Submitting an InfoPath 2010 form in a document library saving the form as a file and the data as particular Content Type in Sharepoint 2010

The other day one of our clients requested a massive form, I think I count 500 controls. I have never been a huge fan of InfoPath, mainly because every time I use it, becomes a little bit tricky. The client always wants to go to the extra mille, so you end building a web part and leaving the InfoPath form away.

In this case, I knew that a 500 controls form will take me months to build, so I decided the only way, was InfoPath. The requirements were simple, keep the form, and keep the data, so the client could attach a Business Intelligence process behind the results.

The tricky part for me was to create the connection and the content type for it, but as soon as you know how to do it, it is a piece of cake. Right here we go… a step by step:

1. Open InfoPath 2010.
2. Select “SharePoint Form Library->Design Form”.
3. Design your form.
4. Publish your form to be sure it is ok.
5. Go to “File->Publish->Sharepoint Server”.
6. A Wizard like this will be opened:
   
   
7. Enter the site and the Document Library where the form is kept.
8. Leave this form as it is and click next.
   
   
9. Now, select “Update the form template in an existing form library”, and select the library where you are keeping the forms.
   
   

10. Now! the funny thing… click on Add and select the fields you want, and click “Next”.

11. Click on Finish!

Job done!, now, everytime you submit a new form it will be saved in the “Document Library” as a file (with all the data inside) and it will save the data in the columns, so you can interrogate them from any source.

Listing all the Content Types and Fields with PowerShell in Sharepoint 2010

For many reasons at some point you will need to know how many content types you have and all the fields in a particular content type. I wrote a nice script few weeks ago you can run very easily.

Use PowerGui to run it or just copy/paste this code in a file, save it and run it with the native PowerShell.

	write-host ("...Listing Content Types")
	
	$url=  "http://sp_foundation_g/sites/Documents"
	$site = get-spsite $url 
	
	$web = $site.OpenWeb() 
	
	foreach ($contenttype in $web.ContentTypes)
	{	write-host("##################")
		write-host("Content Type Name:" + $contenttype.Name)
		write-host("Fields:")
		foreach ($field in $contenttype.Fields)
		{
			write-host($field.get_InternalName())
		}
	}
	

Enjoy!

Building a Document Management System with Sharepoint 2010 - Part 3

In the third part of Building a Document Management System with Sharepoint 2010 we are going to extend content type columns, so from now we will be able to create our custom columns for the documents. This part will be very useful for people want to extend the columns or metadata to the next level where a high level of customization is required.

Remember The availability of a site column follows the site hierarchy in SharePoint, which means that a site column is available on a site and all sites beneath that site. A site column is not available on SharePoint sites above the site on which the site column is created.

We will continue with out little sample, the "Bill" content type

1- In your SharePoint installation find the site where you want to add the column and click on there

2- On the Site Actions menu->Site Settings->Site columns.



3- On the Site Column Gallery page, click Create.


4- On the New Site Column page, enter a Name, "amount" and select a Type for the site column, "Currency".


5- On the New Site Column page, select Custom Columns from the Existing group drop-down list box.

6- Click Ok.

7- On the Site Actions menu->Site Settings->Content Types.

8- Click on "Bill".

9- Click on "Add from existing site columns".

10- Select on "select columns from:"-> Custom columns and then select amount. You can add it now. Click ok.


11- Your new column is ready to use!.

Conclusion
This tool is even more powerful than the out-of-the-box columns, but be sure you plan everything properly before using it, you could end having few surprises.

Building a Document Management System with Sharepoint 2010 - Part 2

In the second part of the series we will follow the process of how to create "Columns" in a content type. "Columns" will become of of they key parts of the Document Management System as it will be the fastest way of searching documents. Think in "Columns" as fields, every document will be the document itself (.doc) plus a bunch of fields. These fields can be customize by adding the out-of-the-box ones you need or by creating your own ones.

In this part we will concentrate in adding the out-of-the-box ones, leaving the custom ones for the next chapter.

1- Go to Site Actions -> Site Settings -> Site Content Types.

