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#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
Presented By: Prashant G Bhoyar
Building Business SolutionsUsing InfoPath
05 October 2013
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
Who am I?• SharePoint Consultant at Portal
Solutions
• Product - AuthentiMate
• Services – We love SharePoint ..
• Guy with multiple hats
• University of Maryland College Park Alumni
• Recipient of Antarctic Service Medal
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
What Will We Cover Today?• InfoPath
• InfoPath and SharePoint
• Browser based Forms
• InfoPath Deployment
• Limitations of InfoPath
• Future of InfoPath
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
WhyInfoPath?
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Why InfoPath in SharePoint?
• InfoPath Forms Services
• Browser Support
• Local Installation is not required
• Easy to create
• Empowered non coders
• Out of the Box
• Formatting/Presentation
• Validations
• Rules
• Calculations
• Logic
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Examples of InfoPath in SharePoint• Leave System
• Time cards
• Performance reviews
• Collaborative budgeting
• Status reports
• Service requests
• Recruiting
• New project initiation
• New hires / terminations
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
InfoPath Client Based Technologies
• InfoPath Filler
• Used by End Users to complete the forms or “fill it in”
• Can’t be use to design form templates
• Need InfoPath client to use
• InfoPath Designer
• Used by Designers to design and publish form templates
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Typical InfoPath Life Cycle
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InfoPath Forms in SharePoint• Standard InfoPath Forms
• Usage Scenario :
• Users create new form
• Fill the information and
• Promote certain fields to forms library (Property Promotion)
• List Forms
• Upgrade the List associated forms to InfoPath forms
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Browser Based Forms• No local installation of InfoPath client
• Inherits SharePoint’s core functionalities
• Any options that cannot be rendered in a browser is hidden. For Example (Spell-Check, The Vertical Label, Ink Picture, Signature
Line, Scrolling).
Full list can be found here http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/infopath-help/infopath-2010-features-
unavailable-in-web-browser-forms-HA101732796.aspx
• Available only with Enterprise Client Access License (eCAL) for SharePoint 2010.
• Not available in SharePoint Foundation or SharePoint Standard Server
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
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InfoPath List Forms in SharePoint• Advantages
• Easy to customize
• Add validations, rules
• Formatting/Presentation
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InfoPath List Forms in SharePoint• Drawbacks
• SharePoint adds additional information to list and content type like hidden fields, absolute urls
• Deployment to other site collection, Web Application and Farms
• Resolution: Save list as template (.stp) and deploy
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DEMO
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InfoPath XSN and XML Files• XSN or Form Template is collection of several files
packaged into a cabinet (.cab) file
• Forms are stored in SharePoint in the form of XML files
• Inherits core SharePoint functionalities (Versions, Recycle Bin etc.)
• Information is “Human Readable” …
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Data Connections• Sources
• Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) Web Services
• Representational State Transfer (REST) Web Services
• SharePoint lists
• Database
• XML file
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Data Connection Library• List designed to store data connection files for use in
InfoPath
• Data connection details are not stored in the form
• Details of system to which the form connects are not hard-coded into the form
• If connection details change, only the data connection must be updated. This avoids needing to update and redeploy the form
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DEMO
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Save and Submit• Use InfoPath toolbar options Save and Save As
• No control over where the forms get saved, or what filenames are used.
• Custom Submit Button
• Web Service
• Hosting Env
• Web Server
• Data Connection
• SharePoint Document Library
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
InfoPath Forms Data• Store in form itself
• Open the form to see the info
• Difficult to crawl the information
• Publish in Library/List –“Property Promotion”
• Create list views
• Can be used by other Workflows
• Used as look up field
• Search
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DEMO
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InfoPath Forms Web Part SharePoint• Consistent look and feel
• Use of InfoPath Forms Web Part
• Provides a range of options for rendering
• Avoid if Form is complex and has multiple views
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DEMO
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InfoPath Deployment
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InfoPath Deployment
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• Deploying to a Form Library
• InfoPath Designer requires direct access to SharePoint Server
• Form will be available in specific site/library
• Deploying to a Content Type
• Creates a new content type
• Available in List and Libraries of Site
• Cons:
• Need to deploy manually to all site collections
• Manually associate content type with list/library
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
InfoPath DeploymentAdministrator Approved Forms Templates
• Available only in On-Premise version
• Allows InfoPath form to be reused throughout the entire SharePoint farm
• Easy to maintain, as we need to do change at one location only
• Only option for deployment for code behind
• To deploy:
• Save the Form template
• Upload to Central Admin
• Use the option “Activate to a site collection” for each site collection
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DEMO
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Alternatives to InfoPathAlternative Advantages over InfoPath Disadvantages
over InfoPathIdeal Usage When not to use
SharePoint List Forms
-Very Quick to Design-Can be upgraded to InfoPath-No technical Skills Required
-No control over Presentation
-When very simple Info is required-When time and resource are Limited
-Presentation isimportant-Time and Resources are available
Custom SharePoint Web Parts
- Can meet exactrequirements (Custom Code)
-Difficult to maintain without developer
-Need complete control over UI
-Want to avoid custom code
Custom SharePoint Application Pages (ASP.NETPages)
- Can meet exactrequirements (Custom Code)
-Difficult to maintain without developer
-Need complete control over UI
-Want to avoid custom code
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Is InfoPath Right Choice?• Yes if,
• Forms that must be designed by a non-technical user (Power User)
• Custom Code is not allowed
• Forms that will benefit from rich conditional formatting
• Forms that must be designed rapidly
• Solution will be hosted in cloud vs on Premise
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References
Appendix/ResourcesSharePoint 2010 Enterprise Architect's GuidebookBy: Brian Wilson; Reza Alirezaei; Bill Baer; Martin Kearn
Using Microsoft InfoPath 2010 with Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Step by StepBy: Darvish Shadravan and Laura Rogers
MSDN: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/default.aspxBlogs : http://www.andrewconnell.com/blog/my-thoughts-infopath-2013-the-future-of-infopath
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
Princeton SharePoint user group• Different SharePoint
discussions each month on various topics. Announced on meetup.com
• Meets 4th Wednesday of every month
• 6pm – 8pm• Infragistics Office • 2 Commerce Drive, Cranbury,
NJ• http://www.meetup.com/prin
cetonSUG• http://www.princetonsug.com
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Thank You Event Sponsors
• Platinum & Gold sponsors have tables here in the Fireside Lounge
• Please visit them and inquire about their products & services
• To be eligible for prizes make sure your bingo card is signed by all Platinum/Gold
#SPSNJ @PGBhoyar
Questions? Feedback? Contact me:
Twitter: @PGBhoyar Blog: http://pgbhoyar.wordpress.com ( limited contents ) Email: [email protected]
Thank You Organizers, Sponsors and You for Making this Possible.