Creating the Workflow Association Form

The association form allows users to specify key information when a workflow is first associated with a list. In this exercise, you will specify information about the manager who will be performing the performance reviews. The assumption here is that you will create separate lists for each manager that will use the workflow.

Follow these steps to create the association form:

1. Start Microsoft InfoPath.

2. In the Getting Started dialog, click the link titled Design a Form Template.

3. In the Design a Form Template dialog, select a Blank template and click the OK button to start with a blank form.

4. When the blank form opens, click the Data Source link in the Design Tasks pane.

5. Right-click the myFields node and select Properties from the context menu.

6. Rename the node flowFields in the Name text box and click the OK button.

7. Right-click the flowFields node and select Add.

8. In the Add Field or Group dialog, type managerUsername in the Name field and click the OK button.

9. Right-click the flowFields node and select Add.

10. In the Add Field or Group dialog, type managerFullname in the Name field and click the OK button.

11. Right-click the flowFields node and select Add.

12. In the Add Field or Group dialog, type reviewType in the Name field and click the OK button.

13. Right-click the flowFields node and select Add.

14. In the Add Field or Group dialog, type reviewComments in the Name field and click the OK button.

15. Click on the Design Tasks link at the top of the Data Source pane.

16. Click the Layout link in the Design Tasks pane.

17. Drag the Custom Table layout onto the blank form.

18. In the Insert table dialog, enter 1 in the Columns field and 3 in the Rows field, and click the OK button.

19. Click the Design Tasks link at the top of the Layout pane.

20. Click the Controls link in the Design Tasks pane.

21. Uncheck the box labeled Automatically Create Data Source.

22. Drag a text box from the Controls pane and drop it in the top cell of the table.

23. In the Text Box Binding dialog, select the managerUsername field and click the OK button.

24. Drag a text box from the Controls pane and drop it in the middle cell of the table.

25. In the Text Box Binding dialog, select the managerFullname field and click the OK button.

26. Drag a button from the Controls pane and drop it in the bottom cell of the table.

27. Right-click the button and select Button Properties from the context menu.

28. Enter Done in the Label field.

29. Click the Rules button.

30. In the Rules dialog, click the Add button.

31. In the Rules dialog, click the Add Action button.

32. In the Action dialog, select Submit Using a Data Connection from the drop-down list.

33. Click the Add button.

34. In the data connection wizard, select to Create a New Connection to Submit Data and click the Next button.

35. On the next screen select the option to submit the data to The Hosting Environment. This will ensure that the contents of the formare submitted back to the SharePoint workflow process.

36. Click the Next button.

37. On the next screen, name the connection Association and click the Finish button.

38. In the Action dialog, click the OK button.

39. In the Rules dialog, click the Add Action button.

40. Select Close the Form from the drop-down list.

41. Uncheck the box labeled If Changes Have Not Been Saved, Prompt the User to Save.

42. Click the OK button.

43. In the Rule dialog, click the OK button.

44. In the Rules dialog, click the OK button.

45. In the Button Properties dialog, click the OK button.

46. Save the form to an appropriate place for safekeeping such as AssocForm.xsn. You’ll move the form later, so you just need a temporary location for now.