2- Look for "Custom Content Types".


3- Click on "Bill".

4- You should reach this screen "Site Content Type Information".


5- Click "Add from existing site columns"

6- Select "Select columns from:" -> Status indicators, and in "Available columns", select Description and click in Add. Now select "Core contact and Calendar Columns" and select Address and Company. Click on "Ok".

7- If you add a new "Bill" you should be able to see the columns. Don't forget to update the view to see the columns (if you to see them).

Conclusion
Columns in a Sharepoint DMS is one of the most powerful tools to manage the documents.

Bugs related
1- When you try to create a new document from "Shared documents"->"Documents" (ribbon)->"New Document"->the name of your document. you get this error:

'New Document' requires a Microsoft SharePoint Foundation-compatible application and web browser. To add a document to this document library, click the 'Upload Document' button.

Work around from Microsoft: Click here or follow these instructions:
1- Start OneNote 2010.
2- On the File tab, click New.
3- Under Store Notebook On, click Network.
4- Type a name for the notebook in the Name field.
5- Under Network Location, select the SharePoint location where you want to add the OneNote notebook.
6- Click Create Notebook.

2- If this does not work, the problem could be in your browser, Internet Explorer 8. Apparently there are some tasks that Internet Explorer 8 64bit can not perform like the 32bit version. Internet Explorer 32bit supports all the tasks. I found this problem in the 64bit version. Click here for a full list of browsers and Sharepoint 2010 limitations, this following list is just for Internet Explorer 64bit:

Feature	Limitation
Connect to Outlook, Connect to Office, and Sync to SharePoint Workspace	Works with an ActiveX control and the stssync:// protocol. Therefore, functionality may be limited without an ActiveX control, such as the one that is included in Microsoft Office 2010. The feature also requires an application that is compatible with the stssync:// protocol, such as Microsoft Outlook.
Datasheet view	Requires a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control.
Edit in Microsoft Office application	Requires a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control.
Explorer view	Removed in SharePoint Foundation 2010. Libraries that have been upgraded from earlier versions of SharePoint Foundation 2010 may still have Explorer views and these may not work.
Export to Excel	Downloads a file with an .iqy extension to the Web browser. If Microsoft Excel is not installed, and if no other application is configured to open this file, then this feature will not work.
File upload and copy	Requires a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control.
Microsoft InfoPath 2010 integration	Requires a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control.
Microsoft PowerPoint 2010 Picture Library integration	Requires a 64-bit ActiveX control, such as the one that is delivered in Microsoft Office 2010. The user can use the following workarounds when no control has been installed: ·         If a user wants to upload multiple pictures in a picture library, the user must upload one picture at a time by using Upload.aspx. ·         If a user wants to edit a picture in a picture library, the user must download the picture, edit it, and then upload the picture to the picture library. ·         If a user wants to download more than one picture from a picture library, the user must download one picture at a time by clicking on the picture link.
Microsoft Visio 2010 diagram creation	Requires a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control.
New Document	Requires a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control. Although the New Document command may not work, you can use the Upload Document functionality. If you install and configure Office Web Applications on the server, the New Document command works, and you can create an Office document in your browser.
Send To	Can leverage a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control. Without the control, files cannot be sent from one SharePoint farm to another SharePoint farm. However, files can still be sent from one site to another site.
Signing Forms (InfoPath Form Services)	Requires a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control.
Spreadsheet and Database integration	Require a 64-bit ActiveX control. Microsoft Office 2010 does not provide a 64-bit version of this control. The user can use the following workarounds when no control has been installed: ·         If a user wants to edit a document, the user must download the document, edit it, and then save it back to the server. ·         In a list that requires a document to be checked out for editing, a user must use the Edit menu to check out the document, edit it, and then check it in by using the Edit menu. ·         Export to spreadsheet. Users can export a SharePoint list as a spreadsheet by clicking Export to Spreadsheet on the List tab on the ribbon.
Web Part to Web Part Connections	May require deactivation of browsers pop-up blockers for SharePoint sites.