• .NET Code-Behind Supported Requires Publishing to Forms Server

• Smart Client Only Features: Most Controls Filters, Roles, Conditional Formatting, Rules and

Validation Some Script, Custom Task Panes

InfoPath – Enabling Web Forms• Compatibility Checker

Checks for Feature Compatibility

Browser Checker InfoPath 2003 Filler InfoPath 2007 Filler and

2007 Web Browser Form InfoPath 2010 Filler Form

and Web Browser Form InfoPath Filler Form (2013)

and Web Browser Form (2013)

InfoPath – Connecting to the Outside World• Can Be Connected to

Multiple Data Sources Web Service SQL Database Xml Document SharePoint List

• Pull in Dynamic Data• Connection Library

Uses Office Data Connection

SharePoint can Host Many Connections

Demo• Create Expense Report

TIPS FOR FORM AUTOMATION

Using Default Values

• Some Information Needs Default Values

• Example: Date of Submission

• Simply Use Function – Today()

• Use In Combination with Read Only Field

Automatically Display User Info• User Profile Service

Available Formula Option: username() User Profile Service Data

Connection Other Properties Available

• Data Connection http://ServerName/_vti_bin/

UserProfileService.asmx?WSDL

GetUserProfileByName

Cascade Dropdowns

• Data May Need to be Related to an Item• Other Fields Become Populated• Data Connections to SharePoint List• Data Connection Contain Data and Query

Data to Display Specific Information Query to Retrieve Information to Use In Form

• Can Use a Rule to Trigger the Cascade to Other Fields

Demo• Working With User Profile• Cascade Dropdowns

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Adjusting Form Options• Web and Filler Options

Capabilities of Removing Save, Close, Views, etc.

• Offline Capabilities Fill Out Form If Not Connected To

Data

• Email Attachments Options for Email Form through

Microsoft Outlook

• Property Promotion Used to Move Fields to be Columns

in SharePoint

• Compatibility Version of InfoPath/SharePoint

Working With

Deployment of InfoPath Forms• SharePoint Form Library

Presentation Was About This Method Use This Method Doing One Off

Deployments

• SharePoint Content Type Deploy Once and Reuse Define Several InfoPath Forms for

One Library

• Admin-Approved Form Template Deploy When Have C# or VB Code

and Need Web Form Done Through Central Administration

or PowerShell

InfoPath and Office – The DIP

• InfoPath Fragment Usable Inside of Office

• Facilitates Metadata Entry

• Associate InfoPath Form with a Content Type

• Associate a Content Type with a Document Library

• New Documents will Contain the Custom DIP

Customizing SharePoint Lists

• SharePoint Lists New/Edit Forms• Add New Fields• Rearrange Existing Fields• Apply themes• Add Validation Rules• Add Views

Web Forms and URL’s• InfoPath URL’s = UGLY!

• Some Components Not Needed Remove %2F, %3A, %2E, etc. from URL

• Components Needed Server Name – http://portal.Contoso.com/demo/layouts/FormServer.aspx? Xsn Location –

XsnLocation=http://portal.Contoso.com/demo/CheckRequest/Forms/template.xsn

• Add Other Components &Source=URL to redirect after close &DefaultView=ViewName

Extending InfoPath

• Web Service Calls to LOB data Ability to Use Familiar Development Tools

• JScript Coding Easy to Deploy in InfoPath Client Lacks the Power of .NET

• .NET Code Behind Full .NET Connectivity More Difficult to Deploy Visual Studio and Source Control Issues

Q & A

Resources

• Deployment of InfoPath Forms http://bit.ly/1elqfHI

• Connect URL to Specific Form or view http://bit.ly/1aUTHzi

• Tips and Tricks for Making Form Filling Faster http://bit.ly/1izX5r5

• InfoPath – Query Specific SharePoint List Data http://bit.ly/1dmTjSf

• InfoPath User Profile Within SharePoint Claims Environment http://bit.ly/xZTRw5

MN SharePoint Users Group Website

• SharePoint Resource Documents• SharePoint Resource links• RSS Feeds • Meeting Schedule• Past User Group Presentations• Past User Group Recordings• Sponsorship Information

• http://sharepointmn.com• Email: sharepoint@sharepointmn.com

THANK YOU!Avtex IT Pro Consultant

ddonais@avtex.com

Blog – Tales from IT Sidehttp://talesfromitside.wordpress.com

Twitter@dondonais