InfoPath Dev

Hi I want to design a form in InfoPath it has 4 main steps and 2 persons are responsible in main steps, User A is responsible for 1 And 3 step and User Z is responsible for 2 and 4 main step. 1-First step issuing doc by contractor (User A is Responsible) 2-Approval or comment by managing contractor (User z is Responsible) 3-Reply by contractor (User A is Responsible) 4-End conclusion meeting (User z is Responsible) Between Main steps parties receive Email/Form can reply or send to each other until next main step stats, I like to know how to design some thing like this because views are dynamic specially between main steps i can made a form with 4 views and using rules but i do not know how to design replies main between steps. I have to use repeated section? Something similar to your Q/A forum that users can reply but difference is when next main step starts no body can reply on previous main step. I appreciate for any guide or link address can help me.

I would use a repeating group for the replies, if there can be more than one. Include a field (not on the form) to let you know what step the reply is for. Then in your form design, you can use conditional formatting to only show replies for step one under step one and so on. Simple sample attached - right click the link in the heading of this post and save the file locally. Right click the saved file and select design. Then you can preview and try it out.

Thanks Hilary, very helpful. But i did not understand some things, actually i am very new, just i have read 2 books about InfoPath without practice and experience. 1- what is the reason you have used same section name (group1) for step1 and step2 2- what is the reason you have used same repeating section (group 3) in section 3- if i was using for each step, different section and different repeated section what happened? 4- in the attached form where you have used conditional formatting, i preview the form but i did not understand where is effect of that?

I just like a simple schema - but you can certainly add multiple repeating groups. And it is fine for your steps to be in their own sections - this was a simple sample to show you an approach. If you already have groups for each of your steps, you could put a repeating group inside each for the replies for that step and not need to implement the formatting and defaults I did.

Thank you so much Hillary, your Answer Helped me a lot, I have one more question about this subject i write here and if have to make new question i will make a new question. if i use instead of constant sections, repeated section i mean a child repeated section inside parent repeated section, and there is a drop down field on the parent with values "Step1", "Step2" and a Text Box it's name is "Reference No" on The parent Section, when i select a "Step1" or "Step2" from drop down and i Submit the form it sets the value of Reference No in parent section to for Example "REf-Step1-01" and also i have a Reference No in Child Repeated section when i Insert row and submit form it automatically sets the value in child repeated section to "REF-Step1-02" and also i have a step field like previous question in child repeated section that gets the value from the parent repeated section for example now is "Step1" depend on what is Select in parent repeated Section.

I'm having trouble understanding the question. This is functionality you have already implemented that is not working correctly? Or functionality you would like to add? Can you attach a sample form showing what you are trying to do? Thanks - you can add a file in a reply under Options. :)

This is functionality I would like to add. I like to use instead of Sections using a repeated section. inside of a parent repeated section i like to add a child section (Nested Repeated Section). in the parent section i have a drop down list, i can select which step is this parent for example "Step 1" and also a text box it's name is Ref No, also a text box for comment and attached file field, now i want after filling these fields and pushing submit button Ref No in parent repeated section get value for example "Ref-Step1-01". now when another user filled child repeated section and pushing submit button it automatically get "Step No" From parent Repeated Section and set value of step No in Child repeated section the same. and also set the value "Ref No" in child repeated Section one plus to pervious Ref, I mean if this is first item in Child for "Step1" It sets value "Ref No" in child repeated section to "Ref-Step1-02" and if is second Item item under parent "Step1" it sets value "Ref No" in child to "Ref-Step1-03" please change my sample form if it has mistake or for adding functionality or for Developing.

Give this one a try. You'll see I'm using default values for the ref numbers instead of setting on submit -it is just easier with repeating data to do that. If you don't want to see them till submitted, you could add a field to your form for status, set to submitted as part of your submit rules, and only display the ref nums if status equals submitted, or something. Otherwise, we'll need to add helper fields to set these, so probably better to use defaults here.

Thanks Hillary, you make easy learning InfoPath.