Download - SPSOrlando - InfoPath 2010 Jumpstarter
InfoPath 2010 Jumpstarter: My trip from Zero to Hero
Justin Reed IT Expert, Application Development
About me
• Currently
• “The SharePoint Guy” for UF Housing & Residence Education
• Division of Student Affairs
• Previously • Dept. of Corrections • Dept. of Transportation • Sears Holdings
• Contact Info • Twitter – @Jreed637 • Email – [email protected] • Blog – jcrtek.com
Agenda
• InfoPath Overview
• InfoPath Benefits
• Tips and Best Practices
• Demo: Template Parts
• Demo: Tabbed Sections
• Demo: Web Services
• Wrap-up and Questions
InfoPath Overview
• Easy-to-use form creation tool
• Help get users away from Word/Excel/PDF forms • Streamline business processes and increase efficiency • Forms can be created by your power users
• Create advanced solutions without writing code
• Can be extended further with C# or VBA code behind
• Built on existing standards
• XML – Industry standard language for working with data
InfoPath Overview
• Connect with multiple types of data sources
• Receive • SOAP Web Service • REST Web Services • SharePoint libraries/lists • MSSQL DBs and XML
• Submit • Web Service • SharePoint Library • ASP.Net hosting environment
InfoPath Overview
• InfoPath comes in two flavors
• Designer: used to create the forms • Filler: used to fill out the forms • Included with Office Pro Plus or Standalone
• Form Types
• List forms • Filler Forms
• User needs InfoPath to fill out the form
• Browser-based forms in your SharePoint environment • Form Library or Admin-deploy as a Content Type • User doesn’t need Office at all
InfoPath Benefits
• Efficient data collection
• Data Sources help automate form filling
• Error reduction
• Add simple validation before submit • Dropdown list boxes pre-populated with defined choices
• Audit compliance
• Form security, retention, and workflow history via SharePoint
• It’s green!
• Think of the trees
Tips and Best Practices
• Plan Ahead
• Meet with stakeholders or end users
• Discuss what end result they desire
• Since we’re moving paper forms to electronic
• Iron out issues with existing business process
• Identify improvements to be made during upgrade
• Consolidate functions of various forms
• Establish workflow for new form
• Who will use it? Where to put it?
• Who gets access to the information
Tips and Best Practices
• Design your Data Source first
• Name your fields and groups!
Tips and Best Practices
• Consistency
• Look and feel – Theme forms to your Org • Buttons and navigation
• Instead of Ribbon UI, use buttons w/ custom actions
• Use Groups/Sections • Keep your fields organized into logical units • Use conditional formatting to show/hide
• Help direct form flow based on input or roles
• Keep things simple • Don’t overload users with too many fields • Move things to another view… or use groups and
sections
Demo Time
• Demo: Template Parts
Demo Time
• Demo: Tabbed Sections
Demo Time
• Demo: Web services
Resources
• Blogs • Clayton Cobb
• http://claytoncobb.wordpress.com/
• Laura Rogers • http://sharepoint911.com/blogs/laura/default.aspx
• Forums • Stack Exchange – http://sharepoint.stackexchange.com/
• TechNet – SharePoint Designer/InfoPath Forum
• InfoPathDev – http://www.infopathdev.com/
• Training • Qdabra Software – http://www.qdabra.com/
Questions
Thanks for attending! And a big thanks to our sponsors!