Intro to InfoPath Workflow

Transcript

1. 1 Introduction to InfoPath Workflow Created by Carter-McGowan Services Created For: Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
2. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com About Me 2 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
3. About Me 3 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com  Nikkia T. Carter, CEO/Owner of Carter-McGowan Services, LLC (Industry Experience since 2001)  CMS specializes in business technology consulting, setup, migration, development, support, training and training material  Microsoft Partner/VAR (Value Added Reseller): Silver Small and MidMarket Cloud Solutions, SMB Champion; Other Partnerships/VARs: Constant Contact, Hootsuite, BrainStorm, SkyKick, BitTitan, ShareGate  Past Experience:Application, Intranet / Recent: SharePoint, InfoPath, Office 365  Past Clients: DoD (Navy, Army, AF), NSF / Recent Clients: Mostly commercial organizations and entrepreneurs (many nonprofits, bail bondsman, insurance agent, tech consultant, defense contractors, facilities management company, US Courts, Center of Medicaid and Medicare, NIST, etc.).  Certifications: CompTIA Certified Technical Trainer (CTT), Microsoft Certified Professional  Other Roles: IAMCP DC Philanthropy Chair, Board Member, and WIT Community Leader, Microsoft VFI Board Member, SUGDC and MFCF-DC Co-organizer, FEDSPUG Board Member, Microsoft WPC Partner Engagement Board (PEB) Member, Microsoft MCC PEB Member, IAMCP WIT Board Member, IT ProCamp DC, Office 365 Ramp Up Day co organizer
4. About Me 4 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com If you are interested in events I attend/speak at: http://www.cartermcgowanservices.com/where-we-will-be  Webinars on SharePoint and Office 365  Volunteer events  Places I am speaking  Etc.
5. Enough About Me. How About You? 5 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Interested in InfoPath? Currently using InfoPath? Beginner? Intermediate? Advanced? Government? Commercial? SP Version? Experience?
6. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Before we begin… 6 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
7. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com 7  Don’t forget to visit our sponsors!  Don’t forget to fill out the survey on the event app  Go to https://crowd.cc/spfdenver  Click on the session (this one is WF103)  Click on the survey link at the bottom  Get the speaker decks at www.sharepointfest.com/Denver/slidedecks  Please tweet using #spfdenver and, for my sessions, using @CarterMcGServ Before we begin…
8. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Topics Covered 8 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
9. Topics 9  What is InfoPath?  How is it used?  How is it used with SharePoint?  What are List forms?  What are Form Library forms?  What is the difference?  How can I use it? (Live examples)  What workflow functions can't be done (or can’t be done OOTB)?  How can I create a workflow using InfoPath? Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
10. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com What is InfoPath? 10 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
11. What is InfoPath? 11  Microsoft InfoPath is a software application for designing, distributing, filling and submitting electronic forms containing structured data.  It adheres to the XML paradigm of separating the data in a document from the formatting  Features a WYSIWYG form design area in which the various controls (dropdowns, text boxes, etc.) are bound to data fields represented separately as a hierarchical tree view of folders and data fields.  Microsoft initially released InfoPath as part of Microsoft Office 2003 family.  In summer 2010, Microsoft released a new version that split InfoPath into two applications: InfoPath Designer 2010 is used to create forms and define data structures, and InfoPath Filler 2010 is used to fill out and submit forms. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
12. What is InfoPath? 12  In InfoPath, you can do the following:  Design form templates  Fill out forms Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
13. What is InfoPath? 13  Features •Rules apply specific actions when triggered by button clicks or changing values in the form. They can change the values of fields in the data source, submit to and query databases, display messages, open and close forms, and switch to different views of the form. •Data Validation tests the validity of input into fields by comparing the input to patterns, checking for the correct data type (such as a string or an integer), and in other customizable ways. •Conditional Formatting can be used to change the appearance or visibility of objects based on values in the form. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
14. What is InfoPath? 14  Features (cont) •InfoPath has many different ActiveX Controls, all of which have a value bound to a field in the form's data source. Common controls include: •List boxes •Radio buttons •Text boxes •Buttons •Check boxes. •Calculated Values, which display the result of xPath expressions, and sections, which are containers for other controls. •Repeating fields and sections, which can store many different values. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
15. What is InfoPath? 15  Features (cont) •XPath Expressions and Functions can be used to calculate values by applying functions to the value of fields in the form, such as "concat(string(field1 + field2), "#;", field3)" (the concatenation of the sum of two fields, the string "#;", and the value of another field). XPath functions for manipulation of strings, simple mathematical operations, and many other operations are included in InfoPath. •InfoPath supports Connections to External Datasources. SQL, Microsoft Access, and SharePoint databases can be connected to and submitted in the form. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
16. What is InfoPath? 16  Features (cont) •JScript, Visual Basic, C#, and other languages can be used to extend InfoPath's capabilities by adding custom HTML taskpanes, iterating through data, using Active Directory, and generally accomplishing tasks that are impossible in the InfoPath design environment. •SharePoint integration •User Roles can customize a user's experience by changing views or using conditional formatting based on the identity of the user. •InfoPath's formatting capabilities and user interface are similar to Microsoft Word 2003 and 2010, depending on version. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
17. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com How is it used? 17 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
18. How is it used? 18 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com  Stand Alone  Connect to:  Outlook  Access  Excel  Word  XML Schema  Other business systems or applications using web services  SharePoint  And more!
19. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com How is it used with SharePoint? 19 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com +
20. How is it used with SharePoint? 20  “Pretty” forms  More functional forms  Digital signatures  Workflow (built around and/or in)  Dashboards  Reports  Content Types Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
21. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com What are List Forms? 21 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
22. What are List Forms? 22  The SharePoint List form template is used to customize the form that is used to create, view, and edit items in a SharePoint List.  You start by specifying a new or existing SharePoint list, and InfoPath automatically generates the list form.  After you customize the form, publish it back to SharePoint in one click using the InfoPath Designer Quick Publish feature. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
23. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com What are Form Library Forms? 23 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
24. What are Form Library Forms? 24  The SharePoint Form Library template is used to design a form for collecting data in a SharePoint form library.  InfoPath starts you out with a basic layout that can be quickly tailored by adding controls, selecting from available SharePoint Themes in the Page Design tab of the ribbon, and customizing your submit options.  Basically, it is a form (document) that is published to a library and coupled so that the data in the form can be exposed as library fields.  Typically, more features available than in the List form. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
25. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com What is the Difference? 25 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
26. What is the Difference? 26  SharePoint List Forms  Basically a way to modify the list’s new, edit, and view forms.  Not as powerful as the Form Library form.  SharePoint Form Library Forms  Basically, it is a form (document) that is published to a library and coupled so that the data in the form can be exposed as library fields.  More features available than in the List form. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
27. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com How can I use InfoPath? 27 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
28. How can I use InfoPath forms? 28 Ok, enough talk… let’s do some!!! At this point, the demo I do is live so there are no slides for the demo but there is a video! To video of the examples that I did for SP24 World Conference, visit my Knowledge Center here: http://www.cartermcgowanservices.com/#!knowledge-center/q8bya Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
29. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com About SharePoint Workflows 29 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
30. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC, www.cartermcgowanservices.com, @CarterMcGServ 30 Workflow Functions What are the workflow options in SharePoint?  OOTB Workflows – OOTB, or Out-of-the-Box, workflows are prebuilt workflows that come standard with SharePoint. The user would simply instantiate and configure the WF based on the options given.  SharePoint Designer Workflows –These WFs are those that can be created using data gathered from SharePoint and prebuilt WF “parts” that can be linked together to create a website.  InfoPath Workflows –Workflows can be created using the conditions, actions, and email capabilities in InfoPath.  Visual Studio Workflows –These are workflows that are highly customized through writing code in Visual Studio.
31. Workflow Functions 31 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Build a Workflow in InfoPath??? I Don’t Think So! Think again…
32. Workflow Functions 32 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com What is a Workflow?  Workflows are used to manage business processes for applications and human collaboration and be as simple or complex as a business process requires.  Workflows are built based on conditions and actions which are linked together in a logical chain.
33. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC, www.cartermcgowanservices.com, @CarterMcGServ 33 • If the workflow has multiple participants, it can be sent one at a time (serial) or multiple participants at the same time (parallel), going through every participant until the workflow ends. • You can even set up the workflow in stages, with a series of serial tasks and parallel tasks containing different participants. Serial Parallel Workflow Functions What is a Workflow?
