InfoPath Dev

Hello all--

 I'm new to InfoPath and definitely need some help with this one. I have been asked to design a form that can be used by Customer Service staff to take in initial information from potential clients at our rental facility. I would like to be able to take in information like name, telephone/email contact info,  event type, estimated attendance, etc. I would like to be able to select a staff member in which to assign this to. Once saved it is my hope that two things can happen:

A) A database could be created (and automatically updated with each entry) that would have all information taken in on each use of the form (including staff member assignment)

-and-

B) Be able to instantly e-mail that staff member that has been assigned the event to let them know who the potential client is and the generic information collected thus far.

 Is this even something feasible in InfoPath? My only other idea was to design a inter-office webpage that would have the same form, and complete the same requirements.

Thank you!!!

 -Rob

Welcome to the forum, Rob. InfoPath can do what you're asking, plus much more. Here are a couple of resources to get started:

• Using data connections to submit to a database - see the "CONFIGURE FORMS TO SUBMIT TO SHAREPOINT AND EMAIL GUESTS" section http://www.infopathdev.com/blogs/jennifer/archive/2010/07/14/free-training-lab-3-making-it-smarter.aspx 
• You might want to look at the other three free training labs we have as part of that series
• Workflow - use workflow to assign the form to a staff member (email generated as part of that workflow). You have a few workflow options - InfoPath workflow, SharePoint out of the box workflow, and workflow using SharePoint Designer. The nice thing about InfoPath workflow is users manage workflow within the form

 Thanks Jennifer! Now, another dumb question: Do the other users of this form have to have InfoPath as well?

Thanks!

Not a stupid question. In fact, how the form will be filled out is one of the first questions you should ask yourself before getting started. You can design two types of forms:

• Client form - users need InfoPath installed to fill it out
• Browser-based form - users fill out the form in the browser and don't need InfoPath installed. This does require InfoPath Form Services in SharePoint and some of the InfoPath controls are not available

If you're starting to design a form and don't know yet whether it will be filled out in the client or the browser, your safest option is to design a browser-based form (because their functionality is slightly more limited). You can always change it to a client form.