Infowise Syndication

Installation Wizard vs Microsoft AppSource

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, April 30, 2025

Infowise Ultimate Forms is a powerful, no-code platform designed to supercharge your SharePoint environment. With capabilities ranging from advanced form design to workflow automation, document generation, and permissions management, Ultimate Forms provides a robust toolkit for building business solutions directly within SharePoint—without writing a single line of code.

To get started, you can install Ultimate Forms in two convenient ways: via Microsoft AppSource or through the Infowise Installation Wizard. This guide walks you through both methods step-by-step, ensuring a smooth and successful deployment.

Note for our on-premises customers: the downloadable installation package is still the only way to install our product. The installation methods discussed here are for SharePoint Online customers only.

Option 1: Install via Infowise Installation Wizard

The Infowise Installation Wizard offers a streamlined, user-friendly method for deploying Ultimate Forms directly to your SharePoint environment. This method is ideal for administrators looking for a guided, customizable setup experience. An additional advantage of this method is the ability to install one of our business solution templates. You can however install templates directly from within Ultimate Forms after the installation as well.

Step 1: Access the Installation Wizard

Visit the Ultimate Forms Installer. Enter your site URL, such as https://example.sharepoint.com. Note that Ultimate Forms will only be granted access to the site collection of the provided URL. You can also choose not to make the app available to all the sites. In which case it will be added only to the site under the URL. Click the “Let's Go!” button to launch the step-by-step wizard.

Step 2: Sign in to Microsoft 365

Log in using your Microsoft 365 administrator credentials. The wizard will request access to your tenant, so make sure you’re using an account with permission to install apps across your environment.

Step 3: Grant Permissions

The wizard will prompt you to grant the required permissions, including access to SharePoint data and the ability to manage lists, libraries, and user settings. These are necessary to unlock the full functionality of Ultimate Forms. Note that you might see one or two permission prompts, depending on whether or not you installed the product previously.

Step 4: Installation Progress

The Installation Wizard will handle all the background tasks, including adding the app to your chosen site, activating the design interface, and ensuring all components are ready to use.

Once installed, you’ll see a new “Design” button in the SharePoint list toolbar. From here, you can launch the Ultimate Forms to start building your custom forms and workflows.

Option 2: Install via Microsoft AppSource

Microsoft AppSource is the official marketplace for Microsoft 365 and Office apps, providing a centralized, secure method for discovering and installing third-party solutions. Installing Ultimate Forms via AppSource is quick and integrates directly into your Microsoft 365 tenant.

Step 1: Visit the AppSource Listing

Go to the Ultimate Forms page on AppSource. This page provides an overview of the product, key features, pricing, and user reviews.

Step 2: Click “Get It Now”

Click the “Get it now” button. You will be prompted to sign in with your Microsoft 365 account. It is strongly recommended to use a Global Administrator account to ensure you have the necessary permissions.

Step 3: Grant API Access

You will be asked to review and grant permissions required by the app. These include access to SharePoint data, user profiles, and basic tenant-level configuration settings. These permissions allow Ultimate Forms to interact with your SharePoint environment securely and effectively.

Step 4: Choose Installation Site

If you did not permit the app to become available to all sites, you need to add it to specific sites manually. Go to a site, then select Add an app from the site menu. Select Infowise Ultimate Forms from "From your organization" gallery.

Step 5: Application Permissions Grant

When you access Ultimate Forms for the first time, you will be asked to grant permissions to the app to access SharePoint on your behalf. If you are an administrator, you will then notice a warning banner inside the app itself. It will notify you that Data Access permission for the app has not been granted yet. The app requires this application permission to be able to perform backend operations, such as actions, alerts or import. Make sure a Global Administrator grants this permission from the banner within the app. Until it is done, you won't be able to execute any backend features.

Post-Installation: What’s Next?

Once Ultimate Forms is installed (via either method), you can immediately begin leveraging its powerful capabilities. Here’s what you can do next:

Open Form Designer to create rich, dynamic SharePoint forms using a simple drag-and-drop interface.
Use Actions to automate business processes such as approvals, updates, and notifications.
Set up Alerts to send condition-based emails and reminders.
Generate Print Templates to export list items as PDF, Word, or Excel documents.
Create Import Profiles to automatically import data from emails or 3rd party application

Everything is built within your SharePoint interface, meaning no external tools, servers, or complex setups are required.

Documentation and Support

If you need help during or after installation, the Ultimate Forms Documentation Center provides detailed guides on each component of the system. Topics include:

Form Designer usage
Workflow configuration
Integration with Power Automate
External forms and security
Role-based permissions

In addition, Infowise offers support resources, including tutorials, live webinars, and direct technical assistance.

Conclusion

Installing Infowise Ultimate Forms is a fast and straightforward process. You can choose Microsoft AppSource for centralized deployment or the Infowise Installation Wizard for a guided experience. Within minutes, you’ll gain access to a comprehensive suite of tools to enhance your SharePoint environment and build powerful business solutions with no code.

Start your free trial today and explore how Ultimate Forms can modernize your processes, boost productivity, and simplify complex workflows - right inside Microsoft 365.

Create an Amazing SharePoint Month View Calendar

Will Cooper — Thursday, April 24, 2025

Calendars are an essential part of SharePoint. Everyone uses calendars on a constant basis to coordinate work and collaborate with teams. Unfortunately, the out-of-the-box SharePoint calendar is bare bones with very few features. In fact it is unusable for all but the most simple purposes. As a result, most users instead rely heavily on Outlook calendars. The Outlook calendar is great as a personal calendar, but not an option when you want to be able to create a stand alone calendar for a business or team.

How can we set up a SharePoint Calendar that includes lots of features?

Infowise Ultimate Forms includes a fully customizable calendar template that is loaded with calendar options otherwise not available in SharePoint. Using this calendar template, you can create a calendar page that provides a great user experience. In this article, we'll focus on the most popular calendar view - the month view calendar. We'll set up our calendar with several features which will provide the best possible user experience.

Begin with a SharePoint list

Start by creating a regular SharePoint list including fields that you would like to include for the event. In this example we'll create these fields: Event - (Renamed the Title field to event and made it required. Description - Multiline plain text Start - The date / time of the event start End - The date / time of the event end Organizer - The name of the person creating the event Link - Optional link to another page for more information Location - A text field to indication location or web meeting Next we want to add one additional special field Category which will be used to highlight the event with a background color. From the Ultimate Forms Settings screen, In the Columns section select Color Choice and create the Category field as shown. Note that we are using background colors which is critical to the next steps for the month calendar view.

Create a calendar event form

Make a basic form as shown to enter your calendar events using whichever form styling that you prefer: After creating your form, be sure to add a few test events for the current month so that we will be able to see items displayed on the calendar when we finish.

Create the calendar profile

Next we need to create the event calendar profile. This is the only step that is a little but tricky because there are many options. These options provide lots of flexibility. In this case we'll show an example setup that will work great for our purposes. Add a new calendar profile with one data source as shown: In the Display Options be sure to adjust these additional options:

Create a page and add the calendar web part

Next create an empty SharePoint page using the Plain Layout option for the header. Add the Infowise Event Calendar web part to your page and it should immediately load in your calendar profile. Play around with the calendar to explore the functionality:

Additional configuration possibilities

There are many ways to adjust your calendar according to your preferences:

A calendar may have multiple data sources. This is handy when you want to display event data from more than one list.
Show additional columns functionality is fantastic in that you can show extensive detailed information which appears when hovering over an event.
The Allow Categories function was used in this example to allow us to use a filter at the top of the page and color code events based on categories.
Additional to the month view, there are day, week and gantt views available from the buttons at the top of the calendar.
Unlike the out-of-the-box SharePoint calendar, up to 10 events can be stacked in each calendar date.

What makes the Infowise Ultimate Forms Calendar Better?

The biggest challenge with month view calendars is the limited amount of space. Infowise solves this challenge with two key features. The Hover Details Box allows for information about event to show in a box only when hovering over events. In this way, hundreds of events can be shown on the calendar without overcrowding the calendar. Category filtering allows users to select to see events in one category at a time for a more focused user experience. Setting up custom calendars using Infowise Ultimate Forms is an easy and flexible process. Understanding all the options ensures that you can accomodate different scenarios for your organization. With a little bit of practice, you may find yourself adding a custom calendar to every Sharepoint site! We're always looking to improve. If you think of improvement ideas - please contact our support team.

Summary of Advantages to the Infowise Ultimate Forms Custom Calendar

Using the Infowise Ultimate Forms calendar approach within SharePoint offers a wide range of benefits that go well beyond the capabilities of the default SharePoint calendar. One of the primary advantages is the ability to create a fully customized user experience. Rather than relying on the limited, bare-bones functionality of out-of-the-box SharePoint calendars or personal Outlook calendars that aren’t ideal for shared use, this solution enables the development of rich, visually informative calendar pages that can serve entire teams or departments effectively.

A key benefit of using Infowise Ultimate Forms is the enhanced visualization options. For example, the use of color-coded categories immediately improves the usability of the calendar by allowing users to easily distinguish between different types of events. This visual differentiation is especially powerful in a busy calendar where multiple overlapping events can make it difficult to quickly understand what’s happening.

Another powerful feature is the hover details box, which tackles one of the most common challenges of calendar design: limited space. Traditional calendars often require users to click on each event for more details, leading to extra navigation and wasted time. Infowise solves this by displaying relevant event information in a pop-up box when users simply hover over an event—creating a cleaner interface without sacrificing detail.

The ability to stack multiple events (up to 10) per calendar date is another improvement over the standard SharePoint calendar, which often truncates event visibility on busy days. This stacking capability ensures users don't miss important items simply because they aren’t visible.

Additionally, Infowise allows for multiple data sources to be used in a single calendar. This is particularly useful for organizations that have various departments or teams each maintaining separate lists but want to view a unified calendar.

The flexibility of view options (month, week, day, gantt) also means that users can tailor their experience to their current needs—whether they’re planning a high-level overview or a detailed breakdown.

Altogether, this approach enhances collaboration, increases efficiency, and ensures that teams have access to relevant scheduling information in a clear and organized manner. For any SharePoint environment where scheduling is critical, integrating Infowise Ultimate Forms is a valuable upgrade that transforms the calendar into a true productivity tool.

Power Apps is for Programmers Ultimate Forms is for Everyone

Will Cooper — Friday, April 11, 2025

I've been a dedicated SharePoint consultant for more than 12 years. During that time I have been focused on building all kinds of solutions in SharePoint. Over the years I have built thousands of SharePoint forms. Over that time, many changes have happened in the SharePoint space, but some things have not changed at all. Forms and workflow are at the heart of every SharePoint solution. I've experienced just about everything you can imagine in terms of SharePoint tools and SharePoint solutions. During that time I have come to appreciate tools that make my job easier and I have learned to avoid tools that make my job harder. Every organization that has SharePoint and wants to build solutions comes to a crossroads where they must decide:

How should we build SharePoint forms?

Without previous experience or information, it seems like it would make sense to use Power Apps which is part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. When starting down this road, it becomes apparent that Power Apps forms requires extensive custom programming. Learning to program in this platform requires ongoing training. Even after training, many development hours are required to build custom functionality. To use this platform, it will be necessary to have a dedicated developer to handle Power Apps forms development or it will require hiring an outside developer. What seemed like a great platform at first quickly turns into a great expense.

What about Microsoft Forms or SharePoint list forms?

On the other end of the spectrum are basic forms options such as Microsoft Forms and SharePoint list forms. While these are easy to set up, they don't allow for custom settings and dynamic forms capabilities. There isn't a way to build true custom forms with these basic options.

Ultimate Forms is the Ultimate Solution

Ultimate Forms Form Designer embraces a philosophy of custom forms with no code. Forms can be fully customized through easy to understand configuration settings. No SharePoint experience is required. Unlike Power Apps, Ultimate Forms is designed so that everyone can build custom forms. Infowise provides a Kickstart Training Tutorial to help new users get started. Even when extensive custom forms functionality is needed, no programming is required.

Ultimate Forms is Great for Developers Too

Ultimate Forms is easy to learn, but also has incredible depth. The Form Designer tool is loaded with customization features that open up more possibilities when you are ready. As an experienced developer, you can progress to more sophisticated cusomization. Developers can implement customer solutions much faster by avoiding the heavy programming needed with other approaches. In the hands of an experience SharePoint developer, Ultimate Forms is a power house development platform that facilitate development and deployment of SharePoint solutions with much greater efficiency compared to out-of-the-box tools.

Want to see a more detailed comparison?

We've prepared a detailed analysis comparing Ultimate Forms with Power Apps to help you make the case to your organization why Ultimate Forms is the best path to success.

» Building No Code SharePoint Solutions

» Ultimate Forms vs Power Apps Features Comparison

Building the Case for No Code Solutions

In the rapidly evolving digital landscape, the demand for creating functional, responsive, and user-friendly applications has grown significantly. Traditionally, custom coding has been the go-to method for software development, requiring a deep understanding of technical concepts and considerable time investment. However, the emergence Ultimate Forms has revolutionized this space, offering a compelling alternative that is often better suited for a wide range of users and applications. Ultimate Forms empowers individuals and teams to build and deploy digital solutions without writing a single line of code, and their advantages over custom programming are numerous.

Accessibility and Ease of Use

One of the most significant advantages of Ultimate Forms is accessibility. Ultimate Forms opens up development to a much broader audience, including non-technical users such as business analysts, marketers, and entrepreneurs. These users can bring their ideas to life without needing to rely on specialized developers. The intuitive, visual interface makes it easy to design workflows, interfaces, and logic through drag-and-drop functionality and pre-configured components. This democratization of development fosters innovation and allows more people to contribute directly to digital transformation efforts.

Speed and Efficiency

Time-to-market is a critical factor in the success of digital projects. Ultimate Forms dramatically reduces development time compared to custom coding. Users can rapidly prototype, test, and deploy applications within hours or days, whereas custom development often takes weeks or months. The ability to quickly iterate and refine ideas without deep technical involvement accelerates the overall development cycle and helps organizations respond faster to changing market conditions or internal needs.

Cost-Effectiveness

Building software with custom code can be costly. It typically requires hiring specialized developers, maintaining codebases, and investing in infrastructure. In contrast, Ultimate Forms reduces or eliminate many of these costs. With fewer technical resources needed and a reduced development timeline, organizations can significantly cut down on project budgets. Additionally, because maintenance and updates are often handled within the tool itself, long-term costs and support needs are also minimized.

Built-In Functionality and Integration

Ultimate Forms comes with a rich set of built-in features and integrations, enabling users to connect with databases, external services, and third-party tools without having to develop custom connections. This allows for the creation of complex workflows and automation with minimal effort. Users can build multi-functional applications that include data collection, reporting, notification systems, and even customer relationship management features—all without writing or managing any underlying code.

Reliability and Security

Since Ultimate Forms is designed to cater to a broad audience, it is built with reliability and security in mind. Infowise handles updates, bug fixes, and security patches, ensuring the system is robust and up-to-date. This reduces the risks associated with human error in custom code, such as introducing bugs, security vulnerabilities, or inconsistent behavior across different environments. As a result, users can focus on building solutions rather than managing infrastructure or debugging technical issues.

Collaboration and Transparency

Ultimate Forms also enhances team collaboration. Because the development process is more visual and intuitive, stakeholders from different departments can easily understand and contribute to the creation of applications. This visibility ensures better alignment between technical and business goals, as well as more transparent decision-making during the development process. In custom coding environments, communication gaps between developers and non-technical stakeholders can lead to misunderstandings and misaligned outcomes.

Scalability and Flexibility

Ultimate Forms is increasingly capable of handling more complex and scalable use cases. With modular components, users can start small and scale their applications as needed. While there are some limitations to how far Ultimate Forms can go in terms of customization, there are very scenarios where it isn't ideal, especially when weighed against the benefits of agility, speed, and reduced dependency on technical talent.

Conclusion

While custom coding remains valuable for highly specialized or performance-intensive applications, Ultimate Forms offers a powerful alternative for many organizations and individuals. Ultimate Forms makes development more inclusive, faster, and cost-effective, while offering reliable, feature-rich solutions. By removing barriers to entry and simplifying the development process, Ultimate Forms empowers more people to solve problems, innovate, and drive digital change—making Ultimate Forms a better choice in a growing number of scenarios.

Write Better Email Alerts and Get Better Results

Will Cooper — Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Your Emails are Being Ignored

Everyone knows that web forms trigger emails. When setting up email alerts for SharePoint forms, we spend little time thinking about email content. It's easy to throw together something quickly then add a link at the bottom. We don't give it much thought. That's exactly the problem. We give email alerts little thought and the people receiving emails give it even less. Most SharePoint notifications look boring and unimportant. We're buried in email. Your emails don't stand out and they are often ignored.

Get Better Results

The Subject is Key - Many users only read the subject line. Therefore you should clearly define what happened in the subject line.
Cut out the fat - Respect the time of your users. The email should only describe what happened and what happens next. All other information is in SharePoint which is one click away. Don't dump information in the email body. You will lose your audience and get bad results. The detailed information is in SharePoint - it doesn't belong in your email.
Call to Action - Each email is a call for action. Make it simple for users to do the next step. Always end your email with a link to do the next step. Usually this is a link to the edit form or display form, but it may also be a link to the SharePoint list.
It's all about the Link - You already know that the email should have a hyperlink for the next step. Add some formatting to your link to make it stand out.

Link Formatting

Why do we want to format the link in the bottom of the email? We're borrowing a technique from something we already see in email marketing. We're conditioned to take action by clicking a button. Make it obvious to your users where to click to take the next step. This will make for a nicer looking email and improved response. First let's take a look at a typical unformatted email link. It's not very eye catching. It seems optional.

Let's add some styling to make that link look more like a button. We only need to take a few steps using the content editor to do some formatting.

Highlight the link and make it 24px font size.
Set the text as bold.
Choose a background color for the link.
Add three spaces before and after the link to provide some padding.

By spending only a few extra seconds with this easy formatting, we now have a "button style link" in our email which stands out and makes it easy for the user. Our eyes go right to the button which is where you want your user to click. We want response when sending email notifications. Make sure you do your best when creating email alert notifications. In summary, follow these rules for best results:

Put all key information in the subject line.
Include only essential information in the email content.
Provide a "next step" link at the bottom of the email.
Add formatting to the link to make it stand out.

If you follow these rules, your users will appreciate the streamlined information and simple process. Your emails will get improved results. Remember - all the information is already in SharePoint. Your users will click the link to get additional details. Good luck!

Build Dynamic Forms with Rules

Will Cooper — Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Dynamic Forms are an essential part of SharePoint solutions. Dynamic Forms change in appearance and functionality according to rules defined in the form. This is the opposite of out-of-the-box static SharePoint forms which don't change in appearance or functionality.

Learning how to how to use rules in Ultimate Forms Form Designer is the key to dynamic forms development.

First, let's start at a high level and talk about the ways in which a form can be dynamic:

Permissions Rules set whether an element is Write, Read or Hidden on the form. This is the most important concept in dynamic forms. Entire form sections can be hidden or displayed according to permissions rules.
Validation Rules define requirements for form inputs which can be applied according to conditions. For example, a field may be required only based on a certain value for "Project Type". What matters here is that the validation rule is not always applied as is the case with static SharePoint forms.
Value Rules define what is shown in a form element. A simple example is defaulting a person field to the name of the current user for a new Help Desk request.
Style Rules define the visual style of form elements. Normally these are used to control the fixed appearance of a form such as the border and background color. Using conditions, the styles on a form element can be dynamic. For example, you can make a field have a red border color when no value is in the field then green when there is a value. This helps users see that the field needs data.

Building this kind of functionality with other web form tools is difficult and usually involves custom code. With Ultimate Forms Form Designer, no code is needed to create dynamic forms. When developing forms, use a phased approach in which the static form is built first and then dynamic functionality is layered in.

Phase 1 - Building the static form Step 1: Begin with fixed form elements: Make sure that all form sections have been set and that you have included all necessary fields. Consider whether you want to use tab sections and define your form containers. Set your containers for multiple columns if you want a grid layout for your form. Step 2: Form Styling: Apply Style Rules which will be applied to the form that won't change. This includes background colors, borders and padding. This is described as the "look and feel" of the form. These are static styles that won't change regardless of form content. Step 3: Static Rules for Validation, Values and Permissions: Usually these are easy to define. Check your form for any fields that need special validation. Value Rules can be useful to set a default value to certain fields such as a person field when the form is first created. Static Permissions Rules should be created in cases where any elements are displayed according to a SharePoint security group. At the end of Phase 1, everything about the form appearance and functionality that is NOT based on dynamic conditions should be completely defined.

Phase 2 - Apply rules to make the form dynamic Step 1: Dynamic Style Rules: Consider whether you want any part of the form to look different according to dynamic rules. Typically this involves changing colors according to values in a field. For example, if you have a status field, you could change the background color of the header for each possible status value. Step 2: Dynamic Value and Validation Rules: If there are any value rules or validation rules that should be applied only for specific conditions, those rules can be added next. Step 3: Dynamic Permissions: This is the step most commonly associated with dynamic forms. We can conditionally show form sections according to these rules. A detailed explanation of this step is described below. At the end of Phase 2, all rules have been added to make the form change in appearance and functionality according to all possible conditions.

Now let's talk more in depth about how to apply dynamic permissions in the form. Ultimate Forms Form Designer uses a system of inheritance where a rule applied to a container effects all elements in that container. This is extremely beneficial because it saves us a lot of work. Imagine if we had to repeat the same permission rule over and over again for a series of 20 fields in a container! By applying a rule to a container with fields inside, we only need to define the rule once and all elements inside the container are affected. Generally when applying a permissions rule to a form section or field, we are considering a field value such as Status or we are considering the user permissions. Example 1: Status is "Complete" Once the Status of a request is changed to "Complete", I don't want users to change the data in the form anymore. How do I stop them from doing that? I can set permissions rules on the form containers. Add a Write Rule to the container with the condition Status not equal to Complete. Then add a Read Rule to the container when Status is equal to Complete. Now once the Status is "Complete", users won't be able to make further changes to the form. Example 2: Follow Up Questions It is often the case that according to the answer to a question, additional information is needed. For example, in a support form, you might have "Would you like us to call you". In this case, we want to show two follow up questions "When is a good time to call" and "What is the best number to reach you". Add a Write Rule for each follow up question which applies in the condition that the first answer is "Yes". Note that these question will not appear in the form unless this answer is changed to Yes. They will be hidden automatically. Additionally, you should add a Validation Rule which requires that each answer is not blank in the condition that the first answer is "Yes". Always be sure to check you dynamic forms rules as you go. It can be a lot to track. It is best to make sure that the form behaves as you expect by testing each condition after it is applied. There are many possibilities. The best way to learn is my experimentation and testing!

Phone Friendly SharePoint Forms for the Win

Will Cooper — Friday, February 7, 2025

We use our phones everywhere we go. Our phone is our primary computer. When it comes to SharePoint, phones shouldn't be an afterthought. We should always consider how phones can be used with each SharePoint solution. Let's start by debunking some myths regarding mobile devices:

Myth 1 "Phones are for fun / Computers are for Work": Whether we like it or not, we use mobile devices all the time whether at home or on the job. The fastest and most reliable way to get a response from a worker is through the device that they use all the time.
Myth 2 "Mobile forms are a hassle": In the past, it used to be extra work to build forms for phones in addition to standard forms. Using Ultimate Forms, no extra work is required. The form automatically adapts to the mobile device using responsive design.
Myth 3 "SharePoint is not for phones": The opposite is true. Microsoft carefully created SharePoint Online to include an interface that looks nice both on small screens and your desktop computer. You don't have to do extra work to enjoy this benefit. Likewise, Ultimate Forms is designed to automatically adapt to mobile devices.

What's the best way to use SharePoint on your phone? Just open your browser and enter your SharePoint URL. That's it! The navigation and menus look different, but all your links are still there. Note that you can bookmark a URL and save that as an icon on your phone that you can tap to jump directly to that SharePoint page. The phone internet browser is the best way to use mobile forms. The Microsoft SharePoint App is old and hasn't been updated to include modern features. Why should we be using Mobile Forms? Here are some important advantages:

Improved Response Speed: Many processes need to move quickly. We need to get information out and get a response as soon as possible. Because phones are always accessible, we can get a response more quickly if we provide a way to take action right away.
Convenience: Work can be much easier if you are able to respond with only a few taps on the phone. Otherwise we have to wait to get back to the computer and remember all the tasks that have accumulated.
Mission Critical Situations: We all have work scenarios where we need to respond and take action right away to a critical situation. If we only get updates in email and can only respond on the computer, it might take too long to take action.
Phones are Cameras: Many solutions need pictures included as part of the process. With mobile forms you can take real time pictures from within the form to automatically include with your form data. It's easy and effective.
Collaboration: Some of your workers are often in the office, but others are frequently on the go. Mobile forms provide a way for these workers to collaborate and make updates using the same forms and data while on different kinds of devices.

OK, so there are clear advantages to mobile SharePoint forms. If you are new to this, how should you get started? Let's take a look at an example solution: Here is an Inspections Solution set up in SharePoint Online. I tap the shortcut link on my phone to jump to my forms landing page in the phone browser: Notice the "Quick Links" web part shows tiles that are easy to navigate and tap on the phone. I tap a tile to jump to my Inspections Solution landing page: Next I tap the menu and select New to open a new form. This form is set to auto populate the date and my name as the Inspector: Now I can begin walking around the building with my phone to do the inspection. I can just tap into the dropdowns to make my selections easily: Looks like there was a problem - now I can tap the Picture field to open the camera and take a quick picture: After tapping the field I can go right to the camera or selecting a picture from my phone: I take my picture and it loads right to the form in only a few seconds: That's it! What a simple process. Imagine walking around the building with your laptop. You would look pretty ridiculous. In this scenario - a phone is clearly the way to go. There are many other scenarios that are a great fit for phone friendly forms including timesheets, expense reports, mileage reports and approval systems. Pretty much any solution benefits if users can make updates from phones. If this solution interests you, be sure to join us for our next webinar which will feature this inspection solution which you can download as a template from our site for free!

Automatically Post Messages to Teams from SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Introduction

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms makes SharePoint automation easy and accessible to everyone. Unlike some other tools, it simple to use and straightforward, requiring no special training and experience. With Actions, you can perform many tasks in and out of SharePoint. This includes updating list items, managing permissions, or creating a meeting, among many others. Unlike the traditional workflow tools, each action you create is self-sufficient. It does not have to be a part of a complex multi-stage process that is sometimes difficult to grasp, especially for novices. Integrating 3rd party (non-SharePoint) application has always been one of the strongest and most useful features. Writing to databases, calling web services and integrating with Exchange are just some of the examples. Microsoft Teams integration is one of the newer action types. Up until now, this action was capable of creating and managing teams and channels only. But now it also knows how to write posts in Teams channels, group chats and one-on-one chats. It is a feature requested by some of our customers and we're happy to add it to the toolbox.

How can it used?

Obviously there are many possible use cases. Yours can potentially be something that is completely unique to the way you work. But I believe the most common would be to create a post in a channel based on some information added to a SharePoint list. Or you can create an ad-hoc group chat, add members and post a message. And you accomplish all that using a simple single action. In my example here, I have a simple Help Desk application. Once a new service request is added, a new post is created in a Teams channel. Very simple and straightforward. Let's see how it is accomplished.

Create the action

Enter the Actions module of Ultimate Forms and add a new action. Choose Manage Teams as its type and enter a meaningful name. I chose to run the action automatically whenever a new item is added to the list. But you of course can choose any trigger, even manual. For example, a common scenario would be to trigger the action manually from a button on the form. Under Action settings, let's specify what post it is going to be creating and where. First, select Channel as the object you will be working with and set Send message as your type. The action settings will adjust to show the relevant properties. Enter the Team and the Channel names for the new post. You can type in the names or you can set them dynamically based on the SharePoint list item properties. This gives you an additional level of flexibility of routing the post to the most relevant channel. The post Body is comprised of some text ("New request") and the value of Service Request column of the list item. It will automatically generate the body based on the particular list item it runs on. Note that Subject and Importance are optional. Test them out later on to further adjust the way your posts will look.

Grant permissions

Once you are ready, save the action. You will be presented with a pop-up window from Microsoft asking to grant permissions to access Teams. We are asking just for the permissions we absolutely need to successfully run the action:

Send channel messages - be able to write posts in channels
Read the names, descriptions, and settings of channels - we need it to be able to get the channel ID based on the channel name
Read teams' settings - we need it to be able to get the team ID based on its name
Maintains access to data - as actions run behind the scenes, they can't ask for your permission every time they run. This way they are able to get a fresh access token each time they run.

Once you grant the permissions, the action saves and we are ready to test it.

Trying it out

Go to the list and add a new entry. Once you save your new list item, give it about a minute to execute. Now check out your Teams channel. Your new post is there! Note that this action runs with the permissions of the action creator (or the last person who updated it). Hence the posts will appear as written by that person.

Summary

The Teams integration is very easy to accomplish. It provides new ways of running your business processes and facilitating collaboration. Try it out in your own environment and add another level to your productivity.

SharePoint List View Printing with Style

Will Cooper — Friday, January 24, 2025

Printing SharePoint list data is highly useful. After all, just about everything in SharePoint is in lists! It makes sense that we want to be able to output PDF reports from SharePoint lists. Out-of-the-box SharePoint has no print functionality whatsoever. Luckily, Infowise Ultimate Forms has awesome print template capabilities. Whether you are creating a print template for a single form using the amazing Word document template system or printing from list views, it is easy to set up using Ultimate Forms. List view print templates are easy to set up and quite reliable. If you just need a standard report and don't need to fine tune the appearance of your output, then default styles for list print templates are great. The thing is, you might find this to be too plain vanilla. What if you want to style the header row? What if you like the idea of having alternating row background colors? What if you want to fine tune the colors and padding? All of this is possible with the magic of a simple CSS code snippet provided below. You don't really even have to know anything about css. It's simple. Walk through these steps to create your first styled list print template: Begin by creating a list view print template following regular steps. Be sure to select the List in the Type option then pick your fields: Copy this code snippet below:

.iw-formtbl thead td {

}

.iw-formtbl tbody tr:nth-child(odd) td {

}

.iw-formtbl tbody tr:nth-child(even) td {

}

Paste this to the CSS section in the Display tab as shown: Now comes the fun part. The print output is all one HTML table. The first CSS entry in the code snippet controls the styles for the header row. The second CSS entry controls the styles for odd row numbers. The third CSS entry controls the styles for even row numbers. These are the main CSS attributes you should use to adjust the styling:

color
background-color
font-size
font-family
border-color
padding

Insert your own settings, save then test your output. It's that easy! Here are two code examples to get you started: Code Example 1:

.iw-formtbl thead td {
color: white;
background-color:  dimgray;
font-size: 16px;
}

.iw-formtbl tbody tr:nth-child(odd) td {
color: black;
background-color: floralwhite;
font-size: 10px;
}

.iw-formtbl tbody tr:nth-child(even) td {
color: black;
background-color: aliceblue;
font-size: 10px;
}

Output 1: Code Example 2:

.iw-formtbl thead td {
color: white;
background-color:  navy;
font-size: 18px;
font-family: courier;
}

.iw-formtbl tbody tr:nth-child(odd) td {
color: black;
background-color: azure;
font-size: 12px;
font-family: courier;
}

.iw-formtbl tbody tr:nth-child(even) td {
color: black;
background-color: ghostwhite;
font-size: 12px;
font-family: courier;
}

Output 2:

SharePoint and MS Teams form web parts with Infowise Ultimate Forms

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, January 22, 2025

Introduction

Great looking, smart and functional SharePoint forms are our bread and butter here at Infowise. Our product, Ultimate Forms, helps you easily create forms to replace the built-in SharePoint forms, without limitations or complexities that Microsoft Forms or Power Apps entail. Normally, when you publish a form with our Form Designer, it simply replaces the built-in form. So next time you click on New in the list toolbar, it will open our form instead. This is great and is obviously the most common way of working with custom SharePoint forms. There are however cases in which you want to place the form outside of the list/document library. Maybe you want to place a form on the homepage of the site or even on a page inside Microsoft Teams. Ultimate Forms helps you do just that without any fuss!

SharePoint Pages

The fastest and easiest way of implementing the form web part is placing it on a page. Locate and select Infowise Form web part and place it on your page. Now you just need to tell it what list to display the form for. First, switch the web part mode to SharePoint List. The default will be Data Connections, we will talk about those later in this article. In the web part properties, you can select any list in any site collection. By default, the site URL is empty and the list selector is populated with lists of the current site (the site where the web part page is found). But you can provide any site URL from your tenant. Just make sure your future users have access to it. Once you've selected the list, select the form type. Normally it will be New, but you can also use Display and Edit forms. Just don't forget to specify the item ID of the item you want to display/edit. Finally, you can optionally specify the Redirect URL. This is where your users will be taken after submitting the form. It can be any page, no special requirements here. Once you publish the SharePoint page, you will see the form right away. Note that you can even select a list that doesn't have a form published in Form Designer. It will work, the web part will just generate a simple form at runtime. But of course, you get much more control by actually designing and publishing your own form.

Microsoft Teams

Placing a custom SharePoint form in Microsoft Teams is easy and the process is almost identical. Create a page in your team and place the Infowise Form web part. The only difference is that the Site URL value is now required, as there is no current SharePoint site to assume. The form will look and work in the same way as it does in SharePoint.

Data Connections

Data connections help you integrate 3rd party data sources inside SharePoint, so you can view, add and edit information stored outside of SharePoint in much the same way as you would information in SharePoint lists. This functionality is currently available in the SharePoint Online version of Ultimate Forms only. There are many connection sources to choose from (and additional ones will be added in the future):

SharePoint - will normally be used when you need to provide some sort of access to a SharePoint list users would not normally have access to. It could be for example a list in a completely different tenant.
Salesforce - any Salesforce object can be accessed
Zendesk (beta) - connect to your Zendesk environment
Microsoft SQL Server - both Azure and on-premises servers can be used (you might need to adjust your firewall settings for that)
Oracle
MySql
SOAP
REST API
Document - data can be submitted into a document of various formats (CSV, TSV, Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel) and uploaded to various locations:
- SharePoint/OneDrive
- FTP
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Box
Email - form data is emailed to a recipient without being stored anywhere

Under Access Control tab, add the page URL you are going to place the web part on to allow connections from that location. You can even use a wildcard character * to specify any URL. Ensure that the necessary form type is allowed for access, such as New. Once you create your new data connection, design and publish a form for it. You can do it directly from the Data connections page of Ultimate Forms. You should make a note of the connection ID. That value needs to be entered into the form web part properties. Once you're ready, publish. Now you can host a web part in SharePoint and Microsoft Teams to work with data stored in a data connection.

Summary

Infowise Form web part adds another level of flexibility for working with data stored in SharePoint list or in a variety of 3rd party application in a way that is both simple and highly customizable to your needs.

SMS-based approval system in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Introduction

Text messages are used for everything today. They are simple, easy and fast. We use them every day for two-factor authentication and other application integrations, so it makes a lot of sense to improve and accelerate our SharePoint approval solutions using SMS. In this simple demo application, I will show how you can easily get approvals via SMS using SharePoint lists and Infowise Ultimate Forms. It can serve as a basis for your own solutions. And the best thing, it only takes a few minutes to implement!

Our Scope

The business process we are implementing is very simple:

A user fills out a simple request in a list using a custom SharePoint form created in our Form Designer.
A text message is automatically sent to the manager's phone. We will be using Twilio as our messaging provider.
The manager receives the message and responds with Yes or No.
Ultimate Forms' Import component reads the message and approves/rejects the request item by setting the Approval Status column value.

All we are going to be needing is SharePoint (either Microsoft 365 or on-premises) and Infowise Ultimate Forms. You can get the latter here.

Getting it built

SharePoint list and form

First, I will create a new SharePoint list (either directly in SharePoint, or, easier, using Form Generator in Ultimate Forms). In my case it's called SMS Approvals, but the name doesn't matter. We will need to create the following columns:

Request - simple single line of text column. This is where the users are going to enter the request they need to be approved.
Manager - person column, this is where the user will enter the manager to get the approval from. We can alternatively get it automatically from Entra ID (Active Directory), if this information is available there.
Phone - user property column (a special column type unique to Ultimate Forms). It will automatically fetch the manager's phone number from the SharePoint user profile. Make sure your Entra ID (Active Directory) contains this information, although there is no real reason we couldn't just enter the phone number manually.

See how the column is configured and attached to the Manager column.
Approval Status - choice column with options N/a (default value), Approved and Rejected. In Form Designer we will add a permission rule to make this column always read-only, as it will only be updated by SMS.

Publish the new form, it's done. Next we will implement all the SMS integration. I promise it will be very simple!

Action

We will use an Action to send a text message to the manager when a new request is added to the SharePoint list. Create a Twilio account if you don't have one yet. In the account settings, grab the following:

Account SID - your Twilio account ID.
Auth token - make sure to keep this token secure. We will never display it in action settings after it's saved.
Phone number - this is the phone number through which Twilio will send and receive text messages.

These are needed to be able to connect to Twilio and send/receive text messages programmatically. You can easily find them on the Account Dashboard. Next go into Ultimate Forms and click on Actions. Add a new Call application or service action. Under General tab, make sure it only runs on Item is added, as we want to send the text message as soon as a user submits a request. Under Action tab, configure the Twilio parameters as following:

Phone - that's the column from the list, which contains the manager's phone number
Body - this is what the SMS will look like. As you can see, it's very simple and contains just the basic information regarding the request in addition to the instruction on how to respond. You can configure it any way you feel like, it doesn't really matter.

Once the action is created, the system can already partially work. Enter a new request and see how a text message is delivered within a minute or so.

Import

Next we will configure the Import profile that will monitor the incoming text messages and update the request according to the reply. Note that this is a very simple system, we determine which request to approve only based on the manager's phone number and the current status of the request. We can of course make it more complex, but this is enough for this particular demo. Under Data provider enter your Twilio info. Under Actions tab of the Import profile, we add a new action. That tells Import what to do with the newly imported messages. In our case, we will use that information to approve or reject request. That's why our action type is Update list item. Next under Values to set we set the Approval Status to either Approved or Rejected based on the message. As we asked our managers to respond with Yes/No, we will use $If function to convert it to Approved/Rejected. Under Item we specify which item we want to update. In our simple demo we simply locate the item by manager's phone number (From field in our incoming text message) and current status. And this is it!

Conclusion

Ultimate Forms makes it ridiculously easy to integrate SMS into your SharePoint-based approval processes. No developer knowledge is required and the whole process takes just a few minutes.
Once our manager's response is imported, we can see how the Approval Status magically turns into Approved.

Best Ways to Forward a SharePoint Form to Email

Vladi Gubler — Monday, January 13, 2025

Need to send data from your SharePoint form directly to your email? This article will guide you through setting up a SharePoint form to email. The form sends collected information straight to your inbox. You’ll learn ways to create the form, configure email notifications, and customize email content.

Understanding SharePoint Forms

SharePoint forms are primarily used for data collection and can streamline business processes by facilitating input from users.
Data entered via SharePoint forms into lists can be linked to other applications such as Excel, allowing for better data management and reporting.
Integration with email notifications allows form owners and other potential interested parties to be alerted when new responses are submitted, ensuring timely action.
Custom list forms, such as the ones generated by Infowise Ultimate Forms, can be created to enhance user interactions by displaying, editing, and adding list items.
Default forms associated with SharePoint lists include DispForm.aspx, EditForm.aspx, and NewForm.aspx, which can be customized or replaced with new forms.
Custom forms can be associated with specific content types, allowing different forms to display relevant fields according to the content type.

Setting Up a SharePoint List

There are multiple ways in which you can create and publish a SharePoint list (and its associated forms). For those of you who value their time, I would suggest using the Form Generator feature of Ultimate Forms. It uses simple natural language prompts to suggest a list of most commonly occurring columns matching your requirements. You can then adjuste those column further. It saves you the significant amount of time needed to set up all columns manually. It can also facilitates creation of column permissions, validation rules and dynamic rules. This results in a smart dynamic form right off the bat.

Creating a Form in Form Designer

There are several ways in which you can create forms for SharePoint lists. As I already mentioned, every list comes with a basic set of forms already pre-configured. Those will include all the columns in the list, but not much more than that. These are really only suitable for simple lists that require no special logic. You can customize the appearance of a SharePoint list form using Power Apps. This gives you additional capabilities, including customizable layout, additional column configurations and conditional display of columns. Using the Form Designer component of Ultimate Forms, you can create advanced forms. They include the widest possible array of features, including repeating sections, summaries, payment, electronic signatures and many more unique capabilities. You can easily create modern responsive forms. These forms are suitable to be filled both by internal users, as well as optionally by external visitors.

Adding Email Notifications Using Alerts and Actions

You can add alerts using the built-in alerts or Power Automate. With built-in alerts, you will only have a very limited set of customizations. This makes them usable only for some very basic scenarios. With Power Automate you have a much wider set of features, but it comes with a price of much steeper learning curve. With Power Automate you can configure your own templates, which will include column values of the SharePoint list item. When using Ultimate Forms, you have several options to select from, when you want to convert SharePoint list item into an email:

Alerts component
- Customizable recipients, both internal and external. For example, you have the ability to easily set a column value of the item to be the recipient of the email (such as Assigned To column value).
- Variety of triggers, such as events (when item is created or modified), timer (such as 2 days before Due date or 2 weeks after creation) or even all items based on certain conditions.
- Flexible email content templates, allowing you to create both Subject and Body of the email in an interactive designer and include column values and even action buttons.
Actions component - you can choose from 2 action types:
- Send email - simple email sending, with customizable subject and body
- Print list items - automate creation of documents in various formats (HTML, MS-Word, Excel or PDF) and delivery via email to a dynamic set of recipients. This action is capable of sending emails to anyone in the world. Make sure to first create a print template inside the Print module. A print template is required to create a print action. In your print template you can design how the result is going to look like. You can for example select which columns from the SharePoint list you want to appear there, as well as create you own custom header and footer. You can even create a shareable header/footer and re-use it across your print template. This makes it easy to ensure the correct branding is used consistently throughout your organization.

In both cases, it is possible to trigger the email based on a specific values in one or more column values. This ensures that only certain items trigger the email, enhancing the relevance of the email. And with our "after change" conditions, it's easy to ensure the email only goes out when a particular change happens and not on any change. For example, Status after change equals Completed will ensure that only when someone actually changes the status to be Completed, the email goes out. It will not be triggered again, even if the SharePoint list item is modified again later. Ultimate Forms combines the power of advanced no-code solution with ease of use of built-in alerts for a perfect balance of simplicity and flexibility.

Directly Sending Form Data to Email

You can create a Data connection in Ultimate Forms to allow users to send their submitted data directly via email. This way users can avoid SharePoint lists completely and directly send the form to email. The form based on the Data connection will be emailed upon submission without being first stored in SharePoint. Forms based on data connection can be placed on any SharePoint web part page. They looks and function identically to regular SharePoint forms. You simply create a new data connection and select Email is your type. Define which columns you want it to include. It's very similar to create columns in SharePoint lists, we support the exact same column types here. Then create a new form, again, the process is identical to working with SharePoint lists. But unlike lists, the infomation submitted through the form of this type of data connection does not end up stored in any list. It is just sent out through an email, without leaving any trace in the system.

Customizing Email Content

When you generate email via Alerts and Actions, you have full control over all properties of the outgoing emails.

Users can provide customized email subject and body and specify recipients based on values of SharePoint list item columns.
It's possible to customize the recipient email addresses, email subject, and introductory text through static values or formulas.
Dynamic content can be included in the email body and subject by referencing properties from the SharePoint list items.
Email bodies can be modified to include details from SharePoint columns, such as owner information, by appending dynamic content during the email configuration process.
Including specific values from the list item in the email body improves clarity and relevance for recipients.
Recipient email addresses in automated flows can be dynamically assigned based on fields from SharePoint list items, ensuring that the correct individuals receive pertinent information.

Conclusion

As you can see, there is a wide variety of possibilities when it comes to sending emails out. They differ in their complexity and features. Try to experiment to find out which one serves your needs the best.

How we automate trial site creation in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Hi, The best way to show off your product is of course letting your potential customers try it out. In our case, Ultimate Forms is a Microsoft SharePoint application, so it needs SharePoint to run. Of course, potential customers can easily install it and we even provide an installation wizard that will completely automate and streamline the process. But for many that would require an approval from the IT department, security clearance and various additional steps that might make the whole process much more cumbersome and lengthy, causing potential customers to bail out. That's why we also provide an option of a hosted trial. We create a SharePoint site for the potential customer in our own dedicated tenant, give them access, optionally install one of our many solution templates and let them interact with it for 30 days. Once the trial is up, the system also automatically cleans up and removes the site. The whole process of creating the trial site only takes a few seconds, but there is lot going on behind the scenes! So here I'd like to describe how we did it, to help other developers and vendors out there!

General Design

The main moving parts are the user interface, where the customer fills out their details and tracks the progress in real time, and the backend process, that actually does all the heavy lifting. Our user interface is just a part of our general website. The signup form collects some basic information from the customer (name, email and optionally, which solution template they would like to install on the new site). It will then create a new message in the message queue for the backend function and register the process in the tracking database. Once that part is done, it simply polls the database for progress information and displays it to the customer in real time. Once the final step is accomplished, users are provided with a site URL and trial user credentials (we also invite the user as a guest account through the usual email address, so the trial user is more of a backup). And of course, it looks so easy!

Steps of the process

Well, it's a bit more involved in the backend. A Microsoft Azure Function app monitors the message queue and springs into action once it detects a new message. It will then perform the following steps:

Create a list item in a tracking SharePoint list - here we monitor the progress of site creation, store customer details, track site usage and every couple of days send out follow-up emails. We do most of it using our product :). The trial cleanup function also monitors this list and deletes sites with an expired trial.
Create Entra ID user - create the backup trial user. We send these credentials to the customer to allow access if they are unable to log in with the their usual credentials as a guest.
Create site - create a new site collection in our dedicated tenant.
Assign permissions - invite the user to the new site, then add the guest user and the backup trial user to the Owners group of the new site.
Optionally, install a solution template. It uses our Template Manager internally, the same component that our users normally use to save and apply templates.
Add "How to get started" web part to the homepage, with simple instructions for novices and a link to enter the app.

Some of these steps are simple and obvious, but some, such as applying a solution template, are much more complex and outside of the scope of this article. The things I'd like to cover are steps 2 to 4. These could be a bit of a challenge due to sometimes spotty documentation.

Enterprise Application

The first thing you need to create is an enterprise application in your Entra ID. It will allow our function to obtain access tokens to the resources we need to access, such as Entra ID itself and SharePoint (both using traditional and Graph API). I created a fairly simple application with most settings being default. There are two things that I did change:

I uploaded a self-signed certificate for authentication purposes. The function will be provided with the same certicate and that how it is going to authenticate itself via OAuth against Entra ID to retrieve access tokens using the enterprise application's client ID. It is more secure than using client secrets and the expiration dates are much farther in the future, simplifying maintenance.
I specified all the permissions I would need for all the steps of the process.
1. MS Graph: Site.FullControl.All - most of our code uses CSOM, so we don't really use Graph to interact with SharePoint. But we do need it to register site collection for Sites.Selected permissions that our product itself uses for granular access.
2. MS Graph: User.Invite.All - allows us to invite external users as guests.
3. MS Graph: User.ReadWrite.All - allows us to create backup trial users in Entra ID.
4. SharePoint: Sites.FullControl.All - we use it to create and modify the site.

Function App

We didn't actually create a brand new function app for this, but just added a new function with Message Queue trigger to our existing function app. It is configured to listen to the message queue that the website writes to. I will not go into the configuration details, but just mention that for security purposes I would recommend storing the certificate in the Key Vault and providing access to the vault based on the managed identity of the function app.

Creating Trial User

First, we use the Microsoft.Identity.Client.ConfidentialClientApplicationBuilder class by calling its Create method and passing the client ID of our enterprise app and our certificate from the vault. With the newly generated Builder object we can fetch an access token for accessing the Graph API. Next, we execute a REST API call to create a new user. We will pass "Trial" as first name and "User <trial ID>" as last name and require that the user changes the password on the first log in. Once the call is executed, a new user is created.

Create Site

We are going to be using a different access token here, as we are using the SharePoint API, not the Graph API. The difference is in the resource parameter. With Graph, it's always https://graph.microsoft.com, whereas with SharePoint it's the URL of the top level site, such as https://demo.sharepoint.com/. Technically we are creating what used to be called a site collection, Microsoft really confused us all with this one! We use the spsitemanager/create REST API endpoint. We chose the STS#3 web template to create a regular team site. The important part is to set ShareByEmailEnabled property to true to allow inviting guest users. Don't forget to include the access token in the Authorization header as Bearer token, as well as Content-Type: application/json header. We then register the site for the Sites.Selected access of our product's enterprise application, using Graph API access token and the Sites.Permissions API endpoint.

Inviting External User

We use the Create invitation API to create and send out an invitation to the customer's email. We are setting the inviteRedirectUrl property to the site URL we are creating and also adding a short message to the invitedUserMessageInfo property. Once the invitation is sent out, the customer receives an email with a link to access the site. We can use the same Graph API access token we already retrieved.

Apply Permissions

Here we are adding both the external and the backup users to the Owners group of the site. We are using a slightly different approach for each. For the external user, we are going to be using the REST API, and for the backup users, it's easier to use CSOM. First, we retrieve the ID of the Owners group via CSOM. Then we execute a POST request to "<site URL>/_api/web/sitegroups/GetById({<group ID>})/users", passing the following JSON object: {"LoginName": "i:0#.f|membership|<customer email>"}. Don't forget to include the headers! With the backup users, we simply retrieve the Principal using Web.SiteUsers.Add call, passing UserCreationInformation object. Then add that principal to Web.AssociatedOwnerGroup collection. And that is basically it. Add some more error handling and retries (because things can and will go wrong), and you're good to go. You just automated the whole process of online trials for your SharePoint product!

Create your first Microsoft SharePoint form

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, January 2, 2025

Introduction

I've been writing a LOT of articles targeting advanced features of Ultimate Forms. The idea is to help our customers leverage their SharePoint to automate and streamline business processes in their organizations. I have always assumed that my audience understands what Ultimate Forms is and how to use it. Today I want to address those for whom these are the crucial first steps in their journey. I know that learning something new can feel overwhelming. I will keep it simple and not assume you have any prior knowledge. In this article, I will guide you through your first experience with Ultimate Forms. We will cover installation, designing, and publishing your first SharePoint form. Infowise Ultimate Forms contains a wide array of components. These cover the form, business logic side and web part page aspects of SharePoint development needs. Our customer often use both as a Power Apps alternative (or Power Automate alternative). Or they might use it as a complementary to the latter. We designed Infowise Ultimate Forms with the regular users in mind. Therefore, we try to avoid complex syntax as much as possible and rely only on visual configurations.

