form with workflow - startpoint!

[Martin Dean]

Hi Guy's 'n Girl's,

I am looking for the correct start point for this scenario!

I now have a new enerprise 2007 sharepoint server, Infopath, and SQL
Databases available to me.

I am trying to design\pilot a process to replace a manual paper process that
we currently use for requesitioning new equipment for new starters. I have
not used sharepoint or inforpath before, nor has the organisation.

Designing the form 'front end' seems easy enough, but am unsure how I should
be looking to set up the data links in this scenario.

In essence:

An HR user will send a new form detailing the new equipment needed for IT to
purchase. That user would have access to infopath if needed.

Whenever a request is made, via the form above, two people should see it.
The line manager of the new starter (name can be selected on form) and a
Director, to authorise the purchase. Those users may not have infopath.

The IT usergroup want to recieve the data, once it has been authorised.
These users would have infopath.

So the questions!

I can see how to create the form, but what should the data side be ? A
sharepoint list ? An SQL Server ?

I am unsure (or at least it is not intuitive) how to route the completed and
validated form to a user for approval, and then achieve approval, and pass it
on another usergroup. Is it possible to generate an email with the form
details and an approve yes\no dialouge ?

Do I need to use sharepoint, or do I just use the office forms service
running as part of sharepoint ?

As you can see there are a bunch of questions here, I just want to get an
idea of the route I should be taking - I have been given 48hrs to try to make
this work!

Many Thanks,

Martin

 

[K.Ramana Reddy(GGK Tech)]

Hi,

which version of Infopath are you(Infopath 2003 or Infopath 2007)?
You can use office forms service running as part of sharepoint and you can
use work flow sending form to different users back and front.
You can use SQL server as data side.
If you office forms services , the people who deos not have the infopath can
opne the form user browser campatibility option in Infopath 2007.

we can also send the form as an email attachement.

I hope this will help for you.

 

[Martin Dean]

Hi!

Thanks for the responce,

I am using infopath 2007, and sharepoint 2007 Enterprise.

So from what you are saying, create the form with an SQL backend, and
publish it via sharepoint ?
I am assuming that an HR user would then go to a link, within the sharepoint
portal to fill it in ?

So given that I can do that, what would I need to do to then send someone in
an approvals group (different approvers based on data in the form ?) a copy
of the completed (and validated) form, with a request for approval ?

Then if approved, a copy of the form to be sent on to IT, and if not
approved, returned elsewhere. To put the icing on the cake, IT shoudl then
be able to confirm reciept of the validated form, and advise a delivery and
install date, which would need to be sent to yet different people! (The line
manager of the starter for example).

Ideally each form would have a unique ID, and the ability to audit which
forms were approved, when they were approved\denied who by etc.

I appreciate that I am asking alot, but am trying to understand how much of
this is 'out of the box' functionality, and how much would require a
programmer - a resource I dont have!