34. Workflow Functions 34 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Now think about this… Most workflows you use in SharePoint are like this: User fills out form… User clicks submit button… Someone is notified… That person probably takes action (performs task)… That person may fill in the form with some info… That person clicks the submit button… Workflow ends or next person gets notified… Etc. until workflow ends
35. Workflow Functions 35 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Now think about this… InfoPath has the following: Ability to create new fields (like one for “status”, for example) Ability to create buttons for submitting with conditions and actions attached to them Ability to send emails
36. Workflow Functions 36 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com So, InfoPath can do…  The 3 types of Sharepoint OOTB workflows:  approval,  collect feedback, and  collect signatures.  Custom workflows  Content types 
37. Workflow Functions 37 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Get the picture? Yeah, I told you…
38.  Add/change/inherit/remove item permissions  Check in/out item  Discard check out  Copy/create item  Undeclare record  Log to History list  Start/stop/pause workflow  Loop Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC, www.cartermcgowanservices.com, @CarterMcGServ 38 Workflow Functions What are the workflow options can’t be done in InfoPath (or can’t be done OOTB)?
39. How can I create an InfoPath workflow? 39 Ok, enough talk… let’s look at one!!! Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com • This form is: • A 3 step workflow: 1. Requestor • Requester fills out the form and clicks on the Submit to Supervisor button. • Requestor gets an email notification that form was submitted. Supervisor (picked from the dropdown that pulls from a list on SP) is notified of the request via email. Both email notifications include form in email). • Form status changes. 2. Supervisor • In the supervisor’s email, there is a link back to the form. • In the form, the supervisor can: • Approve the request - Email notification sent to Accounting when they click on the Submit to Accounting button. Button changes based on approval.
40. How can I create an InfoPath workflow? 40 Ok, enough talk… let’s look at one!!! Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com • This form is (cont.): 2. Supervisor (cont.) • Reject the request – • Supervisor fills in reason for the rejection. Field appears based on rejection being chosen and the field is also required when rejected. • Email notification sent to the Requestor after Supervisor clicks Submit and Notify Employee. Button changes based on rejection. Form included in the email. • Workflow Ends 3. Accounting • Accountant puts in hours that the Requestor has available. The time requested is autopopulated from the Requestor’s section and subtracted from the available amount to give the Accountant the balance. • The Requestor is notified, with the Supervisor cc’d, that they request was approved. Form included in the email. • Workflow Ends
41. How can I create an InfoPath workflow? 41 Ok, enough talk… let’s look at one!!! Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com • This form is (cont.): • A browser based form deployed to SP 2013 (SPOnline) but it can be deployed to SP Server as well. • Deployed as a content type. • NOTE: • The use of sections in the form to help with hiding sections until each form submit stage and to help with only showing the link to the form when emailed to the supervisor and accounting. • The signatures are not digital because I feel there is no need since SP can track who did what when by turning on versioning in the library that is using it. • See Tips slides at the end for tips on publishing and other useful info. • Feel free to explore and reuse parts but please do not sell. • Feel free to reach out to me! 
42. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Supplemental Info 42 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
43. InfoPath History 43 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Version Included In... Release Year InfoPath 2003 Microsoft Office 2003 Professional and Professional Enterprise 2003 InfoPath 2007 Microsoft Office 2007 Ultimate, Professional Plus and Enterprise 2007 InfoPath 2010 Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus; Office 365 2010 InfoPath 2013 Microsoft Office 2013 Professional Plus; Office 365 2013
44. How is it used? 44 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com InfoPath Forms Services You can design a browser-compatible form template and publish it to a server that is running InfoPath Forms Services. Microsoft Excel Users can choose to export data from one or more InfoPath forms into a new Excel worksheet. You can convert an Excel workbook to an InfoPath form template by using the Import Wizard in InfoPath. Microsoft Outlook You can distribute form templates to users by publishing the form template to a list of e-mail message recipients. Similarly, you can design a form template so that users can submit completed forms as an attachment in an e-mail message.