Installation

We dedicated a lot of effort into making the installation process as simple as possible. Both in Microsoft 365 and on premises, the installation takes a form of a wizard that guides you through the process. You should start by clicking Try Now Free button in the top-right corner of this page. Installation in your own tenant requires Global Administrator privileges. If you are not an administrator, there is ane easy solution for you as well. You are able to select the option of creating an online demo. When you choose to do so, we will build a dedicated SharePoint site just for you in our own demo tenant. You will be able to try all the features for 30 days, free of charge. This process is fast, easy and requires no special permissions. If you are an administrator and want to work with your real data in your own environment, you need to install.

If you are on premises, fill out the form and download the installer. Connect to one of your SharePoint front-end server, execute the installer and follow the prompts. You do not need to make changes to the default settings.
If you are on Microsoft 365, enter the URL of one of your SharePoint sites (such as https://example.sharepoint.com). The installer will prompt you for permissions. A few seconds later, the installation will conclude.

Note for Microsoft 365 customers: you can also optionally pre-install one of our free business solution templates. This gives you the ability to immediately start working with a real world business solutions. If you are on premises, you can also install one of these free solutions, but in this case directly from within the app.

Getting Started

Now we are ready to create a SharePoint form. Navigate to a SharePoint site of your choosing using your browser. Continue to any existing list and you will find the Design button in the list toolbar. This is your entry point for all the configuration settings of Ultimate Forms. The app will provide you with the ability to configure forms, actions, alerts, print templates and many other components. If it's your first time using Ultimate Forms, the experience is slightly different. The app will show the "Let's Get Started" welcome screen instead of the regular homepage. This will help you create your first SharePoint list and form in the fastest way possible. Here, you can create a new list with our AI-assisted Form Generator. You can also design the form for the current list you navigated from. With the Form Generator, you simply describe the form you need and the AI engine will suggest the most common columns for it. This feature is simple to use and is great to creating a large number of columns. You can also use it to gather ideas for your new form. I would suggest to enter prompts as detailed as possible. That will allow the AI engine to locate columns most suitable for your needs. You do not need to describe columns and their types. You just need to focus on the type of information you want to gather in general. We already pre-filled the description for you. You just can simply click Continue and proceed to creating a vacation request form (and who doesn't like those!). You can also clear the default prompt and enter anything else, according to your specific needs. You can skip straight to Form Designer section of this blog if you chose to design a form for the current SharePoint list instead. I recommend using Form Generator every time you want to create a new SharePoint list and its form. Even when you are not planning to use the AI engine, it will help you streamline the process and save precious time.

Form Generator

Once you click on Continue, the system will create a list of suggested columns. This list will be different each time and will look quite similar to this: Feel free to re-order, add, delete and modify columns as you see fit. Once you become more comfortable with using it, you can delve into creating repeating sections, permissions or validation rules. But for now, let's focus on creating and configuring columns. Once happy with the result, click on Create to actually add the new list to your SharePoint site. You are now ready to use Form Designer to further embellish your new form.

Form Designer

Here you can decide on the layout, styling and behavior of your new form. Tip: use Containers to exercise precise control over the form layout. You can set how many layout columns each container will have to place SharePoint list columns side-by-side. You can also assign styles and theming to each container and even place containers within containers. Additionally, I suggest that experiment with using Tabs or Accordions. You can also add text and images to guide your users or even add buttons to accomplish tasks. Once you feel more adventurous, consider adding rules and permissions. These will help to automatically set column values or show/hide columns under certain conditions. Once you have reached the desired result, proceed to clicking on Publish. Within seconds the app will add the new form to your SharePoint list/document library. You do not need to configure anything else. The New button on your SharePoint list will now take your users to the brand new custom SharePoint form.

Final Thoughts

Ease of use is one of the most important aspects of Ultimate Forms. We know you have a lot on your plate. We want to make working with SharePoint forms and workflows easy for you. Our goal is to keep the learning curve low. We encourage you to get in touch with us with your thoughts and suggestions!

How I created social media post tracking system in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Hi, We recently decided to start posting more on social media to show off all the exciting features of Ultimate Forms. Soon we realized that if we want to keep up with it, we need a system to track which features we already posted about, when, how popular the post was and so on, so we can keep our postings fresh and engaging, without repeating ourselves too much. And of course, I decided to do it in SharePoint, using Ultimate Forms, or more specifically, the AI-assisted Form Generator feature.

I started with a prompt. As I wasn't quite sure what a system like that would require, I used a rather short and generic prompt, without providing too much information. I also asked AI to only give me back 15 suggested columns.
After just a few seconds, this is what I got back. Note that the same prompt can and will produce different results each time you run it, so your output might vary.
As you can see, it generally makes sense, but I still needed to perform a few tweaks for it to better serve my needs. For example, I added a Category choice column that will contain the main post categories, such as Installation, Forms or Actions, pretty much following the main features of the product. I also deleted some columns I didn't need.
This is my intemediate result, as you can see, the majority of columns remained, with some deleted and some added. The list doesn't exist yet, so the whole process is extremely fast.
Next, I want to promote some of the columns into a Repeating section. Generally, the idea is that for each Category I will eventually have multiple posts over time.
Once I had my repeating section, I started adding Summary columns, which will automatically calculate and generate summary values per Category based on the posts added to that category. Here, for example, I count the number of posts.
And here I show the date of the first post for the Category.
I also sum the number of Impressions and the average number of Impressions per post.
Now my list is ready to be generated.
Once it's created, I have an option to view the New form or further edit the form in Form Designer (mainly for styling and layout, Form Generator already created a basic top-to-bottom form for me). I actually used Form Designer to place my Summary columns in a container with 3 layout column accross, to save space.
And the form is ready!
As you can see, when adding a new item, I start by creating a Category, then adding posts to that Category. There can be as many posts as I need, I will just add those later to the category and my summaries will be automatically recalculated.
If I now go into the list view, I can see my Categories there, wth the ability to drill down into each Category's posts.

As you can see, the whole process is very easy and straightforward, it only took about 10 min (and I was taking screenshots during that time, so it took longer than actually needed).
Ultimate Forms is a great tool for just these kinds of business tools. It's easy to use and the results are almost immediate!

Simplify Public Works Project Management with SharePoint

Riyan Arshad — Sunday, December 22, 2024

How Can SharePoint Streamline Public Works Projects?

Introduction Managing public works projects often involves juggling multiple tasks, from overseeing budgets to tracking project timelines. These challenges become more complex when managing field teams and cross-departmental collaboration. SharePoint, combined with Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF), offers a powerful solution to streamline project management processes, improve efficiency, and ensure accountability. In this guide, we’ll explore how you can use SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF) to simplify public works projects with automation, intuitive dashboards, and collaboration tools.

Step 1: Create a Project Tracking List

Start by creating a centralized repository to track all public works projects:

Set Up a New SharePoint List:
- Project Name
- Start Date
- End Date
- Budget
- Project Manager (Person/Group field)
- Current Status (Choice field: Planning, In Progress, Completed)

Navigate to your SharePoint site and create a new list named Public Works Projects.
Add columns for key data points, such as:

Customize the List with Ultimate Forms:

Use UF’s Form Designer to enhance the form layout.
Add tabs, conditional formatting, and validation rules for streamlined data entry.

Step 2: Automate Workflows for Task Assignments

Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF) includes a powerful Actions feature, which enables you to create automated workflows for various scenarios. One such scenario is sending automated notifications to keep stakeholders informed about project updates or task assignments. This ensures team members and project managers stay on top of their responsibilities without the need for manual follow-ups. How to Set Up Automated Notifications

Access the Actions Settings
- Navigate to your Public Works Projects list.
- In the UF settings, click on Actions to begin creating automation workflows.
Create a New Notification Action
- Click New Action and choose Send Email as the action type

- Give the action a meaningful name, such as "Task Assignment Notification" or "Project Status Update Email."

Define the Trigger Conditions

- Condition 1: When the Current Status field changes to "In Progress."
- Condition 2: When a new task is created for a specific team member.
- Set conditions to determine when the notification is sent. For example:

4. Compose the Email Template

- In the email configuration section, write a clear and concise email body. Use dynamic placeholders to include specific project details automatically.
- Example:

Subject: Task Assigned for [Project Name]
Body:

Hi [Assigned Team Member],

A new task has been assigned to you for the project: [Project Name].
Task Details:

- - Task Name: [Task Title]
  - Due Date: [Task Due Date]
  - Description: [Task Description]

Please complete the task by the assigned due date. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to [Project Manager].

5. Add Recipients Dynamically

- In the Recipient field, use the Assigned To column or any user-related field to automatically pull the correct email address.
- You can also CC or BCC the project manager or other stakeholders by adding their emails manually or dynamically.

Use Cases for Automated Notifications

1. Task Assignment Alerts: Notify team members immediately when tasks are assigned or modified.
  Example: "John, you've been assigned to inspect the water pipeline for the Downtown Revitalization project."
2. Project Status Updates: Inform stakeholders when a project’s status changes, such as moving from "Planning" to "In Progress."
  Example: "The Highway Expansion project has officially begun. Please ensure all assigned tasks are completed within the timeline."
3. Budget Alerts: Notify project managers if a project’s budget utilization exceeds a certain threshold.
  Example: "Alert: The budget for the Community Center Renovation project is 90% utilized."
4. Deadline Reminders: Send reminders about upcoming deadlines for tasks or milestones.
  Example: "Reminder: The Environmental Impact Study for the City Park project is due on [Due Date]."
5. Completion Notifications: Notify stakeholders when a task or project is marked as complete.
  Example: "Congratulations! The construction phase of the River Bridge project is now complete."

By automating notifications, you ensure all project members are informed in real-time, reducing delays, enhancing accountability, and improving overall project performance. These notifications can be configured flexibly, adapting to any public works project’s unique requirements.

Step 3: Budget Oversight Using Calculated Fields

Track budgets and expenditures directly in SharePoint:

Add Budget Calculation Fields:
- Remaining Budget: Budget - Expenses.
- Percentage Utilized: (Expenses ÷ Budget) × 100%.
- Use Calculated fields in your Public Works Projects list to track and visualize financial performance.
- Examples:
Apply Conditional Formatting:
- Highlight projects with overspent budgets in red for better visibility.

Step 4: Use Tabs to Organize Project Details

Tabs from UF’s Form Designer make it easy to organize project information intuitively:

Add Tabs for Project Details:
- Separate project data into sections such as Overview, Financials, Tasks, and Status Updates.
- Drag and drop related fields into the respective tabs to improve user experience.
Enhance User Navigation:
- Use UF’s built-in validation to ensure users fill in all required fields before progressing to the next tab.

Step 5: Share Key Insights with Project Dashboards

Use Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF) to create automated dashboards that display real-time project data. These dashboards help stakeholders track progress, resource utilization, and budgets with minimal manual input.

How to Create Dashboards

Enable Dashboards:

Under Web parts, click charts.
Add visual elements such as e.g., pie or bar charts and Progress Bars.

Set Filters and Views:

Create custom views for different audiences, like project managers (detailed metrics) and city officials (high-level summaries).

Embed and Share:

Add dashboards to SharePoint pages using UF web parts and organize content into tabs for easier navigation.
Use SharePoint permissions to control access based on stakeholder roles.

Resources

Before we wrap up, let’s look at a few key resources Infowise provides to help you get the most out of Ultimate Forms. These tools are designed to support every level of user, making it easy to customize and automate workflows in SharePoint.

Templates

Infowise provides free templates to help you quickly launch solutions for common workflows like employee onboarding and approvals. These templates integrate smoothly with SharePoint, so you can start building effective processes right away. Explore available templates here: Infowise Templates.

Tutorials

Infowise’s tutorials cover everything from setup to advanced customization, making it easy for users at all levels to leverage Ultimate Forms fully. View the full tutorial library here: Infowise Tutorials.

Webinars

Join Infowise’s webinars to learn directly from experts about real-world use cases, including automation for HR and custom workflows. Watch live or on-demand here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Infowise offers training resources to equip your team with best practices and essential skills. Choose from guided courses and self-paced options to fit your schedule. Learn more here: Infowise Training. These resources provide valuable support to ensure you can easily set up, customize, and optimize your SharePoint solutions.

Conclusion

Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF) and SharePoint provide an efficient, no-code solution for managing public works projects. By creating centralized project lists, automating workflows, and using intuitive dashboards, you can track timelines, budgets, and team performance effortlessly. This streamlined approach ensures timely project completion, improved resource management, and better accountability. Get started today and revolutionize your public works management processes!

The Fundamentals of Resource Management with SharePoint: A Beginner's Guide

Amir Shingray — Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Hello there, In recent weeks, my colleague Riyan Arshad shared a series of insightful articles on creating a resource management application using SharePoint, enhanced by the powerful capabilities of Ultimate Forms. Through these posts, Riyan demonstrated how, in just four straightforward steps, even a non-developer can build a robust business app. If you haven’t already, I highly encourage you to explore these articles for practical tips and a step-by-step guide to simplifying app development. Managing resources effectively is at the core of any successful business process, yet it's one of the trickiest challenges teams face daily. Whether it's scheduling tasks, managing shared equipment, or ensuring that team members aren't overbooked, the process can quickly spiral into a logistical nightmare. What if we told you there's a better way? SharePoint, combined with Infowise Ultimate Forms, offers a streamlined, centralized approach to resource management that simplifies everything from allocation to tracking. Ready to dive in? Seasoned SharePoint users can jump straight into our prebuilt solutions, designed for quick adoption and seamless integration with your project requirements. For everyone else, let's explore the fundamentals of resource management and how SharePoint can make it all easier.

What Is Resource Management, and Why Does It Matter?

At its core, resource management is about ensuring the right resources—people, equipment, or time—are available for the right tasks at the right moment. Sounds simple, right? Not so much when you're juggling complex schedules, overlapping priorities, and limited availability.

Here are some common challenges organizations face:

Over-allocated resources: Team members or equipment booked for multiple projects simultaneously.
Underutilized resources: Assets sitting idle, costing money but providing no value.
Lack of transparency: No clear visibility into who's working on what or which assets are free.

Without proper tools, resource management can feel like trying to solve a 1,000-piece puzzle without edge pieces.

Why SharePoint Is Perfect for Resource Management

Out of the box, SharePoint already offers a suite of features that make it a strong contender for resource management:

Centralized data storage: SharePoint brings all your resource information—team schedules, asset inventories, and task assignments—into one platform.
Collaborative features: Teams can work together seamlessly using SharePoint's document libraries, calendars, and task lists.
Integration with Microsoft tools: SharePoint integrates with tools like Outlook, Teams, and Power BI, creating a robust ecosystem for collaboration and reporting.

But here's where the magic happens: with Infowise Ultimate Forms, SharePoint's capabilities get a major boost, making it even easier to manage resources with custom actions, forms, and dashboards.

How Infowise Ultimate Forms Enhances Resource Management

If SharePoint is the engine, Ultimate Forms is the turbocharger. Here's how it enhances your resource management game:

1. Custom Actions for Automation

Easily set up custom actions to automate resource allocation, approvals, and notifications. Say goodbye to manual back-and-forth emails!

Dynamic Forms for Data Collection

With Infowise Ultimate Forms, creating intuitive and customizable forms has never been easier. This tool empowers you to design forms that perfectly fit your resource management needs, whether you're managing equipment requests, team availability, or project allocations.

Advanced Features of Dynamic Forms

Drag-and-Drop Form Designer: Build professional-grade forms effortlessly with a no-code interface.
AI-Powered Suggestions: Get field type, layout, and workflow recommendations tailored to your goals.
Conditional Logic and Rules:
- Conditional visibility: Show or hide fields dynamically.
- Auto-populated fields: Pre-fill data from SharePoint lists to reduce errors.
Seamless Integration: Connect forms with SharePoint, Teams, and Outlook for real-time collaboration.
Real-Time Dashboards: Gain instant insights with dashboards that show resource availability, utilization, and scheduling conflicts—all in one place.

Free Resources to Jumpstart Your Resource Management Journey

Getting started doesn't have to be overwhelming! Here are some helpful tools and guides:

Infowise Solutions: Download free templates designed for resource management with SharePoint.
Webinars: Watch on-demand videos like:
Documentation Library: Access guides to master Ultimate Forms step by step.

Real-World Applications of Dynamic Forms

These features aren’t just technical bells and whistles—they’re practical tools for solving real challenges:

Equipment Requests: Let users request resources by selecting from dynamic drop-down menus and specifying usage periods.
Team Availability Forms: Automatically adjust schedules to avoid conflicts.
Resource Allocation Forms: Link forms to SharePoint lists for live updates.

With Ultimate Forms, you’re building interactive, intelligent tools that streamline resource management and improve user experience.

Looking Ahead: Real-World Applications in Depth

This is just the beginning! In our next article, we’ll take an even deeper dive into real-world applications, with my colleague Riyan Arshad guiding you step-by-step in building tailored resource management solutions. Don't miss our upcoming webinar on January 16th, where you'll discover how Infowise Ultimate Forms Actions can streamline automation and enhance efficiency. Stay tuned—resource management is about to become smarter, faster, and more effective!

How I Leveraged SharePoint for Budgeting, Resource Management, and Cost Tracking

Riyan Arshad — Monday, December 16, 2024

Managing budgets, tracking costs, and ensuring optimal resource utilization are critical for businesses operating with multiple teams and projects. SharePoint, combined with Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF), offers an intuitive no-code solution for real-time oversight of budget performance and resource allocation. This guide explores how businesses can streamline cost management processes using SharePoint’s robust features.

Step 1: Set Up a Budget Management List

Create a dedicated list to track budgets, expenses, and resource allocation.

Create a New SharePoint List:

Go to your SharePoint site and navigate to Site Contents.
Click New > List and name it Budget Management.

Add Key Columns:
Using Infowise UF, add the following fields to manage cost and resource details effectively:

Project/Department (Choice): Identify the project or team.
Allocated Budget (Currency): Define the approved budget.
Expenses Incurred (Currency): Track actual expenses.
Resource Utilization (%) (Number): Record resource usage as a percentage.
Variance (Calculated Field): Automatically calculate the difference between the allocated budget and expenses.
Status (Choice): Options like On Track, Over Budget, or Under Budget.

Step 2: Group Data Using Sections and Tabs

Improve clarity and usability by organizing cost data into sections and tabs.

Create Logical Sections for Data:
- Budget Information: Allocated Budget, Expenses Incurred, and Variance.
- Resource Utilization: Resource Usage %, Status, and Notes.

Use the Container control in UF to group related fields:

Add Tabs for Enhanced Navigation:
- Budget Overview
- Resource Insights
- Variance Details

Use the Tabs control to break data into categories like:

This structure improves readability and ensures users quickly find the information they need.

Step 3: Automate Budget Status Updates

Use automation to keep your budget tracking process accurate and up-to-date.

Define Automated Actions:
- If Expenses Incurred > Allocated Budget, set the status to Over Budget.
- If Expenses Incurred < 90% of the budget, set the status to Under Budget.
- If expenses are within 10% of the allocated budget, mark the status as On Track.

In UF, create an action to update the Status field based on predefined conditions:

Trigger Notifications for Budget Alerts:
- Set up alerts to notify project managers when a budget crosses its allocated threshold.
- Include details like Project Name, Allocated Budget, and Expenses Incurred.

Step 4: Visualize Budget Performance Using Ultimate Forms Chart Control

Leverage Infowise Ultimate Forms’ Chart Control to create visual insights for budget performance and resource utilization.

Enable Chart Display in the List:

Go to your Budget Management list.
Add a new column of type Associated Items or open an existing list.

Configure the Chart Settings:
- Category (X-axis): Choose Project/Department.
- Series: Select Expenses Incurred and Allocated Budget.
- Chart Type: Use options like Bar charts or Pie charts for clear data representation.

Under the Charts tab, click on Add new profile.
Define the following settings:

Customize the Chart:

Enable features such as Show Legend, Show Values, and Show Axis Labels for improved clarity.
Adjust the chart's width and height to fit your display preferences.

Embed the Chart on the Page:
- Use Infowise Chart web part to display the chart on your SharePoint page.
- Go to the page where you want the chart displayed, add the Infowise Chart web part, and select your configured chart.

With this setup, stakeholders can easily visualize budget performance, track expenses, and identify variances without manually analyzing rows of data. Ultimate Forms' Chart Control ensures quick insights for improved decision-making.

Resources

Before we wrap up, let’s look at a few key resources Infowise provides to help you get the most out of Ulti mate Forms. These tools are designed to support every level of user, making it easy to customize and automate workflows in SharePoint.

Templates

Infowise provides free templates to help you quickly launch solutions for common workflows like employee onboarding and approvals. These templates integrate smoothly with SharePoint, so you can start building effective processes right away. Explore available templates here: Infowise Templates.

Tutorials

Infowise’s tutorials cover everything from setup to advanced customization, making it easy for users at all levels to leverage Ultimate Forms fully. View the full tutorial library here: Infowise Tutorials.

Webinars

Join Infowise’s webinars to learn directly from experts about real-world use cases, including automation for HR and custom workflows. Watch live or on-demand here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Infowise offers training resources to equip your team with best practices and essential skills. Choose from guided courses and self-paced options to fit your schedule. Learn more here: Infowise Training. These resources provide valuable support to ensure you can easily set up, customize, and optimize your SharePoint solutions.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Conclusion

SharePoint, paired with Infowise Ultimate Forms, simplifies resource and budget management for cost-conscious businesses. Organizations gain better oversight of resource utilization and cost performance by centralizing data, automating budget status updates, and creating actionable views. Whether managing multiple teams or complex projects, this no-code solution empowers businesses to stay on budget while optimizing resources effectively.

Simplify Your Workforce Management with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS and SharePoint

Riyan Arshad — Monday, December 9, 2024

Simplify Your Workforce Management with Infowise Ultimate Forms and SharePoint

Managing a diverse workforce—be it in-office, remote, or in the field—can be a complex process. Tasks such as scheduling, attendance tracking, and task delegation often require precision and coordination, which can be challenging when relying on manual methods or disconnected tools. Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF), offers a no-code solution to simplify workforce management and improve team productivity. In this guide, we’ll explore how you can use Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF) and SharePoint, to streamline workforce management processes, making it easier to handle hybrid teams and fieldwork operations efficiently.

Step 1: Create a Workforce Management List

Build a centralized data hub for managing employees, tasks, and schedules.

Create a New List in SharePoint:
- Navigate to your SharePoint site and go to Site Contents.
- Click New > List, and name it Workforce Management.

Add Fields to Capture Key Details:
Using Infowise Form Designer, include the following fields in the list:
- Employee Name (User Picker): The team member's name.
- Role/Designation (Choice): Define the employee’s role, e.g., Manager, Technician, etc.
- Task Assigned (Text): A brief description of the assigned task.
- Start Date and End Date (Date Picker): Track task timelines.
- Status (Choice): Options like Pending, In Progress, and Completed.
- Attendance Record (Number): Capture working hours or days attended.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Step 2: Organize Data with Sections and Tabs

Streamline navigation and improve usability by grouping list data into sections and tabs.

Group Related Information into Sections:

Use the Container control in UF to group fields into logical sections such as Employee Details, Task Information, and Performance Metrics.

Add Tabs for Seamless Navigation:

Within each section, use the Tabs control to organize data further:

Section 1: Employee Details

Tab 1: Basic Information (Employee Name, Role, etc.).
Tab 2: Attendance Record.

Section 2: Task Information

Tab 1: Assigned Tasks (Task Name, Start Date, End Date, and Status).
Tab 2: Progress Updates.

Grouping and tabbing ensure that users can quickly access specific details without unnecessary scrolling.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Step 3: Automate Task Assignments and Notifications

Boost efficiency by automating the assignment and follow-up processes.

Define Task Assignment Actions:
- Open the Actions section in UF and create an action to automatically assign tasks based on employee roles.
- Set up a Conditional Action to notify employees via email when tasks are assigned. Include placeholders like Task Name, Start Date, and Deadline.
Automate Status Updates:
- Use UF to trigger workflows that update task statuses automatically based on progress reports submitted by employees.
Daily Reminders for Pending Tasks:
- Schedule a recurring email notification to remind employees of overdue or incomplete tasks.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Step 4: Track Attendance with Validation Rules

Ensure accurate attendance tracking using UF’s built-in validation tools.

Create a Field for Attendance Logs:

Add a new field named Check-In/Check-Out (Date-Time Picker).

Set Validation Rules for Attendance Entries:

Open the Validation settings in the Form Designer and define rules to ensure:

Check-Out times are later than Check-In times.
Employees cannot submit attendance logs with missing data.

Enable Alerts for Missing Logs:

Use the Alerts feature in UF to notify managers when an employee misses logging attendance for the day.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Templates

Tutorials

Webinars

Join Infowise’s webinars to learn directly from experts about real-world use cases, including automation for HR and custom workflows. Watch live or on-demand here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Conclusion

Workforce management doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By leveraging Infowise Ultimate Forms and SharePoint, you can centralize scheduling, task delegation, and attendance tracking into a single, user-friendly platform. Utilizing sections and tabs ensures that data is well-organized and accessible, while automated workflows and validations boost efficiency and accuracy. Simplify your workforce management processes today and empower your team to achieve more with less hassle!

SharePoint Resource Management - Simplified with ULTIMATEFORMS

Riyan Arshad — Monday, December 2, 2024

Managing physical and digital assets effectively is crucial for any organization to minimize waste, optimize usage, and ensure smooth operations. Yet, manual tracking often leads to inefficiencies and errors. By leveraging SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms (UF), you can build a powerful, no-code solution to track, monitor, and optimize asset usage—all in just a few clicks. In this guide, we’ll walk you through setting up a SharePoint-based asset management system with UF, helping you streamline asset tracking and improve overall productivity. _______________________________________________________________________________________

Step 1: Setting Up the Asset Management System

Create a SharePoint Asset List

Log in to your SharePoint site and navigate to Site Contents.
Click New > List and name it Asset Management.
This list will serve as the central repository for all your physical and digital assets.

Customize the List with Infowise Ultimate Forms

Open the newly created list and click the Design button in the top menu.
Use UF's tools to design forms and workflows tailored to your asset management needs.

Add Asset Tracking Fields

Use the Form Designer to include essential fields such as:

Asset Name: Title of the asset (e.g., Laptop, Software License).
Asset Type: Dropdown (e.g., Physical, Digital).
Location: Text or Lookup field for physical assets.
Status: Dropdown with options like Available, In Use, or Retired.
Assigned To: User Picker to assign assets to team members.
Purchase Date: Date picker to track when the asset was acquired.
Warranty Expiry: Date picker for physical assets with warranties.
Notes: Multiline text for additional details.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Step 2: Automating Asset Status Updates with Infowise Actions

Create Automated Workflows

Use UF’s Actions to keep asset statuses up to date:

Update an asset’s status to In Use when it’s assigned to a user.
Automatically send a reminder email for upcoming warranty expirations.

How to Set It Up

Navigate to Business Logic > Actions in the UF interface.
Create an Update List Item action to modify the Status field based on conditions.
Use the Send Email action to notify team members about asset assignments or warranty deadlines.

Enable History Tracking (Optional)

Track all asset updates for full transparency:

Open Action Settings and enable the Track History option.
This logs who performed the action, when it occurred, and the outcome.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Step 3: Setting Up Validation to Prevent Errors

Validation Rules Use UF’s validation features to ensure correct data entry:

Ensure the Warranty Expiry date is always later than the Purchase Date.

Field: Purchase Date
Condition: <=
Value: Warranty Expiry
Error Message: “Warranty expiry must be later than the purchase date.”

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Step 4: Organize the Form with Tabs for Easy Navigation

By adding Tabs, you can categorize form fields into sections, making the form cleaner and easier to fill out for users. This is particularly useful for large forms like Asset Management, where different types of information (e.g., asset details, status, history) need to be captured. Steps to Set Up Tabs:

Open the Form Designer:

Navigate to your Asset Management list and open the Form Designer.

Add a Tabs Control:

From the Controls menu on the left, drag and drop the Tabs control onto the form.
By default, the Tabs control will create two tabs. You can rename and add more tabs as needed.

Customize the Tabs:

Rename the tabs to reflect the sections of your form:

Tab 1: Asset Details
Tab 2: Status & History
(Optional) Tab 3: Additional Information

To rename a tab, click its header and edit the text.

Move Fields into Tabs:

Drag and drop fields into the appropriate tabs:

Asset Details tab:

Asset Name
Asset Type
Created By
Created Date

Status & History tab:

Asset Status
Modified By
Modified Date

Additional Information tab:

Attachments

Save and Test:

- Save your changes in the Form Designer.
- Test the form by opening a new item in the Asset Management list. The form should now display the fields under the appropriate tabs.

Benefits of Using Tabs:

Improves the usability of the form by decluttering the layout.
Makes it easier for users to focus on relevant sections of the form.
Enhances the overall user experience, especially for forms with many fields.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Resources

Templates

Tutorials

Webinars

Join Infowise’s webinars to learn directly from experts about real-world use cases, including automation for HR and custom workflows. Watch live or on-demand here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Conclusion

Streamlining asset management with SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms provides a powerful, no-code solution for tracking, monitoring, and optimizing both physical and digital assets. By customizing forms, automating workflows, and organizing data with features like tabs for better navigation, businesses can achieve a more efficient, transparent, and user-friendly asset management process. With the ability to easily update asset details, manage statuses, and capture history, this approach enhances productivity and ensures that resources are tracked and utilized effectively. Start building your asset management solution today and experience the benefits of a smarter, more streamlined system!

Streamline Resource Allocation with SharePoint - Solving Scheduling Challenges

Riyan Arshad — Monday, November 25, 2024

Efficient resource scheduling is critical for ensuring that projects run smoothly and team members remain productive. However, managing schedules manually can lead to double bookings, missed deadlines, and unnecessary conflicts. By leveraging SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can streamline resource allocation with automated workflows, customized scheduling forms, and conflict-resolution tools—all without writing code. In this guide, you’ll learn how to create a SharePoint-based resource scheduling system to automate bookings, reduce conflicts, and improve overall productivity.

Step 1: Setting Up the Resource Scheduling System

Create a Resource Scheduling List

1- Create a New List in SharePoint:

Log into your SharePoint site and navigate to Site Contents.
Click New > List, and name it Resource Scheduling. This list will serve as the central repository for all resource booking entries.

2- Customize the List with Infowise Ultimate Forms:

Open the Resource Scheduling list and click on the Design button in the top menu

3- Add Relevant Fields:

Resource Name: To specify the resource being booked.
Booking Date: Date field to record the booking date.
Start Time: Time field for the booking start time.
End Time: Time field for the booking end time.
Requested By: User picker field to identify the person making the request.
Purpose: Multiline text field to describe the purpose of the booking.
Status: Dropdown field with options like Pending, Approved, and Denied.
Use the Form Designer to add fields that capture essential information for resource scheduling, such as:

Step 2: Automating Booking Approvals Using Infowise Actions

Efficient resource scheduling relies on automated workflows for approval and status updates. With Infowise Actions, you can create workflows to update statuses, notify requesters, and maintain an action history for transparency.

Configuring Approval and Denial Workflows

1- Access Actions in Infowise Ultimate Forms: Navigate to Actions under the Business Logic menu. 2- Create an Approval Action:

Action Type: Update List Item.
Values to Set: Update the Status field to "Approved".
Notification: Add a Send Email action to notify the requester of the approval. Include dynamic placeholders like Resource Name, Booking Date, and Time Slot in the email body.
Define an action to approve booking requests, update the status, and notify the requester.

3- Create a Denial Action:

Action Type: Update List Item.
Values to Set: Update the Status field to "Denied".
Notification: Add a Send Email action to inform the requester of the denial, including a Reason for Denial field.
Define an action to handle denied bookings.

4-Trigger Actions via Ribbon or Context Menu: Execute approval or denial actions via the Run Action button in the List Ribbon or the context menu for each item.

5- Enable Track History for Approval and Denial Actions:

Action Name (e.g., Approve Booking).
User: Who executed the action.
Time: When the action was triggered.
Outcome: The result of the action (e.g., status updated to Approved or Denied).
Open the Action Settings for both actions and enable the Track History option.
This feature logs details of each action, including:

6- Reviewing Action History

Access Action History:

Go to Design > Actions, and click Action History to view the log of all actions executed on the list items.

Filter Action Logs:

Filter by User, Date, or Action Name to review specific events, ensuring full traceability.
For example, check which user approved or denied a booking and when.

Step 3: Add Validation to Check Input Fields

Steps to Set Up Validation:

Open the Validation Tab:
- In the Form Designer, go to the Validation settings for the relevant fields, such as Start Time, End Time, and Resource Name.
Set Validation Rules for Basic Input:
- Example: Validate that the End Time is always later than the Start Time:
  - Field: Select Start Time.
  - Condition: >= or <.
  - Value: Reference End Time.
  - Type: Pattern
  - Pattern: Custom
  - Conditions:
  - Error Message: “End Time must be later than Start Time.”

Use Validation to ensure logical relationships between fields:

3- Test the Setup:

Save the settings and verify the validation on the form. Ensure the error messages and workflow actions are functioning as intended.

Conclusion Streamlining resource scheduling with SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms helps reduce conflicts, automate workflows, and improve efficiency across your organization. By setting up custom forms, automating approvals, and tracking resource usage, you can ensure smoother operations and better allocation of your team’s time and assets.

Simplify Customer Feedback Collection with SharePoint Forms

Riyan Arshad — Monday, November 18, 2024

Introduction

Customer feedback is vital for improving services, understanding customer needs, and driving business growth. However, collecting and managing feedback can be cumbersome without an efficient system. With SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can create a seamless workflow for gathering and analyzing customer feedback. In this guide, you’ll learn how to set up a custom feedback form in SharePoint, automate notifications for incoming feedback, and organize sentiment analysis using Infowise tools. The result? A streamlined process to ensure your customers’ voices are heard and acted upon.

Step 1: Setting Up the Customer Feedback Form in SharePoint

Creating the Feedback List

1- Create a New List in SharePoint:

Log into your SharePoint site and go to Site Contents.
Click New > List, and name the list Customer Feedback.
This list will serve as the repository for all customer feedback entries.

2- Open the Form Designer:

Navigate to the Customer Feedback list and click on the Design button in the top bar.
This opens the Infowise Ultimate Forms interface for customizing.

Accessing Prebuilt Forms via the Solution Catalog

Use the Solution Catalog in Infowise Ultimate Forms to access prebuilt feedback form templates. 1- Access the Solution Catalog:

In the Infowise Ultimate Forms interface, locate the Solution Catalog in the top menu. This catalog provides prebuilt templates for common business processes, including feedback collection.

2- Search for Feedback Form Templates:

Use the search bar in the catalog to find a prebuilt form for Customer Feedback.

3- Choose Installation Option:

Once you’ve selected a template, choose one of the following installation options:
- - Install to the Current Site: Add the form directly to the SharePoint list you’re working on.
  - Create a New SharePoint Site Under the Current Site: Use this option if the feedback process requires isolation or complexity.
Tip: Installing the form to the current site is quicker and ideal for single-team use cases.

4- Customize the Installed Form:

After installation, open the Form Designer to modify fields, layout, and validation rules to fit your business requirements.

Step 2: Automating Notifications Using Infowise Alerts

Automating notifications ensures that feedback is quickly shared with the relevant teams for review and action.

Setting Up Feedback Notifications

1- Access Alerts in Design:

In your Customer Feedback list, click on Design and select Alerts under Business Logic.

2- Create an Alert for New Feedback:

Configure an alert to trigger when a new feedback item is added.
Customize the email notification to include dynamic fields such as Customer Name, Feedback Type, and a direct link to the SharePoint item.

3- Set Up Notifications by Feedback Type:

- Use conditions to route feedback to specific teams based on the Feedback Type:
  - Complaints go to the Customer Support team.
  - Suggestions go to the Product Team.
  - Queries go to Sales or Operations.

Step 3: Routing Feedback Using Actions

Categorizing customer feedback into actionable insights helps ensure that positive feedback is celebrated while negative feedback is addressed promptly. Using Actions, you can automate the routing of feedback to the appropriate teams based on the sentiment selected by users.

Setting Up Sentiment Classification and Routing

1- Add a Sentiment Field to the Form:

- In the Form Designer, create a dropdown field named Sentiment with predefined options such as:
  - Positive
  - Neutral
  - Negative

2- Manually Select Sentiment During Review:

The person reviewing the feedback selects the sentiment manually based on the feedback content.

3- Automate Feedback Routing:

- Navigate to Actions in Infowise under Business Logic.
- Create actions for each sentiment category:
  - Positive Feedback: Configure an action to notify the Marketing Team of potential testimonials or case studies.
  - Negative Feedback: Set up an escalation alert to the Customer Service Team for immediate resolution.
  - Neutral Feedback: Route to the Product Team for insights into potential improvements.

Resources

Templates

Infowise provides free templates to help you quickly launch solutions for common workflows like employee onboarding and approvals. These templates integrate smoothly with SharePoint, so you can start building effective processes immediately. Explore available templates here: Infowise Templates.

Tutorials

Webinars

Join Infowise’s webinars to learn directly from experts about real-world use cases, including automation for HR and custom workflows. Watch live or on-demand here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Conclusion

With Infowise Ultimate Forms and SharePoint, collecting, organizing, and acting on customer feedback becomes seamless. From automated notifications to sentiment tracking and reporting, this workflow helps your team focus on what matters most—delivering excellent customer experiences.

Introduction to layout and rules on smart SharePoint forms

Vladi Gubler — Friday, November 15, 2024

Hi, In any business solution based on SharePoint, the first and most important part is always the forms. This is what the user sees first. A smart, well-designed form will ensure that complete and correct information is entered. A great form is clear, leaving no room for confusion, leading and assisting the users through the data entry process. Form Designer in Ultimate Forms was created specifically for this purpose. Simple and intuitive to use, it packs a ton of features that result in great looking, smart and dynamic forms your users will love. Today I want to highlight some of the most powerful and commonly used capabilities. I'm using the example of a simple support ticket management system.

Form Layout

First of all, let's talk about the layout of the form itself. I'm not going to be covering the many styling options Ultimate Forms offers, as those were covered in my previous blog. Today we'll be focusing on defining the placement of various elements on the form, making certain elements visible only under certain conditions, as well as enriching your form with dynamic rules and validations. The first visual element I want to talk about is the mighty Container. Using containers, you can accomplish a varierty of layout tasks. You will use it to arrange the position of other elements (such as column controls), to apply permissions to a group of columns all together and to add styles and themes to the form. The container is the first element you want to master when starting to work with Ultimate Forms. Containers control how the included controls are arranged on the page. Unlike some other tools, there is no rigid grid involved and you don't need to waste time aligning and worrying about how the form will look on devices of different screen sizes. All that is automatically handled by the containers! You simply define how many layout columns your container should have, then drag other elements (including other containers!) inside. They will be automatically laid out and made responsive. So for example, three elements across will be placed one above the other on a mobile device with a smaller screen, saving you the time of creating separate layouts for each device type. You can either select one to four columns across or choose 33% / 66% or 66% / 33% division. Once you've decided on the layout, you can also apply one of the themes containers offer. Or you can select no theme and just use the container for layout purposes only. You can see here how I managed to place two columns side by side and the third one below at the full width of the form by nesting containers: The outer container places all its elements in one vertical column. It contains another container and the column "Closing Comments". The inner container places its controls side by side. It's really that simple!

Permission Rules

Another extremely important feature common to all controls are the permission rules. Those can make elements hidden or visible, and, in the case of columns, also read-only or writeable. Contrainers and other container-like controls (such as tabs) will push their rules down towards the controls they contain, unless overriden at a lower level. This way you can make a whole section only appear when needed. For example here, the resolution details are only visible when the status is set to Resolved, using a simple permission rule. When you first create a ticket, this section is hidden. But once you change the status to Resolved, it will dynamically appear right away. As I said, permission rules can be applied to any element, for example directly to a column. Once we publish the form, enter a new ticket and change the Status to Resolved: The closing details section will appear below. It's just that simple. Note that I didn't need to create a second rule for Hidden. It's implied when creating the Write rule. Anything not covered by any other rules is automatically Hidden (unless there are no rules at all).

Dynamic Rules

In addition to permissions, we can use dynamic rules to automatically fill out column values when, for instance, other columns are changed by users. Here for example we fill out Closed Date with today's date when the Status is changed to Resolved. We can even combine dynamic rules with permissions not to allow users to change the automatically assigned value.

Validation Rules

Ensuring proper information is entered into the form is crucial. That's why Ultimate Forms offers a variety of features to ensure valid data entry, as well as to make validation errors stand out. Here we are ensuring that the Closed Date is never earlier than the Submit Date of the ticket. You can provide your own error message (that can also optionally be in different languages, depending on the preferred language of the current user). The error will appear right under the column: If you are designing a large form and want to make it easier for the users to know there were errors without having to go over the entire form, you can place one or more Validation Summary controls. Those will combine all the validation errors of all the controls in the same container (or the whole form when placed outside of any containers).

Button Bar

Another very useful control is the Button Bar. As its name suggests, it's a bar that contains buttons. In addition to being able to control the position of the buttons on the form, it is also responsible for showing and hiding the relevant buttons based on the form type. So for Edit form you will see Save and Cancel buttons, whereas for Display form you will see Edit and Close. You don't need to add any rules, it is done for you for the button bar itself.

Tabs and Accordion

An alternative to just placing containers one above the other on the page, you can use tabs or accordions to group controls together. This way only certain controls are shown whenever the tab is visible, making the form more compact and easier to use. As with containers, each tab can have its own permission rules, making your form dynamic. The decision what to use is yours, you can also mix and match different approaches. For example, some controls could be on their own, while others set inside tabs.

And to sum it up...

Today we just covered some of the great features of the Forms component of Ultimates Forms, there is so much more that is available (did anyone say repeating sections?). Explore on your own and build great looking, highly functional forms!

How to style your SharePoint forms

Vladi Gubler — Monday, November 11, 2024

Hi, As you know, Form Designer component of Ultimate Forms is a fantastic tool for creating flexible, smart and dynamic forms for your SharePoint lists and document libraries. But are you familiar with all the different styling options it offers? You can create amazing looking forms, exactly the way you want them, with minimal investment of time and next to no knowledge and experience! This blog introduces and describes the variety of styling features provided, giving you the knowledge you need to build great looking forms!

Themes

The easiest, albeit the most limited option. All you do is select from a the various theme we already built for you. You just pick and click, that's all. Let's say we started with this vanila form: By simply going into Styles -> Theme, you can view and select a theme you like. Just publish the form and you're done! There is nothing to configure here, so it might not be the right choice when you need to produce a very specific design. But it's great for simple forms that you just want to jazz up a bit.

Style

Located under Styles -> Style, here you can find most common configuration options presented in a simple and user-friendly way, without requiring any particular knowledge. The screen is divided into sections:

Background - the main background of the whole form, it's a good place to put a background image.
Main content - the main block where the actual content of the form resides (columns, headers, tabs, etc.). You can configure its background color and transparency, padding, rounded edges, drop shadow and main font to use.
Controls - here you can define how your data entry control look like. You can set font type and size, borders, background and foreground colors and shadows.

For the background image, you can select one from the gallery of royalty-free images we provide, or you can create and manage your own gallery under Organization. One common implementation would be selecting an image and then placing a semi-transparent main content background on top of it. The ability to style controls is a brand-new feature we just released. It applies to all controls on the form at once, making it easy to achieve consistent, unique look. As you can see here, I enlarged the font, introduced background and text color, made the corners visibly rounded and removed the existing borders by setting their width to 0. And here is the result:

Dynamic Styles

So far we discussed ways of styling the form as a whole. But what if you want to emphasize just a single element on the form? You can easily do that as well! And as an added bonus, you can apply those styling rules dynamically, according to the values being entered by the user. Here I'm adding a red border and some padding when the period on my travel form exceeds 10 days. Look how easy it is!

And now something for the experts...

What if you need to achieve something so unique, all of the abovementioned methods just don't cut it? We make it easy to add custom CSS as well! You can for example specify your own CSS class name for any element on the form, such as a control: Then under Styles -> CSS you can define this class any way you want. You can even define your own classes and styles in a separate CSS file, upload to a document library somewhere and link to one or more forms! For instance here I defined a unique look for the control: In conclusion, as you can see, it's easy to style your forms with plenty of options to choose from. Just use your imagination! And the most amazing thing is that you can combine all of the methods: just pick a theme and augment it with some of your own styles for a unique look that is fast and easy to achieve.

Quickly Create Purchase Requests in SharePoint with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Riyan Arshad — Monday, November 11, 2024

Introduction

Managing purchase requests of goods or services is an important part of procurement. Quick and efficient approval and processing of the requests is the responsibility of the purchasing department teams. With SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can create a streamlined, automated system for handling purchase requests. The system will handle all the stages, from submission and approval to final procurement. This approach requires no coding and allows full customization based on your purchasing needs of your organization. This guide will walk you through setting up a SharePoint form for purchase requests. We will discuss how we can automate approval workflows. We will also utilize alerts for keeping relevant parties informed throughout the process.

Step 1: Setting Up the Purchase Request Form in SharePoint

The first step is creating a SharePoint list to collect and manage purchase request data. You will further customize this list using Infowise Ultimate Forms. You will use document libraries for organizing and managing documents related to purchase requests. That will provide quick access to important files and supporting features like version control and metadata tagging.

Configuring the Purchase Request List

To create a new list in your SharePoint site:

Go to Site Contents of your SharePoint site
Click on New > List
Name the list Purchase Requests

Ensure Ultimate Forms is present in your SharePoint site. You can install it quickly and easily using our Installation Wizard. To access Infowise Form Designer:

With the new Purchase Requests list open, click Design in the top toolbar.
Click on Form Designer
You can now choose to create a blank form or automatically generate a new form.

You can create all the needed columns in Form Designer. Just click on New Column on the left, then select the correct column type. At the minimum, create the following columns:

Request Title - single line of text column
Requested By - person or group column
Department - choice or lookup column
Item Description - single or multiple lines of text column
Quantity - number column
Total Cost - currency column
Priority - choice column
Status - choice column
Payment terms - choice column
Delivery date - date column

Ensure that you place the Attachments on the form. Users will be able to upload necessary documents, such as quotes or purchase orders.

Step 2: Setting Up Approval Workflows Using Actions

Automating the approval process ensures that purchase requests are reviewed promptly. Key stakeholders must take part in the design of the approval workflows. This helps ensure that the workflows meet the essential needs of the organization. Infowise Ultimate Forms: Actions provides powerful tools for automating approvals and task assignments based on request data.

Automating Approval Tasks and Status Updates

In the Purchase Requests list, go to Design and then Actions under the Business Logic menu. Next, set up an action that assigns purchase request approval to the relevant department head or finance team. We will use actions of the type Update list item. Use conditions based on columns like Priority or Total Cost. This will allow you to automatically send high-value or high-priority requests to the right approver. The approver must be the head of the procurement department, when the Total Cost is above a specific limit. You can use Infowise Actions to update the Status field based on the approval outcome:

Approved: Once the request is approved, set the status to "Approved" and trigger any subsequent procurement actions.
Rejected: If rejected, update the status to "Rejected" and notify the requester.

Add Approval and Rejection Buttons You can place Approve and Reject buttons directly on the form. This allows authorized personnel to approve or reject the request from within the form view. You can trigger an action directly from a button by selecting Trigger Action button type.

Step 3: Setting Up Alerts for Notifications

Notifications are essential for keeping all relevant parties updated on the status of purchase requests. Infowise Ultimate Forms: Alerts lets you configure custom notifications for specific stages of the purchasing workflow. Navigate to Design > Alerts under Business Logic in Infowise Ultimate Forms. Configuring Alerts for New Requests:

Set up an alert to notify the finance team or the assigned approver when someone submits a new purchase request.
Customize the email template to include dynamic fields like Request Title, Requested By, and Total Cost.

Automate Notifications for Status Changes

Set up alerts for when the Status field changes, notifying the requester when their request is Approved or Rejected.
Use conditions to ensure that only relevant users (such as the requester and their manager) receive notifications.

Set Up Reminders for Pending Approvals

Configure an alert to remind the approver if a request remains pending beyond a certain timeframe (e.g., 48 hours).
This helps ensure timely approvals and keeps the procurement process moving smoothly.

Step 4: Tracking and Reporting Purchase Request Status

To keep track of all purchase requests, create custom views and use Ultimate Forms alerts to monitor request status. This helps you generate timely reports for stakeholders. Setting Up Custom Views for Real-Time Tracking

Create a custom view in your Purchase Requests list. This view should show important details like Request Title, Requested By, Department, Total Cost, Priority, and Status.
Organize the view to group requests by Status (e.g., Pending, Approved, Rejected) for quick reference.

Use Conditional Formatting In Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can use color-coding for choice columns. This helps highlight requests by their status or priority. For example, you can add color coding for different statuses (green for approved, red for rejected, yellow for pending). Automate Weekly Status Reports

Use Infowise Ultimate Forms: Alerts to send a weekly summary email to relevant team members. The email will include all active and recent purchase requests.
Configure the alert to include information like total pending requests, approval times, and high-priority items.

Set Up Notifications for Aging Requests:

Set an Infowise Alert for requests that have remained in "Pending" status for a specified time (e.g., more than 5 days).
This alert can notify the requester, their manager, or a finance team member, ensuring follow-ups on aging requests.

Resources

Before we wrap up, let’s look at a few key resources Infowise provides to help you get the most out of Ultimate Forms. We designed it to support every level of user, making it easy to customize and automate workflows in SharePoint.

Templates

Infowise provides free templates to help you quickly launch solutions for common workflows like employee onboarding and approvals. These templates integrate smoothly with SharePoint, so you can start building effective processes right away. You can explore available templates here: Infowise Templates.

Tutorials

Infowise tutorials cover everything from setup to advanced customization. It makes it easy for users at all levels to leverage Ultimate Forms fully. You can view the full tutorial library here: Infowise Tutorials.

Webinars

Join Infowise webinars to learn from experts about real-world examples. Discover how to automate HR tasks and create custom workflows. You can sign up for the future webinars and watch the recorded past webinars here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Infowise offers training resources to equip your team with best practices and essential skills. Choose from guided courses and self-paced options to fit your schedule. You can find additional information here: Infowise Training.

Conclusion

With Infowise Ultimate Forms and SharePoint, managing purchase requests becomes faster, more efficient, and fully automated. Your team can speed up purchase order processing by:

Creating a custom purchase request form.
Automating approval steps.
Configuring email alerts to ensure better visibility into the procurement process.

New granular authorization in Ultimate Forms for SharePoint Online

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, November 5, 2024

UPDATE 6-Dec-2024: We are forced to make a change to require Full Control at installation. This is due to a security limitation in SharePoint that prevents the app with less than Full Control permissions from reading SharePoint group's members. As this feature is heavily used almost everywhere, it would be an disproportinate reduction of capabilities to pursue Manage permissions only. This blog article has been updated to remove references to Manage permission. Ultimate Forms is a SharePoint add-in and as such requires access to your SharePoint Online tenant to do its magic. As it is capable to doing basically anything inside SharePoint as well as in other 3rd party applications, the access levels it requires are bound to be quite high. We take the security of your data as our highest priority. We put a lot of effort into creating the most comprehensive implementation possible at the current technological state of the art. Generally, there are 3 types of permissions Ultimate Forms uses:

Forms and web parts - delegated permissions of the current user obtained by the SharePoint Framework, meaning that the form can do what the user can do and there is no ability to gain access to anything beyond.
Ultimate Forms interface - delegated permissions as well (albeit obtained via a special Entra ID enterprise application added to your tenant when Ultimate Forms is installed). Here as well the user is only allowed to do what they are granted access to in SharePoint itself. The same permission is also used in Print utilities and in manually-triggered Actions.
Backend features - such as event or timer-driven Actions, all Alerts, Import, Item ID, Signature validation and Associated Items Summary calculations. As these happen behind the scenes without user interaction, we are using Application level permission, meaning permissions obtained by the application itself in its own name, without delegating permission of any actual user.

