jcaiola
asked on
Combine InforPath Forms and Regular Documents in Single SharePoint Library
I have a need to aggregate forms from InfoPath - that are stored on SharePoint and open up into a browser form, and standard documents (scans, word docs, excel files, etc.) into a single document library for presentation to a group of people.
Simple scenario:
1. One form details an employee's profile (salary, title, etc.) - these are available only via SharePoint.
2. Another form - for different distribution - both online in SharePoint library and by email via InfoPath - details employee's network rights and privileges - updated throughout their employee tenure.
3. Scanned documents such as W2, Change of Address Forms, other official company and government forms, and possibly Word documents - all individual to an employee are attached to SharePoint document library by employee using a look-up of employee from item 1 above.
4. Finance and HR would like to see a complete set of the documents above in a single library grouped by employee.
Notes:
1. It is perfectly okay if these documents and forms initially reside in their own libraries.
2. I would like to do this with as little custom code as possible.
Thank you.
Simple scenario:
1. One form details an employee's profile (salary, title, etc.) - these are available only via SharePoint.
2. Another form - for different distribution - both online in SharePoint library and by email via InfoPath - details employee's network rights and privileges - updated throughout their employee tenure.
3. Scanned documents such as W2, Change of Address Forms, other official company and government forms, and possibly Word documents - all individual to an employee are attached to SharePoint document library by employee using a look-up of employee from item 1 above.
4. Finance and HR would like to see a complete set of the documents above in a single library grouped by employee.
Notes:
1. It is perfectly okay if these documents and forms initially reside in their own libraries.
2. I would like to do this with as little custom code as possible.
Thank you.
ASKER
Sorry - SharePoint 2010 or SharePoint 2013 - both foundation.
Hi there,
This could be done in a couple of ways. Both involve workflows. I say two ways, because typically a request like that is about one thing: I don't want to be searching all over creation for items relating to one person. It is not necessarily that they need them all in one library, it's just that they don't want to search multiple libraries to find what they're looking for. Is that correct?
If so, then you have a couple of scenarios:
Scenario A:
Build some workflows that basically write their locations to an aggregate file. So I have a new form called Employee Record, for example. In the form I have fields such as: w2 paperwork, Network Access rights, etc...
A workflow over in the W2 library could open the Employee Record and update the W2 field with a reference to itself.
In other words, you're creating a form that holds links to all other resources, so HR doesn't have to go searching for them. They see one record, but the record points to multiple places.
The trick with that scenario is being careful with permissions so things don't get jumbled.
Scenario B:
You can have a shared library with categories. Example: W2, Network Access, Asset Control, etc..
Once items are completed in each individual library, let's say W2 library, you could have a promote checkbox, or archive checkbox that when clicked and saved, it kicks off a workflow that copies that item into a larger library, basically doing a file dump. to a new location under the proper category.
The problem here is that you would need to create fields that would accommodate each library, and that becomes confusing because the W2 library and the Network Access library require very different Metadata, so you would be forced to create metadata you would not use in all scenarios.
I hope this helps you and makes sense.
All of this requires no code so far, just some working through workflows. If you want it be easier, I highly recommend Nintex Workflows. Crazy expensive, but worth it in the long run. You could do your whole onboarding process, for example, quite easily this way.
Hope that helps.
This could be done in a couple of ways. Both involve workflows. I say two ways, because typically a request like that is about one thing: I don't want to be searching all over creation for items relating to one person. It is not necessarily that they need them all in one library, it's just that they don't want to search multiple libraries to find what they're looking for. Is that correct?
If so, then you have a couple of scenarios:
Scenario A:
Build some workflows that basically write their locations to an aggregate file. So I have a new form called Employee Record, for example. In the form I have fields such as: w2 paperwork, Network Access rights, etc...
A workflow over in the W2 library could open the Employee Record and update the W2 field with a reference to itself.
In other words, you're creating a form that holds links to all other resources, so HR doesn't have to go searching for them. They see one record, but the record points to multiple places.
The trick with that scenario is being careful with permissions so things don't get jumbled.
Scenario B:
You can have a shared library with categories. Example: W2, Network Access, Asset Control, etc..
Once items are completed in each individual library, let's say W2 library, you could have a promote checkbox, or archive checkbox that when clicked and saved, it kicks off a workflow that copies that item into a larger library, basically doing a file dump. to a new location under the proper category.
The problem here is that you would need to create fields that would accommodate each library, and that becomes confusing because the W2 library and the Network Access library require very different Metadata, so you would be forced to create metadata you would not use in all scenarios.
I hope this helps you and makes sense.
All of this requires no code so far, just some working through workflows. If you want it be easier, I highly recommend Nintex Workflows. Crazy expensive, but worth it in the long run. You could do your whole onboarding process, for example, quite easily this way.
Hope that helps.
ASKER
What I would like to do is something similar to the below. First, I would like to be able to see a list of all employees - 1st image. Second, I would like to be able to expand the employee and then see a list of all documents similar to what you see in the 2nd image. However, I want to be able to include InfoPath forms (as seen here) as well as other types of files such as scans and word documents, etc.
Attachment-One.docx
Attachment-Two.docx
Attachment-One.docx
Attachment-Two.docx
If you're creating physical documents, like word docs, pdfs, etc.. you could potentially create a 3rd scenario in which you simply add attachments to a record via workflow as well. Again, permissions and duplicates would be something to consider. That's an easier path, probably.
ASKER
Is there a simple way to create a library that would host the various documents in one place?
A library would host all documents, regardless of content, but as I mentioned in Scenario B, you lose flexibility of metadata, and you have to give everyone permission to that library. You also lose the ability of opening the InfoPath form on the web directly unless it's a forms library, if that makes sense.
ASKER
I think that is my problem. I want to be able to open up n the native application for those documents that can be (Word, Excel, etc.), and in a browser form for InfoPath. Possible?
ASKER
For example - could I use content query or similar to aggregate these items together into a single space?
Hi again,
This is why I suggest that you create a list of links, as in Scenario A. That way a user opens each item from the source. This gives you the most flexibility.
This is why I suggest that you create a list of links, as in Scenario A. That way a user opens each item from the source. This gives you the most flexibility.
ASKER
It turned out that I created a document library - not a form library. And I used workflows to copy the forms (as documents) over to the library along with specific fields that I want to use for search and sorting.
It works rather well - and it allows me to open both forms, and documents of all types.
True - I do lose some of the metadata from the forms with respect to columns, but since the forms are readily viewable I can visually see anything I may need. I did - as mentioned - copy into respective columns anything I think I might need to use as meta data.
It works rather well - and it allows me to open both forms, and documents of all types.
True - I do lose some of the metadata from the forms with respect to columns, but since the forms are readily viewable I can visually see anything I may need. I did - as mentioned - copy into respective columns anything I think I might need to use as meta data.
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for which SharePoint version and edition?
Thanks.
Rainer