InfoPath 2010 Essentials Corporate Training Materials
TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface...1 What is Courseware?... 1 How Do I Customize My Course?... 1 Materials Required... 3 Maximizing Your Training Power... 3 Module One: Getting Started...5 Icebreaker: What s in a picture?... 6 Housekeeping Items... 7 Pre-Assignment Review... 7 Workshop Objectives... 8 Action Plans and Evaluations... 9 Module Two: Opening and Closing InfoPath... 10 Opening InfoPath... 11 Using the Available Form Templates Window... 14 Exploring the InfoPath s Interface... 16 An XML Primer... 19 Closing InfoPath... 21 Module Three: Using the InfoPath Filler 2010... 22 Launching Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010... 23 Entering Data... 27 Checking Your Spelling... 30 Printing the Form... 33 Saving the Form... 35
Module Four: Designing a Form Framework... 39 Creating a Blank Form... 40 Adding a Table... 42 Adding and Removing Rows or Columns... 44 Merging and Splitting Cells... 46 Formatting Tables... 47 Changing Table Properties... 50 Module Five: Adding Labels... 52 Adding Labels... 53 Changing the Font Face and Size... 55 Changing the Font Color... 57 Adding Effects... 59 Using the Font Task Pane... 60 Aligning Text... 62 Module Six: Adding Controls... 64 Adding a Standard Control... 65 Adding Repeating and Optional Controls... 70 Adding File Controls... 73 Adding Picture Controls... 76 Advanced Types of Controls... 78 Module Seven: Formatting Controls... 80 Changing the Visual Properties of a Control... 81 Using the Control Properties Dialog... 82 Adding Data Validation Rules... 84 Applying Conditional Formatting... 87 Running the Logic (Rule) Inspector... 91
Module Eight: Working with Data Sources... 94 Viewing Data Source Information... 95 Managing Fields and Groups... 98 Adding a Data Connection... 100 Manually Binding Controls... 108 Module Nine: Creating a View... 111 Creating a Custom View... 112 Creating a Print View... 117 Setting a View as Default... 120 Deleting Views... 122 Module Ten: Finishing the Form... 123 Changing the Color Scheme... 124 Checking Your Spelling... 126 Using the Design Checker... 129 Protecting Your Form... 131 Previewing the Form... 136 Module Eleven: Distributing Your Form... 138 Understanding Saving vs. Publishing... 139 Using the Publishing Wizard... 140 Printing the Form... 145 Module Twelve: Wrapping Up... 148 Words from the Wise... 148 Parking Lot... 149 Action Plans and Evaluations... 149 Appendix... 150 Worksheet One: What s in a picture?... 153
Worksheet Two: Meeting Agenda... 155 Action Plan... 156 Evaluation Form... 158 Recommended Reading List... 159
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Arthur C. Clarke Preface What is Courseware? Welcome to Corporate Training Materials, a whole new training experience! Our courseware packages offer you top-quality training materials that are customizable, user-friendly, educational, and fun. We provide your materials, materials for the student, your PowerPoint slides, and a take-home reference sheet for the student. You simply need to prepare and train! Best of all, our courseware packages are created in Microsoft Office and can be opened using any version of Word and PowerPoint, from 97 to 2007. (Most other word processing and presentation programs support these formats, too.) This means that you can customize the content, add your logo, change the color scheme, and easily print and e-mail training materials. How Do I Customize My Course? Customizing your course is easy. To edit text, just click and type as you would with any document. This is particularly convenient if you want to add customized statistics for your region, special examples for your participants industry, or additional information. You can, of course, also use all of your word processor s other features, including text formatting and editing tools (such as cutting and pasting). To remove modules, simply select the text and press Delete on your keyboard. Then, navigate to the Table of Contents, right-click, and click Update Field. You may see a dialog box; if so, click Update entire table and press OK. (You will also want to perform this step if you add modules or move them around.) Page 1
If you want to change the way text looks, you can format any piece of text any way you want. However, to make it easy, we ve used styles so that you can update all the text at once. If you re using Word 97 to 2003, start by clicking the Format menu followed by Styles and Formatting. In Word 2007, click the option button in the Styles group. Now, right-click on your chosen style and click Modify. For example, if we wanted to change our Heading 1 style, used for Module Titles, this is what we would do: Now, we can change our formatting and it will be applied to all the headings in the document. For more information on making Word work for you, please refer to Word 2007 Essentials by Global Courseware. Page 2
Materials Required All of our courses use flip chart paper and markers extensively. (If you prefer, you can use a whiteboard or chalkboard instead.) We recommend that each participant have a copy of the Student Training Guide, and that you review each module before training to ensure you have any special materials required. We include worksheets in the Appendix at the end of this manual that can be reproduced and used where indicated. If you would like to save paper, these worksheets can often be transferred to flip chart paper, instead of having individual worksheets. We recommend these additional materials for all workshops: Laptop with projector, for PowerPoint slides Tips and Tricks Tutorial for students to take home Timer or watch (separate from your laptop) Masking tape Blank paper Maximizing Your Training Power We have just one more thing for you before you get started. Our