45. How is it used? 45 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Microsoft Access You can connect your form template to an existing Access database. Users can then query or submit data to that database. Similarly, you can populate list boxes with values from the database or bind. You can also create an InfoPath form template based on an Access database and then publish the form template to a list of recipients as an e-mail message. Microsoft Word You can convert existing Word documents into InfoPath form templates, you can use the Import Wizard in InfoPath to do so.
46. How is it used? 46 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Microsoft Script Editor It is possible to use Microsoft JScript or Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) in your form template by accessing the Microsoft Script Editor (MSE) from design mode. Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Applications (VSTA) If you know how to write managed code, you can access VSTA (Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for Applications (VSTA) from design mode in order to create, edit, and debug Microsoft Visual Basic or Microsoft Visual C# code. Microsoft Visual Studio You can integrate InfoPath design-mode features into the Microsoft Visual Studio development environment by downloading and installing Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for the Microsoft Office System on your computer. You can then open Visual Studio, create an InfoPath form template project, and use design-mode features to design your form template.
47. How is it used? 47 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Web services You can connect your form template to a Web service in order to exchange XML data with other programs or systems such as an Oracle database, which is not directly supported by InfoPath. You can also populate list boxes with values that come from the Web service or bind controls to the fields and groups associated with the Web service. XML Schemas You can base your form template's design on an XML Schema (.xsd) that is already being used by your organization. For example, if your organization uses a specific .xsd file for expense reports, you can base the design of a form template for expense reports on that .xsd file. If you don't have an existing schema, InfoPath builds one for you when you add controls to your form template.
48. Tips 48  Two Useful Links  Intro to Designing a Form in InfoPath 2010: http://office.microsoft.com/en- us/infopath-help/introduction-to-designing-a-form-in-infopath-2010- HA101821252.aspx  Getting Started with InfoPath 2010: http://office.microsoft.com/en- us/infopath-help/getting-started-with-infopath-2010-HA010370230.aspx  NOTE: If you are using InfoPath Designer 2010 or 2013 and you have SharePoint 2007, you cannot use List Forms at this time, only the Form Library Form.  NOTE: To design a form, right click on it in Windows Explorer (files) and choose Design from the dropdown, not Open. Open will open the form for submitting data like it does in Preview mode. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC
49. Tips 49  Publishing –When publishing a document you should keep the following in mind:  Publishing as new : When you publish a document for the first time, you must first publish it to that site before you set up the data connection if you are going to have InfoPath Designer create the Form Library for you. It is recommended that you have InfoPath create the Form Library instead of manually creating it. You must also use the full publish (File -> Publish -> SharePoint Server).  Moving a form using publish: When you are publishing it to a new site for the first time, the above (publishing as new) applies. If the form is redirecting a form to publish to a place where it has already been published, you must change the data connections to point to the site where you want it redirected. If you do not do this, the form will publish but all submitted data will go to the previous site. You must also use the full publish (File -> Publish -> SharePoint Server). DO NOT use the Quick Publish. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC
50. Tips 50  Publishing –When publishing a document you should keep the following in mind (etc.):  Publish as a modification: When modifying the form but not moving it to a new location or publishing it new, use the Quick Publish button. If you need to promote new fields, do so before using the QP button (File -> Form Options [Advanced Form Options] -> Property Promotion)  NOTE: Sometimes wen publishing you many get an error that the server can’t be reached even though you have already published your form once or even multiple times before. You will need to clear the cache. First close all of your InfoPath forms then click Start -> Run > type in InfoPath /cache clearall. InfoPath will open without the List Form, Form Library Form, and other options present. Close that InfoPath and reopen your InfoPath forms in Design mode. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC
51. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Questions? 51 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com
52. Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Contact Information 52 Created by Carter-McGowan Services, LLC @CarterMcGServ www.cartermcgowanservices.com Carter-McGowan Services, LLC Toll-free/fax: (866) 721-6085 Local: (540) 693-0578 Email: service@cartermcgowanservices.com SharePoint Online Trial with Office 365: http://ow.ly/HAzZs Web: www.cartermcgowanservices.com Twitter: @CarterMcGServ FaceBook: CarterMcGowan Google+: Carter-McGowan Services LinkedIn: NikkiaTCarter Free Monthly Business Technology Webinars/Q&A Sessions and Helpful Tips: http://ow.ly/yVSFM