Up until now, Application permissions were tenant-level Full Control permissions, due to the fact Microsoft didn't offer a more granular approach. That has changed and now we are able to assign permissions to specific site collections. Which mean that when one department installs Ultimate Forms on their site collection[s], there is no way for the app to access other, unapproved site collections.

How Does It Work?

When you run our Installation Wizard, we will ask for the permissions and automatically grant permissions to the site collection based on the site URL you provided to the installer. Other site collections will remain inaccessible. If you want to extend permissions to additional site collections, you can do one of the following (in both cases you must have Full Control permissions on the site collections in question):

Run the Wizard again, providing one of the site URLs of the additional site collection.
If you initially installed the app as available to all sites, click on Design on one of the lists in the site collection and then approve the site collection access directly from the warning banner.

NOTE: There are actually two pop-up windows that appear when you grant access. Make sure your browser doesn't block the second one. There will be a notification regarding pop-ups being blocked in the right-hand side of the address bar in your browser. Please click it to allow pop-ups from the site and click on Grant again. The second window normally doesn't require user interaction and will quickly close on its own.

Existing Customers

The change went into effect on November 4th 2024. Customers who installed Ultimate Forms beforehand, will by default keep their existing tenant-wide Full Control permission and may ignore the change altogether. If you do want to implement it in your environment, do the following (preferrable outside of business hours due to a brief loss of authorization):

Delete the Enterpise Application
1. Go into Entra ID
2. In the left side navigation go to Application -> Enterprise Applications
3. Locate Infowise Ultimate Forms Data Access application
4. Open it, switch to the Properties section, then delete it
Run Installation Wizard
1. Go to our website as a Global Administrator of your tenant
2. Click on Try Now Free in the top right corner of the page
3. Pick Installation and enter your site URL
4. Grant access in the pop-up window[s]
5. For any additional site collection, you can either run the Wizard again, or, provided that you made the app available to all sites, simply click on Design and approve directly from the app

As you can see, the change can be very important, especially for larger enterprise environments, but implemented in the way that helps minimize any disruptions for existing installation.

Create Fast Incident Management Workflows Using SharePoint and Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Riyan Arshad — Friday, November 1, 2024

Introduction

Efficient incident management is essential for any organization, ensuring issues are quickly reported, tracked, and resolved. By leveraging Infowise Ultimate Forms with SharePoint, you can create a streamlined workflow for incident management, enhancing communication and speeding up response times—all without the need for coding. This guide walks you through creating an incident management form in SharePoint, setting up automated notifications, and using Infowise Ultimate Forms’ Actions and Alerts to report, assign, and track incidents seamlessly.

Step 1: Setting Up the Incident Reporting Form in SharePoint

Creating the Incident Management List and Form

The first step is to set up an Incident Management List in SharePoint and use Infowise SharePoint forms to structure data collection for incident reports.

Create a New List in SharePoint:

Go to your SharePoint site and navigate to Site Contents. Click New > List and name it Incident Reports.

Design the Onboarding Form:

Once the list is created, click on Design in the top bar (ensure Infowise Ultimate Forms is installed in your environment).
Open the Solution Catalog to search for prebuilt onboarding forms. Choose a template that matches your requirements and install it to your site.

3- Customize the Form:

Add or modify fields like Incident Title, Description, Date and Time, Priority Level, Assigned To, and Status.

Step 2: Automating Incident Notifications Using Infowise Alerts

Automated notifications are crucial for ensuring timely incident resolution. With Infowise Alerts, you can set up notifications to alert the right people immediately when an incident is reported.

Setting Up Notifications for Incident Reports

1- Access Alerts in Design:

- In your Incident Reports list, click on Design to access Infowise Ultimate Forms, then go to Alerts under Business Logic.

2- Create a New Alert for New Incident Reports:

- Click New Alert and configure it to trigger when an item is added to the list.
- Set the recipients to include relevant team members or managers responsible for incident management.

3- Customize the Alert Email:

- Use dynamic fields in the email template to include important details like Incident Title, Description, Priority Level, and a direct link to the incident report.
- Configure alert frequency to send notifications immediately upon incident submission.

4- Set Reminder Alerts for Pending Incidents:

- Create an additional alert for reminders if the incident status remains "Open" after a specified timeframe (e.g., 24 hours for high-priority incidents).

Step 3: Automating Task Assignments Using Infowise Actions

To ensure timely responses, you can set up Infowise Actions to automate task assignments and updates based on the priority of each incident. Corrective actions are assigned based on the results of root cause analysis, ensuring that issues are properly addressed and future incidents are minimized.

Automating Task Creation Based on Incident Priority

1- Access Actions:

- Go to your Incident Reports list, click on Design in the top bar, and then select Actions from the Business Logic menu.

2- Set Conditions for Priority-Based Actions:

- Create different actions to assign tasks based on the incident’s priority level.
  - High Priority: Assign tasks to a specific team member or department with a short response deadline.
  - Low or Medium Priority: Assign tasks with a longer response timeframe or route them to a general queue for review.

3- Configure Task Assignment Details:

- Customize the action to fill in details like Title (using the Incident Title), Description (pulling from the form submission), and Assigned To (based on the priority level).
- You can also set an Incident Due Date field that calculates a deadline based on the priority level, such as setting it to 24 hours for high-priority incidents.

4- Automate Status Updates:

- Configure actions to automatically update the Status field when tasks are assigned, changing it to "In Progress" once an action triggers a task assignment.

Step 4: Setting Up Follow-Up Reminders and Escalations

Ensuring that incidents are addressed promptly can be managed by creating follow-up reminders and escalation notifications based on status and due dates. These measures help prevent future incidents by ensuring that lessons learned are integrated into better detection, response capabilities, and organizational training.

Setting Up Reminders and Escalations Without Delayed Actions

1- Create a Follow-Up Due Date:

- In your Incident Reports list, add a field called Follow-Up Due Date to calculate a future date based on the incident’s submission date (e.g., 24 hours from creation for high-priority incidents).

2- Automate Reminders Using Alerts:

Set up an Infowise Alert configured to monitor the Follow-Up Due Date and Status field.
Configure the alert to send a reminder notification to the assigned team member if the Status remains “Open” or “In Progress” by the due date.

3- Escalate Unresolved Incidents:

- For unresolved high-priority incidents, create an additional Infowise Alert to escalate the issue by notifying a senior team member or department head if the incident is still unresolved by the Escalation Due Date (e.g., 48 hours after the incident is created).
- Customize the escalation email to highlight the incident details, current status, and a link to the SharePoint item for quick access.

Resources

Templates

Tutorials

Webinars

Join Infowise’s webinars to learn directly from experts about real-world use cases, including automation for HR and custom workflows. Watch live or on-demand here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Conclusion

By using Infowise Ultimate Forms with SharePoint, you can automate incident management workflows—from form submission to task assignments, follow-ups, and escalations. This solution enables your team to respond to incidents quickly and consistently, improving overall efficiency without the need for complex coding. With automated notifications, task creation, and escalation workflows, Infowise Ultimate Forms provides a comprehensive toolset for effective incident management.

SharePoint Forms for Automated Employee Onboarding – Transform Your HR Process with Ease

Riyan Arshad — Monday, October 28, 2024

Introduction

Efficient employee onboarding is essential for setting up new hires for success, but managing onboarding tasks manually can be tedious and error-prone. Fortunately, Infowise Ultimate Forms allows you to automate key parts of the onboarding process right within SharePoint—no coding required. Using Alerts, Actions, and prebuilt forms in Infowise, you can streamline tasks, notifications, and approvals to ensure a seamless onboarding experience. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a custom employee onboarding form, set up automated alerts, and use actions to handle tasks and approvals. This step-by-step tutorial is designed for first-time users and non-developers who want to simplify HR processes.

Why Automate Employee Onboarding with HR Workflow Automation?

For HR managers and business owners, automating the onboarding process can significantly reduce the administrative burden while ensuring a smoother experience for new employees. Automating approval requests for onboarding can reduce administrative burden and facilitate timely responses. Additionally, automating the management of employee data during onboarding can reduce errors and improve the overall experience for new hires. By leveraging SharePoint and tools like Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can streamline key steps such as document submission, approval workflows, and automated reminders. Automating business critical processes like onboarding ensures efficiency and allows focus on vital operations. ________________________________________________________________________

Step 1: Setting Up the Employee Onboarding Form

Accessing Prebuilt Onboarding Forms in SharePoint

The first step in automating onboarding is creating or selecting a prebuilt SharePoint form tailored to your organization’s onboarding needs. Luckily, Infowise Ultimate Forms provides prebuilt forms that you can easily customize for employee onboarding. 1- Create a New SharePoint List:

- Log into your SharePoint site, and from the Site Contents, create a new list called Employee Onboarding.

2- Design the Onboarding Form:

- Once the list is created, click on Design in the top bar (ensure Infowise Ultimate Forms is installed in your environment).
- Open the Solution Catalog to search for prebuilt onboarding forms. Choose a template that matches your requirements and install it to your site.

3- Customize the Form:

- Add or modify fields like Employee Name, Job Title, Start Date, Department, and Supervisor.
- Customize sections for document uploads (e.g., ID documents, tax forms) and acknowledgment of company policies.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Step 2: Setting Up Alerts for Notifications

The Alerts component of Ultimate Forms is an essential feature for automating notifications during onboarding and handling various employee requests. The HR department can benefit from automated alerts for better management of onboarding tasks, ensuring efficient processing and improved employee experience. This step shows how to use Alerts to automatically notify HR and supervisors of new onboarding submissions.

Configuring Alerts in Ultimate Forms

1- Navigate to Alerts in Business Logic:

- In the Design interface, find Business Logic in the left sidebar.
- Click on Alerts under Business Logic to access the alert configuration panel.

2- Set Up an Alert for New Submissions:

- Click New Alert to create an alert for notifying HR and the supervisor when a new onboarding form is submitted.
- In the alert settings, select the condition “Item is added” to trigger the alert only when a new item is created.

3- Specify Recipients:

- Set the recipients to include the supervisor listed in the Supervisor field and any HR team members.
- Use dynamic values to pull information from the form, such as Employee Name and Start Date.

4- Customize the Email Notification:

- Use the Mail Template editor to create a custom notification email. Include placeholders for fields like Name, Job Title, and Position to personalize the alert.

5- Set a Reminder Alert (Optional):

- You can also set a reminder alert to notify the supervisor if onboarding tasks aren’t completed within a set timeframe (e.g., 7 days).

____________________________________________________________________________

Step 3: Automating Onboarding Tasks with Infowise Actions

With the Actions component of Ultimate Forms, you can create workflows to assign tasks, track onboarding status, and manage approvals—all based on form submissions. Setting Up Custom Actions 1- Navigate to Actions Settings:

From the List Settings page, select Actions in Infowise Ultimate Forms. This opens the Actions configuration panel.

2- Create Task Assignments for IT and HR: Create a Task: Set an action to create a list item in the Onboarding Tasks list for each new hire. This task can include setting up IT equipment, arranging workspace, and assigning training sessions. 3- Update Onboarding Status: Set an action to update the Onboarding Status field in the list as tasks are completed. For example, when HR completes document verification, the status can update to "In Progress."

4- Define Approval Actions: For document verification, create an action to notify HR for approval. The HR manager can approve or reject documents, and the Status field updates based on their action.

Resources

Templates

Tutorials

Webinars

Join Infowise’s webinars to learn directly from experts about real-world use cases, including automation for HR and custom workflows. Watch live or on-demand here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Conclusion

By using Infowise Ultimate Forms for SharePoint you can transform business critical processes like employee onboarding into a streamlined, automated workflow. With Alerts and Actions, HR teams can efficiently automate notifications, task assignments, and document approvals. This setup helps new hires transition smoothly into their roles while freeing HR personnel to focus on higher-value tasks.

SharePoint Forms - Simplify and Streamline Expense Reports with Prebuilt Solutions

Riyan Arshad — Monday, October 14, 2024

Managing expense reports efficiently is critical for any business, but many non-developers find it daunting to set up custom workflows and forms. Luckily, Infowise Ultimate Forms offers a range of prebuilt SharePoint forms that can be easily customized to suit any organization’s needs without the need for coding. In this guide, we'll show you how to use, customize, and automate prebuilt SharePoint forms for expense reports. This step-by-step tutorial ensures that even first-time users can set up an efficient system for managing expense reports with ease.

Step 1: Creating a SharePoint List and Accessing Prebuilt Forms

Before you can start customizing expense reports, the first step is to create a SharePoint list and access the Solution Catalog in the Infowise Ultimate Forms app. This is where you’ll find the prebuilt forms that can be customized for your expense reporting needs. Steps to Create a SharePoint List:

Log into your SharePoint site where you plan to manage your expense reports.
Navigate to the Site Contents and select New > List from the top bar to create a new SharePoint list.

Ensure Infowise Ultimate Forms is installed in your SharePoint environment. Once installed, you’ll see an option for Design in the top bar after creating the list.
Click on the Design Button: This will open the Infowise Ultimate Forms customization interface for the list you just created.

Accessing Prebuilt Forms via the Solution Catalog:

In the Infowise Ultimate Forms interface, look at the top bar and locate the Solution Catalog option. This catalog provides access to various prebuilt forms, including templates for expense reports.
Click on Solution Catalog and use the search bar to look for prebuilt forms related to Expense Reports. Once found, you can select the template that best fits your business needs.

Choose Installation Option: When you select the form, you’ll be presented with two options for installation:

Install to the Current Site: This installs the form directly to the current SharePoint site where you are working (this is the option we’ll use).
Create a New SharePoint Site Under Current Site: If you need to manage a more complex or isolated process, you can create a new sub-site under the current site and install the form there.

Tip: If you’re new to SharePoint, it’s generally easier to install the form to the current site, especially if you’re managing expense reports for the same team or department.

Once the form is installed, you can proceed to customize it according to your business needs.

Tip: If you don’t see the Design button, make sure that Infowise Ultimate Forms is properly installed and activated for your tenant.

Step 2: Customizing Your Expense Report Form

Now that you've Installed the prebuilt form, it's time to customize it for your specific business needs. You can easily tweak the form fields, layout, and validation rules using the Form Designer in Infowise Ultimate Forms.

Open the Form Designer
Drag and Drop Fields: Modify your form by dragging fields like "Expense Category," "Date," "Amount," and "Receipt Attachment" into the form layout. You can also add a "Manager Approval" section.

Set Default Values and Validation Rules:

Set default values for fields like “Date” to today’s date.
Add validation to ensure fields like "Amount" cannot be left empty or that attachments are required for expenses over a certain limit.

Create Tabs for a Cleaner Layout: You can divide the form into sections by adding tabs, like General Info, Expense Details, and Approval. This makes the form easier to navigate.

Step 3: Automating Approvals and Notifications Automation is key to reducing manual workload, and Infowise Ultimate Forms provides powerful tools for this. You can set up automatic notifications and approval workflows for the expense reports.

Go to the Actions section under Ultimate Forms.
Set up an action for Manager Approval:

When an expense report is submitted, trigger an automatic email to the relevant manager.

Automate Alerts:

Create a New Action for Amount Threshold Alerts:

In the Actions panel, click on New Action to create an alert for when an expense report exceeds a predefined amount (e.g., $1,000).
Name the action (e.g., High-Value Expense Alert).

Set Conditions:

In the Conditions section, configure the rule:

Set it to trigger when the Amount field is greater than your specified threshold (e.g., Amount > 1000).

Step 4: Finalizing and Testing the Expense Report Form

Before deploying the form to your team, it's essential to test its functionality and ensure everything works as expected.

Preview the Form: Use the Preview option in Infowise Ultimate Forms to see how the form will look to end users.
Submit a Test Report: Fill out the form with sample data to test the submission, approval, and notification workflows.
Review Submission Process: Ensure that the form flows smoothly from submission to approval and that documents are stored correctly.

Once you're satisfied with the form, publish it for your team to start using!

Conclusion

With Infowise Ultimate Forms’s prebuilt form capabilities, managing expense reports has never been easier. This guide has walked you through the process of customizing and automating expense report workflows—ensuring you can streamline approvals, document storage, and notifications with minimal effort. For businesses looking to enhance their SharePoint capabilities without coding, Infowise Ultimate Forms is the perfect solution.

Master Dynamic SharePoint Forms Without Coding Using Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Amir Shingray — Friday, October 11, 2024

Introduction

Lately, we’ve seen more and more office managers and administrators like you who want to simplify processes and manage data without needing to write a single line of code. Whether you’re managing workflows, approvals, or data collection, you need solutions that are both powerful and easy to use. That’s why I’ve put together this series to show you how SharePoint Forms and Infowise Ultimate Forms can help you create dynamic, no-code solutions to streamline your business operations.

What is SharePoint?

At its core, SharePoint is a platform developed by Microsoft that helps businesses manage documents, data, and collaboration in a secure, organized manner. Part of the Microsoft 365 suite, SharePoint integrates with popular tools like Outlook, Excel, and Teams, making it a central hub for business collaboration. One of SharePoint’s most powerful features is the ability to create lists—structured data repositories that can manage everything from project tasks to HR records or customer feedback. These lists are not just data storage; they serve as the backbone of SharePoint Forms, which allow users to input, manage, and update information easily.

What Are Dynamic SharePoint Forms?

Dynamic forms in SharePoint allow you to build smart, interactive forms that adapt based on user input. This means your custom SharePoint forms can show or hide fields, auto-populate data, and enforce rules—all without needing complex code. Whether you’re handling requests, managing approvals, or gathering feedback, dynamic forms enhance the user experience by streamlining the process. Dynamic forms can be crucial for business operations. Imagine handling a leave request form that adjusts automatically based on the type of leave selected, shows only the relevant fields for each type, and ensures the necessary information is gathered every time. Infowise Ultimate Forms makes this not only possible but easy, even for non-developers.

The No-Code Advantage with Infowise Ultimate Forms

Infowise Ultimate Forms integrates seamlessly with SharePoint to give you an intuitive, no-code solution for building powerful forms and workflows. You can create forms that:

Respond to user input dynamically: Show or hide fields based on specific conditions.
Enforce data validation: Ensure that users enter the correct information.
Automate workflows: Trigger actions such as sending notifications or updating lists based on form data.

The best part? It’s all done without writing a single line of code. This means you don’t need to rely on a development team or outside experts to create the dynamic forms that your business needs.

Key Benefits of Dynamic Forms for Your Business

Dynamic SharePoint Forms offer several business-critical benefits, particularly when it comes to efficiency and accuracy. Here’s why adopting dynamic forms with Infowise Ultimate Forms can make a difference in your day-to-day operations:

Improved User Experience: Users interact with forms that adjust in real-time, ensuring they only see fields relevant to their task, which reduces confusion and speeds up the form submission process.
Fewer Errors: By validating data as it’s entered, dynamic forms help prevent errors, ensuring higher quality data.
Automated Workflows: Forms can trigger automatic actions, such as sending notifications or routing data to the appropriate department for review or approval.
Time and Cost Efficiency: Dynamic forms save time for both users and administrators by automating repetitive tasks, reducing the need for manual intervention.

For example, if you’re managing employee onboarding, a dynamic form can adapt based on the employee’s department, showing only the relevant fields, and automatically sending notifications to the HR team once the form is completed. This reduces administrative overhead and ensures that onboarding happens smoothly.

How to Get Started with SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms

To begin building dynamic custom SharePoint forms, first ensure that you have SharePoint as part of your Microsoft 365 subscription. Then, install Infowise Ultimate Forms using the Infowise Installer. All solutions demonstrated in our webinars, including dynamic forms, are free to install. You can either choose a solution during the Ultimate Forms installation process or head over to the webinar page, select the solution you need, and install it with just a few clicks. If you face any difficulties during installation, you can refer to our installation guide.

Learn More Through Our Dynamic SharePoint Forms Video Guide

Dynamic forms take SharePoint to the next level by responding to user input in real-time, creating an interactive and user-friendly experience. Our Dynamic SharePoint Forms Video Guide walks you through how to:

Guide users through forms step-by-step.
Highlight required fields and provide inline help.
Automatically pre-fill fields and validate data in real-time.

This short, practical video will help you get started quickly with dynamic forms, improving user experience and automating processes—all without writing code.

Free Prebuilt SharePoint Solutions

Another great advantage of using Infowise Ultimate Forms is the access to prebuilt SharePoint Solutions, which are available at no cost. These solutions are ready to use and can be deployed in just a few minutes, helping you save time and effort. Here are some examples:

Employee Onboarding: Simplify your HR processes by collecting new hire data, managing document submissions, and automating tasks like setting up email accounts or assigning onboarding duties.
Project Management: Track project milestones, assign tasks and collaborate with team members using dynamic forms that update in real-time.
Customer Feedback: Create dynamic surveys to gather customer satisfaction data and generate insightful reports automatically.

To install these solutions, just go to the solutions page or webinar page, choose the solution that fits your needs, and follow the installation instructions.

Accessing Infowise Educational Resources

To help you get the most out of SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms, we offer a wide range of educational resources, including webinars, tutorials, and detailed documentation. These resources are designed to guide you through everything from basic form creation to advanced automation techniques. Here are some great places to start:

Dynamic SharePoint Forms Video Guide: Learn how to create interactive forms that respond dynamically to user inputs.
More Webinars: Explore additional sessions on topics like workflow automation and advanced customization with Ultimate Forms.
Tutorials and Documentation: Detailed guides and instructions for both beginners and advanced users, helping you build forms and troubleshoot issues effectively.

These resources will help you unlock the full potential of SharePoint and Ultimate Forms, empowering you to build the solutions your business needs.

Conclusion

Dynamic SharePoint Forms, combined with the power of Infowise Ultimate Forms, offer you a no-code solution to build custom forms and automate your workflows without needing to be a developer. Whether you’re managing HR tasks, project tracking, or customer feedback, these tools make it easy to improve efficiency and reduce manual work. Make sure to check out the Dynamic SharePoint Forms Video Guide to get started today, and explore the prebuilt solutions to see how you can enhance your business operations quickly and easily.

Build Page Content with Form Designer

Will Cooper — Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Form Designer is an incredible tool for building custom SharePoint forms that look exactly the way you want. The extensive settings allow for multi-column layouts and custom formatting to show text and images in just about any way you can imagine. Additional to making great looking forms, you can use this tool to build custom SharePoint page layouts which go far beyond out-of-the-box SharePoint. There are a few preliminary steps and then the rest is easy. Begin by creating a new SharePoint list then add a single dummy record: Next click the gear icon in the upper right then go to the list settings screen. Copy the List ID from the URL as shown. Remove "%7B" from the front and remove "%7D" from the end. Now you can open Form Designer and build some preliminary page content. Note that this "form" won't contain any form buttons or menus. Start by turning off the toolbar that normally appears above forms. Now you can build your page content to look any way you want to. There are many possibilities. The Tabs and Accordion controls will allow you to create a slick user experience that combines multiple sections. Use the fragment control with its rich text editor to incorporate text sections. Use the Image control to upload and add images. Use containers to do multi-column layouts. Here is example tabbed content for an HR information page: Publish your form then create a new page to hold your content. Add the Infowise Form web part to your page. Edit the web part properties as shown.

Enable SharePoint list
Paste in the site URL
Past in the list ID (see instructions above)
Use the Display Form type
Set the Item ID to 1

Now your content will be displayed on the page exactly as you set it up in Form Designer. Note that any updates you make to your content will be automatically refreshed on the page after it has been configured. In summary, this approach greatly expands your options in laying out SharePoint page content. In simple cases, the out-of-the-box SharePoint web part options may be fine, but when you need something more, then this approach could be a life saver. SharePoint does not included a tabbed content control, but now you have that option available to you through Ultimate Forms. Whenever you want to do more advanced page content, this approach will greatly expand your possibilities.

Dark Mode now available in Ultimate Forms

Vladi Gubler — Monday, September 23, 2024

Hi, You asked and we listened! Ultimate Forms now has a Dark Mode option. By simply clicking a button, you can transform your interface to use light text color on a dark background. For those who prefer this color scheme, it can be helpful to reduce the strain on the eyes by significantly lowering the average screen brightness. When you use Ultimate Forms for the first time, it will load up in Light Mode: If you prefer to switch to Dark Mode, simply open the menu under your initials in the top right corner, then click on Dark Mode. Your screen will immediately switch to Dark Mode: We will remember your selection on your computer and will load in the same mode next time. You can always switch between the modes as you much as you wish. There is no difference in functionality, this is simply your visual preference. The feature is already available on SharePoint Online and will be available on premises in the next versions. Enjoy!

Streamline Human Resource Management in SharePoint with ULTIMATEFORMS – Video Available

Amir Shingray — Thursday, September 12, 2024

Hello, Project Managers, HR Professionals, and Business Owners! My technical colleagues and I have been sharing tips and insights through a series of blog posts and webinars focused on better-managing resources with Infowise’s Ultimate Forms. So, I thought it would be a good idea to include some of those past webinars here for you to explore. They’re packed with practical advice and real-world examples to help you get the most out of your SharePoint setup. If you have landed here due to a search for a hassle-free way to simplify HR scheduling and project coordination, you've come to the right place! Let me introduce you to Ultimate Forms—a powerful, no-code tool that takes SharePoint to the next level. Whether you're juggling employee schedules or coordinating resources across various projects, Ultimate Forms helps you tailor workflows, automate tasks, and keep your team organized—all while staying within the SharePoint environment you already
know and love.

What Is Ultimate Forms to SharePoint?

Ultimate Forms is Infowise's flagship solution that transforms SharePoint from a basic collaboration tool into a comprehensive business process automation powerhouse. While SharePoint excels in managing documents and fostering teamwork, Ultimate Forms takes it several steps further. It enhances SharePoint’s capabilities by providing intuitive, no-code tools for building dynamic forms, automating complex workflows, and creating interactive dashboards—all without the need for programming expertise. This empowers non-developers to design and manage sophisticated business processes, from human resources to project coordination, with just a few clicks.

Why Not Turn Your SharePoint into a Business Powerhouse?

For organizations already leveraging Microsoft 365 or SharePoint, Ultimate Forms integrates seamlessly, enabling you to create custom solutions like employee scheduling, resource allocation, and time tracking with ease. It’s the ideal companion to SharePoint, transforming it into a robust platform where you can design and deploy tailored solutions that streamline operations and boost productivity.

Why Ultimate Forms for Human Resource Management in SharePoint?

Managing schedules and allocating resources is crucial for HR and project management. With Ultimate Forms, you can build a human resource scheduling system that simplifies planning, ensures optimal use of resources, and keeps your team informed—all within SharePoint. Here’s why it’s the ideal tool:

Seamless SharePoint Integration: Ultimate Forms leverages SharePoint’s collaborative environment, ensuring data stays in one place and making it easier to manage employee schedules, resources, and projects.
Drag-and-Drop Interface: Designing forms and workflows has never been easier. You can customize scheduling tools, project forms, and dashboards with a simple drag-and-drop interface—no technical expertise required.
AI-Powered Form Creation: The AI assistant helps generate forms quickly, suggesting fields and workflows based on your needs, reducing manual setup time.
No Coding Required: Ultimate Forms allows you to build complex HR solutions like scheduling grids, time tracking, and resource allocation without writing a single line of code.

What You’ll Learn in the Webinar

In this archived webinar, we’ll show you how to create a complete human resource scheduling solution using Ultimate Forms for SharePoint. This step-by-step guide will help you build a dynamic, flexible system tailored to your team’s needs. Here’s what you can expect:

Daily, Weekly, Monthly Schedule Views: Easily manage employee schedules over different timeframes.
Color Coding by Status or Category: Visually differentiate tasks and worker availability for better organization.
Filter by Employee and Team: Quickly narrow down schedules by specific employees or teams for targeted management.
Automatic Email Updates: Keep your team informed with real-time notifications for schedule changes or task assignments.
Schedule Grid PDF Template: Generate PDF versions of your schedule to share or print for easy distribution.
Resource and Capacity Planning: Manage and monitor workloads to ensure resources are used efficiently.
Personalized Dashboards: Custom dashboards for each user ensure that team members see the most relevant information.
Automatic Copy and Repeat for Recurring Records: Automate repetitive schedules, making ongoing tasks easier to manage.

Why Use Ultimate Forms for SharePoint Scheduling?

Ultimate Forms turns SharePoint into a comprehensive scheduling tool. Whether you’re managing human resources for multiple projects or simply coordinating shifts, Ultimate Forms provides all the necessary features:

Unified System: Keep all your data and scheduling tasks in one place, eliminating the need for third-party software.
Customizable to Your Needs: Every business is unique, and Ultimate Forms allows you to customize workflows, schedules, and dashboards specifically for your team’s operations.
Real-Time Monitoring: Dynamic views and real-time updates make tracking project progress and worker availability easy.

Watch the Webinar & Get Started

Ready to streamline your human resource management and scheduling with SharePoint? Watch the full webinar here and download the free template provided to attendees. You’ll get all the tools you need to build a no-code, fully customizable HR scheduling solution for your business.

Word Print Templates - Mastering Table Layouts

Will Cooper — Monday, September 9, 2024

Microsoft Word print templates are an easy and flexible way to design print templates in Ultimate Forms. In general, you can design your Word document any way that you want then reference the fields using double square brackets like this: [[Field Name]] If you have never used a Word print template, you should first get started by following the steps shown in this article: Setting Up a Word Template Note that you use a Word document to create your print template, but the output can be either PDF or Word document. In most cases, PDF output is most desirable. When creating a print template, pick the Word tab, select "Use MS Word template", upload your Word doc then click Save: The key to great looking Word print templates is using table layouts. That's what we'll focus on in this article. Here is an example of a timesheet print template layout: Our content from the SharePoint list will drop nicely into each of the areas referenced in double square brackets. The content will match the font size and styling used in our print templates. (Use a smaller font size when you have a lot of text!) When laying out forms, we use multiple columns. This same concept applies when building print templates. We should use tables to organize and align our content. Begin by inserting a table as shown: Once your table is inserted into the document, there are many table design options available. Here are some pointers on the key settings that you should use:

Adjust column widths by hovering over the column divider and dragging.

Use the Table Design tab to access multiple table settings including colors, background shading and borders. (Note that you can turn off borders if you don't want to see the grid around your content. In other words, even when you don't want to see a grid, tables should be used to align your content.)

Use the Table Layout settings to insert more cells, align content, merge cells, split cells and apply many more table settings. (Note that you can align content both horizontally and vertically.)

You may also right-click a table cell, then select Table Properties to open up table settings options.

This opens a tabbed interface with a comprehensive set of table settings from which to choose. There are quite a lot of options to choose from. Notice that you can choose whether to apply settiing to the table, the row, the column or the cell. Select the tab which pertains to the scope of settings which you would like to apply. In most cases you only need adjust a few settings to get the layout that you want. In takes some practice to get acclimated to all of the options, but with some exerience you will find that using Microsoft Word tables is the key to building advanced Word print templates. Make sure to insert tables into your Word document as a first step when you begin each new print template.

Set Up Automated Email Features in SharePoint Using ULTIMATEFORMS for Efficient Candidate Communication

Riyan Arshad — Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Setting Up Automated Email Functionalities with Infowise Ultimate Forms!

In the world of HR, timely communication is key. Whether you're sending a thank-you note after an interview or an offer letter to a successful candidate, automated email functionalities can significantly streamline your processes. With Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can set up these automated emails, ensuring that every candidate receives the right message at the right time.

Introduction: Enhancing HR Communication with Automation

As we continue building our comprehensive HR solution with Infowise Ultimate Forms, setting up automated email functionalities is the next essential step. In our previous article on creating a candidate selection dashboard, we explored how to track candidate progress and make informed decisions. Now, we’ll focus on automating email communications, ensuring that every candidate receives timely and personalized messages throughout the recruitment process.

Setting Up Automated Email Templates

The first step in automating your email communication is to create templates for the different types of emails you’ll be sending. With Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can easily design these templates within SharePoint, incorporating the necessary content for each scenario.

Thank-You Notes: Create a template for post-interview thank-you emails. Include standard text that expresses appreciation for the candidate’s time and interest in the position.
Offer Letters: Develop a template for sending job offer letters. This template can include details about the position, start date, and any other relevant information.

The ability to create and customize email templates within Infowise is fantastic, offering a straightforward way to standardize communications. However, it would be even better if there were more advanced options to easily match specific company branding needs.

Configuring Workflows to Trigger Emails

Once your templates are set up, the next step is to configure workflows that trigger these emails based on specific actions. For instance, you can set up a workflow that sends a thank-you note automatically after an interview is completed, or another that sends an offer letter once a candidate has been approved.

Post-Interview Emails: Create a workflow that triggers the thank-you email once the interview status is updated to "Completed."
Offer Acceptance: Set up a workflow that sends an offer letter when the candidate’s status is changed to "Selected."

Personalizing Email Content with Dynamic Fields

To ensure your emails feel personal and relevant, you can use dynamic fields within Infowise Ultimate Forms. These fields automatically pull information from your SharePoint lists, such as the candidate’s name, the position they applied for, or the interview date, and insert it into the email content.

Candidate Name: Use a dynamic field to insert the candidate’s name into the email greeting.
Position Applied For: Automatically include the job title in the email body, ensuring the communication is relevant and personalized.

The use of dynamic fields is one of the standout features of Infowise Ultimate Forms. It allows for a high level of personalization without manual input, which is great for maintaining a personal touch in automated communications.

Scheduling and Automating Future Communications

Another valuable feature within Infowise Ultimate Forms is the ability to schedule emails to be sent at a future date and time. This is particularly useful in HR scenarios where timing is crucial, such as sending reminders for interviews or follow-ups after offer letters.

Scheduled Email Delivery: Set up workflows that schedule emails to be sent at a specific time. For instance, you could schedule an interview reminder to be sent 24 hours before the interview or a follow-up email a week after an offer letter is sent.
Automating Recurring Emails: For ongoing communications, like regular updates to candidates who are still in the hiring process, you can automate recurring emails. This ensures that candidates are kept informed without manual intervention.

Conclusion: Elevating HR Communication with Automation

Setting up automated email functionalities with Infowise Ultimate Forms is a powerful way to enhance your HR operations. By automating tasks like sending thank-you notes and offer letters, you ensure timely and consistent communication with candidates. These automated emails will play a crucial role in maintaining a professional and responsive recruitment process. While Infowise Ultimate Forms offers great tools for automation, there’s always room for improvement, particularly in making the workflow setup more intuitive and expanding the customization options for email templates. Overall, though, the features provided are robust and well-suited to creating a seamless HR communication process. By integrating these automated email functionalities into your HR solution, you're not just improving efficiency—you're also ensuring that every candidate interaction reflects your organization’s commitment to excellence.

Try ULTIMATEFORMS for SharePoint and Empower Yourself with Easy, No-Code Solutions

Amir Shingray — Thursday, August 29, 2024

Hello, As Business Analysts, Managers, and Small Business Owners, we understand that you constantly strive to enhance efficiency and meet your business goals. Wouldn't it be great to have the ability to develop simple business solutions without relying on a busy IT department or hiring costly external help? At Infowise, we're here to empower you. While complex projects may still require a developer, many everyday business needs can be met with our code-free, cost-effective tools. Why not take a shot at creating your solutions with Infowise Ultimate Forms? It’s designed to make this process easy and accessible, even for those without a technical background. If you’re using Microsoft 365, you likely already have access to SharePoint, a robust platform that, when combined with Infowise Ultimate Forms, can transform how you manage your workflows. Ready to explore? If you're eager to jump straight into the solution, you can check it out here.

Why SharePoint and Ultimate Forms Are Ideal for Non-Developers

Did you know that if your organization uses Microsoft 365, you probably already have access to SharePoint? SharePoint is a powerful tool for collaboration, document management, and process automation, but its full potential often remains untapped by non-technical users. This is where Ultimate Forms by Infowise comes into play. It’s a game-changing tool that allows non-developers to create custom forms, automate workflows, and manage data—all without writing a single line of code. Ultimate Forms is designed with ease of use in mind, making it perfect for professionals who understand their business needs but don’t have the coding expertise to build custom solutions from scratch. Let’s explore some of the intuitive features that make Ultimate Forms the ideal tool for non-developers.

Intuitive Features of Ultimate Forms: Drag-and-Drop, Prebuilt Solutions, and AI

When it comes to building business process solutions, Ultimate Forms stands out for its user-friendly, intuitive features. These features are specifically designed to make the process of creating and managing workflows as simple and efficient as possible.

Drag-and-Drop Interface: One of the standout features of Ultimate Forms is its drag-and-drop interface. This feature allows you to design forms and workflows by simply dragging elements into place—no coding required. Whether you're building a new form to collect data or setting up a complex multi-step workflow, the drag-and-drop functionality makes it incredibly easy. You can visualize your process as you build it, which helps to ensure that everything works as intended. This feature is perfect for non-developers because it’s intuitive, quick, and doesn’t require any technical expertise.
Prebuilt Solutions: Not sure where to start? Ultimate Forms has you covered with over 280 prebuilt solutions that you can deploy with just a few clicks. These solutions cover a wide range of business needs, from HR processes like employee onboarding to project management and customer service workflows. These prebuilt solutions are fully customizable, meaning you can tweak them to fit your specific requirements without starting from scratch. They save you time and effort, allowing you to implement effective solutions rapidly.
AI-Enhanced: AI in Ultimate Forms is designed to make your form creation process smarter and more intuitive. With AI-powered features, you can automate data entry, provide instant feedback, and streamline user interactions. For example, when creating a form, the AI can suggest fields based on your inputs, making it easier to build forms quickly. This AI integration empowers non-developers to create efficient, intelligent forms effortlessly. For more details, you can explore the full content here.

SharePoint Process Solutions by Infowise: No Coding Required

With Ultimate Forms , you don’t need to be a developer to create powerful business solutions. The platform is built specifically for non-developers who want to streamline their processes without getting bogged down by technical details. Here’s why Ultimate Forms stands out:

Free of Charge: Solutions are available to you at no additional cost—just a subscription to Ultimate Forms. It’s a small investment for the vast amount of functionality and flexibility it unlocks within SharePoint.
Repurposable and Reusable: The solutions you create or customize can be reused across different projects or departments, allowing you to maximize your investment in Ultimate Forms and SharePoint.
Easy Installation and Use: Installation is straightforward, and you’ll be building and deploying solutions in no time. The platform is designed so that even if you’ve never built a workflow before, you can do so with confidence.
Comprehensive Coverage: With over 280 prebuilt solutions available, Ultimate Forms offers tools for nearly every business scenario. Whether it’s automating routine tasks, managing data, or creating complex workflows, there’s a solution that’s ready to go and easy to customize.

Let’s Discover Today’s Process Solution

Let’s take a closer look at one of the many process solutions available through Ultimate Forms: the Employee Onboarding Solution. Onboarding new employees can be a daunting process involving multiple steps, forms, and departments. Ultimate Forms simplifies this by allowing you to create a streamlined, automated onboarding process. Using the drag-and-drop interface, you can design custom forms for new hires to fill out, automate the routing of these forms to HR and IT, and even set up notifications and reminders to ensure that every step is completed on time. Explore this solution further on an archived webinar, download the free solution after watching the video.

Infowise Resources: Tailored for Non-Developers

Even with Ultimate Forms’ intuitive features, you might need a little help getting started. That’s why Infowise provides a wealth of resources specifically designed for non-developers. Whether you’re completely new to SharePoint or just looking to get the most out of Ultimate Forms, these resources are here to guide you:

Training Courses: These courses are designed to walk you through the basics and advanced features of Ultimate Forms, ensuring you can fully utilize the tool.
Tutorials: Step-by-step tutorials focus on specific tasks and processes, helping you build your confidence as you learn by doing.
Webinars: Join live sessions where experts demonstrate Ultimate Forms in action and answer your questions in real-time.
Documentation: Comprehensive and easy-to-understand documentation is always available, allowing you to troubleshoot issues or explore advanced features at your own pace.

Quick Start with Ultimate Forms

Excited to see how Ultimate Forms can transform your business processes? Getting started is easy, and you don’t need any coding knowledge. Visit our Quick Start page to begin your journey with Ultimate Forms today. With our intuitive AI, drag-and-drop interface, and prebuilt solutions, you’ll be building custom workflows and automating processes in no time.

Transform Your Business Processes Without Writing a Single Line of Code

Imagine being able to create powerful, custom business solutions that streamline your workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and improve efficiency—all without writing a single line of code. With Ultimate Forms, this isn’t just possible—it’s easy. You don’t need to be a developer to make it happen. Ultimate Forms empowers you to take control of your business processes so you can focus on what matters most. Curious about how Ultimate Forms can revolutionize your SharePoint experience? Sign up for a free trial today and discover just how easy it can be to build powerful business solutions with AI, drag-and-drop features, and prebuilt templates—all tailored for non-developers like you.

Creating a Candidate Selection Dashboard with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Riyan Arshad — Monday, August 26, 2024

As we continue building our comprehensive HR solution with Infowise Ultimate Forms, it’s crucial to ensure all components work together seamlessly. The candidate selection dashboard is the culmination of these efforts, serving as the interface where all your data comes together for efficient decision-making. This article links back to earlier steps, such as the custom resume submission form and search functionalities, reinforcing how each piece plays a part in creating a robust HR solution.

Developing the Candidate Selection Dashboard

Custom Views

SharePoint allows you to create custom views, which can display specific data, such as candidate statuses or interview outcomes, based on defined criteria. Infowise Ultimate Forms complements this by providing advanced form customization, dynamic rules, and automated actions that enhance the overall user experience. For instance, you can set up workflows or conditional formatting that influences how data is presented in your SharePoint views, making the information more actionable and relevant. For example, you might create a SharePoint view that displays only those candidates who have been shortlisted or are awaiting interview results. Infowise Ultimate Forms supports this by enabling more complex criteria for these views, helping you ensure that the right information is always front and center for HR teams.

Workflow Implementation

Automation is a key element in any effective HR solution, reducing manual effort and minimizing the chance of errors. Infowise Ultimate Forms excels in this area, enabling developers to set up workflows that automatically move candidates through different stages based on predefined triggers. For example, when a candidate is marked as "Interviewed," the system can automatically update their status and notify the relevant stakeholders. The Actions functionality in Ultimate Forms is impressive, particularly because of its flexibility. You can tailor workflows to fit specific business rules, which ensures the system behaves exactly as needed. That said, the setup process could be streamlined to make it more accessible to users who aren’t as familiar with workflow automation. Click here to learn more about automating workflows.

Configuring Permissions

Security is paramount when dealing with sensitive HR data. Infowise Ultimate Forms provides comprehensive options for managing permissions, allowing you to control who can access, view, or edit different parts of the system. This level of control is essential for maintaining data integrity and confidentiality, especially in a recruitment context where information about candidates is highly sensitive. From my experience, the permission configuration in Infowise is one of its strongest features. It allows for a level of detail that is crucial for HR systems, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to certain information.

Conclusion

The candidate selection dashboard isn’t just another tool; it’s the central hub where all the components of your HR solution come together. By integrating this dashboard with earlier steps, you create a seamless experience that enhances the recruitment process's efficiency. As developers, it’s essential to appreciate the power that Infowise Ultimate Forms brings to building comprehensive, user-friendly HR solutions. While there’s always room for improvement, particularly in making some features more intuitive, the overall functionality is impressive and capable of transforming how HR teams manage their workflows. I encourage you to explore these features further and consider how they can be applied to your own projects. Each step we’ve covered so far—from form creation to search functionalities and now to dashboards—builds toward delivering a complete HR system that can meet the complex demands of modern recruitment.

New Feature: Consolidate PDF Reports with Parent and Child Records

Will Cooper — Wednesday, August 21, 2024

The print capabilities of Ultimate Forms are awesome. Especially considering that out-of-the-box SharePoint has no print functionality at all. Using Word Templates to build carefully formatted output is a flexible and accessible way to get great looking PDF print output from any SharePoint form. If you have not yet built a Word print template, be sure to try this by walking through the steps in this article. What about a scenario where you are using associated items functionality to include a repeating table as shown in this timesheet example: In this case, I have a print template for the parent list record AND a print template for the child list records. There is one parent record for the timesheet, but I might have many child records related to it. I can print each individually, but that means I will have several different PDFs which is inconvenient! How can I print the parent records and the child records all at once and get that as one PDF? We have a new Attach to current item feature that handles this all for you! You only need two actions to get the desired result. We will use the Print List Items Action twice to get everything we need and consolidate it to a single PDF. Once you have your Word print templates created, one for the parent list and one for the child list, you are ready to add the first Print List Items Action to the parent record. This print action will create a PDF of each child record, then attach those PDFs to the parent record: In the settings shown above we are selecting the child list, targeting the child records using the special "Parent field name" reference, selecting the print template, specifying PDF output, using the special "Attachment" option for target and opting to attach output to the parent record with overwrite option enabled. Your action can be triggered using whichever conditions you need. It might be when a Status field changes to complete or a manually triggered Action. Test out this action to ensure that this step works properly before moving on to the next step. If everything works correctly, you should see the attachments on the parent record which will look like this: On the parent record, we need to add one more Print List Items Action which will print the parent record and consolidate the attached PDFs into the same PDF file. This action is straight forward: In this second action, we select the current record using the ID = [ID] setting, select the print template, use PDF output, specify the target to a local document library, use a dynamic reference for the file name (suggest including $Month([Now])-$Day([Now])-$Year([Now]), CHECK THE ATTACH DOCUMENTS OPTION, select the document library and enable the Allow overwrite option. This action will produce one PDF where the beginning of the report is the output from the parent record and then the attached PDF records are appended as additional pages. Note that your output can sent via email automatically if you wish as an alternative. When it comes to forms using Associated Items functionality this is an incredibly beneficial feature. Now you can produce one consolidated report using the precision of Word print templates and eliminate the hassle of needing to produce multiple separate files!

Building a Candidate Interview Scheduling System with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS for SharePoint

Riyan Arshad — Monday, August 19, 2024

In our ongoing journey to create a robust HR solution with Infowise Ultimate Forms, we’ve previously explored how to manage candidate data and implement advanced search functionality. Now, it’s time to tackle the next critical component: scheduling interviews. An effective interview scheduling system not only helps HR teams manage time efficiently but also ensures a smooth candidate experience. Let’s dive into how you can build a seamless interview scheduling system using Infowise Ultimate Forms.

Creating an Interview Scheduling Form

The first step in building your interview scheduling system is to create a form where HR can input and manage interview details. With Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can easily design this form to capture essential information such as:

Candidate name
Interviewer(s)
Date and time of the interview
Type of interview (e.g., phone, in-person, virtual)
Any special instructions or notes

Using the drag-and-drop interface, you can add fields and customize the form layout to suit your needs. This form will serve as the backbone of your scheduling system, ensuring all relevant information is captured in one place. Click here to learn more about creating forms.

Integrating with SharePoint Calendar

Once the form is set up, the next step is to integrate it with your SharePoint calendar. This integration allows HR teams to select available time slots directly from the calendar, making scheduling more intuitive and efficient. With this you can:

Select the Calendar Column: Within Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can map your form’s date and time fields to a SharePoint calendar column. This ensures that when an HR professional selects a date and time on the form, it is automatically reflected in the SharePoint calendar.
Display Available Slots: You can configure the form to display only available time slots, preventing double bookings and ensuring that interviews are scheduled at convenient times.

Infowise Ultimate Forms provides a robust set of actions that can be utilized to integrate scheduling with the SharePoint Calendar. You can automatically create calendar events based on data entered in your forms. This feature is highly effective for scheduling interviews as it allows HR personnel to add interview dates directly to a SharePoint Calendar, making it easy to visualize and manage upcoming interviews. I find this integration incredibly useful because it streamlines the scheduling process and ensures that all relevant events are easily accessible within the SharePoint environment. However, while this functionality is powerful, I believe it could be further enhanced with more intuitive calendar management features directly within the form interface, such direct synchronization with external calendars like Outlook.

Implementing Notifications and Reminders and Automating Workflow for Candidate Status Updates

To ensure that everyone involved in the interview process is on the same page, it's essential to set up notifications and reminders. Infowise Ultimate Forms makes this straightforward:

Email Notifications: Automatically send email notifications to the candidate and interviewer(s) once an interview is scheduled. These emails can include all the relevant details and a calendar invite.
Reminders: Set up reminders that are triggered a certain amount of time before the interview. For example, you could configure the system to send a reminder to the interviewer 24 hours before the scheduled time, helping them prepare.

After an interview is scheduled, the candidate’s status in your HR solution should be automatically updated. This automation not only saves time but also ensures that your candidate tracking system is always up to date. Here’s how to implement it:

Workflow Setup: Create a workflow within Infowise Ultimate Forms that triggers when an interview is scheduled. This workflow can automatically change the candidate’s status to "Interview Scheduled" or any other custom status you’ve defined.
Post-Interview Actions: You can also extend this workflow to handle post-interview actions, such as sending thank-you emails to candidates or notifying HR to update candidate evaluations. Click here to learn more about automating workflows.

Conclusion: Streamlining the Interview Process

By building an interview scheduling system with Infowise Ultimate Forms, you’re not just creating a tool for booking interviews—you’re enhancing the overall efficiency of your HR solution. This system integrates seamlessly with other components we’ve discussed, such as resume submission and candidate search, ensuring a cohesive experience from application to hiring. As we continue to build towards a complete HR dashboard, each of these components will play a vital role in creating a streamlined, effective, and user-friendly HR management system. Stay tuned as we explore more features and tie everything together in our ultimate HR solution.

Enhancing Customer Support with SharePoint Issue Tracking Solutions

Amir Shingray — Thursday, August 15, 2024

Hello and welcome back! Over the past four weeks, we've dedicated our time to exploring some of the 63 issue-tracking solutions we offer free of charge to help you kickstart your projects. While these solutions may not fully address the unique aspects of your specific business or industry, they are designed to set you on the right track, providing a solid foundation for your SharePoint environment. Today, we're shifting our focus to customer satisfaction—an essential element of any successful business. Among the many solutions we offer, this blog will delve into two key tools that can significantly enhance how you manage customer satisfaction. As we explore these solutions, I'll also highlight the overall benefits of integrating our Ultimate Forms with your SharePoint platform. By the way, if you're an experienced SharePoint user and eager to get started right away, feel free to go ahead and download these solutions now. Here’s how you can do that: simply visit our solutions page to access and implement these tools directly into your SharePoint environment. Click here to get started.