company is built for trainers, by trainers, so we thought we would share some of our tips with you, to help you create an engaging, unforgettable experience for your participants. MAKE IT CUSTOMIZED. By tailoring each course to your participants, you will find that your results will increase a thousandfold. o o o Use examples, case studies, and stories that are relevant to the group. Identify whether your participants are strangers or whether they work together. Tailor your approach appropriately. Different people learn in different ways, so use different types of activities to balance it all out. (For example, some people learn by reading, while others learn by talking about it, while still others need a hands-on approach. For more information, we suggest Experiential Learning by David Kolb.) MAKE IT FUN AND INTERACTIVE. Most people do not enjoy sitting and listening to someone else talk for hours at a time. Make use of the tips in this book and your own experience to keep your Page 3
participants engaged. Mix up the activities to include individual work, small group work, large group discussions, and mini-lectures. MAKE IT RELEVANT. Participants are much more receptive to learning if they understand why they are learning it and how they can apply it in their daily lives. Most importantly, they want to know how it will benefit them and make their lives easier. Take every opportunity to tie what you are teaching back to real life. KEEP AN OPEN MIND. Many trainers find that they learn something each time they teach a workshop. If you go into a training session with that attitude, you will find that there can be an amazing two-way flow of information between the trainer and trainees. Enjoy it, learn from it, and make the most of it in your workshops. And now, time for the training! Page 4
Determine the thing that can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way. Abraham Lincoln Module One: Getting Started Welcome to the Microsoft InfoPath 2010 Essentials workshop. In this workshop, you will learn how to create, manage, and fill out interactive forms. The Microsoft InfoPath 2010 has new great features, such as the Office Fluent UI, and the ability to customize Sharepoint list forms in just one click. Are you ready to take your organization to the next level with Microsoft InfoPath 2010? Page 5
Icebreaker: What s in a picture? PURPOSE To introduce participants to each other. MATERIALS REQUIRED One set of Worksheet One cards per 30 participants PREPARATION Before the workshop, print Worksheet One on stock paper. Cut the pages where indicated so that you have 30 cards, each with one picture. Note: You may need to modify the number of cards based on the size of your group. Each group should have five to ten participants. EXPLANATION As participants arrive, hand each person a card. ACTIVITY Once all participants have arrived, explain that they need to divide themselves into groups based on the picture that they have been assigned. Once in their group, each participant is to share one experience that pertains to their assigned picture. Once all the members have been gathered, they should introduce themselves, choose a leader, and come up with a team name based on their assigned picture. Then, have each leader introduce the group and its members. Page 6
Housekeeping Items Take a few moments to cover basic housekeeping items. Let participants know where they can find washrooms, break facilities, and fire exits. Ask participants to turn off their cell phones or at least turn them to vibrate. If they must take a call, request that they do it outside. Take this time to encourage the group to ask questions and make this an interactive workshop. Tape a sheet of flip chart paper to the wall and mark it Parking Lot. Explain that any questions that can t be answered, or that are more appropriate for a post-workshop explanation, will be placed here and dealt with at the end of the day. Write the words Respect, Confidentiality, and Practice on a piece of flip chart paper and tape it to the wall. Explain to participants that in order to get the most out of this workshop, we must all work together, listen to each other, explore new ideas, and make mistakes. After all, that s how we learn! Pre-Assignment Review The purpose of the Pre-Assignment is to get you thinking about the features of Microsoft InfoPath and the organizational strategies you are already using and where you need to improve. Workshop participants were asked to review a list of topics and use a rating system to indicate their interest in the topic. Take a moment to review the list and highlight areas of interest. Page 7
Workshop Objectives Research has consistently demonstrated that when clear goals are associated with learning, it occurs more easily and rapidly. By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: Open and close InfoPath Use InfoPath s Available Form Templates window and the interface Add rules to customized forms Explain XML at a high level Use InfoPath Filler 2010 to fill out forms Design a form from scratch using Microsoft InfoPath Design 2010 Work with InfoPath tables Create field labels Add and modify basic controls, including picture and file attachments Understand what advanced control types can be used for Format controls Add data validation and conditional formatting rules to controls Use the Logic Inspector and Design Checker View and modify data sources, fields, and groups Manually bind controls to a data source Create, modify, and delete InfoPath views Change the color scheme of a form Check spelling Preview and test a form Protect a form Publish or print a form Page 8
Action Plans and Evaluations Pass out the participant action plans and evaluations, available in the appendix of this manual. Ask participants to fill these out throughout the day as they learn new things and have ideas on how to incorporate the things we discuss into their lives. Page 9
