Infopath & Sharepoint

[Bret]

Please can someone explain to me the relationship between InfoPath forms and
Sharepoint and Sharepoint Server. Im in the process of converting my VB
projects over to Sharepoint (still learning) but recently started reading up
on InfoPath which I never heard nor used before. InfoPath seems to have what
I need which is to create web-based forms for data gathering into our SQL
Server tables, but now Im confused on if I should be using one instead of the
other or use both in collaboration since their is other functionality
Sharepoint has that the company Im developing for will need. Thank you for
any help in understanding these 2 products relationship with each other if
there is one.

 

[S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton]

SharePoint can serve as a container for InfoPath forms, that is, you can save
InfoPath forms in a SharePoint library. But you can also use both separately.
If your customer already has SharePoint 2007, you can use Forms Services to
present web based forms. You'll still need InfoPath 2007 to create those
forms, though. Forms Services is new in SharePoint 2007, so it won't be
available in SharePoint 2003, if that what's your customer has. Either way,
if you do not have SharePoint 2007, you can still use WSS v3 and license
Forms Server to be able to get web-enabled InfoPath forms. For more
information, see
http://enterprise-solutions.swits.n...fopath2007#browser-compatible-forms-explained

 

[Bret]

Thank you very much for response and your website, was very helpful.
At present my client doesnt have any Sharepoint installed, so there is
absolutely no way to use the webbased InfoPath forms without the Forms
Server, correct? Sorry Im just trying to help them save costs.

Also, I was going to have my client install SQL Server as my backend, can
MOSS actually function in place of SQL Server so I can again save costs for
client?

thanks.

 

[Michel Bechelani]

MOSS backend is actually SQL Server 2005. You can configure it to work with
SQL 2005 Express however, depending on the size and workload of the moss
site I'd go with SQL Server 2005. So in order to install MOSS you need to
have SQL Server 2005, I don't know if the license for MOSS includes a
license for SQL Server, but I do know you can use SQL Server 2005 Express.

Regards,

Michel Bechelani

 

[Bret]

So actually WSS v3 may suffice for our needs since all we're after is the
ability to use Infopath forms from the web. Does WSS v3 include FORMS Server
or is the an additional server cost?
thanks again.

 

[Michel Bechelani]

WSS v3 does not include FORMS Server. MOSS 2007 does (but you do need a
license for MOSS). You can also by FORMS Server by itself.

Regards,

Michel Bechelani