InfoPath Data Connection (Chaper 7)

hello and welcome back if you haven't reviewed previous videos in this series and you're new to InfoPath I'll recommend you view the previous videos in this series this presentation has a single learning objective Auto filled fields in InfoPath from a drop down list box selection using a secondary data source for some this is a tricky objective to help as many people as possible I've put together a step-by-step PowerPoint presentation you will be able to download these slides from SlideShare most testers for this tutorial found having the slides to hand more useful than a step-by-step video instruction as you probably guess the video demo begins by illustrating how to configure an info path controlled drop-down list to link to a SharePoint list I then go on to show you how to link the info path drop-down list control to populate a single or multiple InfoPath text box controls let's begin by looking at the end objective for most people understanding the endgame helps to motivate them to achieve the outcome desired I begin by showing you the restaurant hall inform I click the forum preview to test the forum as you can see I have InfoPath drop-down disc control for restaurant name is pink to catch user's attention and to emphasize this field cannot be blank the person filling in the forum clicks the drop down this control to view a number of restaurant names when a restaurant name is clicked you can immediately see multiple text boxes are automatically populated for example restaurant website if the user changes the restaurant name the text boxes are immediately updated to show the related data you may be thinking where am i storing a data and why not it users type the data in sometimes you don't need the ability to edit data you just want to show the same data every time an example would be departmental name in the past I have had two de Bourgh ously change user inputs for departmental names I'm no longer amazed by people's creativity to develop names for depart they work for for example one firm had 20 names for finance department and I earn so many name variations makes data analysis somewhat problematical it's far better to provide users with a list of departmental names managed by a single personal group and lit form Phyllis select the department they work for to answer the question where is the data stored let's switch to SharePoint is to show you where info bar drop-down lists control data originates as you can see the list holds restaurant names this field will populate my info path drop-down list control the other fields such as address type of cuisine notes nearest tube opening hours and website unlink to other text box controls in info path in the second half of the video I'm going to show you how to link what to use our choices in InfoPath this drop down control to show the website address in the info path textbox control for website addresses as you saw earlier in the video multiple InfoPath textbox controls can be linked to a single user choice and InfoPath dropdown is control but to keep it simple i am showing you how to link one to add others you simply replicate the same steps you made to add one data field connection I appreciate this might be an audience task nevertheless the benefits of maintaining data integrity outweigh the disadvantages I'm going to switch to the restaurant form we began developing in earlier videos as you can see the form has a drop-down this control called restaurant name I want my user to click the drop-down and select from a list of names a single name the control list data is held on SharePoint site I click the drop down to make this ActiveX control you might have a textbox control that you want to use as they drop down this it's simple to change while the control is active leave your mouse hovering over the control and right-click move your mouse cursor down the submenu list to highlight change control and select list box leaving your mouse cursor over the active control right-click and select drop down textbox properties in the data tab in the middle you can see an option button for get choices from an external data source click the option to activate next click the Add button the wizard starts we can accept the default create a new connection to receive data so I click Next the next step I select the option SharePoint library or list then click Next then I'm asked for SharePoint URL I'm going to switch back to my SharePoint list and I'm going to copy the URL of Telecom now I'll switch back to my info path wizard and paste the URL and click Next having clicked next I'm asked which SharePoint list do I wish to use I will choose London restaurants and click Next a new window requests me to select fields I want to use in my info bar form I'm going to place a tick in all the fields the reason later on I want to be able to select all a SharePoint fields and to be able to do this I need to link them to InfoPath fields however for this demo I only require restaurant name notice ID is grayed out this field enables communications between SharePoint and InfoPath before we click Next I'm going to sort my restaurant name I'm going to use the scroll bar to locate at the field finally I'm going to sort by ascending and click the option click next the following window asks me if I want to store the data on to my device for offline mode this option raises data security and storage resource concerns the database I'm using is small and data security isn't sensitive nevertheless I'm going to place a tick I'm simply going to click Next now I'm asked to name the connection I tend to place SP lowercase at the beginning of the name to help me to identify the connection the automatically retrieved data when form is open is ticked I'm happy to do this ticked my database is small if you have thousands of entries to download this might make the form unusable now I click finish look at the top down this box properties window you can see datasource has been added entry values added link to where the data is held including the value in my case restaurant name and display box restaurant name I could have set the display box to restaurant name but set value to store restaurant manager's