InfoPath- an introduction to InfoPath- Challenges supporting InfoPath

Who is presenting today

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Jon Vicary Experience

Since 2008 SharePoint 2003 SharePoint 2007 SharePoint 2010

Governance User Adoption Change management

Quick Question

Who has no idea what InfoPath is?

Who has filled out an InfoPath form?

Who has created a form?Basic form?Complex form?

Who supports end users with InfoPath?In one word what do your end users think of

InfoPath?

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Agenda

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1. Introducing InfoPath

2. The challenge of supporting InfoPath

3. Questions and answers

4. Questions and answers

5. Using controls to collect data

6. Browser forms

7. Finishing and publishing the form

Agenda

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1. Introducing InfoPath

2. The basics of template creation

3. Data sources

4. Formatting a template

5. Using controls to collect data

6. Browser forms

7. Finishing and publishing the form

- What can InfoPath do for you- What can form creators do with InfoPath- Understanding the different InfoPath programs

Introducing InfoPathWhat you can do with InfoPath

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Fill out the form InfoPath filler Browser (Internet Explorer)

Introducing InfoPathWhat you can do with InfoPath

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Fill out the form InfoPath filler Browser (Internet Explorer)

Submit the form By email To a SharePoint list / library To a database

Introducing InfoPathWhat you can do with InfoPath

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Fill out the form InfoPath filler Browser (Internet Explorer)

Submit the form By email To a SharePoint list / library To a database

Aggregate and view from details SharePoint

Agenda

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1. Introducing InfoPath

2. The basics of template creation

3. Data sources

4. Formatting a template

5. Using controls to collect data

6. Browser forms

7. Finishing and publishing the form

- What can InfoPath do for you- What can form creators do with InfoPath- Understanding the different InfoPath programs

Introducing InfoPathWhat can form creators do with InfoPath

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Introducing InfoPathWhat can form creators do with InfoPath

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Introducing InfoPathWhat can form creators do with InfoPath

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Introducing InfoPathWhat can form creators do with InfoPath

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Introducing InfoPathWhat can form creators do with InfoPath

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Introducing InfoPathWhat can form creators do with InfoPath

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Introducing InfoPathWhat can form creators do with InfoPath

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Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser

SharePoint Server

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser

SharePoint Server

SharePoint library

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser

SharePoint Server

SharePoint library

SharePoint list

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser

SharePoint Server

SharePoint library

SharePoint list

InfoPath web part

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser Filler

SharePoint Server

SharePoint library

SharePoint list

InfoPath web part

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser Filler

SharePoint Server Email form

SharePoint library

SharePoint list

InfoPath web part

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser Filler

SharePoint Server Email form

SharePoint library

SharePoint list

InfoPath web part

Networkshare

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser Filler

SharePoint Server Email form

SharePoint library

SharePoint list

InfoPath web part

Networkshare

Email to users

Introducing InfoPathTypes of InfoPath forms

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Browser Filler

SharePoint Server Email form SharePoint

SharePoint library

SharePoint list

InfoPath web part

Networkshare

Email to users

Introducing InfoPathWhat you can do with InfoPath

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Connect to a wide range of data sources

Introducing InfoPathWhat you can do with InfoPath

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Connect to a wide range of data sources Design themed forms

Introducing InfoPathWhat you can do with InfoPath

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Connect to a wide range of data sources Design themed forms Provide different views

Introducing InfoPathWhat you can do with InfoPath

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Connect to a wide range of data sources Design themed forms Provide different views Use a rich array of tools to capture data

Introducing InfoPathWhat you can do with InfoPath

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Connect to a wide range of data sources Design themed forms Provide different views Use a rich array of tools to capture data Not just a tool to create forms, but a tool

to create business solutions

Agenda

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1. Introducing InfoPath

2. The basics of template creation

3. Data sources

4. Formatting a template

5. Using controls to collect data

6. Browser forms

7. Finishing and publishing the form

- What can InfoPath do for you- What can form creators do with InfoPath- Understanding the different InfoPath programs

Introducing InfoPathUnderstanding the different InfoPath programs

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InfoPath Filler Client side program Fill in forms

