2013 MN IT Govt Symposium - Implement No Code Solutions with SharePoint and InfoPath

2013 Minnesota Government IT Symposium
For 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 #98
Implementing No Code Solutions with SharePoint and InfoPath
Donald Donais, Avtex Consulting LLC
Thursday, December 12th, 2013
1:30-2:30 p.m.

SharePoint 2013 Overview
July 16, 2014

Avtex SharePoint Consultant
ddonais@avtex.com
Blog – Tales from IT Side
http://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

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

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.

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

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

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/U
serProfileService.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

• Working With User Profile
• Cascade Dropdowns

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

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

Avtex IT Pro Consultant
ddonais@avtex.com
Blog – Tales from IT Side
http://talesfromitside.wordpress.com
Twitter
@dondonais

2013 MN IT Govt Symposium - Implement No Code Solutions with SharePoint and InfoPath

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