Data Connections

Re: Linking Excel spreadsheet to Drop Down List

MikeW — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:15:05 GMT

Patrick, thanks for that........by "Code" I have an alpanumeric value to represent the text which is in the "Item" field........so two adjacent columns might look as below

Red Shirts C108.1

I could add the items manually but as they change from time to time, it would be easier longer term to edit the spreadsheet.........seem logical ?

Re: Linking Excel spreadsheet to Drop Down List

Patrick Halstead — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:48:59 GMT

Hi Mike W and welcome,

When you say you want "Code" to be recorded in a separate application, I get lost. You don't have to bind Code to a field in your form. You can use a rule on the Item field (put it in a repeating group underneath a non-repeating group inside your parent structure) to set a value for the Code and use filtering to set that value. The destination of that set can be outside the schema for the item. When populating from a spreadsheet, you don't need the main data source to be repeating at all if they are only selecting one item.

Linking Excel spreadsheet to Drop Down List

MikeW — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 15:10:19 GMT

Hi All, am quite new to InfoPath but quite reasonable with IT but have come across something which has me stumped.........have looked for an answer with no luck, so I post here hoping......

I have a spreadsheet with two columns ( called Item and Code ).......what I need to do is have my Drop Down list display the "Item" column content ( about 100 entries ) but to record the "Code" for the entry into another application ( this step is sorted already ). Clearly the answer is within the properties of the Drop Down list box / Look up in external data source / data source selected .....but how to define the repeating group ( Item column ?? ) / Entries / Values / Display name.

Any help much appreciated

Mike W