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Module Two: Opening and Closing InfoPath In this module, you will learn how to open and close InfoPath. In addition, you will explore the InfoPath s interface, the language used to build its forms, and the two modes that you can work in. Page 10
Opening InfoPath Estimated Time Topic Objective Topic Summary 5 minutes Participant will learn how to open InfoPath. Participants can open InfoPath using the Start or Windows button located usually at the bottom of their computer s screen. Materials Required Microsoft InfoPath 2010 Planning Checklist Recommended Activity Stories to Share Delivery Tips It is important to make sure that the Microsoft InfoPath 2010 is installed to its default state, with no interface customizations. This will be required for all topics. Participants will need to start Microsoft InfoPath 2010 on their own. Presenter could ask, Is it better to start at the start line or go straight to the finish? In this case, participants should be informed that they can start Microsoft InfoPath 2010 a lot faster if they create a start cut icon on the desktop. In the Microsoft Office group, the applications are in alphabetical order. Word is usually the last application in the group. 1. In which group on the Start menu is InfoPath found? Review Questions 2. How can you start InfoPath quicker? (Answers: 1. Microsoft Office; 2. Create a short cut on the desktop) Page 11
Let s begin. First, click the Start button (or the Windows logo( in the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Then click All Programs. Page 12
Next, click the program group Microsoft Office, and then from the submenu, choose Microsoft Office InfoPath Designer 2010. This is the same as Microsoft InfoPath 2010. Once you click on the icon for Microsoft Office InfoPath, it will open. Let s take a closer look at it. Page 13
Using the Available Form Templates Window Estimated Time Topic Objective 5 minutes To understand how to use the Available Form Templates window. When you open InfoPath, you will see an available form templates window. On the left hand side, you will see a list of tasks that you can perform, including opening forms on your computer, designing a new form, and looking for recent forms that you have already created. Topic Summary In the center, which is the white area, you can choose many different templates to design your form. You will notice that the available form templates are broken into three categories, which are: (a) popular form templates; (b) advanced form templates; and (c) InfoPath 2007 Form Templates. Finally, click the icon on the right-hand side (Design This Form) to start performing that task on the selected form. Recommended Activity Stories to Share Delivery Tips Review Questions Have participants click on SharePoint Form Library to find a form and click Design this form link on the right-hand side. Once you have opened forms in InfoPath, InfoPath will display recently used forms instead of samples. If there is time and Internet access is available, have participants look at the templates available on Office Online. How do you open the Available Form Templates window? (Answer: It opens automatically when you open InfoPath.) Page 14
When you open InfoPath, you will see an available form template window: On the left hand side, you will see a list of tasks that you can perform, including opening forms on your computer, designing a new form, and looking for recent forms that you have already created. In the center, which is the white area, you can choose many different templates to design your form. You will notice that the available form templates are broken into three categories, which are: (a) popular form templates; (b) advanced form templates; and (c) InfoPath 2007 Form Templates. Finally, click the icon on the right-hand side (Design This Form) to start performing that task on the selected form. Page 15
Exploring the InfoPath s Interface Estimated Time Topic Objective 5 minutes To understand how to interact with InfoPath. Topic Summary Note: InfoPath s interface may appear slightly different depending on whether users are using Microsoft InfoPath Designer 2010 to design forms or Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010. However, the basic components will stay the same. Recommended Activity Stories to Share Delivery Tips Explore the different aspects of the interface with participants. (They should have a form open from the SharePoint Form Library.) We will look at Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010 in the next module. Encourage participants to use what they know from other Microsoft Office programs to help them understand Microsoft InfoPath 2010. What are InfoPath s two programs? Review Questions (Answer: Microsoft InfoPath has two programs called the Microsoft InfoPath Designer 2010 and Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010.) Page 16
InfoPath s interface will be slightly different depending on which mode you are in. Below is a screenshot of a form in Microsoft InfoPath Design 2010. Here is a brief description of each part: Title Bar: At the top of the InfoPath window, you ll see the name of the form you are working on and the program you are in (Microsoft InfoPath Design). At the far right of this bar, you have tools to minimize, maximize, or close the window. Menu Bar: This is one way that you can interact with InfoPath. Click on each word to see a group of commands. Then, click the command that you want. Toolbars: These bars provide another way to interact with InfoPath simply click an icon to perform an action. Here, you can see the Standard, Formatting, and Tables toolbars (from top to bottom). Working Area: This is where you design your current form and make any changes, if necessary. Task pane (Design Tasks): This pane will provide key tools for designing forms. Status bar: Provides important information about your form and InfoPath. Page 17