Why SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms Are the Right Choice for Customer Satisfaction

SharePoint is a powerful tool for collaboration and data management, but the standard features might not fully meet your needs when it comes to enhancing customer satisfaction. Out-of-the-box SharePoint provides basic capabilities for handling customer interactions, but it often lacks the flexibility and depth required to manage complex processes like complaint resolution and feedback collection effectively. This is where Infowise Ultimate Forms comes in. Ultimate Forms builds on SharePoint's foundation, offering advanced tools that are crucial for improving customer satisfaction. With customizable forms, automated workflows, and detailed reporting, Ultimate Forms enables you to easily manage customer complaints and feedback, ensuring that your team can respond quickly and effectively to customer needs.

SharePoint Process Solutions by Infowise

Infowise offers a suite of SharePoint process solutions designed to streamline your business operations, including those directly impacting customer satisfaction. These solutions are pre-built, easy to implement, and customizable to your specific requirements.

Free of Charge: While you need an Ultimate Forms subscription, the solutions are available at no cost.
Repurposable and Reusable: Once implemented, these solutions can be adapted for different departments or processes, maximizing your investment.
Easy to Install and Use: Designed with user-friendliness in mind, your team can quickly deploy and utilize these solutions, even without extensive technical knowledge.
Comprehensive Offerings: Infowise has over 280 solutions and covers a broad range of business needs, including customer satisfaction, project management, human resources, and more.

Let’s Discover Today’s Process Solutions for Customer Satisfaction

1. Customer Complaint Management

Managing customer complaints efficiently is crucial for maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction. Infowise’s Customer Complaint solution is designed to streamline this process, making it easier for your team to handle complaints and resolve them swiftly. Check out the solution here: Customer Complaint Solution With the Customer Complaint solution, you can:

Centralize Complaint Management: All customer complaints are logged in a centralized location, making it easy for your team to track and manage them.
Automate Workflows: Automatically assign complaints to the appropriate team members based on predefined rules, ensuring that no issue is overlooked.
Customizable Forms: Tailor the complaint forms to capture the necessary details, helping your team understand the issue fully from the outset.
Real-Time Tracking and Alerts: Set up alerts to notify relevant team members of new complaints or status updates, ensuring timely responses.
Detailed Analytics: Generate reports that provide insights into common complaint themes, resolution times, and customer satisfaction trends, enabling continuous improvement.

This solution not only helps efficiently manage complaints but also identifies patterns that could lead to systemic improvements in your products or services.

2. Customer Feedback Management

Gathering and analyzing customer feedback is key to understanding how your products or services are perceived and where you can make improvements. Infowise's Customer Feedback solution makes this process seamless and actionable. Check out the solution here: Customer Feedback Solution The Customer Feedback solution offers:

Easy Feedback Collection: Set up customizable forms that allow customers to provide feedback directly through your SharePoint site.
Automated Feedback Analysis: Automatically categorize feedback and route it to the appropriate department for action, reducing manual effort and response times.
Custom Reporting: Generate reports highlighting key trends and improvement areas, helping you prioritize changes that will have the biggest impact on customer satisfaction.
Real-Time Alerts: Receive notifications about new feedback submissions, enabling your team to act quickly on urgent issues.
Integration with Other Solutions: Combine this solution with other Infowise tools to create a comprehensive customer satisfaction management system.

This solution helps you stay connected with your customers, understand their needs, and respond effectively to their feedback, which is essential for maintaining high satisfaction levels.

Infowise Resources: Training, Tutorials, Webinars, and Documentation

To help you maximize the benefits of these solutions, Infowise offers extensive resources, including training sessions, tutorials, webinars, and comprehensive documentation. Whether you're new to Ultimate Forms or a seasoned user, these resources ensure that you can fully leverage the potential of these tools to enhance customer satisfaction.

Building Trust: Infowise’s GSA IT-70 Contractor Approval

Infowise is a trusted name in business process management, and its approval as a GSA IT-70 contractor for the US government underscores its reliability and security. This approval is a testament to the quality and compliance of Infowise solutions, giving you the confidence to implement them in your organization.

Quick Start with Ultimate Forms

Ready to elevate your customer satisfaction efforts? Getting started with Infowise Ultimate Forms is easy. Visit the Quick Start guide to learn how to implement these powerful solutions in your SharePoint environment. The guide provides step-by-step instructions to help you get up and running quickly, whether you’re deploying a new solution or enhancing an existing process.

Experience the Difference: Start Your Free Trial Today

Imagine a system where customer complaints are resolved efficiently and feedback is used to drive continuous improvement. With Infowise Ultimate Forms, this isn’t just a dream—it’s a reality. Start a free trial today and see how these tools can transform your customer satisfaction processes. The trial gives you full access to all features, allowing you to explore how these solutions can meet your specific needs.

Implementing Advanced Search Functionality with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Riyan Arshad — Thursday, August 8, 2024

Introduction

Managing and retrieving data from extensive lists and libraries is surely a challenge in SharePoint. The built-in search functionality is not specific enough and the list filtering doesn't provide high precision options. Integrating Infowise Ultimate Forms has changed the game, especially for Human Resources (HR) solutions. It helps search for and rank candidates quickly and accurately. We previously discussed how to set up a comprehensive resume submission system. I covered it in my blog article Designing a Personalized Resume Submission Form with Infowise Ultimate Forms. Today, I will show you how to add advanced search features using Infowise Ultimate Forms. This will improve your HR functions in SharePoint.

Integration Experience

Earlier, I used SharePoint's native search results page and third-party tools to manage data retrieval. These tools offered basic search capabilities but lacked the depth needed for complex data queries and ranking. Infowise Ultimate Forms' List Search component, with its advanced filtering and sorting features, significantly improves the search experience. It can easily find list items and documents in SharePoint, no matter the size. It makes it ideal for applications like HR solutions where precision and efficiency are paramount. And as it's a regular SharePoint web part, you can place on any web part page of your SharePoint site. For example, you can put it on the home page of your site for that immediate, accessible experience. The web part is available in both SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises. You can configure List Search web part in two modes: Simple and Advanced.

The Role of Advanced Search in HR Solutions

In an HR solution, advanced search functionality is not just a luxury - it's a necessity. With many candidate profiles in SharePoint, finding the right person for the job can feel especially challenging. This is where the Advanced Search feature in Infowise Ultimate Forms shines. It allows HR professionals to filter and sort candidates based on specific criteria:

Experience level
Education
Skills
And more

Infowise Ultimate Forms' Advanced Search feature can handle detailed queries with ease. It allows users to filter and sort data based on multiple conditions. Thus it provides a powerful tool for managing large datasets. All you need to do is properly index your SharePoint list columns. Lists or document libraries with tens or even hundreds of thousands of items are not a problem at all. This functionality is particularly useful for HR professionals. These people routinely need to sift through numerous candidate profiles to find the best fit for a position. The search function is essential in an HR solution for:

Efficient Candidate Discovery: Quickly find candidates based on specific criteria, speeding up recruitment. You can decide which columns are important in your own implementation, tailoring the solution to your specific needs.
Enhanced Ranking: Prioritize candidates by relevance, helping focus on top applicants.
Improved Data Management: Easily organize and access candidate information.
Time Savings: Automates and simplifies the search process, reducing manual effort. List search is highly focused and only finds items in the list of your choosing.
Better User Experience: Provides an intuitive interface for easy navigation and informed decision-making.
Large lists: Handles large volumes of data and adapts to evolving recruitment needs.
Integration: Works with other HR features like analytics and applicant tracking systems for streamlined processes.

Implementing and Utilizing Advanced Search

Ensure that the search functionality is tailored to meet the specific needs of the HR department. This involves configuring search columns, setting up filters, and creating custom views that align with the recruitment process. And because we are using regular SharePoint lists, this setup process is fast and easy for everyone.

Tailoring the Search Functionality

Imagine you’ve just integrated a resume submission system, and the HR team is ready to start evaluating candidates. The search functionality you implement should allow them to:

Filter candidates based on key qualifications, such as years of experience, educational background, or specific skills.
Sort candidates by relevance, such as those who meet the essential criteria first.
Create views that display top candidates based on different search criteria. For instance, those suitable for a senior-level position versus an entry-level role.

Setting Up Search Fields

Within Infowise Ultimate Forms, setting up search fields is intuitive. You start by defining which columns in your SharePoint list are most relevant for filtering candidates. For instance:

Keywords: Allow the HR team to search for specific skills or experiences.
Experience Level: Filter candidates who have more than a certain number of years in the industry.
City: Narrow down candidates based the location.

These fields become the backbone of your search system, ensuring that the HR team can quickly drill down to the most qualified candidates.

Optimizing the Search Experience

You’ll also want to optimize how search results are displayed. This can involve:

Custom Views: Creating specific views that automatically apply common filters, such as “Top Candidates” or “Recent Submissions.”
Sorting Mechanisms: Enabling the HR team to sort results by criteria like “Most Relevant” or “Years of Experience.”
Print integration: you can easily print, convert to PDF/Word and email directly from the search results.

Conclusion

The advanced search functionality is the next step in building a robust HR solution. You can easily integrate these features with the resume submission system discussed in our previous article. This way you can create a seamless process from candidate submission to detailed searching and ranking. Implementing advanced search functionality with Infowise Ultimate Forms not only enhances your SharePoint's search capabilities. It also significantly improves data management efficiency. This is particularly beneficial in HR solutions where quick and accurate candidate searches are essential. With Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can effortlessly rank and filter candidates based on various criteria. This ensures that you find the best match for your organization.

Creating a Custom Resume Submission Form with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Riyan Arshad — Thursday, July 25, 2024

Introduction

I have always been enthusiastic about leveraging powerful tools to enhance the functionality and user experience of SharePoint solutions. Infowise Ultimate Forms is one such tool that allows you to create dynamic forms, automate workflows, and manage data efficiently without extensive coding. In this blog, I will guide you through the process of creating a custom resume submission form within SharePoint using Infowise Ultimate Forms. Creating a custom resume submission form is an excellent way to streamline the recruitment process. With Infowise Ultimate Forms, you can easily build a form that collects all the necessary candidate information, ensures data accuracy with validation rules, and automates the workflow to store and manage resumes in SharePoint.

Step 1: Setting Up Your SharePoint Environment

Before we start building the form, ensure that Infowise Ultimate Forms. is installed and configured in your SharePoint environment. You can find detailed installation instructions here.

Step 2: Creating the Resume Submission Form

1- Navigate to Your SharePoint Site:

Go to the SharePoint site where you want to create the resume submission form.

2- Create a New List Using Infowise Ultimate Forms:

Click on the gear icon (Settings) and select "Site Contents."
Click on "New" and choose "Infowise Ultimate Forms."
Name the list (e.g., "Resume Submissions") and click "Create."

3- Add Columns to the List Using Infowise Design Screen:

Go to the "Resume Submissions" list and click on "Design" in the Infowise Ultimate Forms ribbon.
Use the Infowise design screen to add the following columns to capture candidate information:

Name (Single line of text)
Email (Single line of text)
Phone Number (Single line of text)
Education (Multiple lines of text)
Experience (Multiple lines of text)
Skills (Multiple lines of text)
Resume (Attachments)

4. Design the Form with Infowise Ultimate Forms Specialist:

Use the drag-and-drop interface in the Infowise design screen to add and arrange the fields.
Customize the form layout to ensure it is user-friendly and captures all necessary information.

5- Set Up Validation Rules with Infowise Ultimate Forms Specialist:

Navigate to Validation Rules:

In the Infowise design screen, select the column for which you want to set up validation rules.
Click on the "Settings" gear icon next to the column name.

Define Validation Rules:

To validate the "Email" field, select the "Validation" tab and select “Type” Pattern and in “Pattern” dropdown choose email. This ensures the field contains an "@" symbol.

Apply Validation Rules:

Click "OK" to save the validation rules for each field.
Ensure that all necessary validation rules are applied to maintain data integrity.

6- Set Up Workflows

Navigate to Workflow Settings: In the Infowise Design screen, go to the Actions settings to define workflows.
Define Workflow Steps:

Notification: Set up an email notification to HR whenever a new resume is submitted.
Approval Process: Create an approval workflow where submitted resumes are reviewed and approved by HR before they are stored.
Data Integrity: Add actions to check the completeness and integrity of the submitted data.

You can read more about workflows here

Step 3: Managing Submitted Resumes

Organize and Manage Data:

Create Custom Views:

In the " Resume Submissions” list create custom views to sort and filter resumes.
Set up views based on criteria such as education level, years of experience, or specific skills.

Use Filters and Metadata:

Utilize SharePoint filters and metadata to categorize and manage the submitted resumes effectively.
Apply metadata tags to resumes for easy search and retrieval.

Conclusion

Creating a custom resume submission form with Infowise Ult imate Forms significantly enhances the recruitment process by ensuring accurate data collection and automating workflows. This not only saves time but also improves the overall efficiency of managing candidate information. I encourage you to explore the capabilities of Infowise Ultimate Forms and leverage its powerful features to create custom forms tailored to your business needs. Happy form building!

We are improving Ultimate Forms access to your SharePoint Online

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Hi, Ultimate Forms enables you to configure and execute a variety of improvements and extensions to your SharePoint, allowing you to build sophisticated business solutions directly in your browser. To accomplish that in SharePoint Online, we require access permissions to your SharePoint sites, to be able to work with data, configure your lists or register alerts. As Ultimate Forms allows you to automate almost anything inside SharePoint, we require an equally high level of permissions. When you click your Design button on SharePoint list view, we have to receive an access token from SharePoint to be able to accomplish all these tasks. In the past, we were using ACS (access control system) to retrieve the token directly from SharePoint. As ACS will be discontinued by Microsoft on April 2nd, 2026, at the beginning of this year we released version 1.4.0.0 that uses a different mechanism. It retrieves the token from SPFx infrastructure of client-side extensions. Although this system does not use ACS and as such won't be deprecated, there is one issue that raised customer complaints. The access token is relatively short-lived, sometimes no more than 40 min, and the app has to ability to renew it. Which meant that it could potentially expire while you were working. As a countermeasure we implemented automatic saving of form settings when we detect an imminent expiration, but we understand that it still interrupts the flow of work and is undesirable. This is why we decided to implement a direct OAuth authorization flow when opening the app. It allows us to receive both access and refresh tokens and handle the renewal of access tokens automatically behind the scenes, ensuring that the token practically never expires. Moreover we are increasing security by safely storing the token in browser memory only and never on disk. This change comes as part of our regular behind-the-scenes upgrade cycle and requires no version upgrade, assuming you are already on 1.4.0.0 (which you should plan to upgrade to as soon as possible to ensure no service disruptions when ACS goes offline). Most customers will not notice any change, as all the necessary permissions should already be present in your system. However some customers might require some additional configurations. There is a new documentation article that describes all the possible scenarios in full details, but I would like to quickly go over it here as well. Basically, the permissions for the app are granted through Infowise Ultimate Forms Data Access enterprise application that can be found in your Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). You can find it under Applications -> Enterprise applications. If you look under Permissions, you will find a set of different permissions this application requires. The one we are using for accessing SharePoint from Ultimate Forms on your behalf is this (highlighted): Note that this is a delegated permission granting up to Full Control. Delegated means that it is actually granted in combination with the specific user's own permissions and only up to the level of that user's permissions. For example, if the user only has Write permissions, the resulting permissions will also be limited to Write. This ensures that each user can only perform operations up to their own permissions level and permissions are never elevated, ensuring your system's security. If you already see this permission under the enterprise application and admin consent is granted, no further configuration is needed. User will be able to open Ultimate Forms exactly as they did up until now and nobody is going to notice any change in behaviour. If however the permission is not there or is not granted, there are several possible scenarios:

A Global Administrator can give consent if the permission is already there or, if it's not, simply running Installation Wizard will ensure it's there and granted consent.
Users will require consent when trying to open Ultimate Forms for the first time:
1. If all users are allowed to grant consent for their own delegated permissions, they can simply agree and proceed, they won't be asked again. This will happen when you configure User consent settings in Entra ID to Allow user consent to apps. You can find it under Applications -> Enterprise applications ->Consent and permissions -> User consent settings.
2. If users are not allowed to grant consent (the other two options under User consent settings), they will require an administrator approval. I would recommend to enable the ability to ask for approval directly in the consent flow, you can enable it under Applications -> Enterprise applications ->Consent and permissions -> Admin consent settings. This way one of your administrators will be notified by email, will review and approve the request and the user will be notified via email and granted access. This scenario is recommended for organizations wishing to have tighter control over who is able to access Ultimate Forms.

This change goes into effect starting today. You might still continue to experience the old flow for a few days, depending on the cache settings of your browser. The change at this point applies to Design button only. The other buttons Ultimate Forms adds to the toolbar (such as Add alert, Print or Run actions) are not affected, as you normally won't need to stay on the page more than a couple of minutes and the token expiration is not a significant factor here. And again, if you are still on any version below 1.4.0.0, start making plans to upgrade. There are several tasks that we will have to perform behind the scenes to ensure your functionality is not interrupted when ACS goes offline and it's important that we are able to perform them well ahead of time.

Integrating ULTIMATEFORMS with SharePoint Offers a Powerful Way to Enhance Your SharePoint Environment

Riyan Arshad — Monday, July 15, 2024

I am always on the lookout for tools that can seamlessly blend into existing SharePoint environments to enhance functionality. Ultimate Forms is one such tool that offers robust integration capabilities, enabling businesses to create sophisticated forms, automate workflows, and visualize data without writing a single line of code. In this blog, I will share insights into integrating Ultimate Forms with SharePoint, drawing from my own project experiences.

Integration Experience

One of my significant projects involved integrating various SharePoint solutions to streamline the document approval process for a financial institution. The goal was to create a unified system that could handle complex workflows, user permissions, and document management seamlessly. Initially, we used Nintex Workflow, a popular tool for SharePoint workflow automation. While Nintex provided powerful workflow capabilities, it required substantial customization and configuration. By leveraging Nintex Workflow, we were able to automate the document approval process, ensuring that documents moved through various approval stages without manual intervention. This significantly reduced the time and effort required to manage approvals, but we faced challenges with customization and scalability.

Integration Techniques

Installation

SharePoint on-premises: Download the Ultimate Forms installer, run it on a web front-end server, and follow the installation wizard prompts.
Microsoft 365: Use the installation wizard for a straightforward setup or get it via Microsoft AppSource, then add the apps to your site.

Configuration

App Catalog Configuration: Ensure the App Catalog is configured correctly in your SharePoint environment. This is crucial for Microsoft 365 users.
Site Collection Administrator: You need to be a site collection administrator to upload and manage Ultimate Forms apps in the App Catalog.

Licensing

SharePoint on-premises: Licenses are required for each web front-end server. Application servers do not need a license. Support is included for the first year.
Microsoft 365: Opt for annual or monthly subscriptions. Each user accessing Ultimate Forms features requires a license. Licensing can be scoped to a single site collection or the entire tenant.

Integration with SharePoint Lists and Libraries

Form Creation: Use Ultimate Forms to design and deploy forms directly within SharePoint lists and libraries. The intuitive interface allows for drag-and-drop form creation.
Workflow Automation: Leverage built-in actions to automate workflows. Actions can include updating list items, sending emails, managing permissions, and more.

Customization

Forms: Customize forms with conditional logic, validations, and custom layouts to meet specific business needs.
Actions: Define custom actions that trigger based on list item events, such as item creation or modification.

Visualization

Dashboards: Create dynamic dashboards using Ultimate Forms to visualize data from multiple SharePoint lists and libraries. This provides a comprehensive view of business processes and performance metrics.

Implementation Guide

Step 1: Install Ultimate Forms

Follow the installation steps for your SharePoint environment (on-premises or Microsoft 365).

Step 2: Configure the App Catalog

Ensure your App Catalog is set up and configured correctly

Step 3: Add Ultimate Forms to Your Site

Use our wizard to deploy Ultimate Forms

Step 4: Create a New Form

Navigate to a SharePoint list or library.
Use Ultimate Forms to design a new form by dragging and dropping fields, adding conditional logic, and configuring validations.

Step 5: Set Up Workflows

Define actions within Ultimate Forms to automate workflows. Configure triggers and actions based on business requirements.

Step 6: Customize and Deploy

Customize the forms and workflows to match your business processes.
Deploy the forms and workflows to your SharePoint environment.

Conclusion

Integrating Ultimate Forms with SharePoint offers a powerful way to enhance your SharePoint environment with advanced forms, automated workflows, and dynamic visualizations. The seamless integration process, coupled with extensive customization options, makes Ultimate Forms an invaluable tool for any SharePoint developer or administrator. I encourage you to explore the integration possibilities and leverage Ultimate Forms to transform your business processes.

Step-by-Step Guide to Customizing SharePoint for Issue Tracking

Amir Shingray — Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Hello! Welcome back to our series on Infowise Issue Tracking solutions. In our last post, we discussed the versatility of our free solutions, which are designed to showcase what's possible rather than being tailored to specific industries. We understand that every business has its own unique culture and workflow. Customizing SharePoint to meet your specific issue-tracking needs can significantly boost your team's productivity and efficiency. In this post, we'll guide you step-by-step through tailoring SharePoint for effective issue tracking. If you're eager to dive in, check out our free templates for a quick start. Why Customize SharePoint for Issue Tracking? SharePoint is a versatile platform that offers extensive capabilities for managing various business processes, including issue tracking. However, out-of-the-box features may not always meet your organization's specific needs. Customizing SharePoint allows you to tailor the platform to suit your workflow better, improve communication, and enhance overall efficiency.

Step-by-Step Customization

Step 1: Identify Your Needs

Determine what issues need to be tracked and the workflow that suits your organization's needs. Consider the types of issues you encounter, the data you need to collect, and the steps required to resolve these issues.

Step 2: Set Up SharePoint Lists

Create lists to log issues, including necessary fields such as issue type, priority, status, and assignee. SharePoint lists provide a structured way to capture and organize data, making managing and tracking issues easier.

Step 3: Customize Forms

Use Infowise Ultimate Forms to create custom forms that simplify data entry and enhance user experience. Infowise Ultimate Forms offers a no-code solution for building dynamic forms with features like conditional formatting, repeating sections, custom validation rules, and AI enhancements. The platform also includes an intuitive drag-and-drop form design interface, making it easy to customize forms to meet your specific needs.

Step 4: Automate Processes

Implement automated workflows to handle issue assignments, notifications, and status updates. Automation ensures that tasks are promptly addressed and reduces the risk of human error. Use Infowise Ultimate Forms to set up these automated workflows easily. Learn more about Automation processes.

Step 5: Integrate with Other Tools

Seamlessly integrate SharePoint with other tools in the Microsoft 365 suite, such as Teams and Outlook, for better collaboration and communication. This integration ensures that all team members are aware of ongoing issues and their statuses. More resources for integrating with other tools

Using Infowise Ultimate Forms

Infowise Ultimate Forms enhances SharePoint's capabilities with its no-code solutions. You can easily create dynamic forms, set up automated workflows, and generate detailed reports, all within SharePoint. Here are some features of Infowise Ultimate Forms that can help:

Dynamic Forms: Create forms with conditional logic, custom validations, and advanced layouts.
Automated Workflows: Automate tasks like issue assignments, email notifications, and status updates.
Comprehensive Reporting: Generate detailed reports to analyze issue trends and track performance.

For a comprehensive guide, refer to our documentation and training resources.

SharePoint Process Solutions by Infowise

Infowise offers a range of process solutions specifically designed to enhance SharePoint's capabilities. These solutions are free of charge but require a subscription to Infowise Ultimate Forms. They are:

Reusable and Customizable: Infowise solutions can be repurposed and customized to fit different scenarios and requirements.
Easy to Install and Use: Installation is straightforward, and the user-friendly interface ensures that your team can start using them immediately.
Comprehensive Coverage: With over 282 solutions available, every aspect of business process management is covered.

For more detailed guidance, check out our Documentation and Tutorialspages. These resources provide step-by-step instructions and practical examples to help you get the most out of SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms.

Today's Process Solution: Bug Tracker

In the fast-paced world of product development, effective resource management is essential. The Product Testing Time Allocation Request Form facilitates resource allocation for product testing by enabling precise planning and coordination. Key features include:

Comprehensive Inquiries: Captures project specifics, testing requirements, team composition, and potential risks.
Multiple-choice options: Provides a structured approach to gathering essential information.
Enhanced Transparency: Improves visibility into testing processes and helps mitigate risks.
Informed Decision-Making: Assists stakeholders in making well-informed resource allocation decisions.
Versatility: Suitable for functional, performance, security, or usability testing.

Organizations can use this solution to optimize time and talent allocation, ensuring successful product testing that aligns with project goals.

Infowise Resources: Training, Tutorials, Webinars, and Documentation

Infowise ensures that you are well-equipped to make the most of their solutions through various educational resources:

Webinars: Interactive sessions that provide insights and demonstrations on using Infowise solutions effectively.
Tutorials: Step-by-step guides that make learning and implementation straightforward.
Documentation: Comprehensive manuals covering all aspects of Infowise solutions, from basic setup to advanced features.

Quick Start with Ultimate Forms

Ready to get started? Infowise makes it easy with their Quick Start guide. This resource will help you set up and begin using Ultimate Forms quickly and efficiently.

Try It for Yourself!

Experience the power of Infowise Ultimate Forms with a free trial. Leverage these comprehensive, no-code solutions tailored for SharePoint to transform your issue-tracking operations today. By following this step-by-step guide and utilizing the powerful tools and resources provided by Infowise, you can customize SharePoint to create an efficient and effective issue-tracking system that meets your specific needs. For more information and to explore these solutions, visit Infowise Solutions.

Automating Business Processes with ULTIMATEFORMS

Riyan Arshad — Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Introduction As a seasoned SharePoint developer with experience in automating business processes, I have always sought tools that can simplify and enhance the automation journey. Recently, I discovered Ultimate Forms, a powerful platform that streamlines the automation of business processes with its robust set of features.

Project Experience

One of my notable projects involved automating the invoice approval process for a manufacturing company. The challenge was to ensure timely approvals while minimizing manual interventions. Using traditional SharePoint workflows required extensive coding and constant monitoring, leading to several bottlenecks and inefficiencies. This experience highlighted the need for a more efficient solution, which I found in Ultimate Forms.

Automation Tools in Ultimate Forms

Ultimate Forms offers a comprehensive suite of automation tools designed to cater to a wide range of business needs. Here are some of the key automation tools available:

Update List Item: Automatically update fields in one or more list items.
Create List Item: Generate new list items based on current list item values.
Delete List Item: Remove list items from any list in the site collection.
Copy List Item: Duplicate items/documents to a new location.
Manage Attachments: Copy, move, or delete attachments between list items and document libraries.
Create List or Site: Generate new lists or sites within the current site collection.
Send Email: Automate email notifications to internal recipients.
Run Workflow: Execute workflows assigned to list items.
Manage Permissions: Adjust permissions for sites, lists, folders, or list items.
Run DB Stored Procedure: Execute stored procedures in any database.
Call Application or Service: Perform web service calls based on list item values.
Manage Active Directory:Create and manage users and groups in Active Directory.
Print List Items: Produce printouts of list items.
Calculate Summary: Compute or check values of specific columns.
Run PowerShell: Execute PowerShell scripts (not available in Microsoft 365 app).
Generate Associated Tasks: Automatically create tasks for associated items.
Manage Exchange: Create, update, or delete calendar events based on list item values.
Action Group: Combine multiple actions to run sequentially.

Step-by-Step Guide to Automate a Business Process

Step 1: Access Action Settings

Navigate to the List Design page and select Action in Infowise app.

Step 2: Create an Action Column

Before creating actions, you must create at least one action column. This column provides the user interface for action display/management and stores the execution history.

Step 3: Define a New Action

Select "New Action" and choose the type of action you want to create (e.g., Update List Item, Send Email).
Configure the action settings, including conditions for execution and values based on the current list item.

Step 4: Set Action Conditions

Define conditions under which the action should be executed. For instance, trigger the action when a new item is created or updated.

Step 5: Test and Monitor Actions

Once the action is set up, test it to ensure it works as expected. Use the Action History to monitor execution and outcomes.

Conclusion

Automating business processes with Ultimate Forms not only streamlines workflows but also enhances efficiency and accuracy. Its extensive range of automation tools allows for flexible and powerful process automation. I encourage you to explore Ultimate Forms and leverage its capabilities to transform your business operations.

Smart SharePoint Forms Validation Using AI Answer in UltimateForms

Will Cooper — Friday, June 28, 2024

Introduction

SharePoint Forms are the main interface for entering data intro SharePoint lists and document libraries. They provide a gateway for introducing new collaborative data and also a way to augment existing information. But as we all understand, any information system, SharePoint included, is just as good as the data it contains. Erroneous, outdated or incomplete data hurts the reliability of the system, undermining your investment. That's why SharePoint input validation is such an important topic. Any form you put out there has to ensure it prevents users from making mistakes as much as technically possible. Unfortunately, SharePoint form validation has not seen revolutionary changes in the last 20 years. In the majority of cases, a form would just check for required fields. More complex validations are usually out of scope of anyone who is not a dedicated developer.

Enter Ultimate Forms

We designed Form Designer in Ultimate Forms to provide a wide range of input validation tools. You can even say that smart data validation was one of the main reasons we developed it in the first place. By leveraging these tools you can support even some of the most intricate scenarios. In this article I will overview the various validation tools and techniques. I will also try to provide common real world usage scenarios.

Comparison Validation

Comparison validation is probably the most common and easily implemented type of validation. By leveraging validation rules, you compare the current column's value to other column[s] in the same form. The most common example would be comparing Start and End dates on the form. You obviously do not want your users to enter an End date that is earlier than a Start date. At least without a functioning time machine at your disposal. This task is incredibly easy to implement with just a simple validation rule. The validation value doesn't need to be a column value as it is. You can use calculations or functions to manipulate values. Or you can even enter a specific value as text. For example, you can ensure there are at least 2 days between the Start date and the End date in our previous example. In this case we would enter the value as follows: [Start Date]+2. Note the little globe icon next to the Error message tool. Ultimate Forms makes creating multilingual forms easy for everyone. Every element on the form can have multiple values, one for each supported language. The form will then display the one suitable for the current user, based on their profile's default language settings.

Pattern Validation

Pattern validation ensures that the entered value adheres to a certain input template. You can compare to pre-defined templates we provide, such as email address or phone number. Or you can use regular expressions to compare to any pattern that is specific to your needs. In our experience, we had a customer requiring a value made up from two letters and 4 digits.

Conditional Validation

By default, you apply validation rules every time a user enters a value. But there are cases when you only need to apply your rule under certain conditions. For example, you might require that the user signs the form they make an approval decision. Here I added a validation rule to the Signature column. The form will now require a signature when the user changes the Approval column value to Approved or Rejected. Another common usage of this functionality is to make columns conditionally required. For example, a Business Justification column might need a value only when the Total amount of the budget request is too high.

Summary Validation

Using Associated Items column of Ultimate Forms it's easy to add repeating sections to your SharePoint form. And with Associated Items Summary column, the form will also automatically calculate summaries based on this related items. Based on my experience, Associated Items probably ranks our most commonly used feature! Summary columns can count, summarize, calculate averages and perform other common calculations. They can also optionally apply conditions to the related items they summarize. They only calculate based on items that pass those conditions. You might not know this, but you can also validate your form based on the Summary column value. For example, your Projects list contains Tasks column, which is an Associated Items column. The column manages items in the Tasks list related to the current project. By using a Summary column, we can automatically calculated how many tasks are still open for the project. You simply provide it with a condition Status not equals Completed. If we want to prevent users from marking project's Status as completed when there are still open tasks. We add a validation rule that does just that!

Backend Validation

In some cases the data we want to validate against does not appear on the form. For example, we might want to check if the list already contains an item with similar parameters. You designed your system not to allow certain kind of duplicates. Prior to saving the item, you want to check the list for existing items. You then prevent the form from saving if at least one such item exists. For example, we are designing a conference room booking system. We want to ensure there are no other overlapping bookings already in the system. What we need to do is create a Calculate Summary action. This action will then calculate how many overlapping items are already present in the list. We run this action synchronously, which means that it runs prior to the form actually saving. The Calculate Summary action can do either one of two things:

Update the list item with the summary result.
Raise an error when the summary result doesn't pass a condition.

When the calculated value is great than 0, we raise an error. It prevents the form from saving. And we can even display a custom error message explaining the situation to the user. Please note that we are comparing the Count value with zero and not the opposite. The error arises when the value does not pass the comparison. Make sure to mark the action as Synchronous under Advanced settings.

Validation Summary

Validation summary is a convenient control offered by Form Designer. It combines the validation error messages from other controls on the form. That makes it easier for user to track down errors, especially on longer forms. You can also place the Validation summary control inside a Container control together with columns. The summary will then show a errors messages for those columns only.

AI-based Validation

We offer multiple AI-based features in Ultimate Forms. For example, you can add Rewrite functionality for any multiple line text columns. Using this feature, you can automatically rewrite your text to adhere to a certain style. Or you can translate it into a different language. The AI Answer function provides an additional level of input validation. Imagine all the times that you have received form submissions with sparse details and incomplete information. It happens all the time. Conventional form validation isn't great at preventing this problem. The new AI Answer function can analyze form submissions to ensure correct and complete information. It accomplishes that by analyzing user inputs before the form is saved. Let's think of a typical scenario with a support request. Frequently users will submit a low effort request. They provide little information describing the issue. A human must ask for more information before they can begin researching the problem and working towards resolution. This causes delays and frustration. A far better alternative is to eliminate low effort submissions. You can do that by instead prompting the user for more information before saving the request. How can you begin to take advantage of AI Driven validation? Begin with some practice by going through the examples in our previous article here: New AI Answer feature for Infowise Ultimate Forms SharePoint Forms (infowisesolutions.com) AI is able to assess user entered content and return an evaluation according to your prompt. Let's focus on the description provided by the user. We're looking to stop low effort descriptions like "The program won't load". We want AI to evaluate the description to determine whether the user did a good job providing details. Provide a specific prompt describing the exact response you expect from AI. We want the user to click a button under the description which will trigger the validation. You could put a button under the description with a label Confirm Description. The button should call the AI Answer function with the user data and return a "score" based on the user information. Here are some example prompts that you can try: $Answer([Description]|Based on the description, evaluate the level of detail describing a problem on a scale of "1" being very broad and vague to "10" being very specific and detailed. Provide back only a single number response with values from "1" to "10".) The AI engine will then apply the provided prompt to the value of the Description column and return a score. An essential part of the prompt is defining precisely what must be returned. Note that the returned data is text. You need to assign it to a text column in your form or use a function to convert it to a number. You could call this field "AI Check", hide the label, make it read only, then set a conventional validation rule on this field to make sure it has an acceptable value. In our example, we might validate that the AI evaluation returns back 6,7,8,9 or 10 only. We can hide the save button blocking form submission until user clears the check. In this way, we are letting AI screen the initial information. This reduces delays and saves time where a human must gather this information later. Feel free to experiment what exact phrasing of prompt works best in your case. With some practice, you will become more comfortable with what works well in your prompts. Note that we could evaluate for anything that we need contained in the description such as:

Make and model numbers
Specific steps
Name of the software used
Which browser was used
Any other kinds of details you require.

Here is an example of how you would use AI driven validation in a support form: As you can see, a short and insufficient description results in a low score. And here is the result of a positive validation:

Conclusion

Ultimate Forms offers a wide variety of input validation tools. By leveraging this capability you can easily improve the quality of the information in your SharePoint lists. This is essential for an efficient business!

Building a Helpdesk with SharePoint and ULTIMATEFORMS a Step-by-Step Guide

Amir Shingray — Thursday, June 27, 2024

Hello there! We’ve shared some of our issue-tracking solutions built with SharePoint and Ultimate Forms in various places, but our offerings in this crucial aspect of business processes are vast and comprehensive. We currently offer over sixty free template solutions designed to help you enhance your issue-tracking processes. Today, we're kicking off a new series dedicated to issue tracking. Over the next few weeks, we’ll dive deep into this topic, exploring the best practices and tools for mastering issue tracking with SharePoint and Ultimate Forms. We'll also share a wealth of resources, including how-to videos from past webinars, free issue-tracking solution templates, and other valuable materials. Every organization needs a way to track IT support requests. Plenty of canned solutions exist, but why not set up your system using SharePoint? With Ultimate Forms., you can build your own system, including the required functionality and fields. The best part is how easy it is to set up your system to work exactly the way you need it.

Building a Helpdesk with Ultimate Forms for SharePoint

For today's focus, we're excited to guide you through building a Helpdesk using Ultimate Forms for SharePoint. This blog post is based on one of our past webinars, which adds to our extensive knowledge library for future use by our users. After viewing the webinar, you're welcome to download the app and try it yourself. Follow this step-by-step guide from our past webinar: SharePoint IT Help Desk Solution. Join us as we demonstrate a fully customizable Help Desk Solution that allows for automated tracking of IT support requests with a dynamic interface for users, the IT Support Team, and Managers: 1-Fast and Easy Intake Form for New Requests Create a streamlined intake form that captures all necessary information quickly and efficiently. 2- Automatic Email Notifications for Progress Updates Set up automated email notifications to keep users informed about the status of their requests. 3- Dynamic Dashboards with KPI Indicators and Real-Time Tracking Utilize dynamic dashboards to monitor key performance indicators and track request status in real-time. 4- Security-Controlled Form Sections for IT Staff and IT Managers Implement security controls to ensure that sensitive information is only accessible to authorized personnel. 5- Dynamic Validation Rules to Ensure Complete Information on Submit Apply validation rules to guarantee that all required information is provided before a request is submitted. 6- Automatic History Tracking for All Updates Maintain a comprehensive history of all updates made to each request for transparency and accountability. 7- Aging and Past Due Indicators to Reveal Overdue Requests Use aging and past-due indicators to identify and address overdue requests promptly.

Infowise Solutions: Powerful and Flexible

Install a Free Internal Company Helpdesk

Our solutions are powerful and flexible:

Reusable and Customizable: Infowise solutions can be repurposed and customized to fit different scenarios and requirements.
Easy to Install and Use: Installation is straightforward, and the user-friendly interface ensures that your team can start using them immediately.
Comprehensive Coverage: With 280 solutions available, every aspect of business process management is covered, including over 60 solutions for issue tracking.

Infowise Resources

To further assist you, we offer a variety of resources:

Training: Comprehensive training sessions to get your team up to speed.
Tutorials: Step-by-step guides to help you navigate our solutions.
Webinars: Regular webinars covering a range of topics, including advanced tips and tricks.
Documentation: Detailed documentation to ensure you have all the information you need.

Quick Start with Ultimate Forms

Ready to get started? Visit our Quick Start Guide to begin your journey with Ultimate Forms..

Experience the Difference

Transform your issue-tracking processes with our innovative solutions. Try Ultimate Forms. for free and see the impact it can have on your organization.

Mastering Issue Tracking with SharePoint and ULTIMATEFORMS Best Practices and Essential Tools

Amir Shingray — Tuesday, June 25, 2024

We’ve shared some of our issue-tracking solutions built with SharePoint and Ultimate Forms in various places, but our offerings in this crucial aspect of business processes are vast and comprehensive. We currently offer over sixty free template solutions designed to help you enhance your issue-tracking solutions. Today, we're kicking off a new series dedicated to issue tracking. Over the next few weeks, we’ll dive deep into this topic, exploring the best practices and tools for mastering issue tracking with SharePoint and Ultimate Forms. We'll also share a wealth of resources, including how-to videos from past webinars, free issue-tracking solutions templates, and other valuable materials. This guide will walk you through the essentials, making your processes more efficient and effective. If you're already familiar with SharePoint, feel free to jump straight to our issue-tracking solutions.

Why SharePoint for Issue Tracking?

SharePoint offers a powerful platform for managing business processes, but its capabilities are significantly enhanced when combined with Infowise Ultimate Forms. This no-code solution allows you to customize your issue-tracking system to meet your specific needs, ensuring better organization, clearer communication, and faster issue resolutions, which leads to better customer satisfaction and retention.

Best Practices

Define Clear Processes: Establish a clear workflow for issue tracking that includes steps for reporting, categorization, prioritization, assignment, and resolution.
Utilize Templates: Leverage Infowise's free templates for issue tracking to streamline setup and ensure consistency. These templates provide a solid foundation that can be easily customized to fit your unique requirements.
Automate Workflows: Use SharePoint's built-in automation features, enhanced by Infowise Ultimate Forms, to automate repetitive tasks and notifications. Automation ensures that issues are promptly assigned and tracked, reducing the risk of overlooked tasks.

Essential Tools

Infowise Ultimate Forms: Enhance SharePoint with advanced form customization, automated workflows, and comprehensive reporting. Ultimate Forms provides a suite of tools designed to improve efficiency and accuracy in issue tracking.
SharePoint Lists and Libraries: Organize issues, track progress, and store related documents efficiently. Lists allow for easy categorization and filtering of issues, while libraries can store relevant documentation and evidence.
Integration with Microsoft 365: Seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft 365 tools for better collaboration and communication. Tools like Teams and Outlook can be integrated to ensure that all team members are aware of ongoing issues and their statuses.

SharePoint Process Solutions by Infowise

Reusable and Customizable: Infowise solutions can be repurposed and customized to fit different scenarios and requirements.
Easy to Install and Use: Installation is straightforward, and the user-friendly interface ensures that your team can start using them immediately.
Comprehensive Coverage: With 280 solutions available, every aspect of business process management is covered, including over 60 solutions for issue tracking.

For more detailed guidance, check out our documentation and tutorial pages. These resources provide step-by-step instructions and practical examples to help you get the most out of SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms.

Infowise Resources: Training, Tutorials, Webinars, and Documentation

Infowise ensures that you are well-equipped to make the most of their solutions through various educational resources:

Webinars: Interactive sessions that provide insights and demonstrations on using Infowise solutions effectively.
Tutorials: Step-by-step guides that make learning and implementation straightforward.
Documentation: Comprehensive manuals covering all aspects of Infowise solutions, from basic setup to advanced features.

Building Trust: Infowise's GSA IT-70 Certification

Building trust with our users is paramount. Infowise is vetted and approved by the GSA IT-70 contractor to the US government. This certification attests to our reliability and the high standards we maintain in providing business solutions.

Quick Start with Ultimate Forms

Ready to get started? Infowise makes it easy with their Quick Start guide. This resource will help you set up and begin using Ultimate Forms quickly and efficiently.

Try It for Yourself!

Experience the power of Infowise Ultimate Forms with a free trial. Transform your issue tracking operations today by leveraging these comprehensive, no-code solutions tailored for SharePoint.

By focusing on these powerful tools and resources, you can ensure that your issue-tracking operations are efficient, responsive, and well-equipped to handle any challenges. For more information and to explore these solutions, visit issue-tracking solutions.

Customizing Forms and Workflows with ULTIMATEFORMS for SharePoint

Riyan Arshad — Monday, June 24, 2024

My SharePoint Background

As a skilled SharePoint developer, I have spent years customizing forms and workflows. My goal is to speed up business processes and improve user experiences. The ability to customize SharePoint to fit individual organizational demands has always been a challenging and rewarding endeavor. Today, I'll discuss how to create custom SharePoint forms and implement business processes with Ultimate Forms. With this tool you can greatly simplify and speed up the whole process. Ultimate Forms works in both SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises. It combines all the functionality you need to implement the whole business process in one place.

Project Experience

One of the most major projects I worked on was with a huge financial organization. To manage the loan approval process, the customer requested a bespoke form and workflow solution. We based the solution entirely on SharePoint lists and document libraries. The complexity came from needing to combine many approval phases, alerts, and the SharePoint form layout. The layout frequently changed based on user input. Initially, we utilized SharePoint Designer for our to design SharePoint forms and implement the necessary workflows. However, this method was time-consuming and prone to mistakes. Because of the intensive testing and debugging required, even minor changes might cause severe delay. Managing permissions and making forms mobile-friendly introduced an extra degree of complexity. SharePoint Designer did not include the ability to create responsive mobile forms. While we eventually produced a viable solution, the process demonstrated the limits of traditional methodologies.

Customization Guide

Using Ultimate Forms, the customization of forms and workflows becomes much more manageable. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to design custom SharePoint forms and implement workflows using this powerful tool. During this process you will not need any additional tools and you won't be writing any code.

1. Accessing the Form Designer

Start by navigating to the SharePoint site of your choosing.
Go to the list or library where you want to customize the form.
Click on Design from the SharePoint list toolbar, and then select Form Designer.

2. Creating a New Form

Choose whether you want to create a form from scratch or let it generate an initial simple form for you. The resulting form will then simply include all the columns found in the SharePoint list. You will be able to modify its layout and look in the following steps.

3. Designing the Form Layout

Drag and drop columns and controls from the left panel onto the design surface. Form Designer offer a wide selection of controls, including containers, tabs, buttons, and fragments and some additional elements.
TIP: you can place any list column on the design canvas of the form in more than one location. Simply click on the lock icon above the column gallery to enable this option.
Use the properties pane on the right to configure each control. You can set permissions, styles, and behaviors based on user roles or conditions. The rules will execute in real time, changing the form and its values as the users interact with it. You can easily accomplish common requirements, such as conditional formatting, using dynamic style rules.

4. Adding Permissions, Dynamic Rules and Validations

Define permission rules to change column behavior based on user input or other criteria. For example, you can set a column to become visible only when a certain condition is met. You can also completely hide a column unless certain conditions apply.
Define dynamic rules to set column values automatically based on other column values. You can also use these rules to set values to read-only columns.
Define validation rules to ensure high quality input. Similarly to permission and dynamic rules, you can add conditions to apply validation rules selectively. You can validate column according to patterns, in comparison with other columns and according to value length.
All rules are fully dynamic. The form will re-apply them immediately whenever the user changes any of the column values.

5. Workflow Automation

Actions provide an alternative to the traditional workflow approach to automation. Instead of designing complex multi-stage workflows, you define your automation as a set of individual independent action. Each action has its own triggers and conditions for execution. This makes both the initial configuration and later changes easier and faster.

Access the Actions component from the Business Logic section.
Select from the wide selection of available action types. Over 20 types are available, such as updating list items, sending emails, running workflows, or managing permissions. You can even use action to work with data stored in external applications and databases.
Select how you want your action to begin execution. It can respond to a change in a SharePoint list item, for example, when a user adds or modifies an item. You can use a timer to execute actions based on a date in column or an interval. You can also allow user to start actions manually by pressing a button on the SharePoint form.
Each action will contain its own set of properties for you to define. For example, Update list item will allow you to define:
- which columns you want to update
- and what values you want to set them to
Optionally set conditions for the action. You can even set a condition to track a change in a certain column value.

6. Using Alerts for Notifications

Set up alerts to notify users about changes in SharePoint list items. You can also sent notification based on a date in column.
Customize email templates to determine how the email will appear. In them you can include placeholders, selected from a convenient picker. When the alert executes, it replaces the placeholder with data from the SharePoint list item.

7. Publishing and Testing

You can use the "Preview" function to test the form in different scenarios and devices to ensure it behaves as expected. The forms are all always responsive and will automatically adjust to the screen size without any loss of functionality.
Once satisfied, click "Publish" to make deploy the form to your SharePoint list.

Best Practices

When customizing your SharePoint forms and workflows, consider the following best practices to ensure effective and efficient solutions:

Plan Thoroughly: Before diving into customization, map out the entire process. Understand the user requirements and the business logic thoroughly.
Use Templates: Leverage existing templates to save time and ensure consistency across forms.
Test Extensively: Use the preview and test functionalities to catch issues early. Test under different user roles and conditions.
Document Your Work: Maintain clear documentation of all customizations. This will be invaluable for future updates and troubleshooting.
Keep It Simple: Try to avoid void over-complicating forms and workflows. Simplicity enhances usability and reduces the chance of errors.

Conclusion

Ultimate Forms makes it easier to customize forms and processes in SharePoint than ever before. The easy interface, along with strong capabilities, enables the development of complicated solutions without substantial code. Using the methods and best practices above can help you make your operations smoother. This will improve the user experience and save time. I recommend you to look at Ultimate Forms for your next project. The advantages of effective SharePoint form and workflow customisation are numerous, and this tool may considerably improve your SharePoint development experience. I hope you have success in your form building activities!

New AI Answer Feature Opens Up Many New Possibilities for SharePoint Forms

Will Cooper — Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Introduction

There have been some great AI Helper features added to Ultimate Forms. The newest function may be the best yet. Our new AI Answer Function is now immediately available for use in forms, actions, alerts or even import profiles:

What is AI Answer?

The feature provides the AI engine with some text from your form and a question. The engine will then answer the questions based on the provided text. Using this new function is simple - just select the option from the Functions menu of our Value Picker. Provide the input text which usually will be a field reference like "Description" and then your question (prompt). In most cases the input would be the contents of a multiple lines of text column. And that's all that is needed! For those of you already using AI Chat interfaces like ChatGPT this will be very familiar. This is no different than providing text to an AI chat interface and asking a question.

Let's See Examples

To illustrate some possible scenarios, we will demonstrate four example use cases in our customer support form below.

Static Prompt

In our example support form, we have some text provided by our user. The text describes a problem in a support ticket. This is the "Details" field in our form. We're going to let AI analyze that information to help with the process. Add this prompt to a button control on the form which calls the function. (Note that we are referencing a field in our form called "Details". You will reference your own field.) $Answer([Details]|Provide a bullet point summary of the provided description in HTML) The user can click the button and a bullet point list summary is returned almost immediately. NICE! It's so refreshing to be able to use natural language to give instructions on what you want.

Dynamic Prompt

In the next example, let's allow the user to come up with their own question. By using an input parameter on the button, we can prompt the user for a question when they click the button. Add the parameter in the button controls first: The code needed for this is easy. Just define a text input for the button called "Question". $Answer([Details]|[@Question]) In this situation, the question can be anything we want.

Assign Priority

Now let's let AI assess the Priority of the request and also their overall "temperature" in regard to the problem. This is a term known as "Sentiment". Here is example code how we can prompt AI to tell us the Priority: $Answer([Details]|Based on the description evaluate urgency providing back one of three values "High", "Medium" or "Low".) Here is how we can ask AI to check if our user is very mad or happy. We will use a 10-point scale from -5 to 5. (0 means neutral.) $Answer([Details]|Based on the description, evaluate sentiment on a scale of "-5" being very unhappy to "5" being very happy. Provide back only a single number response with values from "-5" to "5".)

Conclusion

These examples are intended to give you ideas on thing you might do in your own forms. But the possibilities are unlimited. The action does not need to be limited to buttons. AI Answer can be invoked directly in form values rules. You can also use it in actions so that values are populated automatically with no user intervention required. Whether you are new to using AI-related functionality or you are already tapping into in other areas, this is a great opportunity to directly use AI with your SharePoint business processes. Let us know what interesting possibilities you are able to use in your organization. We love to see the interesting ideas our customers develop.

