Step by Step Instructions for Setting up InfoPath forms on MOSS 2007

I did a lot of researching on this and never really found a great article that was straight forward and step by step on how to set up InfoPath forms on a MOSS 2007 site. So now without further adieu: Step by Step Instructions for Setting up InfoPath forms on MOSS 2007.

Step 1: Starting Up

• Open up InfoPath 2007.
• Click Design a Form Template. We want to start with a Blank Template so click Ok. Now you should have a nice open field of whiteness and possibilities.

Step 2: Beautification

• I like to make things pretty so first on the Design Tasks sidebar I click Layout.
• At this point let’s use the basic Table with Title layout. Click it and then hit the Back button to bring us to our original menu.
• Just to be fancy let’s center it. Click behind the table and push the Center button. Your form should now look like this:

  

Step 3: Titles Galore

• Add a title to your title by clicking and ty ping in your title. I am using Hardware Information.

Step 4: Adding your own Fields

• Now to the nitty gritty. Let’s add some fields. Click the Data Source link on the Design Tasks Column.
• Now click to highlight the myFields group. Once that has been highlighted click the now enabled Add a Field or Group… link. You should now have a dialog box.
• Fill in the Name (no spaces or special characters), the type (Field (element) for now), and the Data Type (Text (string) should be good).
• Click cannot be blank if you would like the field re quired (which I do).
• Repeat clicking Add a Field or Group… for as many fields as you would like. No worries, if you mess up you can right click and delete them.

Step 5: Adding Form Controls

• Adding the controls to work with your fields is now extremely easy. Click the field you want on the form and drag it into the table. Tada! It is inserted!
• You can add text if you would like anywhere on the form. Push tab to add another table cell. Once you have added all your fields it could/s hould look something like this:

  

That last one is a repeating field. They work just like a normal text field in Sharepoint.

Step 6: Compatibility Check

• Let’s make sure our non-InfoPath owning use rs can open up this form. Go back to the Design Tasks column (click back once). And click the Design Checker.
• If you have set up your verification server, good for you. If not click Change Compatibility Settings. Click the Design a form template that can be opened in a browser of InfoPath check mark. Then type in your MOSS site address, I usually just use the root address.
• Make sure there are no error messages. None? Great!

Step 7: The Initial Publish

• Let us now place the form on the MOSS site and create a list for it. First things first we have to push save. It will tell you when you want to show people you can publish! Awesome I know!
• Next go back to your design tasks and click Publish Form Template… Select To a Sharepoint Server and click next. Put your site address in. You should end with / not default.aspx.
• Log in to the Sharepoint Site. Make sure Enable this form to be filled out in a Browser is selected and Document Library is selected. Hit the next button.
• Create a New library, trust me it’s the easiest way right now. Name that library and give it a quick description.
• Now add the columns that are based on your form fields. Click add then double click the field you want to make into a column.
• Click next and then click the Publish Button. Close that dialog and lets add some more.

Step 8: The Data Connection

• Let’s add a Data Connection and a button to submit our form. First click the Controls link in the Design tasks column.
• Find the Button control and drag it onto your form.
• Right click said button and go to Button Properties. Change the label (I use Submit).
• Then click the Rules button. Click Add… Name the Rule and now let’s add the fun stuff.
• Click Add Action and in the dropdown menu select Submit using a Data Connection. Click Add.
• I prefer to Create a new connection, and then hit next. Click to a Document Library. Copy and paste the link to the newly created Sharepoint Document Library to Document Library Field. For the File name I am using the HardwareName Field. Click Next.
• Name it however you would like and click Finish. Click Ok. You can add any other actions you would like.
• Then Click OK. Click ok on the Rules Dialog. Click ok on the Button Properties.

Step 9:

• Republish the form and you now have a fully functional integrated InfoPath form.

Hopefully this helped you get started making InfoPath forms on Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007. I know I had a lot of trouble finding information about it and now this should enable you to at least get going with the basics.