SharePoint 2007: The Definitive Guide

Improvements in InfoPath 2007

Previous releases of InfoPath had their own limitations, the first and foremost being that each client machine required InfoPath to be installed locally. Some other limitations include:

• Developing a connected InfoPath form raised some technical challenges and was complicated for end users.

• Developers did not have an integrated development platform.

• The product did not integrate tightly with other Office products, such as Word and Excel.

InfoPath 2007 extends the capabilities of its predecessor in different segments, such as added controls, deployment features, integration, and programmability. Some of the new capabilities of the product include:

• The ability to covert Word and Excel documents into InfoPath form templates.

• The ability to web-enable an InfoPath form using InfoPath Forms Services or Forms Server 2007.

• Embedding InfoPath forms into Office products such as Outlook.

• Design once—the ability that lets the form be built once and rendered in different modes and devices.

• Document Information Panel, an InfoPath form that is hosted inside Microsoft Word 2007, Excel 2007, or PowerPoint 2007, which can be used to edit document properties.

• Logic inspector, a component that provides a visual view of all rules embedded in the form.

• The ability to publish InfoPath form templates to a SharePoint form library or as a site collection content type.

• Reusable code sections called Template Parts.

• Integrated development environment inside Visual Studio 2005 using Visual Studio ...