When you have finished designing your form, other users will open the form in Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010. This allows users to enter information into the form, but do not afford users to change the form s design. In other words, users are only able to enter information into the forms. As you can see, the interface is almost the same. However, the menu commands will be different, and the Design Tasks task pane will be unavailable. Page 18
An XML Primer Estimated Time Topic Objective 10 minutes To get a basic understanding of XML. InfoPath uses Extensible Markup Language, also known as XML, to build its forms. InfoPath 2007 is very user-friendly and does not require knowledge of XML to use it. Topic Summary XML is used to structure data in such a way that almost any operating system or computer program can interpret it. It does this by identifying data with tags. The important thing to remember is that although there are some general rules for marking up data with XML, the tags themselves are user defined. Materials Required Recommended Activity XML sample from the next page on flip chart or PowerPoint. Review the XML schema with participants. If participants are interested in learning more about XML, we have included some excellent resources in the Recommended Reading List. Stories to Share Delivery Tips Review Questions In the Exercise Files, you will find MOSTL.xml, the schema used to create Smart Tags in Microsoft Office applications. This can be viewed with NotePad. Remind participants that this is just an introduction so that they know what XML is. InfoPath will not require them to do any programming. What does XML stand for? (Answer: Extensible Markup Language) Page 19
InfoPath uses Extensible Markup Language, also known as XML, to build its forms. InfoPath 2007 is very user-friendly and does not require knowledge of XML to use it. However, knowing what XML is and the basics of how it works can help you work with InfoPath. XML is used to structure data in such a way that almost any operating system or computer program can interpret it. It does this by identifying data with tags. Here is a brief example of XML. <CATALOG> <CD> <CD> <BOOK> <BOOK> <TITLE> Greatest Hits </TITLE> <ARTIST> Max Swims </ARTIST> <YEAR> 1987 </YEAR> <TITLE> Big Band Breakdown </TITLE> <ARTIST> The Winners </ARTIST> <YEAR> 2005 </YEAR> <TITLE> Max and Julie Go To the Zoo </TITLE> <AUTHOR> Nancy Fellows </AUTHOR> <PUBLISHER> Great Books Inc. </PUBLISHER> <YEAR> 1964 </YEAR> <TITLE> Super Mysteries of the Sea </TITLE> <AUTHOR> Eugene Gilfoy </AUTHOR> <PUBLISHER> Waterproof Books Ltd. </PUBLISHER> <YEAR> 1995 </YEAR> This structure allows us to see that this is a multimedia catalog with two books and two CDs. It is also easy to see what each line represents. The important thing to remember is that although there are some general rules for marking up data with XML, the tags themselves are user defined. This means that you may look at several different XML files and not see the same tags in any of them. Page 20
Closing InfoPath Estimated Time Topic Objective Topic Summary Recommended Activity Stories to Share 5 minutes To understand how to close InfoPath. To close InfoPath, click File-Exit, or click the red X in the top right hand corner. Have participants close InfoPath. You can also use the Alt+ F4 shortcut. List one way to close InfoPath. (Answers: Review Questions 1. Use Alt+ F4 shortcut. 2. Click File Exit. 3. Click the red X in the top right hand corner. To close InfoPath, click File---Exit, or click the red X in the top right hand corner. You will be prompted to save any changes that you have made to the open form. Page 21
Quick Tip: If you re missing your design tools, you re probably in Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010. Module Three: Using the InfoPath Filler 2010 In this module, we are going to look at Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010. This will include filling out data, checking your spelling, saving the form, and printing the form. Page 22
Launching Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010 Estimated Time 5 minutes Topic Objective To understand how to open a form in Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010. Topic Summary Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010 is what your users will use to complete forms. As we mentioned in the last topic, the interface looks the same, but provides different commands that are focused on data entry and validation rather than form creation. To open a form in Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010, click the On My Computer link from the Getting Started window and choose your form. Materials Required Recommended Activity Delivery Tips Review Questions Module Three 2011 Seminar.xsn Have participants open Module Three 2011 Seminar.xsn in Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010. Have a discussion on how the interface is different from Microsoft InfoPath Designer 2010. How do one fill in a form with Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010? (Click on the icon that says Fill Out Form.) Page 23
Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010 is what your users will use to complete forms. As we mentioned in the last topic, the interface looks the same, but provides different commands that are focused on data entry and validation rather than form creation. To open a form in Microsoft InfoPath Filler 2010, click the On My Computer link from the Available Forms window. Page 24
Now, browse to select the form that you need to complete. Page 25