SharePoint Products TechCenter >
SharePoint Products and Technologies Forums
>
SharePoint - InfoPath Forms Services
>
Sharepoint datasheet views with Infopath
Sharepoint datasheet views with Infopath
- I have a Sharepoint document library list with an Infopath entry form. One of the views is the datasheet view, that allows me to edit information in either the Infopath document or directly in the datasheet. Is there a way to insert a new row in the datasheet without the use of the Infopath form (directly in the datasheet)?
Answers
- I would do whatever you can to discourage that method. Datasheet view can be an extremely helpful and useful method for quickly making bulk edits to multiple rows and columns at the same time, but it should NOT be what manages use to update their data. All it takes is one slip-up, and they could wipe away the data for EVERY record...or copy over the data in one column on every record. It is a very dangerous thing for managers to be relying on this method for updating data.
If you have a form, they should ONLY be using the form, because the form has built-in security restrictions, conditional formatting, rules, data validatio, etc. If you ignore the form that was built for that purpose, then the changes you make in datasheet view could invalidate the form itself or cause data integrity issues.
Making it easy for managers doesn't mean showing them datasheet view. Making it easy means making a nice form that is simply to use and only shows them the fields and sections that are relevant to them.
SharePoint Architect || My Blog- Marked As Answer byLambert QinMSFT, ModeratorFriday, November 13, 2009 5:29 AM
All Replies
- Wait, how are you editing InfoPath directly from the datasheet view? Are you sure you're doing that? Datasheet view doesn't open the Infopath form, so I don't know how you could directly edit it. If you mean that you are able to edit the fields in SharePoint, which then sync with the form when the form is opened, then that's different. The way you said was as if you are actually editing your form from within datasheet view.
No, you won't be able to create a new XML file within datasheet view. Form libraries are based on documents for their row entries, so it's the document that must be created in order to create a new row.
SharePoint Architect || My Blog - You are exactly correct, I meant to say that I'm editing the fields in Sharepoint, that then reflect in the form when it is opened. Sorry to hear that new rows cannot be created in form libraries. Someone suggested that I create rules in Infopath that feed two separate sharepoint lists, one to the document library directly, and another to a mirror image of that library. Haven't tested that yet. Thanks for your prompt reply.
- Worth a marked answer?
As for the mirror image, I wouldn't do that. Could you let me know what your actual requirements and goals are? I can't tell based off the desire to add a new row in datasheet view compared to submitting the same file to two libraries.
SharePoint Architect || My Blog - We're building out a skill assessment tool that managers use to identify subject matter experts in various fields. My client wants the ability for these managers to be able to either use the Infopath form, or simply use a datasheet view to add/update records. Our managers are very "tied" to excel spreadsheets, and my client wants to enable that functionality to make it easy for our managers. :(
- I would do whatever you can to discourage that method. Datasheet view can be an extremely helpful and useful method for quickly making bulk edits to multiple rows and columns at the same time, but it should NOT be what manages use to update their data. All it takes is one slip-up, and they could wipe away the data for EVERY record...or copy over the data in one column on every record. It is a very dangerous thing for managers to be relying on this method for updating data.
If you have a form, they should ONLY be using the form, because the form has built-in security restrictions, conditional formatting, rules, data validatio, etc. If you ignore the form that was built for that purpose, then the changes you make in datasheet view could invalidate the form itself or cause data integrity issues.
Making it easy for managers doesn't mean showing them datasheet view. Making it easy means making a nice form that is simply to use and only shows them the fields and sections that are relevant to them.
SharePoint Architect || My Blog- Marked As Answer byLambert QinMSFT, ModeratorFriday, November 13, 2009 5:29 AM