Introducing InfoPathUnderstanding the different InfoPath programs

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InfoPath Filler Client side program Fill in forms

InfoPath Designer Client side program Design themed forms Provide different views Use a rich array of tools to capture data Not just a tool to create forms, but a tool

to create business solutions

Agenda

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1. Introducing InfoPath

2. The challenge of supporting InfoPath

3. Business scenarios

4. Questions and answers

5. Using controls to collect data

6. Browser forms

7. Finishing and publishing the form

- A common SharePoint story- Supporting InfoPath – the options

Agenda

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1. Introducing InfoPath

2. The challenge of supporting InfoPath

3. Business scenarios

4. Questions and answers

5. Using controls to collect data

6. Browser forms

7. Finishing and publishing the form

- A common SharePoint story- Supporting InfoPath – the options

The challenge of supporting InfoPathA common SharePoint story

In my experience supporting end users with SharePoint, I see a clear and worrying trend:

SharePoint takes you 95% there out-of-the-box. The last 5% requires development to make end users truly satisfied

1 2 3

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The challenge of supporting InfoPathA common SharePoint story

SharePoint Product Marketing:SharePoint can be used to solve

business problems

to….

SharePoint can be used to almost solve business problems

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Examples Workflows Alert emails Web Parts

Agenda

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1. Introducing InfoPath

2. The challenge of supporting InfoPath

3. Business scenarios

4. Questions and answers

5. Using controls to collect data

6. Browser forms

7. Finishing and publishing the form

- A common SharePoint story- Supporting InfoPath – the options

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• Switch it offDon’t support it at all

• Let people use it but tell them they are by themselves

Don’t support it at all

• Support users with basic forms but not complex forms that contain business logic

Support it within limits

• Gather requirements and build forms with end users

Fully supported

The challenge of supporting InfoPathSupporting InfoPath: The options

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• Switch it offDon’t support it at all

• Let people use it but tell them they are by themselves

Don’t support it at all

• Support users with basic forms but not complex forms that contain business logic

Support it within limits

• Gather requirements and build forms with end users

Fully supported

The challenge of supporting InfoPathSupporting InfoPath: The options

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Eliminates support burden

• One less thing for users to learn

• Preventing users from creating dynamic solutions to some of their common business challenges

• Users continue to use Excel / Word which don’t meet their requirements

• Business functions invest in expensive standalone solutions

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• Let people use it but tell them they are by themselves

Don’t support it at all

• Let people use it but tell them they are by themselves

Don’t support it at all

• Support users with basic forms but not complex forms that contain business logic

Support it within limits

• Gather requirements and build forms with end users

Fully supported

The challenge of supporting InfoPathSupporting InfoPath: The options

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Give access to a create tool

• People will use it to find solutions that make a difference

• Users will ask for support anyway

• User frustration will increase when IT says no to support

• Users may create forms that are not technically built correctly

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• Support users with basic forms but not complex forms that contain business logic

Support it within limits

• Let people use it but tell them they are by themselves

Don’t support it at all

• Support users with basic forms but not complex forms that contain business logic

Support it within limits

• Gather requirements and build forms with end users

Fully supported

The challenge of supporting InfoPathSupporting InfoPath: The options

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Give access to a create tool

• People will use it to find solutions that make a difference

• Users will ask for support anyway, even for the complicated stuff

• User frustration will increase when IT says no to support

• Users may create forms that are not technically built correctly

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• Gather requirements and build forms with end users

Fully supported

• Let people use it but tell them they are by themselves

Don’t support it at all

• Support users with basic forms but not complex forms that contain business logic

Support it within limits

• Gather requirements and build forms with end users

Fully supported

The challenge of supporting InfoPathSupporting InfoPath: The options

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Give access to a create tool

• Great solutions can be provided to business customers

• Perception of IT increases

• SharePoint is adopted by more people

• Can be very costly

• IT need to gain skills

• IT will need to consider this in next platform migration

Agenda

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1. Introducing InfoPath

2. The challenge of supporting InfoPath

3. Questions and answers

4. Questions and answers

5. Using controls to collect data

6. Browser forms

7. Finishing and publishing the form

Questions?

Thank you!