BSU Workshop – Advanced Forms

Introduction

Objectives: View a basic SharePoint list View the field properties of a SharePoint list View a form based on a SharePoint list Understand the relationship between lists and default forms

View a basic SharePoint list

1. Open your web browser and visit https://my.bridgew.edu (log in may be required)2. From the upper navigation bar, click on Collaboration3. From the list of collaboration sites, click on SharePoint Communications4. On the lower left, select All Site Content5. In the list section (halfway down), select AdvForms – Custom List6. Observe the SharePoint List

View the properties of a SharePoint list

1. In the upper ribbon, select List2. On the right side of the List ribbon, select List Settings (as shown)

3. Scroll down to the Columns section to observe the columns in the form.4. Click on a column name to explore the properties of that field.

View the form based on a SharePoint list

1. Return to the SharePoint list, either by selecting AdvForms – Custom List from the breadcrumb trail, or following the steps in the first section

2. At the bottom of the list, click Add New Item3. Observe the form generated based on the list

1

BSU Workshop – Advanced Forms

Creating Custom Lists

Objectives: Create a custom SharePoint list Add and delete a column from a SharePoint list Understand the various column types available for use Change the order of columns in a SharePoint list Place simple validation on a SharePoint form

Create a custom SharePoint list

1. While in your site, click All Site Content at the bottom of the left nav bar.2. Near the top left, click Create. This will launch the Create box.3. On the left hand navigation bar, select List4. Click on Custom List5. On the right side of the Create box, enter the name of your list.

Add a column to a SharePoint list

1. Click on the Create Column button as shown

2. Enter the column name, and choose a column type. Adjust additional column settings as necessary

3. Press OK at the bottom of the form

2

BSU Workshop – Advanced Forms

Delete a column in a SharePoint list

1. In the upper ribbon, select List2. On the right side of the List ribbon, select List Settings (as shown)

3. Scroll down to the Columns section to observe the columns in the form4. Click on the column name you wish to delete5. Press the Delete button at the bottom of the page

Note: The title field is not as easily deleted and is better suited to be renamed and re-used, e.g. rename Title to a different single-line text field.

However, the title field can be hidden and the method is shown at the end of this document.

Change the order of columns in a SharePoint list

1. In the upper ribbon, select List2. On the right side of the List ribbon, select List Settings (as shown)

3. Scroll down to the Columns section to observe the columns in the form4. Click the Column Ordering link at the bottom of the Columns section5. Arrange your columns using the numbers on the right side. When you are done, press OK

3

BSU Workshop – Advanced Forms

Setting up simple validation for a column in a SharePoint list

1. In the upper ribbon, select List2. On the right side of the List ribbon, select List Settings (as shown)

3. Scroll down to the Columns section to observe the columns in the form4. Click a column name5. Scroll down and expand the Column Validation section by clicking on it

6. Enter a formula representing the validation you need in the Formula box. (e.g. [YearsPlayed] > 0)

7. Enter a text message to display if the validation fails in the User Message box.(e.g. “You have to have at least one year of experience to play on the team!”)

8. Press OK

4

BSU Workshop – Advanced Forms

Publishing the Form

Objectives: Understand how permissions are placed on a list Understand how to link to your form from a site page Place a link to your form on the left hand navigation bar Learn how to incorporate a thank you/confirmation page to your form

Placing permissions on a list

Since permissions are an advanced feature, the Web Team will assist by placing the appropriate permissions on forms you create. The process for this is as follows:

1. Create your form in its entirety, testing to make sure your work will suit your needs2. Email webteam@bridgew.edu3. Include in the email the URL of your form, and who the owners of the form should be

How to link to your form from a site page

1. Visit the SharePoint list2. Right-click on the Add new item link at the bottom of the list.3. Choose Copy Shortcut as shown

4. The URL for your form is now on the clipboard. You can paste this URL directly into an email or a site page by inserting a link and using the clipboard information for your URL.

5

BSU Workshop – Advanced Forms

Place a link to your form on the left hand navigation bar

1. Follow the steps in the previous section to get the URL of your form onto the clipboard2. Visit: https://my.bridgew.edu/departments/TTC/SitePages/SharePoint%20Content

%20Migration%20Training%20Reference.aspx for information on accessing your site’s left hand navigation control panel

3. Use the URL on the clipboard to set up a new link

Incorporating a “Thank you”/confirmation page when using your form

1. Create a new site page. Name this page ThankYou. 2. Edit the ThankYou page and type out the message you want users to see after successfully filling

out your form. 3. Save and close the new page.4. Use the techniques shown earlier in this section about obtaining the URL for your form, and

placing it on the clipboard5. Open Microsoft Word, NotePad, or other text editor and paste the URL of the form into the

application. For example:https://my.bridgew.edu/departments/it/Lists/IT%20Computer%20Support%20Services%20Student%20Employment%20Ap/Newform.aspx

6. Immediately after the .aspx, with no spaces, type ?source= For example:https://my.bridgew.edu/departments/it/Lists/IT%20Computer%20Support%20Services%20Student%20Employment%20Ap/Newform.aspx?source=

7. Using your browser, visit the ThankYou page and capture the URL by copying the link shown in the browser

8. Using your text editor, paste the URL of the ThankYou page on to the end of the string you have entered. For example:https://my.bridgew.edu/departments/it/Lists/IT%20Computer%20Support%20Services%20Student%20Employment%20Ap/Newform.aspx?source=https://my.bridgew.edu/departments/support/SitePages/Application%20Submitted%20Successfully.aspx

9. Copy this entire string, and use it as your link destination URL. The users will be presented the ThankYou page once the form is filled out.

6

BSU Workshop – Advanced Forms

Other List/Form Features

Objectives: Understand how email can be used with form results Hiding the Title field in a SharePoint list Placing Introductory Text at the top of a form

Setting up a form to receive an email when a new submission is made

Since forms are used to place new entries into a list, you can place an Alert on your list to be alerted via email when someone has submitted a new form.

The procedure for setting up an alert was discussed in an earlier class, and a step-by-step procedure can be found at the bottom of the Content Migration Training Reference guide, found here:https://my.bridgew.edu/departments/TTC/SitePages/SharePoint%20Content%20Migration%20Training%20Reference.aspx

Hiding the Title field in a SharePoint list

1. On the right side of the List ribbon, select List Settings (as shown)

2. Under General Settings, click on Advanced Settings3. The first option to set is entitled: Allow management of content types? Choose Yes.4. Click OK.5. Scroll down to the Content Types section, and click Item6. Under the Columns setting, click on the Title column7. On the next screen, choose the button for Hidden (will not appear in forms)8. Click OK

7

BSU Workshop – Advanced Forms

Place some introductory text at the top of a form

1. On the right side of the List ribbon, select the smaller Modify Form Web Parts button, which is right to the left of the List Settings button used earlier in this text

2. When the sub-menu pops up, choose Default New Form3. Click somewhere on your form to activate it4. On the upper ribbon, click on Insert

5. Within the ribbon options, select the first option: Text6. When you click Text, it will add a Web Part to your form called Content Editor. Click on the text

underneath it: Click here to add new content7. Enter your text. You can format it using the options in the ribbon above.8. When you are done, select Page in the upper toolbar, and then choose Stop Editing

Place Introductory Text Option #21. From All Item view, Select “Modify Form Web Parts” Select “Default New Form” from drop

down.

Select “Add a Web Part”. Choose “Web Content Editor Web Part”. Insert your text into the Content Editor Web Part. Save.

8