Embarking on My Discovery Journey: How ULTIMATEFORMS Makes SharePoint Simple

Riyan Arshad — Monday, June 17, 2024

UPDATE: Sign up for our next webinar that will delve deeper into the features of this incredible component

Introduction

I have been working as a seasoned SharePoint developer for more than seven years. I've seen it all when it comes to creating and managing forms and business solutions. I've worked on several projects in my career that have included creating and customizing forms on a large scale. These projects have ranged from straightforward feedback forms to intricate multi-page processes. Replicating and maintaining consistent business solutions across many sites has always been one of the largest pain points. But let me tell you, after I found the Template Manager in Ultimate Forms, my approach to these jobs was completely changed. The tool is able to quickly and effortlessly replicate complete SharePoint sites between site collections and even tenants. Template Manager will create copies of lists and document libraries, sync views and navigation. And it will copy all your forms and all the other settings with just a click. Everything is now more simpler and less of a nuisance as a result. I've worked on a number of projects over the years that called for substantial form design and customization. From basic feedback forms to intricate procedures spanning many pages. SharePoint has a great potential to improve productivity and expedite corporate processes through well-designed forms and solutions. This has always been my favorite aspect of working with the platform. Ultimate Forms has changed how we create, manage, and share forms and process automation across many SharePoint sites.

The Template Manager in Ultimate Forms is a game-changer for SharePoint developers like myself.

Here’s why I’m particularly excited about this feature:

Efficiency: The Template Manager significantly reduces the time and effort required to replicate business solutions across multiple sites. This efficiency means I can focus more on designing and enhancing solutions rather than spending time on repetitive configurations.
Consistency: Ensuring consistency across different environments is crucial for maintaining the integrity of business processes. The Template Manager allows me to replicate settings accurately. It ensures that all sites adhere to the same standards and provide a uniform user experience.
Flexibility: You can copy settings between sites in different tenants and site collections. This opens a new world of possibilities. Regardless if I work in one organization or many, the Template Manager helps me manage different environments easily.
Automation: Automating the process of applying settings from one site to another not only saves time. It also minimizes the risk of human error. This automation applies configurations correctly and consistently. A crucial requirement, especially in complex environments.
Detailed Reporting: Once you apply your template, you receive a detailed progress report on the screen and via email. This provides transparency and peace of mind. It allows me to monitor the process and quickly address any issues that may arise.

Overview of the Template Manager Feature

The Template Manager in Ultimate Forms is a specialized tool designed to streamline the replication and deployment of business solutions across multiple SharePoint sites. This feature is available exclusively in the Microsoft 365 version of Ultimate Forms. It makes it easy to perform two tasks in one go:

Replicate SharePoint site structure. This includes lists and document libraries (including all column configurations and views), SharePoint groups, site pages and site navigation.
Copy all Ultimate Forms settings. That includes custom forms, alerts, actions, print template and everything else you've configured.

The important part is that it works between any two sites. This is true even if they are in different site collections or different tenants. The flexible configuration options of the Template Manager allow you to choose which lists or settings to replicate. Or you can simply include every single list found in the site.

Purpose

The main goal of the Template Manager is to improve efficiency and consistency in managing SharePoint sites. It helps administrators and developers to:

Replicate Business Solutions: You can easily copy the setup and settings of a SharePoint site to other sites. No more need to manually change sites in each environment.
Maintain Uniformity: Ensure that business processes, forms, and workflows are consistent across various environments, thereby maintaining a uniform user experience and operational flow.
Facilitate Site Management: Simplify the process of updating or migrating settings across sites. This reduces the risk of errors and ensures that updates are implemented smoothly and effectively.

Key Benefits

Time Efficiency: By automating the replication process, the Template Manager significantly reduces the time required to set up new sites with existing configurations. This is particularly beneficial when managing multiple sites or when new sites need to be created frequently.
Consistency: The ability to replicate settings ensures that all sites adhere to the same standards and configurations. This uniformity is crucial for maintaining operational consistency and ensuring that all users have a similar experience across different sites.
Flexibility: The Template Manager allows settings to be copied between sites in different tenants and site collections. This flexibility means that it can be used in various scenarios, whether for internal sites within a single organization or for sites managed across different organizations.
Ease of Use: The Template Manager provides a user-friendly interface and step-by-step guidance for creating and applying templates. This ease of use minimizes the learning curve and allows even less experienced users to leverage its capabilities effectively.
Automation: The tool automates the process of reading settings from the source site and applying them to the destination site. This automation not only speeds up the process but also reduces the risk of human error that can occur during manual configurations.
Detailed Reporting: After applying a template, users receive a detailed progress report on the screen and via email. This reporting ensures transparency and allows users to monitor the status and success of the template application process.

Getting Started with Template Manager

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to use the Template Manager to create and apply templates in Ultimate Forms:

Step 1: Install Ultimate Forms App

Before you begin, ensure that the Ultimate Forms app is installed on your SharePoint site. The installation wizard provides a fast and easy way to install Ultimate Forms

Step 2: Create and Configure Your Site

Set up your SharePoint site with all the necessary configurations and settings using Ultimate Forms. This initial setup will serve as the template for other sites.

Step 3: Access Template Manager

In Ultimate Forms, go to the Template Manager from the main toolbar. Note that Template Manager requires separate credentials which are not the same as your SharePoint Online credentials. To create your own Template Manager credentials, first open Ultimate Forms as the administrator who originally started the trial. In the top right corner open the menu under your initials. In the menu, click on Billing. In the Billing page, click on Administration and new Template Manager administrator credentials there. You can have as many administrators as you like. Additionally, you may want to create credentials for regular Template Manager users. Such as Appliers, who are only allowed to apply templates created by others. These additional users are created under the Template Manager itself by a Template Manager administrator. Note that if you do not see the Billing option, then you are either not an administrator or your email is not configured as a contact person for the organization in our Order Management system.

Step 4: Create a New Template

Once logged in, create a new template. You can specify which components to include in the template or choose to include all components by default. You also have the option to select specific lists to include in the template.

Step 5: Configure Template Settings

Optionally, configure the template to create or modify lists in the destination site. The source and destination sites do not need to be identical, but the settings will only apply to lists/columns with the same names in both sites. Ensure that modern web part pages and site navigation are replicated as needed.

Step 6: Install Ultimate Forms App on Destination Site

Ensure the Ultimate Forms app is installed on the destination site where you want to apply the template.

Step 7: Apply the Template

Log into Template Manager on the destination site using the credentials of the organization that created the template. Locate your settings template and click "Apply to current site." The settings will be applied, and you will receive a detailed progress report both on screen and via email.

Conclusion

If you are a SharePoint developer or administrator looking to enhance your workflow, I highly encourage you to explore the Template Manager in Ultimate Forms. Its powerful features and intuitive no-code interface make it an essential tool for efficiently managing and replicating business solutions. By leveraging the Template Manager, you can save time, ensure consistency, and reduce the complexities associated with manual configurations. The Template Manager is a no-code site replication solution that will transform your SharePoint development and management experience. Happy templating!

Ultimate Forms vs Power Apps Development Comparison

Will Cooper — Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Introduction

A lot of customers are interested to learn how using Ultimate Forms is different than using Power Apps for building SharePoint custom forms and solutions. We have built our tools to allow for no programming when building solutions. This difference stands out. Ultimate Forms is powerful while still being accessible to anyone.

Comparison Documents

We did a deep dive analysis and comparison in two documents. Please use the links below to download these PDF reports and learn what makes Ultimate Forms different:

» Building No Code SharePoint Solutions

» Ultimate Forms vs Power Apps Features Comparison

General Overview of Ultimate Forms and Power Apps

Infowise Ultimate Forms and Microsoft Power Apps are two powerful form generation tools that integrate and work with SharePoint data. Ultimate Forms offers a web-based form builder that works seamlessly across all platforms and browsers, making it an accessible choice for creating custom SharePoint forms. On the other hand, Power Apps is a low-code app builder designed to modernize business processes by allowing organizations to create custom applications with minimal coding. Both tools feature user-friendly interfaces, making them suitable for users with varying levels of technical expertise.

Key Features and Benefits

Ultimate Forms offers a range of features that make it ideal for straightforward tasks. Its simple and intuitive design allows users to create forms quickly, with extensive customization options. The main advantage of Ultimate Forms is permission, validation and dynamic rules, which allow non-technical user easily create sophisticated smart forms. In contrast, Power Apps provides a more developer-oriented solution with a comprehensive feature set. It allows users to go beyond the basic form format, offering complete control over data input, presentation, and storage. Power Apps can access a vast number of data sources, enabling users to display content dynamically and allow form users to change or add new content. This makes Power Apps a powerful tool for enhancing business processes and creating custom applications tailored to specific needs.

Development Capabilities

Power Apps is a low-code app builder that empowers users to create feature-rich applications without needing extensive coding skills. Its drag-and-drop and point-and-click interface simplifies the process of building custom applications, ranging from simple data entry apps to complex, industry-specific solutions. This flexibility makes Power Apps an excellent choice for organizations looking to develop tailored applications to meet their unique requirements. Ultimate Forms takes a more SharePoint-oriented approach and integrates closely with list and document library structure of the SharePoint site. It offers a long line of unique capabilities, making it easy to create advanced streamlined business solutions based on SharePoint. Some of the main features of Ultimate Forms are not found in Power Apps, such as External Forms, payments or Summary columns. Ultimate Forms strictly adheres to the no-code approach, making it a preferred choice for non-technical users.

Data Collection and Integration

Ultimate Forms natively connects to SharePoint lists and document libraries, by replacing regular SharePoint forms with their custom counterparts. It meets and exceeds the regular forms capabilities, while adding a wide array of unique features. In addition, Ultimate Forms offers robust Data connection functionality, that allows it to natively connect to a range of 3rd party data sources and application. Power Apps is all about data collection and integration. It allows users to not only collect and integrate it with various data sources and systems. Power Apps can connect to a wide range of data sources, including Microsoft Excel, SharePoint, and other locations. This enables the creation of robust, custom applications that can access and manipulate data from multiple sources, providing a more comprehensive solution for data management.

Cost and Licensing

Cost and licensing are important considerations when choosing between Ultimate Forms and Power Apps. Ultimate Forms is licensed based on per-user licenses, according to a sliding scale. The more users will be using its features, the cheaper is per-user subscription. In contrast, Power Apps typically follows a more complex pricing model with various paid plans. The cost of Power Apps can vary significantly depending on factors such as the number of users and the complexity of the apps being built. Organizations should carefully consider how prices scale when hundreds or thousands of users need access to specific apps, as this can impact the overall cost of using Power Apps. By understanding these key differences, organizations can make an informed decision on which tool best suits their needs for creating forms, managing data, and developing custom applications.

Automatically analyze and categorize data in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, May 23, 2024

Introduction

Ultimate Forms makes it easy to create business solutions based on SharePoint lists and document library. As a full platform, it contains everything you need: forms, automation and reporting. AI is gradually becoming a larger part of the business landscape. Ultimate Forms now also contains an array of AI-based features and functions. These help to make your business solutions smarter and faster, saving you time and money. We are using the latest versions of Azure OpenAI GPT models. You can be sure your information will always be passed to and from the AI engine when it's fully encrypted. Under no circumstances will the information be used for training the model. You find out more in the Microsoft Azure privacy statement. In this article I will focus on the AI Analyze function in Ultimate Forms, that will help you make more sense of your data. With this function you can automatically generate a list of one or more choice or lookup column values based on input text. You can use it to categorize and tag items coming from your forms, import or any other data entry type. The function will automatically retrieve options from the target Choice or Lookup column settings. Based on these options and a provided textual input, it will select the most suitable option[s]. And if for example your Choice column allows type-in values, it can even generate a brand new value. For example if it's a better fit for your text than all the existing options. The AI engine will analyze the contents of the text. It will then decide which one of the provided Choice or Lookup options is the most suitable. If your Choice or Lookup column allows multiple values, the engine will be allowed to return more than one choice as well.

Let's See a Demo

As usual with our functions, it's extremely easy to use! In my demo I will:

set up an import profile
import emails into a SharePoint list
automatically set the Topic choice field to the most suitable value.

But of course, as I mentioned, the function can be used anywhere we allow functions. This means dynamic rules on forms, actions and so on.

Create the List

Create a new list to import into. Open it in Form Designer by clicking on Design button on the list's toolbar, then on Form Designer.
Add a multiple lines of text column named Body by clicking on New column in the left pane.
Add a choice column named Topic (the column name should be descriptive to improve AI results), then provide suitable options:
Drag and place Title, Body and Topic columns on the form.
Publish the form.

Create Import Profile

Go back to the main page of Ultimate Forms and click on Import.
Create a new import profile, add a new Action to it:
Note how Topic is mapped to $Analyze function result, passing Body field of the email. $Analyze functions must only be mapped to Choice and Lookup columns, they won't work otherwise.
Save the action and then the profile.

Testing

Next I'm sending myself an email with some content that I copied from Wikipedia. It's a scientific article regarding a volcano:
You can either run the import profile manually or wait for it to run on the timer. If you left the polling settings at their defaults, it will run every 15 mins. Check your list, there should be a new entry now with your email data, including the correctly assigned Topic:
Or you can view the whole item in the form:

Conclusion

As you can see, it can't be easier than this! You can leverage this new function to automatically assign, categorize, sort or route your information based on free text and simple choice values. There are many possible scenarios this can be beneficial. For example, support ticket system that automatically forwards the ticket based on the description provided by the user. Have fun experimenting!

New AI Rewrite function in Ultimate Forms

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Hi, As we continue our integration of OpenAI compabilities in Ultimate Forms, we are now adding a new function $Rewrite. Similar to the rewrite functionality in multiple lines of text column I introduced in my previous blog, it leverages the power of OpenAI to modify input text, be it rewriting in a different writing style or translating into a different language. As a function, it can be used in a variety of places within Ultimate Forms, for instance:

In dynamic rules on forms, to copy modified value into a different column in real time.
In Actions, to rewrite and/or translate text and then update the item (or create a brand new item).
In Import, to ensure imported text is always in the same language, regardless of how it was in the source.
In Alerts, to translate text into the preferred language of the recipient.

As always with our functions, it's simple and easy to use. The function receives three parameters, separated by the | sign:

Text - input text, a combination of static text, column values and functions.
Style - (optional) the writing style to rewrite the text in, such as "formal", "business" or "technical". You can enter any style here, in English only, and the AI engine will attempt to accomodate your request. When left empty, the original text style is preserved.
Language - (optional) locale ID of the language to translate to. You can find the list of most common locales here.

For example, $Rewrite([Body]||es-ES) will take the text from the column Body and translate it into Spanish (Spain), while preserving the original style. Another option: $Rewrite([Body]|formal|) - will rewrite the text from the column Body and rewrite it in the formal style, without translating. You'll be happy to know that if the input is rich text (includes formatting), the engine will do its best to preserve the same formatting, whenever possible. So for example, originally bold text will remain bold in the Spanish translation as well. Let's see how we can implement it on a form.

Create a list with two multiple lines of text columns: Body and Spanish (you can of course use any names).
Click on Design -> Form Designer and generate a form for the list.
On the design canvas, click to select Spanish column, then in the right pane find the Rules section and click to add a new rule.
Configure your rule as following:
It will now translate the text from the column Body into Spanish (Spain) and place it in the column Spanish. You can of course further enhance the rule with conditions if desired.
Publish your form.

If you now open New form to create an item and start entering text into Body, the Spanish translation will appear in the column Spanish after a short delay:
And of course functions are not limited just to forms, we can easily implement them in very much the same way in other components as well, such as Actions:
As you see, this Update list item action does pretty much the same thing - translates and save the text from the column Body in the column Spanish. Feel free to implement this powerful tool in your own solutions!

Overcome HR Challenges with Top 6 Solutions by Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Amir Shingray — Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Hello there! This article intends to curate a few of the 90 HR solutions the Infowise team created for our end-users. Some are available in videos from our past monthly webinars, and others are on our solutions page. The solutions on both options are available for free. I would also like to highlight that these solutions are created to showcase what can be done with our Ultimate Forms when integrated with SharePoint. We trust that you will creatively adjust the solutions to fit your business's operational objectives and culture. Whether you're a seasoned SharePoint user or just getting started, this article will guide you through six fundamental HR solutions that can transform your organization's human resources management. If you're already familiar with SharePoint, feel free to jump directly to the solutions page and explore here. Before we delve into the solutions, here are a few points about the benefits of augmenting SharePoint with Ultimate Forms.

Why Choose SharePoint with Infowise Ultimate Forms?

Traditional HR management often involves cumbersome paperwork and disjointed systems that can lead to inefficiencies and errors. Infowise Ultimate Forms provides a suite of pre-built, customizable solutions that integrate seamlessly with SharePoint, transforming it into an effective, automated HR management system.

Infowise HR Solutions for SharePoint

Infowise offers specific solutions to tackle common HR challenges, enhancing both the employee experience and the HR team's productivity. Let's explore six key solutions that have been carefully designed to address these challenges effectively, ensuring that your HR department operates at its best. As I mentioned, these six solutions are part of a package of more than 90 solutions available for you to explore.

Employee Onboarding

Challenge: Onboarding new employees involves multiple steps and coordination across departments, which can be overwhelming without a structured process. Solution: Infowise's Employee Onboarding solution automates the entire workflow, from welcoming messages to task assignments, ensuring a smooth transition for new hires and relieving HR from manual follow-ups. Resources: For detailed tutorials and webinars on setting up and customizing your onboarding process, visit Infowise's Training Center.

Leave Request Management

Challenge: Manually managing leave requests can lead to errors, such as overlapping leaves and mismanaged records, which can affect team availability and compliance. Solution: The Leave Request Management solution automates approvals and integrates with your SharePoint calendar, providing a transparent and efficient system for managing absences.
Resources: Access step-by-step guides and support documentation on the Infowise Documentation Page.

Employee Performance Review

Challenge: Traditional performance review processes are often subjective and lack structure, making it difficult to assess and enhance employee performance accurately. Solution: This solution offers customizable forms and workflows that standardize performance evaluations, making them fair, timely, and productive. Resources: Learn how to implement and customize your performance review system through dedicated webinars available at Infowise Webinars.

Training Management

Challenge: Without proper tools, organizing and tracking employee training can be disorganized, leading to inadequate skills development and resource utilization. Solution: Infowise's Training Management solution helps schedule, track, and evaluate training programs efficiently, aligning them with organizational goals. Resources: Infowise offers comprehensive tutorials on using the Training Management solution on its Tutorial Page.

Recruitment Management

Challenge: Recruitment processes can be chaotic, involving numerous candidates and interviews, making it hard to track progress and make informed decisions. Solution: The Recruitment Management solution streamlines every Step of the recruitment process, from tracking candidates to finalizing hires, in a centralized, accessible system. Resources: The detailed guides on the Infowise Learning Portal provide a detailed guide to setting up and optimizing your recruitment process. You can also download the solution from the webinar page.

Employee Exit Management

Challenge: Employee offboarding often lacks a standardized procedure, leading to missed steps and potential security or compliance issues. Solution: This automated solution ensures a thorough and consistent process for offboarding, covering all necessary tasks, such as equipment return and exit interviews. Resources: Explore HR solutions for employees at the end of the term on the Infowise Solutions platform.

Building Trust with Infowise

Infowise is a reliable solution provider, approved as a GSA IT-70 contractor to the US government, ensuring that your HR solutions are secure and dependable.

Getting Started with Infowise Ultimate Forms

To enhance your HR processes, start with Infowise Ultimate Forms by visiting their Quick Start Guide, which provides all the necessary resources to quickly implement these solutions. Transform your HR management with Infowise Ultimate Forms today and turn those HR challenges into opportunities for efficiency and growth!

Building a Tailored Learning Management System in SharePoint with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Amir Shingray — Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Hello and welcome, SharePoint enthusiasts and curious learners alike! Whether you’re a SharePoint expert or just starting to explore its potential, today’s discussion on using SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms to build a Learning Management System (LMS) will pique your interest. The post intends to bring to your attention a great tool that can be used in any learning environment, be it a school classroom or a professional training setting. If you’re eager to dive into the technicalities, feel free to skip ahead and watch our detailed webinar here.

Why Opt for SharePoint and Ultimate Forms for Your Learning Management System?

Utilizing SharePoint integrated with Infowise Ultimate Forms for your LMS brings you the best of both worlds: robust content management capabilities enhanced by comprehensive custom functionalities without needing extensive coding. This integration not only simplifies the management of educational content but also tailors the learning experience to suit the needs of students, teachers, and administrators.

Enhanced Features of SharePoint LMS with Infowise Ultimate Forms

Let’s explore the specific features that make SharePoint powered by Infowise Ultimate Forms an outstanding choice for developing a Learning Management System:

Personalized User Dashboards: Each user receives a customized dashboard that reflects their courses, schedules, and progress, allowing for a more engaging and personalized learning experience.
Progress Tracking: Real-time progress bars and assignment tracking provide students with clear visibility of their learning journey, helping them stay motivated and informed of their own achievements.
Roles and Functionalities for Everyone: The system caters to different user roles—students, teachers, and administrators—each with tailored functionalities. Teachers can manage courses and assignments, students can access learning materials and track their progress, and administrators can oversee the entire system, ensuring smooth operations.
Automated Communications: Auto-generated email notifications and reminders keep all users informed about upcoming deadlines, new content, and other important updates, reducing the manual effort typically required in managing these communications.
Comprehensive Content Management: Easily store and manage training materials, including videos and documents, within SharePoint. This centralized storage makes it simple to organize and retrieve educational content as needed.
Interactive Testing and Performance Tracking: Set up test questions directly linked to your training content, allowing for immediate assessment and feedback. Track performance and gain insights into how well students are grasping the material, enabling more focused educational support.
Course and Schedule Management: Effortlessly set up courses and customize schedules for each student or group, providing a structured yet flexible learning framework tailored to the needs of your organization.

Leveraging Infowise for Streamlined LMS Implementation

With Infowise Ultimate Forms, you’re not just using a tool; you’re adopting a solution that grows and adapts with your educational needs. The provided resources, including training, tutorials, webinars, and comprehensive documentation, ensure that your journey from LMS setup to full-scale use is smooth and supported.

Quick Start with Ultimate Forms

Ready to jump in? Start building your customized LMS with Infowise Ultimate Forms today by visiting our Quick Start page here. It's designed to get your system up and running quickly and efficiently.

Take the Next Step in Educational Excellence

Enhance your organization’s learning capabilities by adopting a SharePoint-based LMS with Infowise Ultimate Forms. Start your free trial today and discover the impactful benefits of a well-integrated, feature-rich educational platform.

Rewrite SharePoint form data using AI

Vladi Gubler — Monday, April 15, 2024

Introducing AI for Business

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved over the last decade, transforming industries and redefining the way businesses operate. It can automate repetitive tasks, enhance decision-making and improve customer service. Given its versatility, AI is fast becoming an go-to tool for modern enterprises. Companies worldwide are integrating AI into their workflows to streamline operations, boost efficiency, and drive innovation. One of the latest advancements in AI technology is its application in natural language processing (NLP). NLP enables machines to understand, interpret, and generate human language, leading to revolutionary features like chatbots, voice assistants, automated content generation, and language translation. We at Infowise, recognized the potential of AI-driven processing. We have developed a line AI-powered components and features in Ultimate Forms. We are helping you to make your business processes more efficient. Ultimate Forms uses Microsoft Azure OpenAI models. We use the full extent of the Microsoft Azure power to ensure the safety and security of your data. Please read the data privacy policy from Microsoft here.

AI in Ultimate Forms

Ultimate Forms has already embraced AI with the introduction of the AI-powered Form Generator. This tool allows users to create complex forms effortlessly by simply describing their needs. The system automatically generates the necessary columns, saving time and reducing the need for manual configurations. The positive feedback from our users has encouraged us to further explore AI’s capabilities. Our latest addition: AI-assisted text rewrite.

Introducing AI-Assisted Text Rewrite

We are excited to announce a new AI-powered feature in Ultimate Forms: AI-assisted text rewrite. This feature improves text editing. It lets users automatically rewrite text in different styles. Users can also choose to translate it into another language altogether. You can leverage this easy-to-use function to improve your writing or adapt content for a global audience.

How AI-Assisted Text Rewrite Works

The AI-assisted text rewrite feature is designed to be user-friendly and easily accessible within Ultimate Forms. It integrates the power of AI in SharePoint forms and ensures the highest quality of input. Follow these simple steps to enable and use this powerful tool:

Open Your Form in Form Designer - Navigate to your form within Ultimate Forms and access the Form Designer.
Select or Create a Multiline Text Column - Choose an existing multiline text column. You can also create a new one directly within the Form Designer.
Enable AI Rewrite Functionality - Select the column in the design canvas. In the Settings panel on the right-hand side toggle the option for "Allow use of AI to rewrite content."
Select an Output Style - Choose the desired style for rewriting, such as formal, technical, casual, or creative writing.
Enable Automatic Translation (Optional) - If needed, enable the translation feature and select the target language for automatic translation. The AI engines supports multiple languages, including all major world languages.
Publish and Use Your Form - Save and publish your form. When users enter text into the designated field, they can now utilize AI rewriting with a simple click.

Practical Use Cases for AI-Assisted Text Rewrite

The AI-assisted text rewrite feature is designed to enhance productivity in various scenarios, including:

Improving Text Quality: Automatically refine written content to ensure clarity, grammar accuracy, and coherence.
Adjusting Tone and Style: Easily switch between different tones and writing styles based on the audience and purpose.
Assisting Non-Native Speakers: Help users who are more comfortable writing in their native language by translating text seamlessly.
Ensuring Consistency in Communication: Maintain a uniform writing style across documentation, reports, and customer interactions.
Automating Content Localization: Translate text efficiently to support global teams and customers.

Real-Time Demonstration: AI Rewrite in Action

I would like to show a simple example of how this feature works. Suppose you enter the following text in a multiline text field: Now, let’s rewrite it with AI to apply the technical writing style: Technical Output: If we select French as the output language, we will translate it with AI and the rewritten text would be: French Translation: As you can see, the AI has accurately rewritten the text based on the selected style and language. Additionally, users have the option to revert the rewritten text to its original form using the Undo button.

Seamless Integration with Rich Text Mode

This functionality works both in plain text and rich text modes. When using rich text, AI tries to maintain the original formatting. It ensures that bold, italicized, or underlined elements remain intact after rewriting. This is particularly useful for maintaining consistency in formatted documents.

Why Use AI-Assisted Text Rewrite?

Saves Time: Users can quickly refine their writing without manually adjusting each sentence.
Enhances Quality: Ensures professional, grammatically correct, and coherent text.
Supports Multilingual Teams: Breaks language barriers and enables seamless communication across different regions.
Reduces Manual Effort: Automates content enhancement, minimizing the need for manual proofreading.
Improves Form-Filling Experience: Makes completing forms more intuitive and efficient.

Try AI-Assisted Text Rewrite Today

We invite you to explore the AI-assisted text rewrite feature in Ultimate Forms. Whether you’re refining internal documentation, automating translations, or improving form submission quality, this tool can greatly enhance your productivity.

Simplify Your Leave Management with Infowise for SharePoint

Amir Shingray — Monday, April 8, 2024

Hello and welcome to our latest blog post! Are you leveraging the full potential of SharePoint for managing employee leaves? Or perhaps you're already an expert looking for more advanced solutions? If you're ready to dive into the specifics of how our free Employee Leave Management solution can make your processes more efficient and cost-effective, jump right to the solution. For those new to this integration, let’s explore why SharePoint, enhanced with Ultimate Forms, is your go-to option for not just out-of-the-box functionality but much more.

Why SharePoint and Ultimate Forms?

Unlike standalone SharePoint, Ultimate Forms-equipped SharePoint environments offer a plethora of tools, features, and customizations right out of the box. The integration of Ultimate Forms with SharePoint transforms it into a more dynamic platform, enabling users to create more sophisticated, AI-powered forms and workflows without any coding. This powerful combination ensures you can manage employee leave requests more efficiently with automated approvals and real-time updates.

SharePoint Process Solutions by Infowise

With Infowise, SharePoint users are provided with a range of process solutions that are not only free but also customizable and reusable. These solutions are designed to be easily installed and are user-friendly, making them perfect even for non-technical users. With over 200 solutions available, Infowise covers all aspects of business process management, ensuring that there is something for every need. These solutions are offered at no additional charge, although a subscription to Infowise Ultimate Forms is required. Explore more about these solutions here.

Today's Process Solution: Employee Leave Management

Our Employee Leave Management solution exemplifies how Infowise Ultimate Forms can be leveraged to streamline complex processes. This solution automates the entire leave management process, from application to approval, ensuring compliance and reducing manual workloads.

Infowise Resources for Your Success

To ensure you get the most out of Ultimate Forms, Infowise offers extensive resources, including training, tutorials, webinars, and comprehensive documentation. These resources are designed to help you maximize the utility of your solutions and encourage self-sufficiency and innovation.

Experience the Difference with a Free Trial

Interested in seeing how our Employee Leave Management solution can transform your business? Sign up for a free trial today and experience the power of SharePoint and Ultimate Forms in action!

Make SharePoint Employee Onboarding a Breeze with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Amir Shingray — Friday, April 5, 2024

Hello there, HR innovators and team builders! Is your employee onboarding process as welcoming and efficient as you'd like it to be? With Infowise Ultimate Forms for SharePoint, you're about to transform this critical phase into an absolute breeze. Already a SharePoint connoisseur? Then feel free to skip ahead and explore the process solution we offer. For those who are passionate about creating the best start for their new team members, let's unpack how Infowise can supercharge your onboarding experience.

Elevating SharePoint New Employee Onboarding to New Heights

First impressions count, and onboarding is your company’s first impression for new talent. SharePoint is a great platform, but it’s Infowise Ultimate Forms that provides the personalized touch and automation that makes onboarding not just necessary, but exceptional. A comprehensive and effective employee onboarding experience is crucial for ensuring new hires have a smooth transition into their roles. Here’s how Infowise Ultimate Forms can elevate your onboarding process:

Automated Workflows: Set up automated workflows to handle routine tasks, such as sending welcome emails, creating new user accounts, and scheduling first-week activities. This ensures that no step is missed and reduces the workload on your HR team.
Ai-Powered Forms: Utilize our new AI-powered feature to create customizable forms for new hires quickly. Ask the AI assistant to generate forms for personal information, tax details, and direct deposit information. These forms are easy to use and integrate seamlessly into your SharePoint environment, streamlining your onboarding process.
Centralized Information Hub: Create a centralized hub where new hires can find everything they need to get started, including training materials, company policies, introductions to their team, and organized document libraries. This hub can be easily accessed through SharePoint, providing a seamless experience for the user.
Tracking and Reporting: Monitor the progress of each new hire through dashboards and reports. This allows HR to quickly identify any issues or delays in the onboarding process and address them promptly.
Enhanced Security and Compliance: Ensure that all data collected through the onboarding process is secure and compliant with relevant laws and regulations. Infowise Ultimate Forms offers robust security features that protect sensitive information.
Events Web Part: Utilize the Events Web Part to present key dates and calendars, offering a monthly view to keep new hires informed about important events and deadlines. Custom lists can be created for enhanced calendar views.
Hero Web Part: Leverage the Hero Web Part to create visually engaging content on your SharePoint site. Add large images with clickable links and Calls to Action (CTAs), and embed videos to enhance the overall user experience while navigating onboarding resources.

With Infowise, you’re setting the stage for a successful employee journey from the very first day.

Infowise Onboarding Resources: Empower Your Onboarding Process

Infowise’s On-Demand Learning Channel is designed to provide unfettered access to a wealth of SharePoint and onboarding resources, including Ultimate Forms knowledge, whenever you need it. This unique platform allows you to engage with our content at your convenience, ensuring that you never miss out on learning opportunities. Every resource on the channel, including detailed webinars, tutorials, and comprehensive guides, is completely accessible at no cost. Additionally, each live or archived webinar comes with a free SharePoint solution, enabling you to implement what you’ve learned immediately and effectively.

A Trusted Name in Onboarding Excellence

Infowise isn't just about innovation; it's about trust. We offer solutions that meet rigorous government standards for security and reliability.

Quick Start with Infowise Ultimate Forms

Get your onboarding system up and running quickly with Infowise’s intuitive quick-start guides and an onboarding site template. Welcome new hires with confidence and class.

Transform Onboarding Today

It’s time to make onboarding tasks the highlight of your HR processes. With Infowise Ultimate Forms for SharePoint, you’re not just onboarding; you’re setting a precedent. Begin your transformation with a free trial and let the journey to excellence commence.

Generate SharePoint forms with AI

Vladi Gubler — Monday, April 1, 2024

Introduction

We recently introduced an exciting new feature that can help you drastically reduce the amount of time it takes to create new SharePoint lists and forms in Ultimate Forms. By leveraging a state-of-the-art AI engine, you create a new list/form combination by simply describing your requirements in simple natural language. The AI engine will use the power of natural language processing to analyze your input. You are then presented with a list of suggested columns matching your requirements, generated by the AI engine. You can then optionally perform additional adjustments, and afterwards, your SharePoint list and custom SharePoint form are generated automatically in just a few seconds and are ready to be utilized.

What it can do

Our goal was to create a tool that saves you valuable time by listing and then generating a large number of relevant columns automatically. Additionally, we help you leverage unique Ultimate Forms features not avaiable in regular SharePoint forms:

Repeating sections
Summary columns
Column permissions
Advanced validation rules
Dynamic rules and default value rules
Advanced modern forms

Let's Try It

Let's create a new list together, so you can see how easy and straightforward the process is, while still allowing quick access to more advanced features, whenever required.

Initial Prompt

Open Ultimate Forms by clicking on Design button on any list.
Click on New list [AI] in the main toolbar
Enter your list description and provide the number of desired columns. Tip: in most cases, it would be easier to request a larger number of columns and delete unnecessary ones afterwards.
Click on Submit, after just a few seconds a list a suggested columns is presented, powered by the AI engine.

NOTE: the list of columns is generated by an AI engine and will most likely be different each time. For best results, it is advisable to provide the most detailed description possible. You can also click on Try again to adjust your description and re-generate the column list.

For simpler lists, you might just accept the suggestions and go straight to the next stage, the actual creation of the list/form. In our case, as our form is quite complex, we will require some adjustments.

Repeating Sections

Repeating sections allow you to add multiple subitems to the main item. A common example would be line items in an invoice. There would be mulitple such items for each invoice. Although SharePoint doesn't provide this functionality on its own, it's easily accomplished with Ultimate Forms.

First, let's promote some columns into a repeating section. First select the required colums, then click on Create repeating section.
Next, let's add a new column to our repeating section to calculate the line total. I'm adding a new column of type Currency.
Click on the gear button to open Advanced settings panel. Here we will add a calculation rule to automatically generate the column value. Line total is the multiplication of Unit price and Quantity. When Calculated value is entered, the column will be automatically set to read-only.

Total Calculations

Add the new column. Next we want to create a Subtotal column, of type Summary, that will automatically summarize the line totals of the repeating section.
Next, click on Advanced settings to specify which columns you want to summarize and how.
Add the column and then drag it upwards, above the tax-related columns.
Now, let's add a calculation formula for the Tax amount column, which will be the Subtotal multiplied by the Tax rate.
And now let's set a formula for the Total, which is Subtotal plus the Tax amount.

Additional Optional Settings

We can also optionally set specific column permissions, validations and dynamic rules. For example, we can add a validation rule for Customer email column to ensure the value entered is a valid email address.
You can use Form Generator to add permissions, validation rules and dynamic rules directly to the suggested columns. This way you can completely avoid the need of continuing further modification of your new custom SharePoint form in Form Designer.

Create List/Form

At this point, we are happy with the form and can click on the Create button.
The process will take a few seconds after which the following screen is displayed.
Here you can open the new form for data entry.

Note how the calculated values are automatically generated.
You can also click on Design to open the form configuration in Form Designer to tweak it even further.
And we are done!

Summary

As you can see, the process is simple, yet extremely powerful. It minimizes the repetitive manual steps of columns creation and configuration, helping you generate advanced custom SharePoint forms in just a few minutes! I invite you to give it a try and see how much more productive you can become!

Power Up Forms with Action Buttons

Will Cooper — Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Forms should allow users to make updates as easily as possible. The easiest form interaction is clicking a button. We all like the idea of making an update with one click. Consider your form strategy. What are common updates that are needed when users update your form? Can you consolidate multiple steps to one button click? Here are some examples of actions that often need to take place when a form is updated:

Send an email update.
Update a history log in the form to record that the action took place.
Make a status update to reflect a new status based on the user action.
Update summary information in the header describing the new state.
Record user notes about the action they are committing.

Almost any form can benefit from action buttons. Let's consider different types of buttons and functionality that you can add: Standard Form Buttons are always at the bottom of forms including Edit, Save, Cancel, Close etc. These should be included at the bottom of the form with few exceptions. In some cases it may help users to change the default text on buttons to provide a more precise user experience. For example, why not change "Save" to "Submit Ticket" for a new help ticket. More precise labels on buttons eliminates confusion. Action Buttons generally describe buttons embedded in the form to streamline user interaction and provide additional functionality. Let's learn how these can be used. Action - This can be set to perform actions only or perform additional updates after including saving out of the form, reopening the form or opening another new form. Action and Action and Save should be used most often because these options most closely normal use cases. These allow updates to multiple fields in your form with one click. Let's describe a typical situation. A user clicks a button submit approval. This should be one click for the user, but multiple updates should happen.

A corresponding approval field should be set approved
A History field (multiline text field) should be appended to describing the update.
An Email Update field should be updated which will trigger an email rules to notify users of the update.

All updates can be set to happen in the settings for the button. Just pick the corresponding fields which need to be updated and provide the relevent text. Add Input Parameters for even more dynamic updates! The idea is that you can prompt users for information when they click the button to allow for even more versatility. In the above example, you might ask the user to provide update notes when they click approve. Additional button types offer even more functionality: Trigger Action can be used to kick off actions that have been predefined in the business logic. Normally actions are triggered after saving the form. Using this type of button, you can allow the user to trigger immediate action updates anywhere in SharePoint while working in the form. Create Associated Item can be used to streamline creating associated items in a repeating table in the form. This may be useful to provide a more efficient process to add items to the list based on values in the parent form. In other words you can reference field data in the parent form instead of requiring the user to manually enter data already known. Custom Script allows invoking custom javascript. This is rarely used in special scenarios by developers to trigger unique form updates. Another great feature in buttons is that it is easy to change the look by adding icons, changing the color and changing the text. Don't forget to make your buttons look nice! There are many options to build business logic directly into the form using action buttons. The best way to discover opportunities is through practice. Instead of limiting users to only the standard form buttons, look for ways to allow multiple updates with one button click!

What Makes Ultimate Forms Special

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, March 21, 2024

Millions of people around the world leverage Microsoft SharePoint for designing and managing business solutions, tailored to their unique requirements. With thousands of customers around the world and close to 15 years of constant improvements, Ultimate Forms is a trusted platform, helping save valuable time and money. Solutions built in Ultimate Forms take a fraction of time to develop, do not require extensive knowledge or programming experience, yet are advanced and highly customizable. In this article, I would like to focus on the features and capabilities, unique to Ultimate Forms, that have the greatest impact on productivity. This is by no means a complete overview of the product, but more of a focused spotlight targeting specific points. In general, Ultimate Forms is divided into interactive user interface components, such as forms, calendars or charts, and backend "business logic" components, such as actions, alerts or import. We will start with the forms.

Forms

When we first started to develop Form Designer, the idea was to create forms that are powerful and feature-rich, sufficient for many common business applications, without the need for developing complex processes in the backend. Although it might appear at the first glance as yet another drag & drop visual designer, it's actually chock-full of advanced features for you to discover!

Nested elements

Unlike most common form designers that pretty much stack columns on top of each other, Ultimate Forms allows you to nest tabs, containers, banners and columns. It not only allows you to create complex layouts in your forms, it also allows you to inherit permission rules. By applying a permission rule to a container for instance, it is then automatically applied to all columns within that container, without the need to create the same set of permission rules for each individual column. In large and complex forms, it speeds up the development process and makes maintenance easy!

Actions and rules

Powerful, dynamic forms are fast, interactive, reliable, and also relieve the processing load from the servers. Ultimate Forms provides a variety of dynamic features baked into the forms themselves:

Dynamic rules - set column values based on other columns, calculations, functions, subject to conditions. In combination with read-only permissions, you can ensure column values are controlled via rules only, without user intervention, maximizing data integrity.
Action buttons - set values to multiple columns at once with the click of a button, allowing you to create control panels on the form for triggering events.
Backend action integration - for more complex needs, forms can trigger backend actions either with a push of a button or upon opening or closing.
Scripting - for the very specific needs of more advanced users, the power of JavaScript is at your disposal.

Special columns

Ultimate Forms contains a selection of special column types, not present in SharePoint. Whether it's electronic signatures or relationships/repeating sections, these are some of the most valuable building blocks for common business scenarios. And because all the components of Ultimate Forms are highly integrated, you can be sure those columns are handled properly when printing, exporting or sending an alert.

Business Logic

These are various components that work behind the scenes, with or without user interaction, to perform operations or updates according to predefined rules. Ultimate Forms has several such components, such as Actions, Alerts, Import or Item ID, which cover the majority of common business needs.

Actions

Traditional workflows have been a part of SharePoint for many years, in many different reincarnations, from the humble beginnings of SharePoint Designer workflows, all the way to the current PowerAutomate behemoth. What is common to them all is the workflow paradigm, based on the flowchart concept. It is no doubt an extremely powerful tool, but apparently there are many users out there who are simply not technical enough to feel comfortable working with these concepts. Actions are simple, standalone pieces of functionality. Each executes a single task, has its own triggers and conditions and is generally independent of others. Actions can be added and removed from a list without affecting other actions, allowing you to make frequent changes and adjustment as you develop your solution. And with the ability to trigger on events, on timer or even manually, they are one of the most useful pieces of the Ultimate Forms puzzle!

Alerts

Customization is the main superpower of the Alerts component. You have full control over how the email looks like, who is going to receive it, where it's coming from, under what conditions it is sent and what documents come with it. Simply irreplaceable!

Import

Integration is extremely important in any business, we need to connect the data we receive from various sources and create a single unified picture. With Import, you can work with emails, SMS messages, databases, web services and APIs and even files to create or update content within your SharePoint sites automatically and transparently.

Templates

"Create once, use many times" is the way you save time! Ultimate Forms has baked-in template support, allowing you to quickly replicate whole sites with all their settings between site collections and even between different tenants. Just create yourself Template Manager credentials and save time. And with our growing catalog of business solutions (free, by the way!), you never need to start from scratch. Just grab one closest to what you need to build today and apply with a click of a button. As you can see, our focus with Ultimate Forms has always been productivity and ease of use. And we will continue working hard to make our product even better each day!

Enhance Business Efficiency: A Guide to Top SharePoint Issue Tracking Tools

Amir Shingray — Wednesday, January 10, 2024

In today's fast-paced business environment, effective issue tracking is crucial for maintaining operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Whether it's internal IT support, customer service, or maintenance requests, having the right tools can significantly streamline the process. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the best-known issue tracking solutions that can help your organization stay on top of its game.

Helpdesk: A Comprehensive Internal and End-User Issue Tracker

Description: Helpdesk is a versatile Issue Tracking system perfect for addressing both internal and customer-facing challenges. With standard fields for issue tracking and integrated email functionality, this tool ensures efficient problem-solving.

Explore Helpdesk

Issue Tracking: Streamlining Organizational Issue Management

Description: This tool excels in tracking various issues within an organization, offering submission of new problems via external forms. It's designed to assign responsible parties, create tasks, and document resolution steps, ensuring comprehensive management of issues from start to finish.

Learn More about Issue Tracking

Customer Complaint: Rapid Resolution of Customer Grievances

Description: The Customer Complaint Form is essential for quickly identifying and resolving customer complaints. This tool aids teams in swiftly moving from complaint to solution, crucial for maintaining a positive business reputation.

Discover the Customer Complaint Form

Maintenance Request: Enhancing Customer Service in Maintenance

Description: Streamline your maintenance service requests with this form. It allows customers to provide detailed information, including images, to initiate maintenance calls. The form's customization capabilities and anonymous submission option make it a valuable asset for any service provider.

Check Out the Maintenance Request Form

IT Service Request: Efficient IT Support Management

Description: Tailored for employees seeking IT support, this form simplifies the process of reporting computer issues. It's an effective way for IT departments to track and respond to service requests, enhancing the overall workflow.

Explore the Computer Service Request

Conclusion

Infowise's range of issue-tracking solutions demonstrates their dedication to providing versatile and efficient tools for business process management. These tools are designed to cater to various aspects of organizational operations, ensuring that issues are managed effectively and efficiently.

For more detailed information and to explore additional tools, visit Infowise's Website.

Ready to enhance your issue-tracking process? Explore these solutions and see how they can transform your business operations. Visit Infowise solutions portal today!

New version of Ultimate Forms

Vladi Gubler — Monday, January 1, 2024

Hi, We are happy to announce the release of the new version of Ultimate Forms for SharePoint Online, version 1.4.0.0. In this version we change the way the app works. Primarily, we are moving away from the old add-in model and the deprecated ACS authentication/authorization mechanism. Access Control System (ACS) is the original SharePoint authorization mechanism for provided hosted add-ins. By using this mechanism, add-ins were able to gain access to SharePoint data. It works by generating short-lived access token provided to the add-in upon use. As you might already know, Microsoft recently announced that it is retiring ACS. Microsoft will completely remove it on April 2nd 2026. With this new version we are making several significant changes you have to be aware about before you upgrade:

The current Infowise Ultimate Forms app is being retired and will no longer be installed. All of its existing user interfaces and resources will be used by the new app. The existing app will be removed either manually or by the installation wizard.
The current Infowise Ultimate Forms Extensions app is being upgraded to version 1.4.0.0 and renamed Infowise Ultimate Forms. It is the only app that needs to be installed and is based on a collection of SPFx components, among other things.
The new Infowise Ultimate Forms can now be made available to all sites directly from the app catalog. There will be no longer a need to install on each site separately.
The SharePoint interface integration (such as Design, Print, Add Alert, Run Actions and Action History buttons) will only be shown in the modern UI. No buttons will be available in the classic UI.
The app can be optionally installed in the Site Contents of a particular site, if the global installation option is not desired. It will not however serve as an access point to the app (you won't be able to click on it to access the app).
Our Installation Wizard will only install version 1.4.0.0 and will remove the previous versions.
Custom scripting will no longer be required in the majority of cases. If you plan to still be using Classic forms, you will still need to enable custom scripting. By default, custom scripting will be left disabled, the Classic form section of the app will be disabled and there is no longer a warning banner present.
Modern forms will no longer require Site Pages functionality and will not generate web part pages to run on. Existing forms will not be affected until the next time they are published.
Although ACS will continue to be supported for customers upgrading from the previous versions, we recommend switching to the new method, using Entra enterprise application. The app will show a warning when the application is yet to be granted access, but functionality will not be impacted until April 2nd 2026, when Microsoft completely disables ACS. Once you grant access to Infowise Ultimate Forms Data Access enterprise app, you should also create an app principal for this app within SharePoint. It is required by several components that rely on Remote Event Receiver (RER) technology:
- Delete event in Alerts
- Synchronous Actions and Actions based on Delete events
- Item ID templates - no longer needed when using modern forms
- Signature columns - no longer needed when using modern forms
- Associated Items Summary columns (the need for RER will be elimininated soon)
Most Actions and Alerts, which still use RER for historical reasons, will be automatically switched to use webhooks. Note that you might see a change in behaviour, as Modified By value produced by actions will switch from the triggering user to SharePoint App.
The access token granted to the app upon opening will be automatically refreshed by the app. You can potentially use the app for an unlimited time, without the access token becoming expired.
JSON-based custom rendering is being added to the majority of our custom field types. It means that the rendering will be immediate upon loading views and will not have to wait until the rendering component is loaded by the page. You will need to re-save the field settings (no changes required) for the switch to be implemented for each individual field. This is not urgent or required as the old rendering mechanism will remain fully functional.

We are very excited to be able to integrate this new functionality in our product in a way that is simple and transparent to most customers. You will notice that the app will now load faster and the UI integration will be more reliable. However we understand that some customers, who rely on some of the existing functionality might be affected. Although there is a hard switchover date of April 2nd 2026, we suggest to start making assessments and upgrade plans sooner rather than later. Note that the installation wizard will only install version 1.4.0.0. Due to additional backend configurations required, we discontinued the manual method, the wizard is now the default installation option. You can install in both tenant and site collection app catalogs. If the wizard detects the presence of a site collection catalog, it will pick it by default. There is no additional configuration required. Enjoy the new features and improvements!

Enhancing Performance Reviews with SharePoint: Discover Through Hands-On Video Training

Amir Shingray — Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Introduction to Performance Management

Performance management is a cornerstone of any successful organization. It allows employers to systematically evaluate and enhance employee performance, ensuring that they align individual goals with the broader organizational objectives. A well-implemented performance management system fosters a culture of continuous growth and development, setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and conducting fair evaluations. This structured approach increases employee engagement and productivity. It also improves job satisfaction, which leads to better business results. By investing in a robust performance management system, organizations can create an environment for employees to thrive and contribute.

How SharePoint Can Transform Your Performance Reviews

Welcome back to our HR Excellence blog series! We've already dived into hiring, onboarding, and managing performance. Now, let's talk about a critical piece of the HR puzzle: performance review tools. In today's fast-paced world, getting these reviews right is vital. At Infowise, we completely understand this need. That's why we have been looking into different HR processes. Today, we will focus on performance appraisals. With more than 400 solution templates, we're excited to show you how SharePoint, especially with a help from Ultimate Forms, can make performance reviews a breeze. So, let's jump in and see how these tools can make a real difference in your organization's review process!

Setting Up a Performance Management System

Establishing an effective performance management system requires thoughtful planning and a clear understanding of your organizational goals.

Start by defining the objectives of your performance management system and the criteria for evaluating employee performance.
Develop a structured performance review process that outlines the frequency and format of reviews. This ensures that feedback and coaching are integral parts of the process.
Establish clear performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure employee success accurately.

Make sure your performance management system works well with current HR systems. This includes talent management and succession planning. This approach ensures that all parts of employee performance match the organization’s goals. This helps drive overall success.

Transform Employee Evaluation with Innovative SharePoint Tools

Why SharePoint for Performance Reviews? SharePoint stands out as a robust and versatile platform, ideal for redefining performance appraisal processes. It offers a seamless blend of accessibility, security, and customization, making it a top choice for organizations aiming to enhance employee evaluation strategies. Incorporating SharePoint into your performance appraisal system streamlines the process and ensures a more engaging and comprehensive evaluation.

Conducting Effective Performance Reviews

Effective performance reviews are essential for a successful performance management system. These reviews should be conducted regularly and be fair and unbiased, providing employees with constructive feedback and clear expectations for future improvement. Utilizing a well-proven grading system helps in objectively evaluating employee performance. Performance reviews should also focus on employee development, discussing opportunities for training, career advancement, and succession planning. By making performance reviews a comprehensive and supportive process, organizations can enhance employee engagement, motivation, and job satisfaction, ultimately leading to better business outcomes. This approach ensures that employees feel valued and are continuously working towards their personal and professional growth.

