InfoPath Dev

Hello,

I'm interested in learning how to create a repeating table in an InfoPath 2013 form that gets exported to a SharePoint 2013 list.

I've created my list in SharePoint 2013. I then went to customize the form and was redirected to InfoPath Designer. I copied and pasted my Word form into the InfoPath Designer 2013 empty field. However, when I try to drag and drop the controls into the designated areas; all of my fields are repeating tables and I only want two areas to be repeating tables. I've tried to see how to create a new group to allow me to put all the fields together and I just get lost.

I came up with what I thought was an easier way of doing this and I'm stuck here too. I converted a word document into an InfoPath form. Then I tried to publish form to a SharePoint list. However, when I go to edit this item, the form does not come up. since this simple task turned rogue. I haven't been able to focus on the other things I want to do like:

 A.) I want to disable a control and have only two people be able to open this field. These are only 2 approvers
 B.) I want the signature field to automatically populate with the signature of whomever of the 2 approvers who approved the control.
 C.) I want to automatically populate a field with the current fiscal year 2015 a concat string of numbers and the ID number. and each year I want the field to start over and count again from 1. [ie:FY2016NN1,2,3,4 FY2017NN1,2,3,4. 

and I want this information never to change but to still be able to just edit the other fields if necessary. 

 

Is this at all possible. It seems soooo simple. I'm still trying. I hope to find a solution soon.

Thanks everyone!
Flowerss 

Hello Flowerss,

Thank you for your inquiry. Sometimes transitioning from word to InfoPath can seem very different, but once you learn the ropes you'll be designing beautiful forms in no time! To start, one of the biggest differences from a list form to an InfoPath form, is that the list form does not support repeating data. This means that you can have multiple entries in a form, however it will duplicate the entire data structure each time you add a new.

With an InfoPath form (browser or filler) you can create complex schemas that account for the sections you would like to repeat. If you look in the home > controls  menu, you will see the option to insert a repeating table. This is the option you want. The basic structure for this element is a non-repeating group, with a child repeating group with the fields that you want to repeat.

Then if you want to send the data to a SharePoint list, things get a little trickier. There is essentially two methods:

1. Use CAML to map the data. Here's a post with a little more about CAML: http://www.infopathdev.com/forums/p/28811/98887.aspx#98887. The only drawback is that this method can get very complicated, especially in SharePoint 2013, or office 365.

2. Use qRules to map child data to a list. Here is a blog detailing the method: http://www.infopathdev.com/blogs/hilary/archive/2012/05/30/qrules-submittosharepointlist-walkthrough-for-v4-2.aspx

For disabling the field, you'll need to know the peoples username() where the form is deployed. Then you can either hard-code rules on the field to disable if username() != the user name of the person.

The signature capture is not an out of box capability unless you simply want a timestamp, not a physical signature. If you want the signature image, I recommend the Electronic Signature XTP available in the Qdabra web store:  http://www.qdabra.com/en/forms/ElectronicSignature.aspx

The date can be concatenated using substring(today(), 1, 4) with your formula. today() retrieves the current date, year first. The 1 states that you want the value starting at the first character, and you want it to be 4 characters long.

Hope that helps!
Bre

Bre Huston | Project Manager

Qdabra® Software / InfoPathDev.com / FormsQuo /  877.544.2389 main / 425.318.7843 direct

Business Process Automation for Everyone – Streamline data gathering to turn process into knowledge.™

 

Greetings Bre! Thanks for your prompt response. I must admit that quick reply is a sure way to keep newcomers participating in this forum and staying. I'm going to try to implement what you mentioned above. When I go to the home controls in my form. I do not see the option to insert a repeating table. This is where my issue started. I followed feedback from another post within this forum that simply mentioned applying certain settings in the publishing wizard to allow repeating settings in SharePoint. Once I did this, it lead me to the InfoPath Designer field with the generic SharePoint list and the fields that are being populated from SharePoint. I am able to design the form and place the fields in the areas I would like to. The only issue is getting this repeating table into the section. The only option that shows is a container. So I insert the container and try to change the control to a repeating table. It asks for how many rows I'd like to add, then goes to the repeating table binding, select a field or group to store the control's data. Since I can't create a group in this form or bind sections into groups. I can't complete my repeating table binding wizard. Any ideas on how to get past this step? Thanks, Flowerss