name in the form I'm happy with my setup so I click OK I'm going to test the form by looking up at the ribbon home tab and selecting form preview button I click this to see a security warning message this is OK to click Next I see this message because I'm working in a unique development environment in other words I'm not directly connected to the sharepoint server depending upon your configuration you might be asked for your credentials don't be annoying this step helps protect your server immediately the form requests the data from the SharePoint Server so when I click the drop down list I can immediately select you let's review the stage we are at now I have a drop down this control linked to a SharePoint list I now want to add an automated capability that links what the user chooses from the InfoPath drop down list to another text box control for example the user selects restaurant name and the corresponding website address is shown in the linked text box my first step is to create a new field to hold the address I look over to the fields box and click the my fields folder to make sure this is active I cast my eyes and mouse cursor down to the bottom of the box and click the blue underlined text add field I click and name the field restaurant website no capitals and words are joined by another space between the words I'll click the drop down list for data type and select hyperlink and URL then I'll click OK next I'll click the newly created field and hold the mouse button down and drag the field over to the form when I'm over the location as to where I wish to place the field I should see two columns highlighted I release the mouse button I needed the text box to show the whole address and the current size won't allow this I'll click the text box cell and hold my mouse down and drag the mouse across the cells I want to use now the cells are highlighted I can look up at the ribbon and click the Layout tab in the merge section I can see the button to merge cells I click this now my website address text box is big enough to show the entire web address I can move to the next stage firstly I click the restaurant name cell to make this the ActiveX control control I previously linked to SharePoint lists next I look up at the ribbon and click the Home tab look across I see rules section and Rahl add button I click this and I'll move my mouse cursor down the revealed menu to highlight this field changes immediately another submenu is shown moving the mouse cursor over I click set a fields value in the rules details window I leave the action as set a fields value field box I click the button to select the field this opens another window called select a field or group notice the field drop-down list is set to main you need to take care to understand the importance of this factor main refers to InfoPath fields below you'll see the InfoPath fields listed click restaurant website to make this your choice and click OK now I need to set the value I'll click the FX button a new window with the same name as previously select a field or group opens now I need to change field drop-down lists from main the secondary data source in my case London restaurants looking at the below window section I'll see my SharePoint list fields I'll click the data fields folder and then click D SharePoint list item read white folder below this I click the web address and click the description next I click the filter data button the window opens called filter data I'll click the Add button and you window opens called Pacific filter conditions clicking the first drop-down list I click select a field or group option yet another window opens called select a field or group in the data source drop-down I set the secondary data source in my case London restaurants are navigate 2d share point list item our W folder and choose restaurant name below this is in the Select drop-down I should see title in my example I click OK to return to the Pacific filter conditions window the middle drop-down is equal to can be left as is I click the next last drop-down list and click select a field or group option again a new window opens called specified filter conditions in the fields drop-down list I'll make sure main is selected in the section below I select the field named restaurant name then click OK to return to Pacific filter conditions window the specify filter conditions should read description is equal to restaurant name in my case I click OK to choose the cific filter conditions window I'll return filter data window in the window I should read description equals restaurant name I click to close this I'm returned to select a field or group window I click to close and return to insert formula window before I close this I should read in window at description square bracket title equals restaurant name square bracket I'm happy to test my formula it's good practice all being will the new window displays the results the formula doesn't contain any errors I click OK to close they verify formula window result I'll click OK to the insert formula window I click OK to the rule details window I should now be able to see my form I look up to the ribbon tab and in the forms section I click the preview window I should see the warning I'm connecting to an external data source I agree to this so I click yes depending upon your configuration you may be asked to submit all your sign-on credentials don't be annoyed these measures help to protect your data the form is now displayed allowing us to test our work I'll click the drop down list and choose restaurant name when I click the name I've chosen I should see the web address in the assign field as you saw in the earlier part of the video I can have multiple text blocks linked to one control and that control depend upon an external database and what the user chooses Oh

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Keywords: sharepoint office 365, infopath 2013 tutorial, business forms, sharepoint forms, online learning, office 365 business forms, online forms, office 365, browser forms, Microsoft InfoPath (Software), Software (Industry)

Id: sJU4DFSxTTM

Length: 16min 17sec (977 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 23 2015