The Power of Ultimate Forms in Performance Management

Ultimate Forms takes SharePoint's capabilities to the next level, especially in the context of performance management. It provides various tools and features that simplify and enrich the review process. From automated scheduling of reviews to customized report outputs, Ultimate Forms ensures that every aspect of employee evaluation is covered with precision and ease.

Hands-On Video Training Overview

To help you understand how SharePoint and Ultimate Forms work in performance reviews, we created a video training. You can find it at Infowise Webinars. This training covers the A to Z of building an innovative, user-friendly performance review system using SharePoint. Key features include:

A Visual Dashboard for Efficient Management

Our visual dashboard puts all critical information at your fingertips. It offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface that allows managers to understand team performance at a glance quickly. This tool is invaluable for tracking progress, identifying areas of concern, and making informed decisions swiftly.

Progress Indicators and KPI Flags for Real-Time Tracking

Keeping track of team and individual performance is easier than ever with our progress indicators and KPI flags. These features provide real-time updates on key performance metrics, helping you stay on top of achievements and areas needing improvement. This real-time tracking ensures that no critical performance data slips through the cracks.

Automated Email Reminders and Follow-Up Systems

Forget the days of missed reviews or delayed feedback. Our system includes automated email reminders and follow-up systems to keep everyone in the loop. This automation ensures that employees and managers are always prepared for upcoming reviews, fostering a culture of continuous feedback and development. Regular check-ins between employees and managers to discuss the employee's performance and career development are essential for maintaining a productive work environment and supporting professional growth.

A Streamlined Workflow Process for Smoother Operations

Efficiency is key in performance management, and our system is designed to provide a streamlined workflow. This setup simplifies the review process, making it more straightforward and less time-consuming. Reducing administrative burdens allows managers and HR professionals to focus more on people and less on paperwork.

Tools for Goal Planning and Tracking Accomplishments

Set and track goals effectively with our comprehensive tools. These features enable employees and managers to collaboratively set, monitor, and adjust goals as needed, aligning individual objectives with organizational targets. Tracking accomplishments becomes integral to the performance review, driving motivation and clarity.

Customized PDF Report Generation for Detailed Assessments

Our system offers customized PDF report generation, providing detailed and professional assessments of each employee's performance. These reports are helpful for review meetings and as necessary documentation for HR records and future references. They offer a clear, concise, comprehensive view of performance over time.

Essential Resources and Links

To further assist you in mastering the SharePoint-based performance review system, we've compiled a list of essential resources:

Webinars: Deep Dive into Our Informative Sessions

Our webinars are a treasure trove of information designed to give you an in-depth understanding of how to maximize the potential of SharePoint for performance reviews. These sessions, led by industry experts, cover various topics, from basic setup to advanced features. Whether you're a beginner or looking to enhance your existing system, our webinars provide valuable insights and practical tips to elevate your HR processes. Best of all, these webinars are informative and interactive, allowing you to ask questions and engage directly with SharePoint experts.

Tutorials: Get Step-by-Step Guidance

If you learn best by doing, our tutorials are perfect for you. These step-by-step guides are tailored to help you navigate through the various features of our SharePoint performance review tools. From setting up automatic scheduling to customizing your dashboard, our tutorials make learning easy and effective. They are designed to be user-friendly, ensuring that even those new to SharePoint can easily follow along and implement the system. Plus, these tutorials are always accessible, allowing you to learn quickly.

Documentation: Find Detailed Manuals and Guides

Our comprehensive documentation is invaluable for those who prefer detailed written instructions. You'll find everything from quick-start guides to in-depth manuals covering every aspect of our performance review system. This documentation is meticulously organized and updated regularly, ensuring you have the latest information. It is a great reference tool, helping you troubleshoot, understand best practices, and get the most out of your SharePoint system.

Solutions: More than 400 Free SharePoint Templates

At Infowise, we understand the importance of having the right tools to kickstart your project and enhance your learning experience. That's why we offer a range of free essential SharePoint Business Process Solutions, perfectly tailored for Ultimate Forms users. These solutions are not just about getting you started; they provide a strong foundation for your projects and learning journey.

Conclusion: Start with a 30-day Free Trial

We invite you to experience the transformative power of our SharePoint-based performance appraisal system. Sign up for a 30-day free trial and witness how it can streamline and enhance your employee evaluation process. Join us in revolutionizing performance reviews and elevating your HR practices to new heights with Infowise.

Microsoft retiring add-in model for SharePoint Online

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Hi, As you might have already learned, Microsoft recently announced the planned retirement of the add-in model in SharePoint Online. Starting by gradual removal of deployment abilities in 2024, by 2026, no add-in will be allowed to run in any tenant. SharePoint add-ins are supposed to implement additional 3rd party functionality, not available out-of-the-box. Infowise Ultimate Forms is currently implement as two apps, that work in tandem:

Ultimate Forms (main app) - currently implemented as an add-in, it provides the backend functionality, such as Actions, Alerts, Print, etc.
Ultimate Forms Extensions - provides the visual user interface, such as forms, special column types and various web parts. This component is implemented as a SPFX Extension (the new and improved method of extending SharePoint) and is not affected by the announcement.

Although the main app is technically an add-in, it has very little dependence on the add-in model, primarily only in terms of its authentication layer. Fortunately, we have already added the ability to use Microsoft Entra (formerly known as Azure Active Directory) as a second authentication mechanism, thus making the process easy and painless. Our plan is to upgrade and extend Ultimate Forms Extensions app to serve as the main app and access point (the "Design" button you all know and love :)), while using the code and capabilities of the current main app in the background, coupled with Microsoft Entra authentication mechanism. As approximately 99% of the work is already done, we do not expect the conversion process to be complex or labour-intensive, while also benefitting from the following improvements:

Only one app would need to be installed and even that one could be made available to all sites from the app catalog, without the need to install in each site separately
Azure ACS (Access Control Services), the legacy authentication layer of SharePoint apps is notoriously unreliable and can sometimes issue faulty or empty access tokens, as well as requiring to re-trust app permissions. Microsoft Microsoft Entra is much more reliable in this regard.
Permissions for the app will be granted for the whole tenant once, in a central location accessible only to tenant administrators, without the need to grant for each site collection, as currently required with ACS.
We will use this opportunity to upgrade the Extensions app to the latest version of the SPFX platform, making use of the latest features and capabilities.
The installation wizard will be faster and more efficient, due to the need to only install a single app.
Additional features will be eventually made possible, such as web part connections, specific action buttons in list toolbars, etc.
As legacy app parts will be discontinued, there will no longer be confusion between them and their modern SPFX counterparts we provide.
There will be no confusion arising from some customers installing the Office Store app version.

We expect to release a new version of Ultimate Forms by the spring of 2024. A special announcement will be published and will include upgrade instructions and any functionality changes that might be introduced. We expect the process to be seamless, simple and straightforward, and generally completely transparent to end users. NOTE: our on-premises customers are not affected by the announcement.

New Employee Onboarding with SharePoint and UltimateForms: A Free, Efficient Solution

Amir Shingray — Tuesday, November 21, 2023

In today's fast-paced business environment, effective employee onboarding is crucial for integrating new hires and setting them up for success. Traditional onboarding processes often involve manual tasks, paperwork, and fragmented communication, leading to inefficiencies and a less-than-ideal experience for new employees. Leveraging modern tools like Microsoft SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms can transform your onboarding process into a streamlined, automated, and engaging experience.

Why Modernize Your Onboarding Process?

Effective onboarding is more than just administrative tasks; it's about welcoming new employees, providing them with the necessary resources, and integrating them into the company culture. Modernizing your onboarding process can lead to:

Improved Efficiency: Automating repetitive tasks reduces the workload on HR teams.
Enhanced Employee Experience: A smooth onboarding process helps new hires feel valued and engaged.
Better Compliance: Automated workflows ensure that all necessary steps are completed, reducing the risk of compliance issues.

Leveraging SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms

Microsoft SharePoint is a powerful platform for collaboration and document management. When combined with Infowise Ultimate Forms, it becomes a robust solution for automating business processes, including employee onboarding.

Key Features:

Customizable Forms: Create dynamic forms tailored to your onboarding needs without writing code.
Automated Workflows: Set up workflows to handle tasks such as sending welcome emails, assigning equipment, and scheduling training sessions.
Dashboards and Reporting: Monitor the progress of onboarding tasks and identify bottlenecks.
Integration with Microsoft 365: Seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft tools like Outlook and Teams.

Step-by-Step Guide to Building an Onboarding Solution

1. Designing the Onboarding Form

Start by creating a SharePoint list to store onboarding data. Use Infowise Ultimate Forms to design a form that captures essential information such as:

Employee details (name, position, start date)
Department and manager information
Required equipment and access
Training sessions

You can utilize prebuilt templates or customize forms to fit your organization's specific needs.

2. Setting Up Automated Workflows

Automate the onboarding process by setting up workflows that trigger based on form submissions:

Task Assignments: Automatically assign tasks to IT for equipment setup, to HR for document processing, and to managers for team introductions.
Email Notifications: Send welcome emails to new hires and notifications to relevant departments.
Reminders: Set up reminders for pending tasks to ensure timely completion.

3. Creating Dashboards for Monitoring

Develop dashboards within SharePoint to track the progress of onboarding tasks:

Task Completion Status: Visualize which tasks are completed, pending, or overdue.
Employee Progress: Monitor each new hire's onboarding journey.
Departmental Insights: Analyze how different departments are performing in the onboarding process.

Enhancing the Onboarding Experience

Beyond automating tasks, focus on creating an engaging experience for new employees:

Welcome Portals: Develop a SharePoint site with resources, company information, and introductions to team members.
Interactive Content: Include videos, FAQs, and interactive guides to help new hires acclimate.
Feedback Mechanisms: Implement forms to gather feedback on the onboarding process for continuous improvement.

Real-World Applications

Organizations across various industries have successfully implemented SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms for onboarding:

Healthcare: Streamlining the onboarding of medical staff with automated credentialing and training assignments.
Education: Managing the onboarding of faculty and administrative staff with tailored workflows.
Government: Ensuring compliance and efficient onboarding of public sector employees.

Additional Resources

To further enhance your onboarding process, explore the following resources:

Conclusion

Modernizing your employee onboarding process using SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms leads to increased efficiency, better compliance, and a more engaging experience for new hires. By automating tasks, providing centralized resources, and enabling continuous improvement through feedback, organizations can ensure that new employees are well-integrated and productive from day one.

Ready to transform your onboarding process? Explore Infowise Ultimate Forms and start building a more efficient and engaging onboarding experience today.

Mastering Performance Management: A Hands-On Video Guide to Building Systems with ULTIMATEFORMS in SharePoint

Amir Shingray — Thursday, November 16, 2023

In a previous article, we explored the innovative features of our performance management solution designed to foster a high-performance culture within organizations. Building on that foundation, this blog post is dedicated to a hands-on training video, a practical guide that walks you through our premium, tailor-made solution to guarantee the success of your business.

This comprehensive video will showcase:

Performance Review: Dive into how to manage employee performance effectively. We'll demonstrate how you can measure their overall contribution and use our system to gain powerful insights, enabling you to devise strategic action plans.
Goal Setting: Learn to set and manage SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound. The video will guide you on providing ongoing expectations and feedback aligned with key performance indicators, a crucial step in driving employee success.
Culture & Values: Discover how to utilize our powerful app modules to cultivate and sustain a robust, high-performance culture. We'll show you how to integrate shared values across your enterprise, reinforcing the bedrock of your organizational identity.
Customization: We understand that each organization is unique. That's why we offer 25 hours of consulting with each purchase, ensuring the solution is customized to your needs. The video will provide insights into how this process works and the transformative impact it can have on your performance management system.

24/7 Video Training Library

Infowise Video Training Library offers a range of video tutorials for users of Ultimate Forms in Microsoft SharePoint. It caters to beginners and advanced users, covering basic introductions and detailed feature explanations. These resources aim to improve workflow and productivity in SharePoint by helping users effectively utilize Infowise tools.
Stay tuned for a journey that combines theoretical knowledge with practical application, empowering you to harness the full potential of our performance management system.
In conclusion, the cornerstone of our performance management solution's effectiveness lies in its strategic leveraging of two pivotal technologies: the ubiquity of SharePoint and the innovative capabilities of Ultimate Forms.

SharePoint: A Catalyst for Corporate Collaboration

SharePoint is a testament to the power of collaboration in the corporate world. Its widespread adoption is not just due to its versatility as a document management and storage system but also because it facilitates seamless collaboration across departments and teams. By integrating SharePoint into our solution, we unlock its potential for centralizing data, streamlining communication, and enhancing cooperative efforts. This integration means our performance management system is robust, secure, and deeply ingrained in day-to-day corporate collaboration.

Ultimate Forms: Unleashing Unique Abilities

Ultimate Forms elevates our solution to new heights. It's an add-on and a transformative tool extending SharePoint's functionality. With Ultimate Forms, we bring a level of customization and flexibility to performance management that is unparalleled. Whether creating dynamic forms, automating workflows, or generating insightful reports, Ultimate Forms empowers users to tailor their performance management processes to their needs. Its user-friendly interface ensures that even those without technical expertise can make the most of its wide array of features, making it an invaluable asset for any organization looking to optimize its performance management strategy.

By combining the collaborative strength of SharePoint with the versatile prowess of Ultimate Forms, our solution stands as a beacon of innovation in performance management. It's a testament to our commitment to providing a powerful, intuitive system that aligns with modern enterprises' evolving needs. As your organization embarks on its journey toward cultivating a high-performance culture, our solution will be the tool that guides and supports you every step of the way.

As we wrap up our exploration of this innovative performance management solution, I'd like to highlight a few key offerings, ensuring you have all the information to get started right away.

Instant Access to a Free Solution

Immediately following the training video, we offer a free version of our solution that users can install and begin using. This accessibility ensures that you can immediately start experiencing the benefits of our system without any upfront investment. It's an excellent opportunity to familiarize yourself with the interface and basic functionalities.

____________________________________________

Infowse has been servicing various public sector agencies for more than ten years as a vetted and approved GSA (General Services Administration) vendor, which only helps us further focus our products and services for our government clients.
- Avi Pagi

Business Development, Public Sector

avip@Infowisesolutions.com

___________________________________________

30-Day Free Trial!

30-Day Free Trial of Ultimate Forms: To further enhance your experience, we provide a 30-day free trial of Ultimate Forms. This trial period allows you to explore the full range of features and capabilities that Ultimate Forms brings to the SharePoint environment. It's an invaluable chance to see how its advanced functionalities can streamline and optimize your performance management processes.

Customization Support Through Our Partners

While our solution is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, we understand that some organizations may require further customization to align perfectly with their unique needs. Our network of skilled and certified partners is ready to assist. Contact us, and we will connect you with the right partner to guide you through the installation, implementation, and training processes, ensuring a seamless integration into your HR landscape.

As November progresses, we'll keep sharing updates and insights about our HR solution through our blog and social posts. I look forward to sharing more informative how-to content, as we offer over eighty solutions tailored for HR and general managers. We wish you the best in your journey to boost your organization's performance management strategy!

Crafting Your SharePoint Job Application System from Start to Finish; Hands-on Video Training

Amir Shingray — Tuesday, November 7, 2023

In the spirit of continuous improvement and innovation, we're dedicating this month to exploring the vast capabilities of HR solutions within SharePoint, enhanced by Ultimate Forms. Our journey began with our last blog post, where we touched upon the transformative job application system designed to give our clients a running start on their HR projects. Today, we delve deeper. We recognize that while our free application serves admirably, many of you expressed a desire to see a more personalized, hands-on approach—a system that not only functions efficiently but also resonates with your unique business culture. Your feedback is invaluable, and we've listened.

A Hands-On Guide to Tailored HR Solutions

In-Depth Video Training: Your Blueprint to an Advanced Applicant Tracking System To equip you with a robust understanding of how to leverage SharePoint for your HR needs, our video training series is meticulously designed to walk you through creating a complete applicant tracking system. This is not just an instructional series—it's an interactive guide to implementing an efficient and scalable solution tailored for your organization. Here's what the training covers:

Custom Job Application Forms: Learn how to build a form that fits your needs. Add as many fields as necessary to capture the information that matters most to your company.
Smart Data Validation: We'll show you how to ensure the data you collect is accurate and complete, with custom validation rules that leave no room for error.
File Attachments Made Easy: Allow candidates to attach their resumes, cover letters, and additional documents effortlessly. Our training ensures that no vital information is missed.
Tailored Confirmation Screens: Create a custom confirmation screen that greets applicants upon submission, providing them with reassurance and necessary next steps.
Branding That Resonates: Inject your company's personality into every aspect of the application process. Incorporate your branding colors and logo for a consistent and professional look.
Efficient Applicant Management: We'll dive into how to organize and manage your applicants directly within SharePoint. Track hiring stages, add detailed notes, and maintain a top-level view of your recruitment pipeline.
Automated Communications: Simplify follow-ups with the ability to send automatic email notifications. Whether it's an update, a thank you message, or an interview invitation, do it all with a single click.

This comprehensive training will not only familiarize you with the system but also empower you to create a hiring process that is reflective of your organization's ethos and operational style. Watch Our Training Videos Here These sessions are your stepping stones towards creating an ecosystem that’s not just about managing human resources but nurturing them.

Hundreds of Free HR Applications

Our commitment to your success is reflected in our suite of over 80 free applications. These aren't just solutions; they're starting points. Download, customize, and deploy them across your organization to streamline processes, enhance productivity, and foster a culture of efficiency. Explore Free HR Applications

The Ultimate Forms Advantage

Why Ultimate Forms? The answer lies in its myriad benefits:

Customization at your fingertips
Automated workflows to save time and reduce errors
No-code solutions that bring your HR vision to life without IT overhead
Integration that speaks the language of SharePoint seamlessly

A Month of Learning and Innovation

And there's more. To ensure you make the most of these tools, we're offering a 30-day trial of Ultimate Forms. It’s your all-access pass to discover the full power of what we offer. Throughout November, follow our social media posts and blog series. We'll cover a wealth of learning materials, tips, and tricks to elevate your HR operations with our free products and solutions. Start Your 30-Day Ultimate Forms Trial

Stay Tuned for More

As we navigate the intricacies of SharePoint HR solutions together, we look forward to sharing more insights, offering more solutions, and hearing more from you. Join us in transforming HR management into a strategic powerhouse with SharePoint and Ultimate Forms. See you in our next post, where we continue to unlock the potential of human resources with smart technology.

Copy and Paste Rules in Form Designer

Will Cooper — Friday, November 3, 2023

A new feature has just released in Form Designer: Rules Copy and Paste. In short, this allows you to copy any rules assigned to any element in your form including:

Permission Rules
Validation Rules
Default Rules
Style Rules

This new feature can help you save time when you repeat rules settings on elements in your form. It is very simple. First check off the rule (or rules) that you want to copy, then click the copy button in the rules header for that section: Once you click the copy button in the rules header, your copied rule(s) are stored and ready to be applied to another element. Next click on another element in your form and click the paste button in the corresponding rule section to copy your rule to the target element: That's it! Simple copy paste of styles from one element to the next. Note that whenever you click the copy button, any previously copied rule will be replaced with the one you just selected. You can paste a copied rule multiple times to different elements. (Just the same as if you are using copy and paste in a Word document.) There is a closely related feature that is equally useful. Element Copy lets you copy controls like containers, headers, fragments and other elements throughout your form. To access this functionality, click on an element, then click the copy button on the right side: Next time you find yourself repeatedly applying the same rules or repeating the same form elements, remember to use the handy Copy functions in Form Designer!

Optimize Government Document Management in SharePoint with Infowise ULTIMATEFORMS

Amir Shingray — Monday, October 9, 2023

Government agencies are responsible for managing vast amounts of documentation daily. These range from legislative records and public policy documents to HR files, contracts, procurement logs, and emergency planning materials. Efficient and secure document management isn’t just a necessity. It’s a matter of public trust, compliance, and operational efficiency.

By leveraging Microsoft SharePoint—enhanced with Infowise Ultimate Forms—agencies can adopt a no-code, scalable solution for modern document management that aligns with government regulations and internal workflows.

Why SharePoint is the Ideal Document Management Platform for the Public Sector

SharePoint Online, a core component of Microsoft 365, offers secure, centralized document storage with customizable structure and access control. This makes it especially well-suited for handling sensitive and regulated information across multiple departments and teams.

Key SharePoint features include:

Document Libraries: Organize files into categories with tagging and metadata.
Version History: Maintain complete edit logs and revert to previous document versions as needed.
Role-Based Access Control: Restrict access at the document, folder, or site level to meet data security requirements.
Real-Time Collaboration: Allow multiple users to co-author documents simultaneously.
Metadata and Search: Tag documents with keywords and use advanced filters for fast retrieval.
Workflow Automation: Create workflows to route, approve, or archive documents based on triggers.

For government entities, these capabilities support compliance with retention policies, data governance standards, and security protocols.

Common Government Use Cases for SharePoint-Based Document Management

1. Legal and Compliance Document Management

Agencies can use SharePoint to manage contracts, legislative documents, and court filings. Using version control and automated workflows, legal teams can collaborate efficiently while maintaining a tamper-proof audit trail. Conditional permissions ensure that confidential documents remain protected.

2. Policy Drafting and Review

Policy documents often go through multiple rounds of drafting, stakeholder review, and approval. SharePoint’s co-authoring, comment tracking, and workflow automation make this process seamless. Use custom forms created with Infowise to guide reviewers through standardized approval steps.

3. Human Resources Documentation

HR teams must securely store employee files, benefit forms, and compliance training documentation. With SharePoint, HR departments can implement document expiration alerts, restrict access by role, and automate processes like onboarding using pre-built HR solutions.

4. Public Records and Archiving

Public records—such as permits, meeting minutes, and historical documentation—must be easily accessible yet secured against tampering. SharePoint enables searchable archives with audit trails and controlled public access via SharePoint Communication Sites.

5. Project and Procurement Management

Government procurement and infrastructure projects generate a large volume of documentation. From RFPs and contracts to progress reports and invoices, SharePoint can serve as a central hub. Pair it with Ultimate Forms to trigger document workflows based on timeline milestones or task completion.

6. Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response

Crisis management depends on rapid access to accurate information. SharePoint can store contingency plans, emergency procedures, and contact trees—ensuring access anytime, anywhere. You can also use custom dashboards to monitor document readiness.

Supercharging SharePoint with Infowise Ultimate Forms

While SharePoint lays the foundation, Infowise Ultimate Forms elevates the experience with powerful no-code customization, ideal for non-technical users.

Key Benefits of Using Ultimate Forms:

Custom Forms for Any Process
Replace clunky spreadsheets and emails with intuitive SharePoint forms tailored to your workflows. Create tabs, validations, and field rules with zero coding.
Workflow Automation
Schedule document reviews, escalate overdue approvals, and notify stakeholders when documents change status. See how it works.
Audit-Ready Tracking
Automatically log every change, comment, and approval in the document lifecycle for easy compliance reporting.
Integrated Calculations and Rules
Automatically populate fields, generate document IDs, and perform custom calculations to enforce consistency.
Mobile Accessibility
Ensure your staff can access and manage documentation from anywhere, even during field operations or emergencies.
Permission-Driven Interfaces
Show or hide fields, buttons, or even entire sections based on user roles.

Real-World Scenarios: Infowise in Government

Public Health Departments

Use SharePoint + Infowise to manage vaccine inventory, patient data, and inspection logs with HIPAA-compliant configurations. Read more in our article on SharePoint and HIPAA.

City Councils

Streamline meeting minutes, public notices, and FOIA requests. Create public-facing portals using Communication Sites and internal tools using Ultimate Forms.

Transportation Agencies

Centralize infrastructure project plans, maintenance schedules, and vendor contracts—all with searchable access and built-in audit logs.

Best Practices for Government SharePoint Deployment

Standardize Taxonomy and Metadata
Consistent tagging helps users find documents quickly and supports reporting.
Use Templates for Document Sets
Create reusable templates for contracts, reports, and policy forms to ensure formatting and compliance.
Define Clear Retention Policies
Automate the archiving or deletion of documents based on government mandates.
Set Role-Based Security Groups
Protect sensitive files while allowing collaboration where needed.
Provide Ongoing Training
Ensure staff know how to navigate, upload, and collaborate properly within the system.
Audit and Review Regularly
Use SharePoint’s built-in reporting tools to monitor document access and system performance.

Getting Started

If your agency is ready to modernize its document management system:

✅ Request a personalized demo to explore your specific use case.
🎥 Watch our latest webinars on SharePoint forms, automation, and compliance.
📩 Contact our team for implementation support or licensing questions.

Also check out our guide on building a candidate interview scheduling system, another common need for public sector organizations.

Conclusion

Efficient, secure, and transparent document management is a cornerstone of public service. By leveraging Microsoft SharePoint and enhancing it with Infowise Ultimate Forms, government agencies can meet today’s digital demands without custom development or high IT overhead.

Whether you’re managing personnel files, legal documents, or emergency protocols, SharePoint and Ultimate Forms offer the flexibility and power to keep your operations compliant, accessible, and future-ready.

Ten Reasons to Start Using External Forms

Will Cooper — Thursday, September 28, 2023

Ultimate Forms Form Designer is the best way to build dynamic forms in SharePoint. But many organizations have yet to take advantage of the ability to build forms that appear outside of SharePoint for any person with no login required. Note that this functionality requires the M365 / SharePoint Online version of Ultimate Forms. If you haven't yet used this awesome feature, you should take a closer look! Examples of common ways that external forms are used include:

Contact Us Form
Support Request Form
Job Application Form
Purchase Form
Materials Request Form

External users can submit the form from your public site or an email link with no authentication required. Here are ten reasons that you should be using external forms forms in your organization.

1. Easy to set up

The first thing to know is that setup is super simple. In Form Designer, on the command bar click "External Form", then turn on Allow access for anonymous external users. Turn on Allow Hosted Forms and a URL will be shown. Post that link to your site or email. No login required!

2. Automatic spam blocking with CAPTCHA integration

Forms on public sites can attract "bot" submissions which is aggravating. Ultimate Forms is integrated with Google CAPTCHA services which ensures that only humans are submitting your form.

3. Forms can easily embed in your public website

Embedding forms in your public site is also easy. Copy and paste a small code snippet to your page and the form will appear directly in your site. Once the form is embedded in your site, all adjustments to the form are done in SharePoint. This means that you don't have to rely on a web developer for future updates.

4. Form data is encrypted keeping user information safe and secure

When users submit data, it goes directely from the form to your SharePoint site. User data is kept safe and secure at all times.

5. Easily match the branding of your public site

Setting up the colors and images in your form to match your public site is easy. No programming required.

6. Simple drag and drop file attachments

In many cases, you might want to collect files with the form. You can simply show the attachments field on the form. Users simply drag and drop files to the box. No additional setup is required.

7. Automatic confirmation screen and email

Embedded forms can use a redirect URL to send users to a special page confirming their submission. You should also send an email to confirm receipt of the information. You can do this easily by including an email field on the form. Configure your email alert the same as any other email notifications that are created in SharePoint using Ultimate Forms email alert rules.

8. Forms can be used for general submissions (new form) or specific updates (edit form) such as approvals

In most cases, forms are used to collect new submissions from the public. This works great for job applications, customer support forms, surveys and general requests. It is possible to also request approvals using the edit form. In this case, an email notification can be sent to a person which includes a link to a specific form record. For example you may want to request an approval authorization or confirm scheduling. This functionality is automatic and easy to use.

9. Forms can be Multi Language

In our recent webinar on multi language forms we demonstrated how you can add translations to your form to accomodate users with different languages. You can configure a public form to appear in a different language using a simple to understand URL attribute. For example, you could create an English language form and include a link at the top to allow users to instead choose spanish. Simply link to the same form URL with this suffix: &lang=es. Once you have added the Spanish translations to the form, everything will work automatically.

10. External form use is generally unrestricted

Whether you need one form or ten, you can use this functionality as much as you need. Your Ultimate Forms licenses are tied to SharePoint users only. Once you have set up a few public forms, it is very easy to repeat the process for any additional public forms that you need. Just rinse and repeat. Be sure to read our detailed instructions for more information on functionality If you need any assistance with first time set up or have any general questions related to external forms, post your comments below!

Efficiently Managing Business Assets: A Guide to Making the Right Choice

Amir Shingray — Monday, August 28, 2023

"We are on the cusp of surpassing 100 employees and are looking for a way to utilize SharePoint to create a means for our engineers to reserve vehicles, cell phones, satellite phones, laptops, iPads, and more for their field visits. We need a reservation-type system with more functionality than just using a calendar in SharePoint or Outlook. Thank you!" - W.N., Project Admin

The above message we received sometime this summer from W.N., a project admin at that particular business. This was a typical request we receive on a regular basis from enterprise level, government (GSA), and small businesses. This plea underscores a common challenge faced by many organizations today: the need for a sophisticated reservation system that extends beyond basic calendar tools. As technology and assets become integral to operations, the demand for an advanced, integrated solution grows exponentially.

Wendy's sentiment is one shared by many businesses today. A simple calendar system no longer suffices in a world driven by technological assets and logistical needs. Ensuring efficient asset management, especially as a company grows, is both challenging and necessary.

The Need for an Advanced Reservation System

A basic calendar in SharePoint or Outlook might suffice for a team of ten, but when your organization nears or surpasses the hundred mark, the need for something more comprehensive becomes apparent. Here's why:

Diverse Assets: Today's businesses employ a myriad of devices—vehicles, cell phones, satellite phones, laptops, iPads, and more. Each of these assets has its unique reservation parameters.
Overlap & Conflicts: With the increase in the number of reservations, potential conflicts rise. An effective system will prevent double bookings.
Maintenance Scheduling: Devices need routine maintenance. An ideal reservation system should be able to schedule and track these intervals.
Ease of Use: For engineers and other staff, the system should be intuitive. It shouldn’t be a chore to reserve an asset.

How to Choose the Right System

When searching for the perfect system, keep in mind:

Scalability: Can the system accommodate growth? As assets and employees increase, it should scale without hiccups.
Customizability: Your business is unique, and so are its needs. Your reservation system should be flexible to cater to specific requirements.
Integration: The system should integrate seamlessly with other tools, like SharePoint, which you might already be using.
Support & Training: How accessible is help? Additionally, does the provider offer training for smooth onboarding?

Why Ultimate Forms for SharePoint Might Be Your Best Bet

Enter Ultimate Forms—a comprehensive solution designed specifically for SharePoint. Here’s its edge:

Deep Integration with SharePoint: If you're already a SharePoint user, ULIMATEFORMS will feel like a natural extension, amping up its functionality without burdening users with a new learning curve.
Customizable: Tailor Ultimate Forms to your specific needs, ensuring the system works in tandem with your requirements.
Scalable: Designed with growth in mind, Ultimate Forms can evolve alongside your business.
Stellar Support: Their team is there when you need them, making troubleshooting a breeze.
Training Options: To ensure optimal utilization, Ultimate Forms offers training from the get-go.

Resources to Help you Build your own Assets Management System

Prebuilt Solutions: Infowise provides many prebuilt solutions suitable for various organizational needs. These ready-to-deploy applications streamline the implementation process, allowing businesses to leverage technology for asset management quickly. Additionally, these solutions can be customized further according to specific requirements.

Webinars: To maximize the value delivered to their users, Infowise conducts a series of webinars. These webinars cover various topics, from basic product introductions to deep dives into complex features. They aim to offer straightforward instruction, guidance, and up-to-date insights, catering to beginners and seasoned users.

Documentation: Infowise offers comprehensive documentation to ensure users always have the guidance they need. Whether trying to troubleshoot an issue, delve into advanced functionalities, or simply understand an essential feature, the detailed guides by Infowise act as a reliable resource for users across all skill levels.

Conclusion

In a competitive business environment, the right tools can set you apart. Efficient asset management is no longer optional—it's crucial. While there are numerous systems on offer, Ultimate Forms for SharePoint stands out, promising robustness, scalability, and customizability, all packaged neatly for businesses ready to ascend to the next level.

Cross-Site Lookup Column using Data Connection

Will Cooper — Monday, June 26, 2023

Introduction

Lookup fields have always been a popular feature in SharePoint. Especially in cases where there are lots of choices that you need to update frequently. These columns work great in simple scenarios. But what do you do when you want to access your lookup list across all your SharePoint sites? In SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365), there is no convenient way to have this kind of functionality. Trying to implement it in any other way often leads to duplication of data. SharePoint does offer Managed Metadata functionality, which is a separate module altogether. This means that you won't be able to tap into SharePoint lists which we may need for workflows or other updates. Additionally, many organizations do not use Managed Metadata functionality at all. So it might be best to not add another area to your environment which needs to be managed.

Data Connections to the Rescue

Data Connections functionality solves this challenge. They allow you to pull back data from other sites in SharePoint or even from external data sources. For example, you can use a variety of databases or 3rd party applications. This way you don't have to duplicate data that is stored somewhere else. Is this article, we'll describe how you can create a cross-site lookup field. You can have a key SharePoint list called (our example uses Departments) in one central site. You then reference it from anywhere in your SharePoint environment, across all sites. Note: data connections are only available in SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365). Our on-premises customer will have to find an alternative solution to this challenge.

Let's Try it Together

I suggest you begin by following this practice example. Then you can apply these steps anywhere you need in your live lists in SharePoint. One note before you begin, the data connection step must be done by a Microsoft 365 Global Administrator.
If you are not a Global Administrator, please request their support. Note that once the data connection is created, the Global Administrator will not need to make any further updates. You can update the data in the source list as an regular SharePoint user.

Creating Lists

Begin by creating a simple list called Departments using the Title field for values as shown below: If your lookup list contains additional fields, be sure to create a view that shows only the ONE COLUMN. This is the column that you want to appear in your lookup field to be displayed in a dropdown. In our example, the default All Items view contains just the Title field which is exactly what we want. If you are already using this view for some other purposes, just create a new one and use it. Now go to an entirely different site and add a practice list called Reports. For the purposes of our example, here too we will add no additional fields. This can also be a document library, there are no limitations.

Configuring Data Connection

We will add the lookup field in the next steps. First we need to create a data connection that will make our lookup list available to all sites in your tenant. In the list toolbar click on Design to open Ultimate Forms, then select Data Connections » Add new data connection:

Name the Data Connection Departments.
Select SharePoint for Type.
Copy and paste the URL of the source site where the list is located. This usually will include /sites/ in the URL. Make sure to only include the site and not any lists or pages.
Click Connect to authorize the connection. This step must be done by a Microsoft 365 Global Administrator.

Select your lookup list Departments and the view that has 1 field showing, which in our practice example is the default All Items view: In the second Permitted forms tab, select only the View items option as shown below: In the Access control tab be sure to carefully apply all settings below.

Turn OFF Allow hosted forms. (This isn't for a public form.)
Turn OFF the reCAPTCHA option. (This isn't for a public form.)
ADD your ROOT SharePoint URL to indicate that this data connection is allowed across of of your SharePoint environment.
Click the first Save button, then click the 2nd Save button to save your Data Connection.

Adding Lookup

Go back to the main Ultimate Forms settings page and select External data lookup in the Columns section:

Add a new field named Department using Source type Data connection.
Select the Data connectionwhich we just created in the previous step.
Select the four toggle options in the bottom exactly as shown.
- Select key values from dropdown - shows the columns as a dropdown instead of a free text entry.
- Preload all key values - makes sure all options are available when the form initially loads. The alternative is to allow auto-complete functionality, which is helpful in larger lists.
- Hide get button - without the Get button, you just need to select the value from the dropdown. It works the same as regular lookup columns.
- Show values in separate columns - this option controls if all values are shown in one column or split between a set of separate columns. As we only have one column in our source view, we should show it in separate columns. It prevents the value from including column headers.
Ensure all other options are disabled.

Now you can save your column and add it to your form in Form Designer. Note that you could also create columns directly from Form Designer if you wish.
Test your functionality to see your new cross-site lookup field in action.

Conclusion

Now you have something handy that allows you to not repeat data in lookup lists on multiple sites. We need a Microsoft 365 Administrator to help us create the initial data connection. Afterwards regular users can update the lookup list data as needed at any time after the initial setup. As you can imagine, a lot of great opportunities exist here. Common scenarios for lists that would be useful across all SharePoint include:

Departments
Locations
Products
Divisions
Buildings
Building Rooms
Makes / Models of equipment

Enjoy working with your SharePoint!

Side-by-side labels in Modern forms

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, June 15, 2023

Hi, Since the initial release of Modern forms a few years ago, we made sure the forms look and work great on any device, from a giant desktop screen, down to the smallest cellphone. Our forms are responsive by design and automatically adjust their size and even layout to accomodate the current screen real estate. Our customers use the same forms both at the office and on the go, without any need for adjustments. Up until now, we only allowed column labels to be placed above the columns, as it's the most logical layout for responsive forms and it's the general tendency in all modern forms everywhere. But we also received multiple requests to allow placing labels beside the columns. Classic forms used this layouts and I guess old habits refuse to die. Although it was possible to imitate that placement with Containers and Fragments, it wasn't the best solution, as various rules and permissions had to be applied separately to labels and columns, adding work and complexity. We are now adding support for side-by-side labels, as simple as a single toggle. In Form Designer, click on Styles in the toolbar, then switch to Style tab. Here at the top you can see the new option. As you can see, once you activate the new mode, you can also specify how wide the labels should be, just adjust it according to your actual forms labels. And while you are here, take a look at the other styling and theming options, which will help you create amazing looking forms in no time! Once you publish your form, you can immediately see the result: As easy as it should be! And when you view the same form on a very small screen (below 480px width, such as on a cellphone), the form will automatically adjust itself and place the labels above, as well as replacing tabs with expanding sections (accordions), to make the form much simpler to use. Another feature you can leverage now, enjoy!

Trigger Power Automate Flow using Ultimate Forms

Will Cooper — Friday, May 26, 2023

Power Automate is a powerful workflow tool that is a vital part of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. Many of our customers use Ultimate Forms Actions in combination with Power Automate Flows as a part of their solutions. One thing you might wonder is this: How can you trigger a Power Automate Flow based on a specific form update in SharePoint? There are two methods that we will cover in this article.

The first method is to use an HTTP Request Flow along with a corresponding Call application or service action in Ultimate Forms.
The second method involves using the Get Changes for an ItemFlow block in Power Automate to detect specific field changes when an item is modified.

If you use Power Automate, in your SharePoint solutions, you will want to learn how to use both methods.

Flow HTTP Request Method

In Ultimate Forms, there is a new option available when using the Call application or service action. To begin, start out your action as shown: To do the next steps, you will create a new Flow using the When a HTTP request is received method in Power Automate. (Note that this type of Flow action requires a Per-user plan subscription from Microsoft for the user creating the Flow. You can find out more about Power Automate licensing here: https://powerautomate.microsoft.com/en-us/pricing/) Here is example code in which two parameters will be passed to the Flow "License" and "Template" which are two text fields in our SharePoint list.

{
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
        "License": {
            "type": "string"
        },
        "Template": {
            "type": "string"
        }
    }
}

You should build your own JSON code according to your own field names and field types.

Once the flow is triggered, you can use the passed values in the rest of your Flow as shown:

In Ultimate Forms, you are now ready to enter the configuration for your action. Select Power Automate for the Application type. Now copy and past the HTTP Post URL to the action and enter parameters as shown: Adjust the conditions according to trigger that you want to kick off the flow.

Get Changes for Item Method

The second method relies on conditions defined in your Flow and does not require a Power Automate Per User Plan license. In Power Automate, create a Flow using the "When an Item or File is Modified" trigger. In the second flow block, add a Get changes for an item or a fileflow block. Use Trigger Window Start Token and Trigger Window End Token for the last two fields as shown. Now you can check whether a specific update has occurred in the form. In the provided example a Yes / No field is checked to see if it has been updated using the "Has changed" option: Note that you can define whatever conditions you want in your Flow. You could use an action in Ultimate Forms to trigger an update to a special field which you create just for this purpose. For example, you could add a Yes / No column "Approval Request" (as shown above) which is ready only in the form and set by a special button which you create in your form which sets the value to yes. You can detect that change using the method defined above. Note that it is recommend to make this Flow more efficient by using a Trigger Condition which restricts the Flow to run ONLY when a field has a specific value. In this way, the Flow won't run every single time the list record is modified. A more detailed explanation and walkhrough of this method is demonstrated in the below video on the SharePoint Smart YouTube Channel here:

Image manipulation action in Ultimate Forms

Vladi Gubler — Friday, April 21, 2023

Introduction

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms helps you automate a wide variety of common scenarios inside and outside SharePoint. And the best part is you do not need to be a developer and you need not to know how to program workflows. With Actions, you simply pick the action you need, configure its settings (no JSON required) and specify when you want it to run. Save the action and it's ready to run!

Edit Images Action

One of the most recent additions to the Actions component of Ultimate Forms: Edit Images action type. Using this action type, you can easily automate image manipulation in your lists and document libraries. We support the following automated image processing operations:

Resize - change the image to dynamically specified dimensions, optionally preserving proportions (aspect ratio).
Crop - cut out the important part out of the image, using dynamically specified position and size.
Rotate - rotate the image using dynamically specified angle.
Flip - flip the image vertically or horizontally.
Straighten - automatically identify potential vertical lines and rotate the image accordingly.
Adjust - change brightness, contrast and color gamma.
Grayscale - remove color from image.
Sharpen - automatically sharpen the image.
Smoothen - remove small details for a smoother image.
Blur - use Gaussian blur algorithm on the image.
Change background color - automatically detect background and replace it with a provided color.
Watermark - automatically add dynamically specified text inside the image (the rest of the blog demoes this process).
Add logo - embed the specified logo image inside the main image.

You can run the action on both SharePoint list item attachments and images in image/document library. You also have a few options of what to do with the resulting image:

Replace the original - you will still have the previous version saved in the version history of the image file.
Place beside the original (with a new name) - usually you would add a new suffix to the image file name.
Upload to a SharePoint document library of your choosing (including dynamically determined site/list).

You can also choose to save the image in a variety of file formats. We support all major image file formats, as well as HTML, PDF, AutoCAD, etc.

A Quick Demo

In my demo, I will use a combination of image file and a Location column in its properties. Once you select the location on the map and set, SharePoint will automatically trigger the action in the background. It will then create a full address from the location and embed it in the top left corner of the image. The updated image will then replace the original one. So all we need to do is create a new action that runs on Item is modified. The action will then monitor changes to the Location column. Once a user sets a value in this column, the action embeds the address inside the image.

Action Configuration

What makes Actions easy and sets them apart from traditional workflows, such as Power Automate, is that you don't need to create a flowchart. You create and deploy each action separately, with its own triggers and conditions. Action do not interfere with each other and simply run in sequence, controlled by their conditions. In my case, I'm using both a trigger (under the General tab) and conditions (under the Conditions tab). All action types have identical configuration on all tabs, except Action tab, which is unique to each action type. Actions require no programming and no complex JSON-based configuration. Most action can run on any number of items in any list and in any site. By default, actions will run on the current item (the item that triggers the action). But you can easily set almost any action to run on any list and any SharePoint site. You can even use runtime value to specify the site and/or list dynamically. The system will calculate the dynamic value at runtime, based on column values of the current item.

Create a new Edit images action. The important parts here are the action type and the event type.
Under Conditions add "after change" condition that checks the Location column and makes sure it's not empty. The "after change" setting ensures that the action is only triggered when the value is actually changed. In our case, it only runs when the location changes from being empty to a value.
Now the interesting part. Under Action settings specify what the action should actually do.
First of all, under Affected items it says ID=[ID], that makes it run on the current item (the item that triggered the action). This selects the image that triggered the action.
I set Target to Replace; the new image will replace the old one. As I mentioned earlier, you have several different options here.
Under Text I assembled the full address out of the various sub-properties of the Location column. It is an easy task using our integrated Value Builder.
Then I specified font and location properties. I also chose to leave the image in its original format (not shown).
Save the action and it is ready to run on next form submission.
Upload an image, open its properties and set location. In about a minute the image will be automatically updated to include the address.

Conclusion

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms makes many common tasks easy to accomplish, even for non-technical people. With the image manipulation action, you can take advantage of sophisticated, yet easy to use common image editing operations.

Action buttons in SharePoint alerts

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, March 7, 2023

Introduction

Ultimate Forms is all about streamlining and speeding up business processes. It does so by removing unnecessary, time-consuming steps, whereby improving productivity. One of our latest addition is Action Buttons inside email alerts. Using these, your email recipients can start actions and run business processes right from the email messages. These messages are sent by our Alerts module. Without these buttons the users would have to go through a multistep process:

Open a web browser
Navigate to the SharePoint list
Manually locate the list item
Open in Edit form and update the list item

As you can see, quite a few steps here. And each steps carries the possiblities of human errors. That's one of the things we are trying to prevent by implementing easy one click solutions.

One of the most obvious uses for action buttons is, of course, approvals. In this case you would place Approve and Reject buttons found directly in the email. This is what I'm demoing below. But any action or action group can be triggered. You can select from a wide variety of actions we provide in the Actions module. These action can perform operation within and outside SharePoint. For example, managing permissions, creating sites, calling 3rd party applications and many others. And as always, we put great effort to deliver this immense power to you in the simplest and most convenient fashion. In my demo today, I will be implementing a process where a user creates an item in a list. This then triggers an email being sent to the manager (same person for demo purposes). Inside the email there are two buttons, Approve and Reject. When the user click either one, it will immediately set the Approval column to either Approved or Rejected.

Let's build together

The following steps require no previous knowledge. All you need is to have Ultimate Forms installed. You can do it through the Try Now Free button anywhere within this site. Once installed, you will find the Design button on any list or document library within your sites. This is your entry point for Ultimate Forms.

Create a form

Start with a simple Custom list, then add a Choice column to it with options: Pending (default), Approved and Rejected.
Click on Design to open Ultimate Forms.
Next click on Form Designer to generate a new modern form for the list. Make sure to exclude Approval column (or make it hidden or read-only in New form). You can read more about permission rules here.

As you can see, I only have Title column, I'm keeping this demo as simple as possible.
Publish and let's proceed to the Actions module.

Actions

Add a new Update List Item action and call it Approve.

Make sure to uncheck all event types, we only want it to be triggered from the email.
Under Action settings, set Approval to Approved, nothing else need to be changed.
Save the action and create another one for Reject, the only difference being the value being set for Approval.

Alerts

Next we need to add a new alert.
Under Recipients I set To field to Created By column. I only did it so for testing purposes, just because I want whoever is testing the process to receive the email.
Under When to send make sure only Item is added is selected. Next, switch to Mail Templates and click on Add column or button.
We need to add two buttons here, one for Approve and one for Reject. Once they are ready, we can place them inside the email body. Click on Add new button to start.
Enter the label (the text that appears on the button) and select the appropriate action from the two we just created. You can also control how the button looks like.
And do the same for Reject
Notice Require users to log in toggle. When it's on, it can only be pressed by an authenticated user, which is the default in most cases. But in some cases you want to send the alert to someone outside of your organization and want them to run the action. For example, a doctor's office might want to use it to let patients confirm their appointments. In such cases, the toggle must be off.
Let's design the body of the alert the way we want it. Next place the buttons within by setting the mouse cursor where the button should go, then double-clicking the button name. By default, each button will occupy its own row. If you want to place multiple buttons in one row, add a table and put each button in a different table cell. Make sure to activate "Min size" option on the table to prevent it from taking up the whole width of the screen.
Save your alert.

Testing the result

Now we are ready to test.

Add a new item to our list.
In a minute or so you will receive an email.
Click on Approve. It will open a page in your browser, showing the execution progress.
Success!

As you can see, it literally take 5 minutes to implement this business process, but there is no limit to what you can accomplish!

Conclusion

Ultimate Forms makes it easy to implement action buttons in email alerts. With this button you can make it simple for your user to perform operations on SharePoint list items and document directly from their email client.

Empowering HR Managers and Practitioners with Easy-to-Use SharePoint Solutions

Amir Shingray — Monday, March 6, 2023

Throughout March, we are excited to share HR solutions that can be developed using ULTIMATEFORMS and SharePoint without requiring coding expertise. Whether you want to streamline employee candidacy processes and improve onboarding, training, or evaluation procedures, our tools can help you achieve your goals efficiently. Stay tuned to our blog page and social platforms for webinars, tutorials, and case studies showcasing how our HR solutions can benefit your organization. At Infowise, our core mission is to empower non-developers; managers, general practitioners, and business analysts by providing powerful tools to help them create customized solutions quickly and easily. We understand that the world of HR management can be complex, with ever-changing regulations and evolving employee needs. That's why our solutions for this sector are designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, allowing end-users to create powerful and practical solutions regardless of their technical skills. By eliminating the need for complex, time-consuming, and costly development processes, we allow HR professionals to focus on what they do best: creating a more efficient and productive workplace for their employees.

Ultimate Forms for SharePoint

Before we go into the HR processes, here is a little intro about ULTIMATEFORMS; ULTIMATEFORMS for SharePoint is a platform that provides businesses with user-friendly tools to improve their workflow processes using SharePoint and Microsoft 365 without requiring any coding experience. With ULTIMATEFORMS, you can quickly set up workflows, automate data entry processes, and create customized forms tailored to your business needs. All this can be done without the need to write any code. The platform is designed to simplify and enhance business processes, enabling businesses to be more productive and efficient.

Transform Your HR Workflow with Our Advanced SharePoint Solutions

Transforming the way you recruit top talent, our interactive and intuitive SharePoint site offers an advanced HR recruitment process. With the option to begin the process by either forwarding CVs via email or adding an item to the recruitment list, the process is designed with ease and flexibility in mind.

Recruitment process in five comprehensive stages, including:

Our comprehensive recruitment process includes an HR Recruiter, Technical Interview, HR Interview, Division Approval, and HR Final Approval. Each covers the necessary steps to ensure the best candidate is selected for the job. With the HR Recruiter stage consisting of four sub-stages using a wizard mode form, the recruitment process becomes more efficient and effective, allowing businesses to streamline their hiring decisions. From assessing a candidate's qualifications and technical skills to evaluating their soft skills and cultural fit, our recruitment process covers all the necessary aspects of the hiring process to ensure that the right candidate is selected for the job. Our system also includes automatic rejection letters and job offers as a PDF file, streamlining the communication process. Stay up-to-date with email notifications at any stage, while color-coded items on the recruitment list allow for easy tracking of the current stage of the process.

Download a Free Recruitment Solution

Our SharePoint solutions are free. We do not believe these solutions are built to cover all your business's unique requirements. However, we understand that each business has unique requirements and challenges that our solutions in this basic format may not fully address. However, we are confident that our tool can serve as a malleable foundation upon which you can introduce and build a more tailored solution that addresses those needs.

Resources

Templates

Tutorials

Webinars

Join Infowise’s webinars to learn directly from experts about real-world use cases, including automation for HR and custom workflows. Watch live or on-demand here: Infowise Webinars.

Training

Conclusion

In conclusion, we believe that our SharePoint HR Solutions can be a valuable tool for HR professionals and departments seeking to streamline their operations and improve overall efficiency. While we cannot guarantee that our solutions will meet all your business's unique requirements, we trust that with your industry-specific knowledge and expertise, you can take our solution to the next level and create a customized HR solution that perfectly suits your needs without having to write a single line of code.

