using InfoPath 2007 to perform an equipment audit

[thomas__]

Hello

Within the division I am working they severely lack an inventory database,
we did have one some time ago but as other managers started to buy in
equipment the updating of the database was overlooked and is now out of date.
I have been set the deadline of 8 -10 weeks. Below are listed some of the
requirements

Design a database to hold inventory details for all hardware items
Produce a list of the fields to be held for each item of hardware, e.g.
serial, model, make, year bought, warranty, type (desktop, laptop, disk
etc.), current user, location and any others you think would be relevant.

Access to database should be web enabled or via Sharepoint, allowing anyone
in the company to view, add, amend details.

Asset tags should be produced for every item of equipment.

All existing equipment should then be recorded into the system.

My idea is to do this using MS InfoPath 2007. I don’t have much experience
using this software, from what I can see you can create various forms and
fill out information (i.e. serial number,model, etc) and then publish it. My
company has a intranet that I think was created using Sharepoint.

Will the approach of using InfoPath allow me to meet the criteria of
‘allowing anyone in the company to view, add, amend details’?
Will I run into trouble using InfoPath?-limited functionality

Thank you for taking the time to read this
Any help you can provide me with would be greatly appreciated

Thomas

 

[Steve]

Thomas,

InfoPath can certainly support what you want to do, with the possible
exception of generating asset tag (i.e. barcode) labels. I believe that
there are third-party tools for that though. You can use InfoPath forms
published to a SharePoint site or public folder, but your users will need
InfoPath client to fill them out. Alternately, they can use their browser if
you set this up on MOSS2007 with Forms Services.

Another way would be to host all of this on a standard web site. There are
plenty of examples on how to do this using ASP, ASP.NET, PHP, etc with a
MySQL or SQL Server backend. Just Google "web database inventory".

The real question is how much work do you want to put into the database side
of the application. You should seriously consider re-using your existing
application if possible, especially if you only have 8-10 weeks to develop
this.

HTH.

 

[thomas__]

Hello

Thank you for your reply.
I do not know yet whether I will be able to use the existing application. I
am still unsure about something, I need to design these various templates for
the forms....but will I have to publish hundreds of forms when I have these
forms filled out with the equipment information i.e.serial number?I can't
just publish empty templates because I have to collect the existing equipment
information and make this available to users.Is there a way to publish the
information I will collect for these forms in a collective way?

I think I would prefer to do this with InfoPath but I am worried about the
aspect of limited functionality for the users is this something to worry
about?

To have users view, add, amend details will I need to create buttons for
them to do this?I really am struggling to get a clear view of how this all
interlinks with what I am trying to do.

The asset tags, I am unsure if we will be using the barcoded approach, I
think I am to come up with some type of naming scheme for the labels....for
laptops L1...Only again I am unsure about this would you or anyone have any
ideas for this?

Thank you for taking the time to read this
Any help is great appreciated
Thank you
Thomas

 

[Steve]

Thomas,

You would use InfoPath to collect the information and save it to a
SharePoint list or backend database. You would only publish the one form,
but could end up collecting hundreds of copies from the users if that is how
you choose to do so.

My preference is to create a web page interface to a database outside of
SharePoint and use that to enter the data. That way you can generate
inventory lists directly from the database and also control the security.

Perhaps someone else following the list will jump in here with some relevant
advice on how to use InfoPath and SharePoint a little better than I have
described.