InfoPath Dev

Hi All, I am using Infopath 2010's SharePoint Form Library template with a couple of repeating tables that are required by business process. I have created 2 drop down lists namely, 1) Drop down list State (WatingTeamLeader, WaitingManager, WaitingHumanResource) 2) Drop down list Action (ApproveTeamLeader, RejectTeamLeader, ApproveManager, RejectManager, ApproveHR, RejectHR). I found a blog http://www.mssharepointtips.com/tip.asp?id=1031 where we can edit SharePoint Form Fields by promoting columns on SharePoint. When I promote this 2 drop down lists and check the "Allow users to edit in this field by using a datasheet or property page", I got a warning "Rules and code will not run on changes made outside the form". I was able to publish this form library. However, when I checked these “State” and “Action” in the SharePoint column list, they appeared as “Single line of text”. I later changed to “Choice” field with the options mentioned above. When I open SPD 2010 and navigated to the form library, I created a custom workflow. But when configured the business logic and published, the workflow doesn't work. My suspicion is on the promoted fields for workflow state and action fields when checked with "Allow users to edit in this field by using a datasheet or property page" looks the culprit. On SharePoint, workflow state and action fields were automatically become “Single line of text” and I manipulated these fields into choice fields. However, in SharePoint Designer 2010, these fields worked properly as I was getting drop down for these fields. I tried list box control as well, but it results in the same. Does anyone have an idea to solve this issue or a better approach to tackle this requirement? Thank you! --aaroh

hi Aaroh and welcome,

When promoting fields in repeating tables (or sections) from InfoPath you can only choose one item (or aggregate them). There are commands for first, last, merge, sum, etc. That's because SharePoint lists and libraries are flat tables and they don't support hierarchical data.

The typical solution is to map the repeating data to a separate list and define a parent to child relationship between the primary library and the secondary list. We have done quite a few webinars on this topic. Check out Qdabra's YouTube channel. Thare are also many examples on this site if you search for them. This can be done without code, but you will have to learn how to create CAML mapping.  qRules is another approach that allows for easier re-mapping when values change and easier refresh to load values from child lists when users making changes to them directly.

You should just use InfoPath to edit the values by creating a separate "dashboard" form on top of the child list which allows for editing multiple items at the same time. This way, you can have your rules and actions in the dashboard form. Opening the individual parent forms then loads the updated values into the forms. This kind of a composite solution has many advantages standard list forms or singleton library forms. And, of course no code is required and it's all out-of-box (well, qRules isn't but that will save you time down the road).

Let us know if you can't find the webinars - Qdabra just did two last month on dashboards and several last year on parent-child. We do free weekly webinars every Thursday morning at 8am Pacific and you can register for upcoming webinars from the Qdabra dot com site under Training. We're planning to do a retake of the parent-child concepts in the next week or two.

Stay tuned,

P

PS> when configuring workflows make sure you use conditions in the workflow to trigger them only when values change that you want to trigger the workflow.