Build Your Own Offline PDF Forms for Automatic Import to SharePoint

Will Cooper — Monday, February 6, 2023

Introduction

In a world where the internet seems all around us and we use it all the time, it is easy to forget that there are still many situations where users do not have an internet connection. For organizations that need to provide forms to be filled out offline, it has seemed like a dead end scenario. Luckily with the new functionality released in Ultimate Forms, a solution path just became available. Web based forms should remain your go to when trying to provide the best possible user experience, but combining the ability to also use offline forms will help facilitate users as a fallback solution in those scenarios where a connection to the internet isn't always possible.

Offline Forms

To start, let's describe what we're trying to accomplish: We want to distribute forms to users that they can download to their device (computers, tablets or phones) which can be filled out when they are not connected to the internet.

Form Generation

You can optionally use our Print component of Ultimate Forms to generate the fillable PDF. You can even automate the whole process using an Action. An action will generate the PDF and send to the user's email. The user will then open the attached document, fill it out and send back to be imported. This way you can also include preliminary data in the PDF. Users will be able to change any value, as needed.

Emailing the Form

The key part to this process is the custom submit button which you will set to send an email to a special email address used later for import. This also sets the subject line on the email automatically. Here is a sample URL: mailto:forms@YOURORGANIZATION.com?subject=IMPORT CUSTOMER CONTACT When the user clicks the button, the PDF is automatically attached to a new email which is created in the email client along with the designated subject line. The user can repeatedly use this same form to make new submissions at any time. (Note that you should also add a "Clear" button as shown in the video.) When the user reconnects to the internet, the email in their outbox is sent automatically to the email address. Now we are ready to set up some magic in SharePoint. This is where Ultimate Forms comes in!

Import Profile

In Ultimate Forms, you will set up a new import profile using the Import from an editable PDF attachment option. You simply need to upload your form to the import profile and it will automatically detect the fields in the PDF. In the import profile, you can easily map your PDF fields to the fields in your SharePoint list. Make sure to set a condition to filter based on the subject line text. This ensures that the import is only attempted on the specific form that you have set up. (See the "mailto" link above!) If you don't already have a special email for inbound traffic, it is quite easy to set up. You should set up a new user account with an email like this: "forms@yourorganization.com". This account only needs an Exchange license (email only) which is relatively inexpensive on a month-to-month basis. Be sure to reference the article preceding this one which includes key technical information about the new funtionality: » Update SharePoint List Data When You're Offline Watch the video below to see all the key steps and watch the process in action:

Update SharePoint list data when you're offline

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, January 31, 2023

Hi, It's 2023 and mobile Internet connection is ubiquitous. But still there are cases when you need to be able to enter data into your SharePoint lists when you are offline. Until now, there were no good option that allowed you to do it easily, without installing complicated apps and learning to work in new ways. With the addition of editable PDFs to the Print component of Ultimate Forms, the offline form capability is now within your reach. By combining Print, Actions and Import components, we can configure the following in just a few minutes:

Automatically generate an editable PDF document based on a list item and send it to the user.
The user opens the PDF from the email on their mobile device and makes the necessary changes to data, while remaining offline.
Once done, the updated document is emailed back (the email application will send it automatically once the user comes back online of course).
Import component will monitor the email account and automatically import the email. The updated information will be used to automatically update the list item.

That's it, no new software is needed and any mobile device will work just fine! Let's see how it can be configured:

Create a list with the columns you want. I'm creating a simple address verification list.
Create a modern form for the list. It's straightforward and not required, so I won't be expanding here.
Create a print template.
Make sure the enable Create editable PDF under PDF section. This will ensure all column values are editable.
Now let's create an action that will print the entered item and send it to the email address entered. Basically, once the user enters their details, a confirmation/verification email including the editable PDF is sent to them. Note that I'm enabling Item is added event to send automatically when an item is created.
And I'm also enable the Manual execution option, just in case.
Under the Action settings, I'm specifying the print template I just created.
And I'm configuring how the email is going to look like and where it's going to be sent.
As you can see, I'm sending it to the Email column value. The subject line is set to contain the unique ID of the item, it will extracted when importing and used to identify which item to update with the new info.
The sending part is done, now let's configure the import profile.
Enable Import from editable PDF attachment option and upload the PDF file. You can create a sample PDF by entering an item into the list with your details, the PDF will be emailed to you!
Now let's map the list columns to the columns in the PDF.
The important part here is the condition under Item which compares the item's unique ID with the ID we extract from the subject line of the email. The Extract function basically takes whatever comes after ID: in the subject line. I also added a condition to only import email with a certain subject line, that is optional, but as I'm using my own email address for testing purposes, I don't want it to try and import all the emails I receive!
And we are done!

Now let's test it!

I enter a new item into the list with my details.
After a minute or so I get an email with a PDF attachment.
I open the attachment and make some changes to the data.
Then I save the document, reply to the email and attach it
Once the import runs (and it runs every 15 min), it picks up the email and updates the list item.
Note the updated ZIP code!

And that's how easy it is to implement offline functionality with Ultimate Forms!

Securely updating data via External forms in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Monday, January 23, 2023

Introduction

External forms are one of the most compelling features of Ultimate Forms (and there are so many!). By using these public forms, you can access any SharePoint list as an external user. And most importantly you do it in a simple, but secure fashion. You can send forms to your partners, customers or suppliers. The information enters directly into your internal SharePoint list. You can then print it, create reports, assign tasks or attach alerts. Basically using the full range of SharePoint's and Ultimate Forms' capabilities.

External Form Overview

The external forms can hosted by us (easy!) or embedded on a page within your external website (just a tad more complicated). When people submit these forms, the information goes directly into the SharePoint list. But how do we make sure it's secure and we do not expose your precious data to the world? Well, the form never actually interacts with SharePoint directly. It interacts with our special web interface, which examines every requests and determines that it is legitimate. External users can only ever access the forms that you marked as external. And even then you control which capabilities to allow. For instance, you might want to only allow New forms, but not Display or Edit).

Updating Existing Items

When you only want users to submit new data, the whole process is easy and straightforward. You simply allow New form on your list, send out a link and that's it. New form has no access to existing items. So you don't need to consider what happens if users try to read what they are not supposed to. But we have a solution for that as well! You can edit existing items in a safe and secure way. Users will ever be able to view the permitted items. For each item we will generate a unique ID. This ID is complex enough to make it impossible to guess and you can only open the form using that ID. The form URL contains both form and item IDs and both of them are GUIDs (global unique identifier). The number of possible combination approaches the number of atoms in the whole observable Universe. You would agree is rather high!

Step-by-step Demo

In my demo I will create a public external form. External users initially fill it out. Then later they can update the information using a special link. We will call the form Address Info and it's a simple address collection and correction form. We plan to let people outside your organization fill it out. These could be clients, members, partners, and so on.

List and Form

The core of the functionality is a SharePoint list. Once we create the list, we will enter Ultimate Forms using the Design button on its toolbar. Then we will use Form Designer to create a form for it and enable external form functionality.

I created a simple list with the following columns:
Next, I opened our Form Designer and created a form for the list:
I wasn't lazy and even created a special Thank You page to be shown when the form is submitted:
Of course, you can invest a bit more in the design of it :)
Next, I enabled External form functionality:
Note that I enabled all form types. Click on the copy button next to New and Edit links and paste them in Notepad, we will use them soon. As you see, I used the Hosted form option and the URL leads to a page on the Infowise website, but you also embed it on your own page, using the provided script.
Publish the form.

Alert

We will need to create an alert to send the special edit link to our user. Without it, it will be impossible to edit the list item.

Enter Alerts component and click to create a new alert.
First, we need to make some changes to the recipients. Delete yourself and add Email column instead:
That will ensure the alert is sent to the email that was entered into the form.
Next, under What to send, ensure the alert is sent on Item is added only:
And last, configure the subject and body of the email of the alert:
Make sure to use the link button on the toolbar and pasting the Edit form URL as the link URL. The link contains a token that will be replaced by the actual item's unique ID when sending.
Save the alert and you're done.

So easy, right? Let's try it out!

Testing it out

First open the New form link. The form is empty, fill it out and submit. Use your real email so you can get the notification.
In a minute or two an email will arrive:
Click on the link within the email, you can now see the information you submitted earlier and can make changes:

Note the two GUIDs in the URL. Their combination uniquely identifies the item. It is impossible to simply guess it, the number of options is truly astronomical! As you can see, it is so easy to create a secure external form and start collecting your data directly inside your SharePoint list. Enjoy!

New features in PDF and Word conversion

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, January 17, 2023

Introduction

Ultimate Forms' Print component allows you to print out and export your SharePoint list items in the layout and format of your own design. This helps you create and distribute documents with ease, directly from your SharePoint sites. You can configure one or more print templates and those will serve as the basis for the resulting print-out. One of the most important features is the ability to generate PDF and MS Word documents. These are two of the most important document formats in the world today. Word and PDF conversions have been a part of our product for quite some time now. Today we are happy to announce that we are rolling out a number of improvements, some of them based on the direct customer feedback.

Word templates

We thrive to simplify the process of defining the document layout as much as possible. The easiest way for most user is by the way of Word templates. By simply creating a regular Word documents, users are able to create the template. The only difference is that instead of actual values you include SharePoint column names surrounded by double square brackets. Simply create a regular Word document (.docx file) with your column names placed instead of actual values. Then, when you create a print template, upload the word document into the template. The Print module will then use the template whenever it generates a document:

On-screen preview and sending directly to the printer
Export in Word format
Export in PDF format
Export in Excel format. In this case we will simply extract the column names from within the Word template and use them to generate an Excel document.
Send email - the Word document will be generated and then attached to the email in PDF format (or included directly in the email body, it's your choice).

As you can see, using Word as a template is simple and effective, especially for non-technical users. Everyone has at least some experience creating a Word document!

Repeating Sections in Word Templates

When your list contains one or more Associated Items columns, those repeating section can also be added to your Word or PDF output. Simply include the column name in double square brackets, exactly like any other column type. By default, we will render a simple table inside your Word document. When you prefer to use your own styling, you can create a Word template for that section as well. Create a Word document with your table formatted just the way you want it. As always, you should include column names surrounded by double square brackets. Just create one row for the values, below the header row. We will reuse that sample row for all data rows. Then go to your child SharePoint list and create a List print template. Upload your Word template into your print template. It will now be used for including the repeating section when printing the parent item.

Word Document Preview

Our latest release will now use Word templates not just for document generation, but also for preview and for sending directly to the printer. When you click on your Print button on any SharePoint list or document library, we will check if the print template contains a Word template. If so, we will generate the Word document and then present it on screen. This way you can know for sure how your document is going to look like even before you create it.

PDF Merge

Our latest print template type is PDF Merge. When you use this type, only document and attachments (including regular attachments, document links and Associated documents) are used. The only available output type will be PDF. The resulting PDF document will contain a merge of all the documents and attachments selected for printing. It can contain attachments from one or more documents or even all all the documents/list items included in the view. The source documents of the following types can be merged:

PDF
Word documents
Image files: PNG, JPEG, GIF, BMP

The resulting document will contain all the source documents placed in the order they appear in the view or in the attachments of the particular item.

Automation

As with almost all the features of Ultimate Forms, you can automate Print with our Actions. When you use our Print list items action, you can specify which items you want to print. You can also specify the sorting rules for the documents to ensure the resulting PDF contains them in the correct order. You can select any existing Print templates that are shared with all users. Personal print templates will not appear for selection. Note that all print template is by default shared. When you use a print template of PDF merge type, only documents and attachments are used, as described in the previous section. SharePoint list items with no attachments will be ignored. Also, the output type for these templates is always PDF. Therefore the output type selector is hidden for these templates. The resulting document can then be automatically emailed, stored in a document library or added as an attachments to the current item. You can specify the file name, which can be dynamic, based on the current item's column values.

Conclusion

Ultimate Forms is an advanced, yet easy to use tool for document generation. You can print your SharePoint lists and export SharePoint data in a variety of formats. It requires no special technical knowledge, so even regular users are able to take advantage of it.

Understanding Dynamic Forms in SharePoint - Native Forms vs. Customized Forms

Amir Shingray — Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Introduction

Before we dive into this topic, I want to help those of you here for SharePoint forms. You can find resources to address your specific business challenge. To keep this content fresh and updated, I want to share three great SharePoint form customization resources. These are by Vladi Gubler, the CTO at Infowise.

If you're looking to enhance your forms with intuitive layouts, sleek styling, and cutting-edge AI tools, don’t miss Introduction to Layout and Rules on Smart SharePoint Forms, How to Style Your SharePoint Forms, and Generate SharePoint Forms with AI. These posts explore practical techniques and new technologies. They help turn your SharePoint forms into easy-to-use, attractive, and AI-powered solutions. These solutions are great for any organization that wants to improve its workflows.
Powerful dynamic forms: your modern business solutions start with powerful yet easy-to-use forms created directly in your browser without a single line of code.
Pre-configured business solutions: browse our growing library of pre-built forms and business solutions, install them in your own environment, and then use and modify them for free.

SharePoint native forms vs. custom SharePoint dynamic forms

In the context of SharePoint, a form is a page or document that contains fields for user input, such as text boxes, dropdown lists, and checkboxes. A dynamic form is a form that can change its appearance or behavior in response to user input or other events. For example, a dynamic form might hide or show specific fields based on the values entered by the user, or it might enable or disable certain buttons based on the user's permissions. Dynamic forms can be created in SharePoint using various tools, Microsoft's apps such as Power Apps, Microsoft Forms, custom code, and third-party tools like our own Ultimate Forms. Out-of-the-box SharePoint forms may not always be the best solution for businesses, depending on their specific needs and requirements. SharePoint native forms are fairly basic and do not have many customization options. They can be sufficient for simple data entry and retrieval tasks but may not provide enough flexibility or functionality for more complex or sophisticated use cases. For example, SharePoint basic forms may not offer the ability to hide or show fields based on user input or other conditions or to use custom layout templates. They also do not provide many options for customizing the appearance or behavior of forms, such as adding custom buttons or actions. As a result, businesses that need more advanced or dynamic forms may need to look for alternative solutions, such as Infowise Ultimate Forms or other third-party add-ons. However, it is also worth noting that SharePoint native forms can be a good choice for businesses that do not require a lot of customization and need an essential solution for collecting and storing data. In these cases, using SharePoint native forms can be a quick and easy way to start with SharePoint and may be a more cost-effective option than other solutions.

Adding dynamism to SharePoint Forms with Infowise Ultimate Forms

Infowise Ultimate Forms is an add-on for SharePoint. One of its leading capabilities is allowing users to create dynamic custom forms within SharePoint. It provides a range of features that can be used to customize the appearance and behavior of SharePoint forms, including the ability to:

Expandable form sections based on user input
Conditionally display and hide columns and other form elements based on status, user role, or user inputs
Set up cascading lookup columns to show filtered options
Auto-fill form fields using dynamic rules, streamlining form updates
Embed formatted help sections to guide users
Create custom validation rules for every scenario
Control the form design easily with simple-to-use options
Set up forms with easy configuration and NO CUSTOM CODE

By using Infowise Ultimate Forms, users can create dynamic forms that are more interactive and tailored to their specific needs. This can improve the usability and effectiveness of SharePoint forms and make it easier for users to enter and update data.

Print your Custom Form to PDF without a Print Template

Will Cooper — Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Print templates and related output can sometimes be quite challenging. Especially with highly customized forms. In this post we'll look at another great option for printing which may help you save a lot of time while getting exactly what you need. First - let's review the regular print options at a high level:

A Simple Print Template allows you to put together a basic design by selecting fields and adding section headers. It's fast and easy, but the print output is basic and cannot be specially formatted.
An Advanced Print Template allows you to put together a sophisticated template which can be highly configured for precise formatting and output. This is powerful and applicable in situations where you need to get precise output to match a pre-existing format. In many cases this may involve using custom HTML and CSS along with tables to get the output to match your precise requirements. It's possible to achieve a precise goal, but it can be time consuming to get there. Coding may be required!
Word Templates are a much more user friendly option and generally the best option to produce advanced custom print layouts. This allows you to create a Word Document and format it exactly the way you want. You can simply reference your fields using square brackets like this: [Title]

These options give you a good variety of approaches to get the print output that you need. Now let's talk about an additional approach that offers advantages and may save you some time and effort. There are some drawbacks with print templates which we might want to overcome:

With a highly customized form it may be desirable to match the form in your print output, but this is difficult and requires double work in that you have to repeat your formatting to reproduce the format in your print template.
Forms often have rules to show or hide sections that are not applicable based on certain conditions. Print templates don't include this same logic. This may lead to showing sections in a print template with no data or having to develop multiple print templates to accomodate for these different situations.
Print templates can be quite time consuming in the case of advanced forms. That means the work might just not get done at all.

An additional alternative approach is to use your browser print command It sounds simple, but you can get the output you need and spend only a little bit of time setting it up. The basic idea is to direct users to the display form and use the browser print command on that screen. You do need to make adjustments, but luckily these are simple and easily to repeat. We'll walk through the steps below, but first we need to address limitations to this specific approach:

Everything must be visible all at once on your form. Tabbed forms are not compatible because content remains hidden. If you are using an accordion control ensure that the Collapsable setting is disabled so that all sections are in view.
Users need to apply some simple settings in the print dialog to get the desired output.
This type of printing cannot be automated. The user must execute the print command manually.

Now let's get to this good stuff! The first thing we need to do is provide a button which directs users to the display form. You can create a text field called "Print" then add a View Button using this free template: https://sharepointdashboards.com/PRE/?t2 You can set the button to include any text you want and even pick a custom icon. It could say "PRINT" or "PDF" or similar, but the only purpose of the button is to send users to the display form. Now we need to add some print instructions to be shown on the of the display form screen to tell users what to do: You can reuse this description or adjust as needed: SAVE FORM TO PDF FOLLOWING THESE STEPS IN GOOGLE CHROME: 1. CTRL + P to open print dialog. 2. In Destination select Save as PDF. 3. Expand More Settings. 4. Under Options uncheck Headers and footers. 5. Under Options check Background graphics. 6. Click Save This section should be setup with these settings:

Set a permissions rule to show it only on the display form.
Assign a CSS class name of print-instructions to the container

Next, select "ToolBar" and disable "Show Toolbar" in the command menu. This is required in order to prevent this part of the UI from appearing in the print output. Now we need to add some CSS to hide the print instructions and buttons on the print output: @media print{.buttonBar, .print-instructions{display: none !important;}} And that should be it! Here is a summary of what we accomplished with this approach to printing:

You do not have to create any print template at all using this approach.
This allows you to get print output of the display form exactly as it appears in your browser.
The special instructions at the top of the form ensure that users know how to print.
The special CSS entry will suppress the form buttons and print instructions from appearing in your output.
What you see is what you get. Your print output should match exactly what you see on screen.

This approach has limitations and won't accomodate certain scenarios like tabbed forms, but is it a viable additional approach which can benefit you in the case that you need custom print output that matches what users see in the form. So now you have an additional useful way to facilitate printing with your custom forms.

Designing alert mail templates is now easier!

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, December 15, 2022

Hi, The Alerts component of Ultimate Forms provides powerful alerting and notification capabilities with a wide variety of options and features, helping you ensure you can deliver timely, customizable and relevant messages. One of the main features is the ability to easily configure your own email templates, providing just the right design and information, which makes Alerts a great tool for many business scenarios. For instance, you can easily use it for communicating with your partners and customers (which is something we do extensively here at Infowise). We provide you with the ability to create and re-use different templates, as well as the ability for administrators to share common templates with all users. You can even use multiple templates with the same alert, depending on when it's sent (one template for when items are created and another for when they are modified). However we realized that this wealth of options and flexibilty comes with a price. It's bit too complex to create a simple alert with a unique design. You have to separately create a template and an alert and then link them together. Just a lot of steps and then you're also left with a bunch of templates you only use for a single alert. This really wasn't the intention when we designed the product. And this is why we are now introducing the ability to configure email format directly within the alert, without creating a separate mail template. The old mail templates are still there and you can still use them (in fact, there are many scenarios where they would be the preferable option). We added a new switch on Mail Templates tab of Alerts.

Configure for alert (default) - you specify the email format directly inside the alert. No separate mail template gets created and the whole process contains fewer steps. However, only one format is supported, so if you want New and Edit to send different messages, this solution is not for you (you can always create them as separate alerts though).
Link reusable templates - same as it worked before, you select from predefined templates created by you or an administrator. Also access the template creation/editing pop-up.

Built-in templates contain the same exact features as reusable templates, except for the abilty to reuse and share. You do not have to make any changes to your existing alerts, they will just continue working the same way as before. So when to use which? Generally, if your alert needs to have its own look, just define the email format within the alert itself. It's easy and is now the default option. But when you have many similar looking alerts on multiple lists or you want to ensure a certain branding standard, reusable alerts are the way to go. I would recommend an administrator to create a set and share with everyone, it will save a lot of time. Hope you enjoy the new feature!

Advanced import options for Exchange Online

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Introduction

Import is able to import emails from Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online) without any complex configurations, by simply providing a permissions grant. But in some cases, your environment might require custom settings. You will have to configure advanced mode settings if the following apply to you:

You are running an on-premises version of Ultimate Forms
You are running a standalone version of Ultimate Forms
You are running a Salesforce app version of Ultimate Forms
You want to import from a tenant that is not your current one
You want to configure your own custom permission settings

Normally, Ultimate Forms will use an Entra ID (Azure AD) enterprise app provided by us. This app will grant it access to Exchange Online in your tenant via Microsoft Graph API. The app, named Infowise Ultimate Forms: Import, is granted access to read and write emails in all mailboxes of your tenant. A global administrator in your organization can grant this permission:

Upon installation of Ultimate Forms via Global Settings -> Import
Upon creation of first import profile that uses Microsoft 365 email provider.

The administrator can then also limit which specific email accounts will be allowed to import from, for an additional level of security. When you configure access in the advanced mode, you are required to create your own enterprise application and provide its settings to the import profile. The enterprise app is created on the tenant from which you are planning to import. It can be any tenant, not necessarily your own, as long as you have administrative access to it.

Creating Enterprise App

Log into the Entra ID (Azure AD) administration site. You can access it from the general admin page or directly via URL: https://entra.microsoft.com/.
In the left menu, click on Applications, then on App registrations.
In the toolbar, click on New registration.
Enter a meaningful name and click Register.
Click on API permissions, then Add permission.
Click on Microsoft Graph, then Application permissions.
Scroll down to Mail section and expand it.
Check Mail.Read permission. If you are planning to allow Import to delete messages from the server, check Mail.ReadWrite instead (optional).
Click on Add permissions at the bottom.
Click on Grant admin consent to approve the permissions for the tenant. Application permissions are granted once and allow an application to gain access at any time, without user interaction.
Click on Certificates and secrets to configure how the application is going to be accessed by Ultimate Forms. You can choose from two options:
- Certificates (recommended) - upload a certificate, which will then be configured in the import profile. Read more regarding configuring certificates in the next section below.
- Client secrets - similar to passwords, secrets are simpler to configure, but not as secure and will expire after a certain time period. Only recommended to use when the import needs to be run for up to 2 years. Make sure to store the secrets in a safe place and renew as required. Secrets will be shown only once upon creation.
Your enterprise app is now configured. Switch to Overview page and take a note of client and tenant IDs, we will use them later for configuring the import profile:

Creating Self-signed Certificate

NOTE: authenticating via a certificate is the recommended approach. Unlike secrets, certificate are not short-lived and need not to be frequently renewed. You can use both self-signed and commercial certificates. Make sure your certificate contains both public and private key and is password-protected. To create a self-signed certificate on Windows, search for PowerShell, right click and select Run as administrator. Enter the following lines, substituting the bold values with your own: $date_now = Get-Date
$extended_date = $date_now.AddYears(25)
$cert = New-SelfSignedCertificate -certstorelocation cert:\localmachine\my -dnsname infowise_test -notafter $extended_date
$pwd = ConvertTo-SecureString -String 'samplepwd' -Force -AsPlainText
$path = 'cert:\localMachine\my\' + $cert.thumbprint
Export-PfxCertificate -cert $path -FilePath c:\infowise_test.pfx -Password $pwd Where:

25 - number of years the certificate will remain valid
infowise_test - name of the certicate
samplepwd - certificate password, up to 30 characters
c:\infowise_test.pfx - export path

IMPORTANT: make sure you store the certificate and its password in a safe place. Next open the export folder and double-click the newly-created certificate. It will start the import wizard. You can use the default values, except for the password:
Once the certificate is imported, you need to export it in .cer format. For that, search Windows for Manage user certificates, expand Personal, then Certificates. You should be able to find it here:
Right-click on the certificate, then All Tasks -> Export. It will start the export wizard. Leave all default values, only specifying the export location at the end. It will create a .cer file, containing the public key of the certificate. Now we can upload the certificate to our enterprise app.

On Certificate and client secrets page of the enterprise app, make sure to switch to Certificates tab, then click on Upload certificate.
Select the .cer file we just exported and provide a meaningful name

Once the certificate is uploaded to the enterprise app, it can be used by import profiles.

Configuring Import Profile

Open Ultimate Forms and select list, form or object where you want to set up an import profile.
Click on Import to switch to import settings.
Click on Add new profile, then enter a name for the new profile.
Switch to Data provider tab.
Select Microsoft 365 (advanced) protocol.
Enter the email address you want to import from (by default, your own email is already entered).
Enter tenant and client ID of the enterprise app. Unless the mailbox is located on GCC High government cloud, leave Public checked.
Choose to either use a certificate or a client secret.
When using a certificate, upload the .pfx file and specify the certificate password.
When using a client secret, provide it.
Click on Connect. If you provided correct values, Actions tab will become visible. Otherwise an error will be shown.
Delete messages from server option can only be used when you previously granted Mail.ReadWrite permission to the enterprise app.
Enter at least one action and save the profile.

NOTE: Certificates and password are stored encrypted in our system and are never visible after being entered. You do not need to re-enter them again, unless you want to make changes to those credentials themselves.

What are business process solutions, and how do they work with SharePoint

Amir Shingray — Monday, November 7, 2022

SharePoint is ubiquitous

Microsoft SharePoint is truly ubiquitous. With the number of seats across the globe estimated to be 190 million, SharePoint is evident everywhere in business. It's used across departments and functions and is versatile enough to work with any workflow or system. It helps organizations follow good governance practices, maintain a consistent user experience, and stay within their budget.

Business process solutions are the key to unlocking SharePoint's full potential

Business process solutions are the key to unlocking SharePoint's full potential. They help businesses streamline workflows, improve accountability and visibility into tasks, and make critical information more accessible across departments and locations. With a business process solution, organizations can use SharePoint to boost efficiency, meet compliance needs, and increase profits. However, SharePoint is not a solution that works for everyone. Businesses often need to customize SharePoint to fit their needs. Business process solutions builders are special software applications. You can think of them as add-ons. They work with SharePoint to make specific business processes easier. One example of a business process solution builder is Infowise Ultimate Forms. This SharePoint-based toolset makes creating and managing solutions easy. Ultimate Forms works well with SharePoint. It lets users create advanced forms and workflows easily. You don’t require specialized coding skills or IT knowledge. Thus, business process solutions can be a valuable tool for enhancing the efficiency of SharePoint-based operations.

The benefits of using SharePoint for business process solutions

SharePoint is a versatile platform that can be used for various business process solutions. One of the benefits of SharePoint is that it offers a flexible and customizable workspace. This means that businesses can tailor SharePoint to their specific needs and requirements. SharePoint also provides a wide range of features and modules, making it an ideal platform for process solutions. For example, SharePoint can be used to create online forms, track and manage workflow, and generate reports. Ultimate Forms by Infowise is a SharePoint add-on that provides even more capabilities for business process solutions. Ultimate Forms offers a drag-and-drop interface for creating forms and a wide range of form templates. It also includes features for managing workflow, approvals, and document management. As a result, SharePoint combined with Ultimate Forms is a powerful solution for businesses looking to streamline their processes.

Examples of business process solutions created in SharePoint

include but not limited to:

Task management and tracking: SharePoint can be used to manage and track tasks across multiple departments or locations, making it an ideal tool for improving operational efficiency.
Helpdesk and issue tracking: With the help of SharePoint, businesses can create online forms and workflows to manage customer support requests better and resolve issues.
Data collection and reporting: SharePoint can be used to gather and analyze data across multiple departments, making it an ideal platform for business intelligence tools and reporting.
Electronic forms: such as customer feedback forms or HR intake forms
Workflow tools for tracking and managing tasks, approvals, and other business processes
Document management systems: SharePoint can create an online repository for storing and managing documents, contracts, and other critical business information.
Audit trails and compliance: SharePoint's built-in tools for tracking changes and approvals can help businesses stay compliant with regulatory guidelines.
SharePoint-based HR solutions: include HR portals, self-service tools, and employee onboarding platforms.

SharePoint is a powerful and versatile platform for businesses. It helps them create custom solutions for their specific needs. Using specialized software like Ultimate Forms by Infowise, organizations can make the most of SharePoint to simplify tasks.

Ultimate forms offer a simple, intuitive, and quick way to build SharePoint-based solutions

Infowise's Ultimate Forms is the leading solution for building custom forms and applications in SharePoint. It provides an easy and fast way to build solutions without coding. You get all the features needed to create advanced forms and applications. Infowise Ultimate Forms is the perfect choice for businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large enterprises. Infowise Ultimate Forms is simple to use and easy to set up. Contact Infowise today to learn more about Infowise Ultimate Forms and how it can help your business.

Ultimate Forms is available for a 30 day trial

Business process solutions are a great way to automate and optimize your business processes using SharePoint. Using SharePoint and Ultimate Forms can help you simplify your processes. This will improve efficiency in your organization. You can easily start with business process solutions in SharePoint and learn from many success stories. For a strong and easy-to-use solution for SharePoint, check out Infowise's Ultimate Forms. Best of all, you can try it free for thirty days. Once you try Ultimate Forms, you will see how it can make creating solutions easier. This is true for both simple and complex solutions. You can quickly create and deploy these solutions without writing any code, So why not try Ultimate Forms today?

Thank You pages in modern forms

Vladi Gubler — Monday, October 3, 2022

Introduction

When you create an item in a SharePoint list, the form will normally redirect you back to the list itself. But there are cases where you want the form to redirect the users someplace else. For example, you might want to do the following upon form submission:

Open a new form to create another item
Continue editing the item just created
Or even some custom page.

A common requirement is to redirect to a Thank You page. This is a specially designed page that thanks the user for their submission. It can also provide some additional instructions. That is especially true in cases where you don't need the user to see the actual list of items. For example, some users may not have View access to the SharePoint list. They can only create new items. Many of our customers, who use modern forms created in Ultimate Forms, requested a custom page redirect option. Here you are specifying any URL to the form and the form will take users there after submission. Of course, you can create a thank you page as a custom page. You can accomplish that outside Ultimate Forms. Then, you would set the page's URL as the redirect target. The form will take you to that SharePoint page after submit. Unfortunately, it's not always easy for everyone. In some cases there is no technical way of doing it. The best example would be External forms. Here you don't even allow external public form users to view internal web part pages. We needed to come up with a better solution that offers a simple addition for our modern forms. It should not go beyond their limits.

Thank You Pages

The Thank You pages feature solves the issue directly from our Form Designer. You can define your own Thank You page as part of the actual SharePoint form, preserving its look & feel. You also have the full set of features of modern forms at your disposal, such as buttons, rules, column values, etc. You can create great looking, dynamic Thank You pages in literally minutes!

Sample Walkthrough

I will now guide you through the process. I am using our Bug Tracker pre-configured solution. You can install this solution from the Solution Gallery directly in your Ultimate Forms app.

Select the list you want to add the Thank You page to.
On the toolbar, click on Design to enter Ultimate Forms.
Enter Form Designer for the list. You will see the option to switch to Thank You page design mode in the bottom right corner.
A blank canvas is now showing instead of the form. This is where we are going to be designing our Thank You page.
Take a look on the column and control pane on the lefthand side. As you can see, most columns and controls are available. You can drag and drop them onto the design canvas of the Thank You page.
My Thank You page will contain two controls, Header and Fragment. In the fragment i will be using column values from the form. That will make it appear individualized and dynamic.
Next, I would like to apply some styling to my page. Using Styles toolbar button I opened the Styles pane. There I added background image from the gallery and content section's inner padding. Feel free to experiment with all the styling options we offer.
I also added a Button Bar, renaming Edit button to "Modify submission" and Close button to "Return to list". You can also see my header in the same screenshot below. My Thank You page design is now complete.
Now it's time to allow the form to use our new Thank You page. Click on Redirects in the toolbar to enter the redirection settings. I modified the Redirect for New form to point to the new Thank You page.
The next step is optional. I might also want to make the form publicly accessible. Customers outside the organization will be able to fill it out without signing in. To achieve that, I enabled External form functionality.
Using external forms, anyone can submit information into the SharePoint list from outside your organization. They do not need to sign in. External forms make sure that this access is completely safe and secure.
Here I allowed external users access to New form. You can also copy the form URL from here to provide it to the external users. Note that I didn't configure Redirect URL, external forms use Thank You pages automatically.
Publish the form and we are ready to try it out.
I'm filling out the form.
Once I save it, I am shown the new Thank You page.

Conclusion

As you can see, Thank You pages are extremely easy to configure and deploy. Yet they provide another powerful tool for creating engaging, dynamic forms! I suggest you always include column values within the Thank You page. This way, you create a personalized experience for the user. It also lets them double-check their submission.

Transforming paper-based banking processes to paperless using SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms- Part two

Debolina Dasgupta — Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Dear Readers, how have you been? It's almost a week since I started my digital transformation
journey with Infowise Ultimate forms, I am happy to report that it is progressing so well.
Our team is adapting to the new way of working, and we are excited about the possibilities
that Infowise Ultimate Forms offer us.

Recap: how it all started

Last week, I created a document repository to add all the documents and segregate them into
various categories. Infowise made this process easy by creating a beautiful form where users can
easily update their documents and categories.
Read more about it here.

The next steps

I started by creating the most used processes with a list of available forms from the document repository.
First on my agenda is an Account statement request process that many people will find themselves
asking for before long- after all,
they'll need one eventually!

Account statement request process

An account statement request is a formal document that an individual or organization submits to their bank
to request a copy of their account statement. The account statement will show all transactions that have occurred
in the account over a specified period. The process for requesting an account statement is usually relatively simple and can be done over the phone
or in person at a bank branch. In most cases, you will need to fill out a short form or make a request with
a customer service representative. Once the request is processed, the statement will be mailed or delivered electronically to the account holder.
The account holder can then review the information and look for any discrepancies.
The account holder can contact their bank to resolve the issue if any unusual activity is found.

Current Process

When a customer requests an official bank statement, the front desk officer shares this form with them and helps fill it out.
The filled-in paper copy is then circulated to two different levels for review before being sent to your local branch office for processing! The issue that we faced included:

Missing information: The customer might forget some important information
Error while entering the details: The customer might enter the wrong information by mistake
Lost forms: The front desk office might lose the filled-in request

My Digital Transformation plan

To fix these issues, I started with a plan.

We can create a form online that is easy to fill and add validation, so you don't have to worry about manual requests!
Create automated emails as well as approval processes for your customers for they receive their requested
information quickly without any hassle
Make sure all responses are replied to automatically through these correspondence channels.

Step 1: Create a Form

I started by creating a form on SharePoint and added the relevant fields. To make my form aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly, I decided that adding some JSON formatting would be a perfect way.
The header looked great, but the options were minimal.

To find a better design, I started exploring Infowise Ultimate Forms. It is straightforward to start;
you can click the design button to open the design studio. You can find more details about how I got started here.

Step 2: Designing the form

Designing the forms on Infowise's design portal was simple and intuitive. I decided to make it as easy for my users,
so they can add information without feeling overwhelmed by all those options available in each field.
This tabbed form made things even better because now people know where their next steps are located! I dragged the accordion control from the left-hand control panel. I was able to add a modern theme.
I quickly renamed my sections as Customer Details and Account details. I was surprised by the number
of options available to customize the form. I quickly made my form collapsible and added the navigation buttons with a click of a button.
I also had an option to choose where the controls were located. I decided that I wanted them at the bottom. There is also an option to add a CSS Class to create a custom design for the layout.
I loved how easy it was to customize the form. I also like that I could add permission on the view and add more rules and styles. Once I was done, I clicked Publish. This is how my form looked once I updated it in Infowise Ultimate Forms.

Step 3: Adding validation to the form

When I was happy with how my forms looked, it was time to add the next steps.
The most important thing is that we always have values for our fields so they can be filled out correctly
and efficiently without additional work! I was glad I could easily add validation from the Infowise Ultimate Forms.
I started by making sure that the account number was Numeric. This validation would mean no one
could enter text instead of a valid account number. Infowise allows us to choose from some of the predefined patterns to create a quick validation.
I can choose a numeric field or email pattern by selecting the options from the dropdown.
I can also make my pattern to define a complicated condition.

Another benefit is that I can easily change the SharePoint Column settings from the Infowise Forms design page.
I can click on configuration settings and change the default SharePoint list settings.

Finally, I published my forms again. One of the things I enjoy is that I can easily and quickly create forms and track submissions without relying on paper records.
This usage of Infowise forms is a huge time saver for my team and me. Infowise also has a very detailed library of help files. If you are stuck, you can always find easy-to-follow tutorials.

Infowise Ultimate Forms has helped me a lot in my digital transformation journey, and I am sure it will help you, too, in your journey.

Transforming paper-based banking processes to paperless using SharePoint forms- Part One

Debolina Dasgupta — Monday, September 12, 2022

Dear readers, how have you been? It's been a long time since I last blogged here at Infowise,
and I think today I have an exciting case study I would love to share with you all.

Paperless Banking

I recently started working on a banking project where we wanted to create a paperless office.
While this may be an ideal that many businesses strive for, it is not always easy to achieve. To start the process, we outlined the significant challenges of the change.

Challenges and solutions

One of the main challenges companies face when implementing a successful digital transformation strategy
is getting employees to change their habits and begin using SharePoint forms instead of paper-based ones.
The transition from an old-school mentality towards one that's more tech-savvy may seem complicated,
but with careful planning, it can become relatively easy!
I had used Infowise Ultimate Forms before and wanted to use it again.
I realized this would help me create something simple and user-friendly to make the employees' lives easier.
You can read my previous blog post here.

Action Plan

I charted out a plan of action, and the first step was to classify similar forms. I decided the following:

Define the various parameters or metadata used to classify the documents.
Create a Document Library to upload all the available forms and documents to create a repository.
Classify the documents based on various metadata.

This data classification would help us understand the forms better and allow us to have a consolidated repository of documents.

Getting started with Infowise Ultimate Forms

Infowise provides two different options to get started. I choose the second one. I wanted to use it in my environment, and I was excited to learn that it is straightforward.
I don't even need to provide my card details for the trial. It allows a manual and a wizard to add the Infowise app to the site. You can also choose
to install any of the predefined templates like Project Management. All you need to do is to provide the URL of your site. I loved the fact that it was so easy to install. I got the updates on progress as well as the post-install steps. Any time I got stuck, I could follow the links with steps on how to proceed.
I love that Infowise Ultimate Forms are very user-friendly. Once I completed the API access, I went straight to the Site contents of my site.
The Infowise Ultimate Forms app is already available on my site.

Defining the metadata and exploring additional menu items for Infowise

Since the first step was to classify my data, I started by defining the various metadata we might need. Firstly,
I added a new list called Categories Master to store the multiple categories I would use this metadata to classify
the document that is available in the document library. However, I was surprised to see two new options on the toolbar.

Print
Alert

Print Menu

I clicked on print to check what it did. Well, lo behold, it has a ton of options. I could

Print out my lists
Create a PDF document
Download it as Excel
Download it in Word
Email the document

There are also some filtering options available to filter the data before sharing.

Difference between the print menu in Infowise Solution and export to excel

I have used the download as an excel option before. However, that would either download a CSV file or download a query. iqy file. Once you click on the query file, it will create the excel. I have faced a ton of questions from my end users about this. Someone who has not exported it to excel before thinks it might be a virus. They would, in turn, contact IT, increasing the number of service tickets. On the other hand, the Infowise solution allows users to download filtered data, making it easier to collaborate between stakeholders.
I don't need to download it in excel, transform it as a table and filter the data before adding it to an email and sharing it. It is a two-click process with Infowise.

Alert Menu

Imagine creating alerts and defining the kind of information you would like to share without using Power Automate.
Well, that kind of alert is precisely what Infowise Ultimate forms do. I enjoyed the zero code solution, and I think this simple process will help user adoption.
Even a new alert menu is available when we add Infowise to our solution, and it has many options. You can read more about alerts here.

Difference between the alert menu in Infowise Solution and the alert in SharePoint

I know what you might be thinking. You can create alerts in SharePoint too. However, the options on the default SharePoint
environment are minimal. It doesn't allow you to create email templates. For one of the Knowledge management projects I worked on, the end users wanted a preformatted email.
I made a Power automate Flow to send a notification based on the users or the team they choose.

Infowise allows all of it. I have a choice of using a predefined template, or I can create my template by clicking on Add or update mail template.
We don't need to open any other application or page. Also, each page links to help documentation. If you are stuck at any point, you can click on help and follow the step-by-step instructions to solve your issue.

Creating a central repository for documents and designing my form using Infowise UF

Then, I created a document library and added the category as a look-up table and a mandatory field. I wanted to create a more user-friendly form to update the values in the document library. I thought of using the design option of Infowise forms.

Infowise Form editing app

The design option redirects us to the Infowise Ultimate Form app. This app provides a lot of customization options.
It also provides predefined templates to create some processes like Project Management. Since I wanted to create a form for my document library, I selected Modern Forms. This option allows me to create quick forms. I can choose between a blank form or making a form directly from the fields in the document library. The form is easy to create with a lot of options. I quickly removed the fields I didn't need by clicking on the delete button. I also used the preview option to view the form on various devices.

Next Steps

Once I had my form ready, I wanted to explore all other options to customize and publish it. Follow me along my journey as I use Infowise Ultimate Form with SharePoint, which will enable us as a company to use paperless methods for our banking processes to move towards a more efficient way of doing business!

Create great looking multi-step forms for SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Monday, July 25, 2022

Introduction

As form designers, we are always torn between two opposites: trying to include all the necessary columns in our form and trying to create a form that is as short and simple as possible. Using modern forms in Ultimate Forms you can leverage the power of our Tabs control to subdivide the form into mutliple tabs. Each tab then contains a set of columns describing the same topic or area of the form. To make it even simpler and easier for the customers to navigate the form, we can implement button navigation between tabs, clicking on Next after filling out columns on the current tab. Plus, we have the added benefit of always knowing at what stage of the form filling process we currently are.

Tabs in Progress Theme

With our specialized Progress theme for our Tabs control, the multi-step form is becoming even more visual and user-friendly. As you can see, the tab headings are now providing simple visual cues, guiding the user through the form. The buttons at the bottom are set to provide the sole means of navigating between the tabs, to ensure the users are filling the form step-by-step, as we intended.

Step-by-step Instructions

Let's take a deeper look into how such a form can be configured using Ultimate Forms' Form Designer.

I am using a regular SharePoint Contacts list, but of course any list will do.
Click on Design on the list view to enter Ultimate Forms, then go into Form Designer.
On the design canvas, drag a Tabs control from the gallery on the left.
Click on the Tabs control to see its settings on the right.
First define the names of the tabs you want, then configure navigation options.
Things to notice here:
1. Theme is set to Progress. There are several visual themes available for Tabs (and you can always use CSS to configure your own unique look). But Progress is the most visually suitable for multi-step forms. That exhibits itself in terms of its visual language. The functionality always remains the same, regardless of the theme.
2. Enable the option to show navigation buttons.
3. Enable the option to only allow navigation through buttons (in this case, I'm only using this option in New form, but it's up to you).
Once done, you can further define the actual tabs. Click on the tab surface. If you end up selecting a column on the tab, you can always click on Tab in the breadcrumbs at the bottom of the canvas to reach the tab itself.
Here we can define the layout of the tab, as well as the icon and the callout (dynamic help). I defined a suitable icon for each tab.
Drag the columns from the gallery on the left into each tab. You switch between tabs by clicking on the tab header within the canvas.
I also aligned the buttons to the right by clicking on the button bar and configuring its settings.

You can also modify the button set and add your own buttons.
The last thing I did was selecting a different theme for the whole form.
Publish the form, it is ready to be used!

Conclusion

As you can see, the form will display the process progress in a simple and obvious way, while guiding the user towards the next steps of the process. This blog illustrates a simple multi-step process. Tabs control offers many other amazing features, such as hiding or showing tabs based on conditions, automatically opening a specific tab on form open based on conditions. There are too many other powerful features in just a single blog. But no fear, we have many other blog artilcles available. Enjoy!

Register for alert from forms

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, July 7, 2022

Hi, Today we are announcing a new feature in Ultimate Forms: the ability to sign up for alerts on the current item while creating or editing it in a form, directly from the form itself, without having to create the alert manually. We will create an alert for the current item, according to pre-defined configuration, specified by the form creator. The alert creation process can be either fully transparent, without any user-interface or require a confirmation by the user.

Open the form in Form Designer. In the Controls gallery on the left, find the new Alerts control.
Drag it on the design canvas and place where you want within the form.
Click on the control to see its properties on the right. Configure how you want the alert to be create, such as sent when item is modified or according to a date in a column. The alert will be created for the user who saves the item and that user will also be added as the recipient of the alert. Although created by the form, the generated alert is exactly like any alert you create through the usual user interface. You can aslo modify it later through Alerts page.

You can specify any label you want your users to see when they are asked to confirm creation of alert. The label can also be localized to multiple languages. When confirmation is disabled, the alert will always be created without any user input.
Publish the form and create/edit an item in the list. Make sure to confirm alert creation, if enabled.
By going into Alerts page of Ultimate Forms, you should be able to see the newly created alert.
The alert is created only for the specific item.
You can modify any settings of the alert, as well as delete it.

The idea is to streamline your processes and ensure specific and timely notification. Enjoy!

Integrate charts in modern SharePoint forms

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, May 31, 2022

Hi, Associated Items column is the cornerstone of any business application in Ultimate Forms. It allows creating relationships between lists to mimic the relationships in the real world. It makes it easy to implement single-to-multiple as well multiple-to-multiple connections within any form, such as line items in an invoice. Being one of the central components, it offers a very wide variety of features and the list just keeps growing. Our latest feature is the ability to display associated items as a chart, to make it easy to analyze the current status of associated items at a glance. I am going to demostrate this with an example: I am managing a list of projects, where each project contains multiple tasks. I want to show a pie chart that displays percentage of tasks by status, all within the corresponding parent project. This is how my Display form is going to look. But when I go into the Edit form, I will be showing the regular task grid, with the ability to add and manage tasks.

First, we create a list of Projects. It's a simple list, I didn't even add any additional column, beyond the built-in Title column.
Open Ultimate Forms from the list by clicking on Design button on the toolbar.
Next click on Form Designer to start creating our Modern form. Choose to generate the form automatically, it's the easiest way.
Under Columns in the left pane, click on New Column and choose Associated Items as column type
Under Date Source click on New to create a new child list, then select Tasks under Type to use Tasks list template. Enter a title for the list (I'm using Tasks for both column and list titles here).
Save the column settings, it will now appear under Columns.
Click on the gear icon next to the name of the column to edit its settings (we need to do it again, because when we first defined it, Tasks list didn't exist yet). Next switch to Charts tab.
Toggle Allow displaying as chart. This will reveal chart settings.
Select Status as our X axis column (what the values will be grouped by).
Add at least one series, in our case we will count items by ID.
Select Pie as chart type, toggle Show legend.
Toggle Show values and then Show as percentage.
Save the column settings.
In the left pane click on the lock icon next to Columns section title. It will unlock the ability to place the same column more than once on the design surface of the form. We need that to show once as chart for the Display form and the regular grid for New and Edit forms.
Drag our Tasks column to the form twice.
Click on the first one and select Display as chart.

Note that the column won't be displayed as chart unless this is activated, regardless of the chart settings being configured. It allows us to place multiple instances of the column on the form, with different permissions.
Add a permissions rule for the chart version of the column to only show it in Display form

Note that the corresponding Hidden rule is not needed, as it will be implicitly hidden when the Write rule doesn't apply.
Do the same for the second instance, choosing New and Edit forms
Publish the form and that's it! Now it will display as chart when read-only and editable in grid otherwise.

Note: SharePoint use service worker cache to store and serve pages and resources from a local cache. That can prevent the latest version of our script from loading and you won't be able to see the latest features in action. If that's the case, open F12, switch to Console tab, paste the following and click Enter, it will clear that cache:

caches.keys().then(function(names) {
for (let name of names)
caches.delete(name);
}); Enjoy!

New features in Connected Lookup column

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Hi, Connected Lookup is the first ever component that we released. Amazingly, we used to have a version of it for SharePoint 2003, at the time when developing custom field types wasn't even supported by the SharePoint platform! Over the years we've added more and more features to this powerful column type, such as the ability of adding and previewing new items on the fly, sorting, filtering, auto-complete, etc. But the core functionality has always remained the same. What the column is most commonly used for is displaying a lookup, where the options are filtered by another, parent lookup. For instance, a list of subcategories is controlled by the selected category value. It is extremely useful when there are many subcategories available, but only a small subset should be picked from, making data entry simpler, faster and less prone to errors. Although you could always have multiple levels of lookups filtering each other, each lookup could only have one parent and that parent had to be another lookup in the list. In some scenarios though you might want to have more than one parent, each filtering according to its own parameter. The current release adds the ability of having multiple parents. Additionally, parent columns can now also be Choice columns, not just Lookups. Let me start with a simple example. In my list of Sales, I want to select a product based on:

Category - product category, such as Electronics or Dairy. This is a lookup column.
Region - where the product is made, such as Asia or Europe. This one is also a lookup column.
Quality Level - this one is a choice column with values such as A, B and C.

By selecting the desired Category, Region and Quality Level, I'm filtering the list of options in Product to only include the products I really want. First, let's see how my Products list is defined: Here too, we have the same columns as in Sales: Category, Region and Quality Level, defining each product. These are regular SharePoint column, nothing special about that. Back to Sales list, let's go into Ultimate Forms by clicking on Design button, then click on Connected lookup under Columns. Here we will add our Product column and select the following configurations (note that I'm showing an existing column in Edit mode, so Site and List settings are now locked, they cannot be changed for an existing column): Select the List and Display column, that's easy, next, ensure Filter according to parent lookup is checked. Now comes the new part. You can enter more than one Parent column and you can also select Choice columns here, not just Lookups. Let me explain our terminology a bit:

Parent column - another column in the same list (Sales) that will control (filter) the values available in the current column (Product).
Relationship column - column in the lookup source list (Products) that specifies the parent column value for each item. So in our Products list we will have a Lookup column for Category that will assign each product to a category (multiple selection is also supported). In case of Choice column, it has to be a Choice column as well.
Allow empty - when parent column value is not set, show all values, unfiltered by that parent.

