Using Sharepoint's Infopath Feature to Generate Forms Creating A

SHAREPOINT PRACTICAL IT STRATEGIES FOR ENTERPRISE COLLABORATION /// OCTOBER 2008 I IMPLEMENTATION Using SharePoint’s InfoPath feature to generate forms SharePoint Server’s InfoPath can save money and time by streamlining the forms process. BY NICOLA YOUNG G GOVERNANCE Creating a SharePoint governance document Learn which issues to include in your SharePoint governance document to avoid problems down the road. BY BRIEN M. POSEY M MANAGEMENT Rookie mistakes to avoid during the implementation process From choosing the wrong installation to ignoring disaster recovery, beware of these SharePoint implementation blunders. BY SHAWN SHELL » EDITOR’SNOTE ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ In search of the ‘paperless office’ BY CHRISTINE CASATELLI ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Editor’s note FOR ENTERPRISES STILL STRIVING for the “paperless office,” Microsoft Office InfoPath might get you one step closer. I Office InfoPath is an application of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 that allows forms to be created and filled in using a Web browser. Users can Using SharePoint’s InfoPath feature publish these forms to a library and update them so everyone always uses the to generate forms latest version of each form. Web-based forms can save time and money, so why is InfoPath one of the G most underused SharePoint features? Creating a If the idea of writing custom code is a turn-off for IT folks, they needn’t worry. SharePoint governance SharePoint expert Nicola Young says that InfoPath uses a WYSIWYG forms document designer, so no programming is required. Young walks readers through the process of using an InfoPath template to design an online form in this month’s M cover story “Using SharePoint’s InfoPath feature to generate forms.” Rookie mistakes Is governance keeping you up at night? Then you’ve come to the right place. to avoid during the SharePoint In “Creating a SharePoint governance document,” Microsoft MVP Brien M. implementation process Posey spells out the critical governance areas in your SharePoint installation. Still a SharePoint rookie? Beware of some common blunders. SharePoint guru Shawn Shell offers helpful advice in “Rookie mistakes to avoid during the SharePoint implementation process.” What SharePoint conundrum is bothering you? Let us know, and we’ll write about it. Email me at [email protected]. I Marilyn Cohodas, Editorial Director, [email protected] Christine Casatelli, Editor, [email protected] Martha Moore, Copy Editor, [email protected] Linda Koury, Art Director of Digital Content, [email protected] Jonathan Brown, Publisher, [email protected] Matthew Salamone, Senior Director of Sales, [email protected] ©2008 TECHTARGET. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. TechTarget, 117 Kendrick Street, Needham, MA 02494; www.techtarget.com 2 SharePoint October 2008 » IMPLEMENTATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Using SharePoint’s InfoPath feature to generate forms SharePoint Server’s InfoPath can save money and time by streamlining the forms process. BY NICOLA YOUNG Editor’s note ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ I ONE OF THE most underused features the network. Using SharePoint’s of Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Typically when a new employee InfoPath feature to generate forms (MOSS) Enterprise is its ability to starts, the hiring manager sends an create electronic forms that can be email to the IT department asking for G filled out using a Web browser. the employee to be added to the sys- Users don’t need to have the Share- tem. After trading several email mes- Creating a SharePoint Point client installed on their comput- sages with the hiring manager, the IT governance document ers to create the forms because it’s shop figures out what type of phone an easy enough process with MOSS and computer access is appropriate using a feature called InfoPath. for the new employee and programs M A WYSIWYG designer for electron- Rookie mistakes ic forms, SharePoint Server’s InfoPath to avoid during The best thing about the SharePoint eliminates the need to write any code implementation at all. Users don’t have to create using InfoPath is the process forms in Microsoft Word or Microsoft cost saving it offers Excel and place them on a file share or email them around. With Forms for common business Server—which is included with the applications, like setting Enterprise version of SharePoint— up new employees on users can publish these forms to a library and update them so everyone the network. is always using the latest version of each form. the permissions. Most of the time, The best thing about using Info- this process is completed the day Path is the cost saving it offers for before the new employee starts. common business applications, With SharePoint Server’s InfoPath, like setting up new employees on the IT department could set up a form 3 SharePoint October 2008 » IMPLEMENTATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ for the hiring manager to fill out with people per year and a member of the the exact programs needed to grant IT staff is paid $30 an hour for man- access to the appropriate type of aging this process, using the electron- computer and phone. After the hiring ic forms feature in SharePoint could manager fills out the form, she would save $3,000 per year for just that submit it to a library with a “new hire” one application. notification sent to the IT staff. To For the following example, use track the status of this request, IT the Travel Request sample template Editor’s note could add a column to the library included with Microsoft InfoPath to track the status of this request 2007. Open InfoPath on your desktop. or even add a workflow to automate In the Getting Started dialog box, I the process even further. select Customize a Sample, as in Using SharePoint’s InfoPath feature A conservative estimate of what FIGURE 1. Select Sample-Travel to generate forms is spent emailing the hiring manager Request by double-clicking on it. and tracking down the appropriate To allow users to fill out this form G equipment is an hour of IT time per using the browser, the form needs Creating a new hire. If an organization hires 100 to be browser-enabled. Click SharePoint governance document M FIGURE 1 Rookie mistakes Use a template in the Getting Started dialog box. to avoid during the SharePoint implementation process 4 SharePoint October 2008 » IMPLEMENTATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tools → Form Options (FIGURE 2). Click Next. Enter the URL to the Under Category, select Compati- SharePoint site you would like to cre- bility. Make sure the box is checked ate the form library on to store these next to Design a form template forms. You will want to enter the URL that can be opened in a browser in http://sharepointsite.com/. Be sure or InfoPath. Click OK. to remove the default.aspx from the On the Design Tasks pane, select URL. Click Next. See that the box next Publish Form Template. A warning to Enable this form to be filled out by Editor’s note box will appear stating the form must using a Browser is checked (FIGURE 3). be saved first. Click OK. Give the template a name and click Save. NOTE: If this box is grayed out, you I The Publish Wizard will now open. will want to check to different items. Using SharePoint’s InfoPath feature Select To a SharePoint server with Be sure this form is browser-enabled to generate forms or without InfoPath Forms Services. by following the previous steps above, G Creating a FIGURE 2 SharePoint governance document Browser-enable the form so users can fill it out. M Rookie mistakes to avoid during the SharePoint implementation process 5 SharePoint October 2008 Introducing DocAve® 5.0 Intelligent Backup & Recovery for Microsoft ® SharePoint ® Business-aware and SLA-driven Protection for SharePoint 2007 As organizations increasingly utilize SharePoint for mission- critical business activities, a viable content backup strategy must be properly associated with business importance to satisfy the most stringent SLA’s. Core to DocAve 5.0 Backup and Recovery is AvePoint’s exclusive Business Criticality Matrix, which automatically classifies SharePoint content according to business importance and usage activity. This allows you to optimize storage and system resources, and execute rule-based backups based on real-time item level data analyses. All this can be setup in a way that best meets your business needs. To perform a granular, full-fidelity restore, simply view all backups available over a specified time interval or perform a full-text or metadata search. To view a short 6-minute video, visit www.avepoint.com/products/docave50. www.AvePoint.com Changing the way Administrators manage SharePoint » IMPLEMENTATION ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ and be sure the site you are attempt- actually creating a new form library ing to publish this form to has the that has added functionality, such as Office SharePoint Server Enterprise enabling the browser view, merging Site features activated. forms and relinking documents to their template. Click Next. Give the For this example, use the Docu- library a name—“Travel Requests” ment Library in FIGURE 3. It is impor-

Load more