This document provides an introduction to InfoPath 2010. InfoPath is a form building tool that can be used to create standalone forms or forms connected to SharePoint lists. It includes Designer and Filler components. InfoPath forms can include various controls, layouts, views, and rules to provide logic without coding. Rules validate data, format fields, and connect to data sources. InfoPath integrates with SharePoint and allows customizing SharePoint list forms. It provides more capabilities than standard SharePoint forms, including complex validation, lookups, workflows. The document demonstrates InfoPath features and rules.

1. Introduction to InfoPath 2010
A SharePoint-centric look at InfoPath 2010

2. What is InfoPath 2010?
 Form building tool for making standalone forms, and SharePoint list forms
 InfoPath 2010 is actually 2 different products
 InfoPath Designer 2010
 InfoPath Filler 2010
 Only available in Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus
 Only the richest people get to play (slight downside, one might say)
 SharePoint 2010 (and 2007 as well) have the capability to have a SharePoint
document library (form library) contain a collection of InfoPath forms
 Essentially, you associate a form with a document library, and the resulting
answered forms are the contents of the library

3. More About InfoPath 2010
 Types of Forms
 InfoPath based forms (to be filled in using “Filler”)
 Web based forms
 SharePoint 2010 Licensing – You will require the Enterprise CAL to:
 Use a SharePoint list with InfoPath forms
 Publish SharePoint library forms as web based forms
 Features of InfoPath
 Various UI controls
 Layouts (pre-designed table formats)
 Themes
 Multiple views
 Rules (the real bread and butter)
 Data connectivity (more of an advanced topic)

4. InfoPath Rules
 Rules are like the application programming logic for your form
 Types of Rules
• Can be used to specify an error message that
Validation
will be displayed if a condition is false
• Changes the “look and feel” of the UI elements
Formatting
(show/hide, color, fonts, etc.)
• Connect data connections to your form fields
Action • Set input parameter values from form fields
• Assign results back to the fields
 All of the rule logic is done without code, for example
 Populate a drop down with values  Generate unique incrementing ID values
 Pre-fill portions of a form with  Perform real-time validation of user
existing data input

5. The Kinds of Data InfoPath Can Use
• Soap
• Rest
Web Services
• WCF (.Net)
• Azure
• SQL Server
• ODBC
Databases
• OLE-DB
• Oracle
• SharePoint
XML Files
• File Server
• Convenient alternative to
SharePoint Lists / Libraries
using a database table

6. SharePoint and Forms
Doesn’t it already do forms without InfoPath?
 Yes, SharePoint forms are great, they’re simple and easy to use
 They’re available on every list and library
 No need for any “client” side tools to create the forms – they’re automatically updated
when you modify the list or library
 However, this may be a little too simple – no customization possible in SharePoint
 For customization, you can download and install SharePoint Designer and modify your
forms. However…
 Often people aren’t given access to SharePoint Designer (by their administrator)
 Lots of individuals aren’t comfortable with SharePoint Designer
 The tool can be hard to use/understand for novice users

7. Where does InfoPath differ?
 InfoPath allows you to create powerful, rich forms
 The forms do not require you to write any code
 This allows non-developers to both create them and maintain them
 You can create forms with
 Both out of the box and complex validation rules
 Lookups to external or SharePoint data
 Master / Detail lists
 Signed forms
 Essentially none of these are available with default SharePoint list forms
 Can be used with SharePoint custom workflows and Nintex workflows (very easily)
 And it’s simply just a really easy to use product to get the hang of
 “InfoPath is very much a rapid development tool. SharePoint list forms cannot do
even a fraction of what InfoPath does, and InfoPath does it all without writing
code.”
- Clayton Cobb, (former) InfoPath MVP – Current SharePoint MVP

8. What’s new in 2010?
 Ribbon interface
 Form Templates (when building a new form)
 Quick rules
 pre-built conditions and actions
 Create forms for SharePoint lists
 Use SharePoint Workspace for offline form completion of SharePoint lists
 New controls
 Picture Buttons, hyperlinks, date & time picker
 Publish form templates
 Quick Publish (to SharePoint)
 Filler and Designer separated
 Kind of similar to how Adobe has Acrobat and Acrobat Reader

9. Demo 1
Customizing SharePoint lists
Show off various features of InfoPath
Multiple views
Various controls
Layouts (pre-designed table formats)
Themes
Rules
Other ribbon features

10. Demo 2
Rules – from the basic to the complex
The Setup…
itgroove uses an InfoPath form for time entry records for
all their consultants
Some of the rules are basic, simple rules to perform
simple tasks (like change to a different view)
Other rules are more complex and chain together to
make multiple actions appear to happen simultaneously
Other, more complex/cool forms

11. Tabs!

12. Multi-views (1/2)

13. Multi-views (2/2)

14. In Summary…
InfoPath Can:
 Be your form product of choice
 Enable easy rule logic and provides plenty of capacity for scaling that logic
 Powerful and extensive data connectivity
InfoPath combined with SharePoint Enables
 Easy form creation for both lists and libraries
 Very neat and tidy forms OOTB, with easy modifications to add themes and change
layouts
 Brings form design to anyone with a license to Microsoft Office Professional Plus

15. Q&A + Contact
Any Questions?
Contact Details: InfoPath:
Colin Phillips http://office.microsoft.com/en-
cphillips@itgroove.net ca/infopath/
itgroove.net