SPS Philly 2013 - Building Business Solutions Using InfoPath

#SPSPhilly @PGBhoyar

Presented By: Prashant G Bhoyar

Building Business SolutionsUsing InfoPath

23 February 2013


Who am I?


What Will We Cover Today?• InfoPath

• InfoPath and SharePoint

• Browser based Forms

• InfoPath Deployment

• Limitations of InfoPath


WhyInfoPath?


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Why InfoPath in SharePoint?• InfoPath Forms Services

• Browser Support –Local Installation is not required

• Easy to create

• Out of the Box Validation, Rules, Calculations, Logic, Formatting


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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


InfoPath 2010 Client Based Technologies

• InfoPath Filler 2010

• 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 2010

• Used by Designers to design and publish form templates


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. (add InfoPath capabilities of formatting, rules, logic, calculations, and so on).


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Browser Based Forms• Users don’t need local installation of InfoPath client

• 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. Not available in SharePoint Foundation or SharePoint Standard Server


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InfoPath List Forms in SharePoint• Advantages

• Easy to customize

• Add validations, rules

• 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


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.)


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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

• 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

• Data connection details are not stored in the form itself


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

• Email

• Web Service

• Hosting Env

• Web Server

• Data Connection

• SharePoint Document Library


InfoPath 2010 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


DEMO


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InfoPath Forms Web Part SharePoint• InfoPath Browsers Forms takes entire screen

area. This can be confusing for users

• Use of InfoPath Forms Web Part

• Provides a range of options for rendering

a form inside a web part that can be placed in any SharePoint web part page

• Avoid if Form is complex and has multiple views


DEMO


InfoPath Deployment


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


InfoPath DeploymentAdministrator Approved Forms Templates

• Allows InfoPath form to be reused throughout the entire SharePoint farm

• Easy to maintain, as we need to do change at one location only

• If Form has code behind in it, then this is the only option for deployment

• To deploy:

• Save the Form template

• Upload to Central Admin

• Use the option “Activate to a site collection” for each site collection


InfoPath Deployment

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Deploy with Feature• XsnFeatureReceiver class in namespace

Microsoft.Office.InfoPath.Server.Administration

• During activation/deactivation copy the .XSN file to forms library

• Same as publishing the form using InfoPath designer

• Deployment can be done per site collection

• Since it’s a feature more control via PowerShell and Deployment/Retraction

• Cannot be used to deploy forms to Central Administration


DEMO


EvaluatingSharePoint Forms



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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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Workflows using InfoPath and SharePoint• Use SharePoint Alerts when forms are submitted

• Send custom notification using SharePoint Designer Workflow

• Custom Code

• Third Party Workflow Tools


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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


References

Appendix/ResourcesSharePoint 2010 Enterprise Architect's GuidebookBy: Brian Wilson; Reza Alirezaei; Bill Baer; Martin Kearn

MSDN: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/default.aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sharepoint/default.aspx


Questions? Feedback? Contact me:

Twitter: @PGBhoyar Blog: http://pgbhoyar.wordpress.com Email: [email protected]

Thank You Organizers, Sponsors and You for Making this Possible.

http://www.twitter.com/rharbridge

http://www.rharbridge.com/

mailto:[email protected]


Thanks To Our Sponsors!


SharePoint User Group

• SharePoint

• End Users

• Administrators

• Architects

• Developers

• IT Pros

• Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of the month, Microsoft Malvern, 5:30-8 pm

WEB: www.TriStateSharePoint.org

EMAIL: [email protected]

TWITTER: @tristateSP


SharePoint Network• Are you an independent consultant or remote worker

who deals with SharePoint, Office or Office365?

• Do you sometimes feel cut off from the rest of the SharePoint world?

• Do you need help with technical or business issues, or just want the chance to socialize with others?

If so, then the SharePoint Network might be for you!

www.SharePointNetwork.org

Date post:	18-Nov-2014
Category:	Technology
Upload:	prashant-g-bhoyar
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SPS Philly 2013 - Building Business Solutions Using InfoPath

Technology