InfoPath Dev

This problem has annoyed me for long too long, so I'll report it. My SharePoint-InfoPath form has a field for "Status" (complete or not complete). On the new-item and edit form I created a rule on the control, so if the status is set to 'complete' the Completion Date field gets set to now(). The problem is that this rule gets auto-populated to the control in Display view. I do not want the Completion Date to EVER get changed when someone opens a record in Display mode. If I edit or delete the rule in the Display form it gets changed in all the forms. I changed the control type on the Display form to a calculated value, but the rule still sticks to it. So far, opening a record in Display does not change the Completion Date. But I would feels much safer if I could get rid of that unwanted rule on the Display form. A formatting rule on the display form on the same control sets the background color in the Status calculated value on the Display form, based on the same condition that exists in the unwanted rule. So I feel like it is just luck that keeps the unwanted rule from activating in the Display form, when the formatting rule with the same condition does activate. Is there a way to get rid of this rule - just on the Display form (keep it on the other forms)? Alternately, is there a way to add a condition to the rule, so it would activate only "If form is new-item or edit"? Thanks Peter

How are the users changing the status in the display form so that the rule is firing? If the rule is on the status field it should only fire if the status changes....

Well, having you say it shouldn't fire unless changed is comforting, and I may just leave it. However the formatting rule, with the same condition, does fire without changing the field (If Status is Completed make background green). I hope an InfoPath or Windows upgrade can't break my safety on this. Thanks

Action rules do not fire unless a field changes. Formatting rules always apply. So if you have a formatting rule that is supposed to show something a certain color if a field is a specific value - then, as long as the field is that value, the formatting will apply. In other words, if you have a formatting rule to set the background green when status = completed, and there are no other formatting rule that set the background to green, I would assume that the status = completed if the background is green. Does that make sense? Edited to add- I want to confirm that you set your field to now() with a rule on another field. I'm not sure how it will behave if you are using a default that recalculates.

O.K. Your unequivocal statement of how action rules apply differently than formatting rules satisfies me. I'll use it as is. Yes, the rule setting the CompletionDate to now() is on the Status field. I did that instead of using a Default value. CompletionDate has no default value. The setup seems to work without hitches. Thanks