InfoPath Dev

I have an Infopath 2010 forms library in SharePoint 2010 and have created a large number of forms in the library  by simply copying and pasting a single form with no data values in any of the XML fields for the number of times I need forms for.

 I can then switch to Datasheet view and copy and paste data from Excel into the appropriate \infopath form fields to "bulk upload" information into the library

 Problem is if I add a new data field to the Infopath form and republish the form to the library then attempt to "bulk upload" any new data into that new field for the existing infopath forms in Datasheet view the data dissapears for all the fields in every row.

This can also happen if I make a mistake with the bulk upload for example I paste a column of Excel data into the Infopath forms library starting at the incorrect row and I want to correct this by repasting the Excel data into an Infopath column starting at the correct row in datasheet view.

Any ideas why this happens or pointers to stop this from happening

So - if you add a new promoted property and republish the form, all the fields in the library continue to display the correct values until you switch to the data view and paste in data for the new column? What if you update only a single row in data sheet view - does the problem re-occur?

Hi thanks for the reply.

When that issue occurs it does not matter whether I paste a whole column of data in or simply type into one cell in the datasheet view , the data just dissapears.

I found a "fix" to mimimise this happening. I create one form in the library with some test data then copy that form out of the library. I then edit the XML form using Notepad and remove any test data that is in the data fields

of the XML so in effect it is a form without any data in the metadata fields.

I then copy that "empty" form the number of times I need to create records/information for and then paste them back into the library. I can then paste all my data from Excel into the fields of the datasheet view of the forms

library without the dissapearing data issue happening.

However if I then create a new field in the form and publish it , then switch to the datasheet view of the library and try to either paste in or type in data the data dissapears.  I suspect it is something to to with the fact that existing forms in the library do not have the new field in its XML (as they were created with a 'previous version of the form') so when I type something into the new field and SharePoint "processes" it and ignores any data in fields that do not exist in the current XML form being processed (hence the data 'dissapears' when the web page is refreshed)

If I paste in or type into an existing field in the datasheet view everything is ok and it acts the same as when you manipulate data in a regular SharePoint list in datasheet view

I have found an acceptable fix to my dilemna now.

If I want to add a new field into the Infopath form library to paste some new data in from Excel then I create the new field in SharePoint 2010 first directly into the Infopath form library as I would with a regular list/library

I then swtich the Infopath form library into Datasheet view and paste my data from Excel into it and it all goes in ok

 I then create a field in the Infopath form with the same name and when I go though the publish form Wizard and promote the field with the same name I choose to map it to the existing field I created earlier with SharePoint.

 All works and behaves ok now as long as I stick to the steps above