When you configure your own column, you will see additional features, such as the ability to filter and sort by view, add new items, and so on. These are all described in our documentation and are not covered in this blog. As you can see, although the change is quite small in terms of user interface, it introduces a whole wealth of new and exciting opportunities to build even more advanced solutions for your enterprise!
The feature is now available in both Classic and Modern form in SharePoint Online and will be available on premises in the next release. Enjoy!

Automatic content translation in Actions

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Hi, We are now adding a new and exciting feature that will enable integration of automatic content translation into our Actions. You will be able to execute a Copy action, while automatically translating text field values, and, in case of document libraries, supported file types as well (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF). In the initial release we are supporting Google Cloud Translation service, with support for Azure Cognitive Services coming in the future. Note that these are paid services and you need to establish a payment profile with the provider, although small monthly volumes might fall under the free tier. To start implementing this new functionality, you first need to configure the service under your Google Cloud account.

Log into your Google Cloud Console
Start with a creation of a new project. I called mine Translations, but you can use any name you like. You can also leverage an existing project if you have one.
Take a note of the Project ID, we will require it later.
Next click on Enabled APIs & Services of the project, then click on ENABLE APIS AND SERVICES
Search for "translation"
And choose "Cloud Translation API"
Click on Enable for the API
If you haven't previously enabled billing on your account, you will be prompted to do it now. Translation is a pay-as-you-go service. See pricing here under Advanced section.
Next click on Credentials in the left menu to generate credentials that the app will use to gain access to the service
We need to create a new service account, so click on Create Credentials, then Service Account
Click on Create and Continue, then enter Translation in the search box for the role and select Cloud Translation API User. That will ensure the service account is allowed to perform calls to the translation service.
Once you create the service account and see it in the list, you can generate keys, which will then be given to our app. Click on Manage Keys under Actions
Then click on Create new key under Add key
Create a new key in JSON format. It will download a text file to your computer, make sure to keep it in a safe place.
We are done on the Google side. Now go into your list or document library, click on Design -> Actions -> and start creating your new Copy list items action
Under Action settings, toggle Enable automatic translation on.
Under Project ID, enter the project ID from google, as we created it earlier.
Under JSON credentials, past the contents of the JSON key file we downloaded.
Select the translation target language and save the action.
I created my action as a manual action that will translate a document into French and place the translated copy under French folder
Once I execute my action, I can go French folder and see my new document there

As you can see, all text columns are translated as well, as shown here with Title column.
And if I open the document itself, I can see that it's in French

Note that I used part of our blog article as source, read it here

I hope you find this new feature useful, enjoy!

Creating relationships between SharePoint lists is now much easier

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Introduction

All data we work with in the real world is relational, most commonly in a single-to-multiple relationship. For instance, each department employs multiple people, each product category contains multiple products, and so on. We want our SharePoint lists to represent this real world data in the truest and most convenient form. Unfortunately, SharePoint handles relationships in quite a rudimentary fashion. It lacks a comprehensive way of managing parent child list relationships. That's why years ago we developed our Associated Items column type in Ultimate Forms. It allows creating seamless SharePoint list relationships. You can utilize these both in forms and in list views. Creating repeating items and repeatable SharePoint forms within a parent item became easy for everyone! Since then we have introduced a vast number of improvements and features. We listened to our customers and improved the component to better suit the wide variety of their needs. Be it sorting, paging, summaries, grid entry mode, the to mention just a few. And as with every feature of Ultimate Forms, the support extends to all other components. You can view and manager related SharePoint items in Print, email Alerts, Actions, List Search results and everywhere else.

Configuration Challenges

The only issue that many new users would be stumbling upon was the initial configuration. We establish the relationship in two possible ways:

Using our special content types ("Infowise Associated Item", "Infowise Associated Document", "Infowise Associated Task")
Using a regular lookup column in the child list pointing to the parent

I won't be discussing pros and cons of each approach here, we have existing training documents that delve into this in great detail. I will just say that both approaches require quite a few manual steps to get things going. Inexperienced users might find it a bit challenging at first.

Simplified Configuration Method

That's why we came up with a simplified configuration method. It helps to execute the setup process with a minimal number of manual steps. When you create a new Associated Items column, we will create a new child list (or document library). We will then replace the content type or add a lookup for you.

Title and Description

Access the Associated Item column settings page in the main page of Ultimate Forms. You can also add columns directly in Form Designer, whatever is more convenient.
Click on Add new column.
Enter the column title of your choice.
Column description is optional, as well as the Required setting.

Data Source

Under Data source, you can switch to New to create a new list.
Choose from list type, we support Custom list, Document library or Tasks list.
Provide a meaningful title for your list. In most cases, you want it to be the same as the column title, but you can enter anything that makes sense for you. If you already have an existing list with the same title, you will see a prompt to enter a different one.
Optionally choose to use a lookup and provide a title for it.

We provide specific recommendations on what approach to use for the relationship. But in general, use a lookup when you want to export you data to Excel or other 3rd party applications. Do not use it when you want to add child items in the New form of the parent. For instance, when creating an invoice, it is advisable to allow adding line items before you save the invoice. In this scenario you will use our content type and not a lookup.

Optional Settings

Under Optional settings tab, you can configure a number of settings related to styling and functionality

Generally, you don't have to change anything here, but I'd like to mention a couple of significant ones:

Display in form format - by default we display child list items in a table view. With this option, we will repeat them in their own form layout, stacked within the parent form. It creates a repeatable child form within the parent.
Allow adding new items - allow users adding new child items from the parent.
Enter data using grid - you will add new items in the grid itself, instead of using a pop-up form. Makes sense when your child list only contains a handful of simple columns.
Open forms in a dialog - opens child items in a pop-up window instead of navigating to them.

Once you save the column settings, it will generate the new list and then create the column to link it to the parent.

Form Designer

Now you need to add the column to the form. I'm showing it in Form Designer for modern forms, which is the recommended approach for all new forms. But you can use classic forms as well, we still provide full support for them. Once you open Form Designer, your new column will appear in the List Columns gallery on the left. You can now drag it onto the form design canvas. You can now just click on Publish, next steps are for information purposes only. Click on the column to see the configuration settings on the right. You can change settings of any existing column directly from here. You will see the same configuration page we used earlier. The New option however is not visible as we are configuring an existing column here. See the option Design data entry form. It allows you to create a special form for the child list. You will use this form when entering new child items from within the parent form only. In some scenarios you want to use a simpler shorter form when entering data into the child list from the parent. This is how you design such a form. Once you publish in Form Designer, you form is ready for use. Here you can see the parent form item "Dairy" with the new Subcategories column and a number of child subcategories. We are in the middle of adding a new subcategory using a pop-up form.

Conclusion

Associated Items column makes relational SharePoint design a reality. Both SharePoint lists and document libraries can serve as either the parent or the child in the relationship. With automated child list generation it's easier then ever to create a new relationship. I'm sure it's going to save you a lot of your precious time and allow you to focus on other tasks instead. Enjoy!

Add signatures to SharePoint items with DocuSign

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Introduction

Electronic signatures has been a feature of Ultimate Forms from the very beginning. It's easy to sign SharePoint list items and document metadata using any of the available signature providers and then automatically track any changes to the signed information. Our customers have been successfully using it in a variety of applications, including regulatory compliance. We've long been asked about the ability to add signatures within documents themselves. Our signature implementation does not allow it, as it adds a signature to list items only. We are happy to announce that through a partnership with DocuSign we are now able to implement this functionality! You will be able to use our Print functionality to generate documents in various formats, then send them to DocuSign for signature collections. Our initial version will allow to add one or more signatures by a single signer and store the signed document within DocuSign. You will need a subscription with DocuSign online service to be able to leverage this integration.

How it's done with DocuSign

Let me show you how I implemented a simple process of requesting a manager signature within a PDF document I'm generating based on some list item column values. First we will create a print template that will control how our list item converts into a document, then we will add a print action that will automate the process of document generation and then send it to DocuSign for digital signature collection. This automated signature process enhances efficiency and ensures that all necessary approvals are captured.

Print template

First, we will need to create a new Print template. Go into Ultimate Forms -> Print and export, then click on Add new profile. Note that I'm using Advanced edit mode, so I'm able generate my document in the exact format I need, as we all placing signature placehoders where I want them. I decided to use the word Signature where I want users to place their signatures. I do not have to use any particular word, it's my choice to use the word Signature.

Action

Once I've created the print template, I will now create a Print action to implement the actual process. Go into Actions, then click Add new profile. Choose Print list items action type. This action will generate and send documents for signature directly from SharePoint, streamlining the workflow. I'm calling my action Authorize, note that I unchecked all Events, as I want to trigger this action manually. Under Advanced settings, I'm checking Manual execution. It allows users to trigger the action either from SharePoint list views or from SharePoint forms. When triggering from views, you can select and send multiple items at the same time. Under Action settings, select the Print template we created earlier, PDF format (although you may also use any other format, as well as Word format based on a pre-defined Word document. Under Target select DocuSign: request signatures via email. Under To, select our signer, that will be the value of Manager column, this way we are determining the value dynamically. Subject field will contain the email subject (and it's also used as the file name of the signed document). Under Signature indicator enter the same exact signature placeholder we decided to use in our print template.

Note that this process can also involve external parties, ensuring that all necessary stakeholders can review and sign the document. I've create a form for the list item using Form Designer and added a button of type Trigger action, binding it to the newly created action. That allows users to trigger the signing process directly from the form. When the user clicks on the button, the process is started and an interactive progress window is shown. Same can be done from list views by selecting a list item, clicking on Run Actions from the SharePoint list toolbar, then clicking on our action. In this scenario, custom SharePoint form is not required. Once the action is completed, an email is sent to the manager, inviting them to review and sign the document via DocuSign. Under each Signature placeholder they will be able to place their digital signature, then click on Finish. A signed document is delivered to the action creator in PDF format.

Conclusion

As you can see, the process is quite simple and doesn't take more than just a few minutes to implement, while allowing you to integrate advanced functionality in your system. Digital signatures are becoming a crucial part of any business process in today's world and it's essential to be able to integrate them into your processes in fast and efficient manner, as I showed you today. Using DocuSign digital signature integration, you can be sure that the most secure industry-standard approach is taken!

Redirect options in modern SharePoint forms

Vladi Gubler — Monday, November 1, 2021

Introduction

When you create a modern form using Ultimate Forms, you have a variety of ways to control what happens when a user saves or cancels the form. The default behavior is to return back to the list, but in some scenarios, you might want to change that. For example, you might want to show the created item in a Display form or redirect to some custom "Thank you" page. By redirecting the user to location other than the list itself allows you additional levels of flexibilty. You are no longer bound by the regular SharePoint list/form paradigm. This allows you to build solution that are much more flexible and intuitive.

Wealth of Possibilities

Let me explore the possibilities with you, to help you create forms that precisely match your needs.

Global Redirect

First, there are two types of redirects on the form. One controls the global redirect, for example, when saving the form from the toolbar or default Save buttons. The other one is attached to a specific button on the form, so for example, you can have both Save and Save and Edit buttons and you let users choose what they want to do. For the global redirects, you have several options to choose from:

Default - just preserves the default behavior of returning to the list
Display - shows the added/updated item in a Display form.
Edit - shows the added/updated item in an Edit form.
New - opens a New form
Custom - redirects to a custom URL that you provide.

Additionally, you can specify separate redirects for Save and Cancel events. A user can be redirected to different place depending on whether or not the item was saved. For example, one can take the user to a thank you page, while the other might take to a page where they can leave their comments.

Button Redirect

The button control is one of the most versatile controls you can place on a form. It supports a variety of special action types, from Save to Create associated item. Buttons are one of the main ways users interact with the form. When you added buttons to your form, you have several options to choose from in terms of what the button does.

There are two types of Save-related buttons, regular Save and Action and Save. The regular Save button can perform just the save operation and rely on the global redirect settings, or it can perform its own redirect to Edit or New forms. Action and Save button first performs an action on the form (automatically sets column values based on functions and calculation results). It can also optionally redirect to Edit or New form. Button redirects always take precedence over global redirects. Of course, there are also other button types that are not related to saving the item, such as Action (just sets column values, but doesn't save), Trigger action (triggers a varierty of backend actions, such as communicating with line-of-business applications) or even buttons executing custom scripts.

Conclusion

Flexible custom redirect options allow you to have complete control over the form experience. You can redirect your users according to your requirements and accoridng to SharePoint's default behavior. The idea behind all these options is provide you with the most versatile toolkit that allows you to build just the forms you need!

Adding loops to Actions

Vladi Gubler — Friday, October 29, 2021

Introduction

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms provides an easy alternative for SharePoint automation. Unlike traditional workflows, such as Power Automate or SharePoint Workflow engine, it is much more approachable for non-developers. Actions offers a wide selection of action types. These help you to automate tasks both inside and outside SharePoint. Actions are easy to use. Just create and configure an action, specifying when it runs and what it does. Once saved, it's ready to run.

Introducing Loops

I this article I would like to focus on the loop functionality of the Actions component of Ultimate Forms. Using loops you are able to execute a single action or a group of actions several times, based on a range of numbers or dates. And you do that while passing the current value of that number/date to the action. The action can then use it for value assignment, as part of expressions/function or even in conditions. For example, given Start and End date, the action will execute for each date in the interval.

Let's Try It

In my example I'm automating setting up a set of weekly "checkpoint" tasks for a project, based on its start and due dates. The number of tasks created is determined by the length of time between the dates.

Create Lists

First, we will create a list called Projects. Next, click on the Design button of the list to enter Ultimate Forms, then click on Form Designer. Create a new form, then using the New Column button on the left create the following columns:

Start Date - date column
End Date - date column
Tasks - Associated Items column. This specialized column type creates a parent-child relationship between two SharePoint lists.

Associated Items Column

Under Data source section, choose the option to create a new list. The list type should remain Custom list and the list title should be Tasks. Save the column and it will create a new Tasks list. Drag the 3 new columns from the column gallery on the left onto the design canvas in the middle of the screen. Note how I'm using a container to place both dates on the same row.

Next, add Due Date column to the Tasks list.

Create Actions

Now we can start with the actions. First, create a new Create list items action. Remove all events from the first tab, then switch to Action tab. Here, change List value to Tasks (as that's where we are going to be creating the new items). Map Values to set. Note that at this point you cannot yet map Due Date, as the loop value is not configured yet. Just save and come back to it later. Note that I am setting Parent field name to Tasks. That is the name of the parent column in the parent list. Doing so will ask the action to establish a relationship between the two items.

Action Group

Now create a new Action Group. Action Groups help to execute several actions in one go. They also contain the ability to configure and execute loops. Under Events on the first tab leave only New, switch to Action tab. Add our Create action to the list of actions in the group (it is probably already selected, just click on the plus icon on the right). Once you do that, a new section will appear and you can now configure your loop settings. As you can see, I'm looping through the dates between Start Date and Due Date. That will execute the actions in the group for each weekly value. Once the action is saved, go back to your Create action, you can now map the loop value to Due Date.

Testing and Results

That's it! Now when you create a new project, it will automatically add a set of weekly tasks.

Conclusion

Loops in Actions make it easy to implement repeating actions for an interval in both dates and numbers. There are probably numerous other scenarios where loops can be beneficial, explore and enjoy!

Filling Word template with SharePoint data

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Introduction

Print component of Ultimate Forms is a versatile tool that makes it easy to produce printouts and generate various types of documents based on SharePoint list (or even any other kind) data. With a simple click of the mouse your template will be filled out with data and then converted to HTML, PDF, Word or Excel format. You can then print it, download as a file or email it directly from the browser. And using integration with Actions component, you can completely automate this process and trigger it based on column value changes (such as Status changing to Approved) or on the timer (such as 2 weeks after approval date). The action can then email the document, store it in a document library or add it as an attachment to the list item. We have been offering support for Word documents for a few years now, but our document generation has been always pretty basic. We simply embedded a simple rich-text content block within a blank Word document, without the ability to use any of the advanced features of that application, such as headers and footers, styles, etc. I'm happy to announce that that is changing now. You can now create your own fully customized and styled Word document, add placeholders for column values, upload it into the Print template and it will be used for Word document generation instead of the old approach. The old approach will still work though and the change is 100% backwards compatible.

Let's try it now

It is very easy and intuitive, just follow the steps.

Create a Word document template using any format you want. Just make sure to sprinkle in placeholders for values (simply column names surrounded by double square brackets). Save the file as a regular Word document (with .docx extension).
Enter Ultimate Forms by clicking the Design button on any list toolbar, switch to Print, create or modify a print template based on Item (we currently only support document generation for single item templates)
As long as Type is set to Item, the new Word tab will appear. Switch to that tab and toggle Use MS Word template on:
Click on Upload and choose your Word template file, then save the profile.
Return to list/library, select an item you want to print, click on Print, then click on the Word icon in the top right corner
A new Word document will be generated and downloaded to your computer.
As you can see, the placeholders were replaced with actual column values from the item, while the layout of the template was fully preserved.

Integrating Actions

For Actions intergration, go into Ultimate Forms -> Actions, then create a new action of type Print list items. Under Action settings, choose your print template and ensure Word is selected as output format:
Choose to make the action manual or run on event/timer, that part is up to you. Here how it would appear for manual actions:
That's it. Your generated Word document will now be emailed, stored in a document library or saved as an item attachment, that's your call. One thing I want to mention. When you create your template, make sure not to add any styles within the placeholder itself, always surround it with styles, so our Print component is not confused by any unexpected characters within the column name. If you see that your placeholder does not get replaced, try to clear any styles by selecting the text in Word and using the menu bar to clear formatting: We support all SharePoint column types, including all our special column types, including repeating sections and images.

Summary

Document generation and forwarding is one of the most powerful and widely used features of Ultimate Forms in SharePoint. By utilizing simple Word documents as templates, Ultimate Forms makes it easy for everyone to generate professionally looking documents completely automatically. The configuration process takes minutes and requires no code or programming knowledge of any kind.

Associate items Form in Forms Example

Michael Saulnier — Friday, October 8, 2021

Leveraging a custom Associate Item form with in your Parent form Using Associated items is a great way to provide customers with the ability to record multiple records of data that relate to one record. Like having 1 customer contact record related to multiple sales calls recorded or orders. The traditional method is to use a pop-up dialog form to fill in the information. Or to use the grid format to enter the info line by line, these are great ways to get that information but they have some draw-backs. Using the Grid entry creates a way to stay on the form to enter the multiple order/sales lines but you cannot use the dynamic rules or permissions that are available on the form. Also, using the pop-up form allows for use of the dynamic rules and permissions but it takes the focus off the main parent form. Well what if you could have both, this is where the setting Forms in Forms comes in. You can use a form as if it were a grid and you full capabilities of the dynamic rules, permissions as you do with a regular form. In my example below I use the Pizza Order Solution to demonstrate this capability. In this solution the customer provides some basic contact info and has the ability to review the menu. When they are ready to place an order the items they order are using the associate Item setting of Form in Form. The Associate Item form I designed here provides the ability to calculate the price of the pizza from the per slice price to the Party size. Also it provides the customer with the flexibility to order a custom pizza with additional toppings for extra cost. At the bottom of the Order form the customer can see the Total cost of all items and the Final sale price including the tax. How to Design the dynamic form for use in the Associate Item Field Below outlines the process to create these dynamic forms that show directly in the parent form. To allow the Form in Form feature you need to turn it on in the field configuration of the associate field. Then you need to click on Design Data entry form at the top. This will bring you to a new form designer page Now you can design how you associate item form will look In the parent form when using form in form. Once you are finished designing this when all the settings (permissions, dynamic rules, styles, css, etc…) you will need to publish this form and when that is published click on the white < in the top blue menu bar to go back to your parent form. In the parent form I always publish that one to be sure that the two forms are tied together. (Not sure it's needed but it doesn't hurt). And now when you start to use the form it will have the child forms showing in on the parent form. Other customizations for this application This Template comes with basic lists and configurations, you will need to provide the data. Also, any other settings as describe below are suggestions that we cannot setup for you since they are highly dependent on your organizations setup and configurations (i.e. the paypal payment, email settings, etc.) Once the order has been submitted the customer is send his receipt (if prepaid via payment option, you would need to setup your paypal options) or the invoice is sent via an alert. ( Note: you would need to add these settings for your environment) . Also, the Order is emailed to the restaurant to fulfill the order. Note: this too you need to provide the process for. Some additional notes to this application is that you can add additional actions and processes to track the quantity of ingredients used for each order so that it can update your inventory control systems. Also, you can build a monthly reporting system to track the financial reporting that your restaurant may need for accounting and reporting. The menu list is fully customizable to add more items. You may need to adjust the pricing rules on the item order form. For different plate options. Just remember, You image filenames need to match the name of the menu item. And the .jpg images as that is the current image format that is accepted in this application. This application is available as one of our Business Solutions templates. You can create a new site (or subsite) add the infowise app to your site contents. Then open the Infowise interface and go to business soluitions and look for Pizza Order app. Play around with it and customize it to you needs. Buon Appetito!

Suggestions function in modern SharePoint forms

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Introduction

In many situations users might be entering data into a SharePoint form that might already exist in the system. It might occur simply because of lack of prior knowledge. For example, a user might be submitting a support request in the help desk system. The user might not realize that someone has already previously resolved the same issue in another ticket. This of course generates unnecessary delays, occupies resources and causes general inefficiencies. Our job is to improve these business processes by ensuring smart data entry.

Enter Suggestions Feature

This is why we provide a Suggestions feature in our Form Designer component of Ultimate Forms. This component listens to the data being entered into the form in real time. It then presents relevant existing items, in preview mode, that match the entered form data. The component utilizes the SharePoint search engine. While you type in your new entry, the form runs a search on this data. The results will then appear within the Suggestions control on the form. User will be able to reference the presented information. Or they can even decide to discard the form if matching items already exist. The items could come from the current list (such as existing support tickets, containing resolution steps). Or the information can come from any other list, such as Knowledge Base. The decision what data source to use is yours, giving you that extra flexibility. And as with all our features, the setup and configuration process is simple and intuitive.

Let's Try It

We are going to create a simple Support Desk system. Using the Suggestions feature we will ensure our users do not enter the same ticket more than once by mistake. By preventing duplicate tickets, we save time and effort of the whole support team.

Create a SharePoint List

Create your Support Tickets list. In my example, it only contains Title and Description columns. But of course in your case, there could be any number of other columns. You could be dealing with any type of form as well, no need for it to be a Support Tickets form.

Design the Form

Click on Design on the toolbar of the list to enter Ultimate Forms, then click on Form Designer. Allow it to create a form for you automatically or design your own.
Locate Suggestions under Controls on the left and drag it on the design canvas of the form.
Form Designer will now display a preview of the form, including the new control.

Configure Suggestions

Click on the Suggestions control within the design canvas to display its properties on the right. I will now explain the meaning of each setting.

Title (optional) - any message that appears above the results. You can also create messages in different languages, when creating multilingual forms.
Search according to data in columns (required) - select at least one column on the form. The Suggestions component uses the data in this columns[s] as input. It passes it to the SharePoint search engine. When you select multiple columns, it will search based upon the concatenation of text in all of them.
Minimal characters to start search - how many characters does the user need to type in to start the search. We do not make a specific suggestion what value to use here. It depends on what kind of data you are working with.
The more characters you require, the more precise the search will be. But of course it depends on how many meaningful keywords your users are entering.
Maximum number of results - how many results to show. You should not overwhelm your users with a multitude of results. But consider that they require at least a few options to choose from.
Search in list - select the list to search in. By default it will be the current list, but you can select any list within the site.
Show creator and creation date - whether or not to show the item creator and date created below each result.

Publish and Test

Once you are done and published the form, add some existing items, so search has something to work with. Note that we are using SharePoint's search engine as the underlying infrastructure. The search engine indexing is not immediate. You will experience a slight delay between the moment you add an item and when it starts appearing in search results. From our experience, the delay is about 5 minutes at most.

Conclusion

The Suggestions feature aims to save your organization time and money. It proactively presents relevant information just in time on the form. The resulting context-aware form helps your users make better informed decision and prevent unnecessary labor.

Parameters in manual actions

Vladi Gubler — Friday, July 30, 2021

What are Actions?

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms is an easy-to-use alternative to workflows and Power Automate. It allows you to implement advanced business logic without being an expert in workflow design. SharePoint automation does not have to remain strictly in the realm of dedicated developers. Unlike the traditional SharePoint workflow, you do not need to set up complicated flowcharts to add automation to your business processes. You just set up a series of independent actions. Each action has its own triggers and conditions. You don’t need to worry about dependencies, states, or other SharePoint workflow details. This makes it easier for non-technical users. You simply select the action type that matches what you are trying to do, configure it and save. You do not need to do anything beyond that. Actions offer a simple and approachable way to implement SharePoint business processes.

Action triggers

Actions have a variety of triggers that activate them:

Events - actions are executed when items are added, update or deleted in your lists or document libraries
Timer - actions are executed according to a date (for instance, 2 days before due date).
Manual - actions are triggered by users via buttons on forms and/or list views

In all action triggers, you can use the values from the list item in the action configuration. Consider for instance that you are setting a Full Name column value to a combination of First Name and Last Name columns. The action will read the values of the two latter column from the list item. It will then combine them and then store the result in the Full Name column.

Introduction to parameters

Manual actions take it one more step further. They can request additional information from the user at the time of execution. When the user clicks on a button to run the action, the action shows a form with additional details to enter. As an action creator, you can optionally define one or more such parameters. You can then use their values in exactly the same way as the regular column values. For example, you can enter the value of a parameter into the list item's column. A common example of such action could be settings the status of the item. We support the following parameter data types:

Text - free text input
Number - any number or currency
Date - date, and optionally, time
Yes/no - checkmark for entering yes/no values
Choice - selection from a number of predefined text choices
Lookup - looks up values from a list
Person or group - select one or more user or group

What is great about it is that the parameters behave just like regular columns. You can set default values, make them required and so on.

Let's see an example

Start configuring a new action. The simplest and most common action type would be Update list items action that updates one or more items in a list/document library
Enable Manual mode for the action.
Notice Parameters section there, let's create a few parameters.
Clicking on Add new column will reveal the selection of supported column types. Parameters are identical in their definition to columns and you configure them in the same way. The only difference is that we store them inside the action definition and do not add them to the list itself.
Once you click on the desired type, we will display a column configuration form. You will see that it's basically identical to the column configuration form in the list. We chose to do it this way to make it easier and more intuitive to create parameters.
Once you've configured all the parameters you want, you can use them for mapping of column values you want to update. Your parameters will appear first, in blue, with @ character preceding their name. Note that you can use them just as you would any other column, so feel free to use calculations or functions.

Testing the parameters

Once your action is configured and saved, it's time to trigger it manually. You can do it from a button on the form or from the toolbar of both forms and list views. When triggered from a list view, make sure to select one or more items first, to make the button appear. Here how it would appear on a modern form:
And here is the same button on a list view, notice that I selected an item in the view:
Once I click on the button, a pop-up showing a selection of manual actions configured on the list is presented:
When there are no parameters associated with the executed action, it will start right away upon the click. If however your action has parameters, we will generate and display an entry form:
Note how the value 'Totally' comes pre-filled via the default value setting of the parameter.
Fill in your desired values and click on Save. It will then trigger the action with these values. Note that if you do not provide a value for a parameter, we will use an empty value to set in the action. We will not ignore the parameter. So it makes sense to make your parameters required if an empty value is not an option.

Buttons in forms

Instead of using toolbar buttons, you can embed buttons inside the body of the form. Users can then trigger your action directly from those buttons. I recommend it as a better and more user-friendly approach!

Go to Form Designer and drag a new button onto your form.
Click on it and set its settings inside the configuration pane on the righthand side of the screen.
Give it a meaningful label, then set the button type to Trigger action and select your action from the list. Once you completed configuring the button, simply publish the form.
Proceed to opening an item for display, then click on the action button. A floating form will be generated and displayed:
Enter your values, then click on Submit. The action will be queued for execution and you will be presented with real time progress indication.

You will be happy to know that this method will reload the item after the action is completed. This means any updates are instantly available to the user to serve as a visual feedback to action execution.

In conclusion

As you can see, there is a multitude of the possibilities here. I can suggest several ideas:

Perform bulk updates on multiple items
Interact with external applications (such as submit information into a database)
Implement one click approval by setting multiple column values at once.

The feature adds an extra layer of separation of concerns. This can work well with the business process you want to automate.

New action type - Manage Teams

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, July 22, 2021

Hi, Great news! Today we're introducing a brand new action type in Ultimate Forms: Manage Teams. With this action, you can easily manage different aspects of your Microsoft Teams environment:

Teams
1. Create a new team
2. Update a team
3. Delete (or archive) a team
4. Add members to a team
5. Remove members from a team
Channels
1. Create a channel (standard or private)
2. Update a channel
3. Delete a channel
4. Add owners to a private channel
5. Remove owners from a private channel

As any other action, it can run on various events, on timer or manually, so you can easily integrate into your SharePoint-based business solutions. For example, imagine a list of projects, where whenever you create a new project, a team is automatically set up in Teams and all the relevant members are assigned to it, without any manual steps. For my illustrations, I'm going to be using a simple list that holds all the relevant information for team and channel creation. Our actions will then be added to the list and executed from it (manually for this particular example). So this is my list item:
Note Email column, it simply holds the email nickname to be assigned to the team. If none is provided, we will do our best to generate one from the team title. Each team in Teams is required to have one, as each team is always backed up by an Azure AD group. Next, I created a set of actions:

Create team - creates a new team based on the list item properties

I simply mapped the column values to the action properties. Note Owner field. Each team requires at least one owner. You can either select users directly on the left or select a column that contains users, as I'm doing here. If none is provided, we will use the identity of the user who created the action, as at least one owner must be present in a team. Note that during team creation only the first owner can be specified. If more than one is received, only the first one is used. Additional owners can be added using Add members action subtype.
Create channel - creates a new channel in a team

Note that you have to map a name for an existing team, the action cannot create both team and channel in one go, but you can combine multiple actions together in one action group to accomplish that. Also note that when you mark your action as Private, you also need to specify owners (one or more) for the channel, these are your members.
Add members to team - adds members to an existing team

You can add multiple members with different levels of permissions. Note that the action simply receives email addresses, so it can be mapped to a Person/group column, as well as any other column type that would return emails (such as single line of text, if you so choose).

Once our actions are created and set to be manually executed under Advanced settings (of course, they can also run on events, I choose Manual for testing/illustration purposes only), we can click on Run Actions button on the item and see all our new actions there, ready to be executed
I then went in and clicked on each one in sequence. Then I went to my Teams app, and voila, it's all there!
Enjoy!

New visual design capabilities in Modern forms

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, June 8, 2021

Hi, A form that looks great is so much more appealing and inviting for users! With our Modern forms, we pay a great deal of attention to styling abilities:

Themes - with a selection of pre-defined themes, it's easy to apply a complete look & feel to the form.
Style rules - any element on the form can have one or more conditional style rules applied to it. This feature is especially useful when you need to highlight a section based on the user selection.
CSS - you can specify your own CSS class name for any element on the form. You can then use the CSS module to either define those classes directly on the form or link to a shared CSS file (which is very useful when you want to apply the same look and feel to all your forms with minimal effort.

Now we are adding a brand new capability that makes creating great looking forms even easier! With the new Styles configuration, you can easily customize the look and feel of your form without having any experience with CSS.
Want to create a form that looks like this? With the new feature, it's ridiculously easy! Let me show how.

Create your form by dragging your columns to the design surface of Form Designer. As always, use Containers to control layout in an easy and responsive way. it will automatically look great on any type of device!
Click on the Styles button on the main toolbar to open the Styles side pane
Here you can either apply one of the theme or generate a Style, which is what we are going to be doing.
First, we are going to be picking a background image from the gallery. There are already about 30 different images there to choose from and we will be adding more. Alternatively, you can reference your own image by URL address
Once we've selected an image, we can customize the following settings
1. Padding for the image (space between the form boundary and the boundary of the inner form background). You can even specify different padding on different side of the form.
2. Background color for the form background (the box inside, where the actual form resides)
3. Opacity - how opaque/transparent the form background is. I suggest making it slightly transparent, so the background image is still visible, but the form is still easy to use. Something like 80-90% is a good value, but it's really up to you.
4. Inner padding - space between the boundary of the form background to the actual form controls.
Publish your form, it's now ready to amaze your users!

We also added the abilty to choose an image from a gallery to our image control, so it can be used as a banner on the form. Sometimes, just a banner is enough for your form and you don't want to put a background image over the whole form. Same idea here, place the image control on the form, select an image, specify alignment and height of the banner and that's it! I hope you will find these new features useful when designing your forms!

Embedding images in SharePoint's multiple lines of text column

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Introduction

One of the most versatile column types in SharePoint is the multiple lines of text column, especially in its enhanced rich text mode. You can add any type of text, links, images and other visual elements, as in any text editor. Unfortunately, SharePoint's support for this column type is far from being perfect, especially in the Modern UI. For example, try to paste an image there. Although it will look fine while you are editing the column, you could be in for a surprise when you save the item. Unless you uploaded the image first, it will be simply gone from the column! Not exactly a user-friendly experience. This is why we enhanced the column in our modern forms in Infowise Ultimate Forms and made it super-easy to embed images without any additional steps. Simply specify a SharePoint document or image library in the column settings on the form and it will automatically upload your embedded images and use the image URLs, in a way that will prevent SharePoint from removing the image from the value. Your users don't even need to know all these details, it just works!

Let's try it!

How can you configure that?

Create a multiple line of text column in your SharePoint list (or use an existing one). Make sure Enhanced rich text mode is enabled.
Pro-tip: you can easily do it directly in Form Designer, all in one place!
Go into Form Designer in Infowise Ultimate Forms and select our column there. If it's not yet on the canvas, just drag it from the column gallery on the left. In the column properties select a document or image library in the same SharePoint site to store your images. I suggest that you create a new one, as images are going to be uploaded into generated folders that won't make much sense to users.
Publish your form.

See the results

Now go to your list. Copy any image from anywhere (I was using my trusty screenshot tool). Go to your form and paste the image directly in the rich text column.
Save your item, as you can see, the image is now visible in the list views.
Images are uploaded into folders with unique names, to ensure one item doesn't overwrite images belonging to another item. You are going to have lots of these folders, so the SharePoint library won't be of much use when accessed directly by the users. That's why I recommend designating a special library for this (it can be used by all lists within your SharePoint site as the folder names will be strictly unique for each item).

Conclusion

Easy and transparent integration of images in SharePoint rich text columns allows you to create meaningful and engaging content. Custom SharePoint forms created with Ultimate Forms provide your with simple and integrated handling of image attachments. It helps you to be more productive and saves you time and effort.

Manage attachments - new action type

Vladi Gubler — Monday, March 29, 2021

Introduction

As you know, documents can be stored in SharePoint in two ways:

In SharePoint document libraries
As SharePoint list item attachments

Each of these approaches has its own pros and cons. For example, documents in document libraries can have versions and metadata. In contrast, a list item internally contains the SharePoint attachments and only displays them in its context. Attachments have no versions and no additional metadata. Infowise Ultimate Forms already gives you two additional capabilities, Associated Documents and Document Link columns types. The first one allows you to show documents in a document library within the parent list item. The column basically performs a query by parent on the document library and displays the matching items. The second one allows you to link and uploads documents through a list item. The column stores links to the documents. The advantage of this approach is that you can link the same document from various list items. You do not need to create duplicate versions of the same document. In both cases, we will store the documents in a document library. So you can take advantage of metadata, custom forms and version history.

The Business Need

In some cases, you want to be able to convert your existing documents. For example, you might want to promote attachments to a document library. Or you might choose to copy/move documents from a document library and create list item attachments from them. Until now it was not an easy task, basically requiring manual download and upload of documents. With the new Manage attachments action type, it's now super easy! Let's briefly describe what capabilities this action type offers.

Copy/move attachment to document library

You take your list item attachments and copy them to the specified SharePoint document library. You can take all of them or filter by file name and/or size. You can place them in the root or in a specific folder. The action will also automatically create a folder when needed. You can also specify any additional metadata based on the list item properties. Optionally, you can also link the documents to a Document Link column within the item.

Copy/move from document library

You specify query conditions and then copy/move those found documents into attachments.

Delete attachments

Delete all or filtered attachments from the list item.

Example of Usage

I would like to illustrate it better with a simple example. We will be selecting all the attachments with the word "instructions" in their name. Then we will be promoting them to be documents in a document library. In doing so, we will be:

Specifying the target folder
Setting some metadata
And even linking those documents, in their new location, back to the item using Document Link column.

Whenever someone creates or update a list item with matching attachments, the action will trigger. First, it will select the attachments with the suitable names. After that it will create a folder in the document library and place the former attachment document there. For each it will set the metadata according to the configuration. Next, the action will remove the attachments from the list item. And finally, it will update the value of the Document Link column with links to the new documents. The whole process will only take a few seconds and will take place with no user intervention. We will start with creating a new action.

Choose Manage attachments as your action type and enter some meaningful action name.

Next, we need to select what list items we want the action to execute on. By default, it will already select the current item (the one on which the action runs) by specifying ID=[ID]. You can however affect any number of items in any site:
Next, optionally specify filters based on attachment file name and size:
Now we need to specify the target document library. You can select a document library located on any site. You can even specify dynamic runtime site URL and library name:
Optionally set the folder path (from the root of the library) and map any metadata you want to set. In our case, we are setting the document description and folder, specified based on the list item title. Which means that for each item will create a unique folder. The name of the folder will include the title of the item.
I will be using a Document Link column here that I named DLF. Promoted documents' links will be automatically stored here so you can easily access them from the list item:
And this is how it will appear in the list item. Note that I didn't actually filter the attachments by name when running my example for the sake of simplicity.

Conclusion

As you can see from my example above, the action type is easy to work with, yet it is an incredibly powerful tool! One possible usage could be in conjunction with Import. You can create an import profile on document library. By default, we will only take the first document from the email. There might be cases when your emails contain multiple attachments. And you want each to become a document in your document library. You can set up your import on a list (not document library). Then add a Manage Attachments action to run on New. The action will then move list item attachments to the document library, each one will become a separate document!

Integrating online payments in forms

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Hi, Many of the forms you see everywhere on the Internet have something to do with money: payments, donations, bookings, etc. Although Ultimate Forms is not an e-commerce product, we want to offer our customers the ability to add simple payment processing abilities to the forms they create, which can be used inside the organization and, using External Forms, when interacting with the outside world. We are offering PayPal integration as our first step, as it's the most widely used online payment platform. Make sure to sign up for an account with PayPal before you continue. You can add the new Payment control to your form and be ready to accept payment in just a couple of minutes. I am going to be showing how it works using a super-simple example of a sandwich ordering form. Nothing fance here, just your name, date and the quantity. Of course, it's easy to leverage the full power of Ultimate Forms by adding line items, price lists and totals, but it's not the purpose of this particular demo. This is the end result. Basically, the form is already pre-filled. All you need to do is change the quantity and maybe choose the vegetarian option. The total is simply the quantity multiplied by $4, can't get simpler than that! Click on one of the payment buttons and enter the payment details. You can pay with or without a PayPal account, there are many options available, including credit cards and direct bank withdrawals. And once you pay, the form is locked down and doesn't allow any additional changes: Let's see what is going on here. Basically, there is a very simple list underneath (BTW, it doesn't even have to be a SharePoint list, it can be any data provider, including REST API or Salesforce). All we need is a few columns:

Invoice ID (in this case, I simply renamed the Title column). This is where the payment module is going to store the invoice ID it generates. We do not need to show this column on the form, but it's required for the payment to work correctly, as well as for cross-referencing with PayPal data.
Ordered by - person column. I added a default value rule to set the current user's name.
Date - here I configured the column to default to today's date.
Quantity - a number column, I configured it to display as a slider (fancy!).
Total - currency column, I added a rule to calculate based on Quantity.
Vegetatian only - boolean (yes/no) column.

Just going to go over some of these settings, for clarity. This is how I made the Ordered by field default to the current user: And this is how I made Quantity appear as a slider: This is how I configured Total to always be read-only (as we set its value through a rule): And this is the calculation rule itself: Now let's talk a bit more about the configurations on the PayPal side. Log into the Developer Dashboard and create a new App. Take a note of Client ID it generates, you're going to need that in your form. Make sure to use the sandbox Client ID, so you can test your form without any money actually changing hands. When ready to go live, you can switch to the live Client ID. Drag Payment control onto your form and click on it to go into properties (it will complain about Client ID being missing, we are taking care of that in a sec) A couple of things to pay attention to here:

Enter Client ID you copied from PayPal (remember use Sandbox one and only switch to Live when ready).
Select your Amount column, this is the value we will be passing to PayPal for payment.
Optionally, select a different currency.
Select our Invoice ID column to store the invoice ID. This column doesn't need to appear on the form, but is required to know that a payment has been made.
By default payment will save and close the form, you may want to disable that in some cases, for now, leave it as it is.

Now, let's add permission rules to make the form read-only when it's already paid. I'm adding the rules directly to the container control that holds all the other controls and columns, this way I only need to do it once: This is the Write rule, it specifically checks that the Invoice ID column is empty. Read rule is even simpler and has no conditions (Write rule is stronger, so Read only applies when Write is blocked by the condition). By default, the form is going to reside within your site. If you want external users to be able to use it, enable External Form functionality, then copy and share the URL. You can either let us host it or get the script snippet and host it on your own page. Note: in External forms, you probably want to remove the default value rule from Ordered by, so it won't show SharePoint App as default. Also, if you don't want the toolbar with Save/Cancel buttons to appear at the top, disable it: Publish your form and you're done! Test it with one of your test PayPal accounts, once ready to go live, replace the Client ID and re-publish.

Integration of Actions and Forms

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Introduction

Ultimate Forms is a complete platform for no-code implementation of business solutions in Microsoft SharePoint. It allows non-technical personnel to quickly and easily create a variety of common business processes, such as Help Desk, Vacation Request or Project Management. Ultimate Forms contains a variety of component, covering various aspect of solution implementation. Forms and specialized column types ensure convenient and error-free data entry. Web parts help you build web part pages and dashboards. The various automation components allow you to send emails, integrate external applications and perform data updates according to your business rules.

Front-end vs Back-end

Ultimate Forms components can be broadly divided into two categories:

Front-end components - visible to user, they help enter and view data. Forms, column types, Calendar, Print and Charts (and some others) belong to this category.
Back-end components - execute business logic behind the scenes, configured by administrators and usually invisible to end users. Actions, Alerts, Import and Item ID are some of these components.

Back-end components are usually executed indirectly (although for most manual execution options are available as well). Triggers for execution can be various events (whenever an item is added, modified or deleted) and timer-based triggers (2 days before due date or every 15 minutes). As you can see, front-end and back-end components normally do not interact directly. They interact through changes in data: forms update the data and that triggers some back-end execution.

Manual Actions

In some scenarios however we do want to trigger actions directly from the form, without relying on events. For example, some event types do not exist in SharePoint list. One such event is the common requirement of logging when users view an item. Another reason could be that the list undergoes frequent massive automatic updates, that would cause the actions to be throttled when used with events. We support triggering actions in two ways:

Via buttons - there is a special button type "Trigger action"
Via form events (such as form opened/close and item added/modified)

Let's See a Demo

I'm going to present an example of form-triggered action. We are going to increment a number column "Views" each time someone open the item in Edit or Display form.

Create a simple list and add a number column called Views.
Click on Design from the toolbar of the list, then click on Actions.
We are adding and Update list item action that is going to increment Views column value (Views + 1)
Under Action settings we will enter Views = [Views]+1, this is our formula.
Under General settings make sure to uncheck all event types. We are going to be triggering this action from the form, so we don't want it to then trigger again through events.
Once we've created our action, let's design our form. Click on Form Designer and create a form similar to this:
We will set permissions on Views column to make it hidden in New form and read-only in Edit and Display forms. We need to do that as we don't want users to modify its value directly.
Now, click on Actions button on the top toolbar.
Here select our action under Form is opened event. Note that you can of course use Form is closed as well. But note that it will not execute the user simply closed the browser or navigates to another page without using buttons.
Publish the form and create our first test item in the list.

Trying It Out

Open the item for display a few times and see the Views counter updated (allow a few seconds for the action to run, it is not immediate).

I'm sure you will find this new feature useful for various scenarios you are implementing using Ultimate Forms!

Importing SMS text messages into SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Friday, January 8, 2021

Introduction

Import component of Ultimate Forms allows you to set up an automated, background import process of data from a variety of external data sources into SharePoint. We support emails, various databases and Excel files, REST and SOAP web services and even text files. The process runs automatically in the background. It periodically looks for new and updated items. Then using that data to create and/or update list items and documents in SharePoint. More and more of our customers are incorporating SMS text messages into their business processes. They provide a fast and reliable way of sending notifications and information to employees, customers and vendors. One of the recommended ways of integrating SMS messaging is using Twilio, the world leader in SMS integration. With their ease-to-use API, the integration is simple and fast. I already blogged in the past on how to use our Actions to send SMS messages through Twilio.

SMS Import

The Import component provides a built-in ability to import messages sent and/or received via Twilio. You can now integrate incoming text messages in your business solutions, for instance, implement approvals via text messages.

Step-by-step Implementation

Let me guide you through the integration steps. In this scenario we are simply going to import all messages from Twilio, incoming and outgoing. But of course, you can set it up in a much more sophisticated ways.

SharePoint List

First, let's create a list in SharePoint where we are going to store the messages. I'm using a simple generic list with the following columns:

Body - this is the built-in Title column, I simply renamed it.
From - single line of text, I will store the sender phone number here.
To - single line of text, I will store the recipient phone number here.
Date Sent - date/time, I will store the date/time message was sent.
Direction - single line of text, I will store the message direction here (incoming or outgoing).
Status - single line of text, I will store the message status here (success or error).

You don't have to use an exact same list structure. Import allows flexible mapping of data as you will see later.

Twilio Account

Next, you need to sign into your Twilio account. If you don't have an account yet, create a new one. Even a trial account will be sufficient for our purposes. Go to Settings and scroll down to API Credentials section. You are going to use Account SID and Auth token.

Import Profile Configuration

Return to your SharePoint list and click on Design to enter Ultimate Forms.
Click on Import under Import and export
Click on Add new profile
Enter profile title of your choosing.
Start date value controls which messages will be imported. To be imported, message has to be received after this date. By default, the value is set to the current date/time of the profile creation. If you want your profile to import past messages, change the date to be earlier than the first message you want to import.
Polling frequency controls how often the profile will automatically log into Twilio to search for new messages. The default is 15 min, but you can change it to any other interval. The value of None means you choose to execute the profile manually.
You can also contact us to sign up for High frequency polling option. It is a premium feature that sets the interval to 2 minutes.
Switch to Data provider tab.
Switch Type from Email to Application, then choose Twilio under Application type.
Enter your Account SID and Auth token you copied from Twilio.
You can limit the import to message only sent or received from a specific phone number. I'm leaving this field empty.
Update date column controls what property we use to check the date on the item and only import new items during each run. We are leaving the default value here.
Switch to Actions tab.
Actions specify what we do with the messages that we are importing. You can use actions to create and/or update list items in SharePoint. These actions will be using the data from the imported messages.
Create a new Create list item / document action, give it a title of your choosing.
Map columns in the message to the columns in the list. In my case, I'm simply doing a direct one-to-one mapping. You can use our Value Builder to use expressions and functions to manipulate the values.
Save the action, then save the whole import profile.

Testing

If needed, send or receive message in Twilio to ensure there is something to import. Wait for the profile to run automatically or click on Run now.
You can open Import history to view the execution steps of the run. Once the profile is completed, go back to your list, you should now be able to see the newly imported items.

Conclusion

As you can see, implementing text message import is a simple and straightforward process! You can add your own conditions, functions and mapping to ensure it integrates into your business logic. You can also add Alerts and Actions to trigger additional steps. I invite you to enjoy exploring the unlimited possibilities of Ultimate Forms integrations!

Rating scale columns in forms

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, January 6, 2021

Introduction

If you’ve ever used Survey lists in SharePoint, you’re likely familiar with a powerful and often underappreciated feature: the Rating Scale column. This special column type presents a matrix of statements or questions alongside a numeric scale, typically used for gathering structured feedback. The idea is simple but incredibly effective - allow users to rate specific aspects of a subject, such as a product or service, using a consistent scoring system.

Imagine a typical use case where a user might evaluate a recently purchased product based on multiple attributes—Design, Reliability, Ease of Use, and Value for Money—each on a 1 to 5 scale. With a rating scale, that kind of feedback becomes easy to collect and even easier to analyze. Whether it’s employee evaluations, event feedback, performance reviews, or customer satisfaction surveys, the Rating Scale column offers a standardized approach to capturing sentiment and measuring trends.

But there’s a caveat. SharePoint’s built-in Survey lists, which support the Rating Scale column, are now deprecated. They are not compatible with Modern SharePoint experiences and have long been considered too specialized and limited for most enterprise-grade applications. This effectively rendered the Rating Scale column obsolete—until now.

Bringing Rating Scale to Modern SharePoint Lists

Fortunately, with the help of Ultimate Forms, you can reintroduce and extend the power of Rating Scale columns into any SharePoint list type—even in Modern SharePoint environments. Ultimate Forms gives you the flexibility to use this column type across a wide range of solutions and business scenarios without relying on outdated list templates.

Unlike legacy SharePoint functionality, Ultimate Forms allows you to create, modify, and deploy Rating Scale columns in any list - not just Surveys. This opens the door to integrating detailed rating capabilities in project management tools, customer portals, HR evaluation systems, and more. The beauty of this approach is that you don’t need to write code or build custom solutions. The capability is built right into the Form Designer interface and can be leveraged through a few simple clicks.

Implementation Guide: Adding a Rating Scale Column

Let’s walk through the simple process of creating and using a Rating Scale column in your SharePoint list using Ultimate Forms.

Step 1: Access Ultimate Forms

Navigate to the SharePoint list where you want to add the rating functionality.
In the list toolbar, click “Design” to open Ultimate Forms.

Step 2: Launch Form Designer

Under the Modern Forms section, click on “Form Designer.”
This will open a drag-and-drop interface where you can fully customize your form layout.

Step 3: Create a New Rating Scale Column

On the left-hand panel, look under “Columns” and click “New column.”
In the column settings, choose “Rating scale” as the column type.
Now, define your matrix:
- Enter the questions or criteria you want users to rate.
- Choose the range (e.g., 1–5 or 1–10).
- Provide left and right labels to contextualize the scale (e.g., “Poor” to “Excellent”).

Step 4: Additional Options

You may also choose to:
- Include a “Not Applicable (N/A)” option.
- Mark the column as “Required” to ensure responses are submitted.
Once configured, click “Save.”
Drag the new column into the form layout wherever it fits best.

Step 5: Publish the Form

Once your form is designed to your liking, click “Publish.”
Your form is now live with the Rating Scale column fully functional.

Using the Rating Scale in Forms

After publishing your form, it’s time to test the new column in action.

Return to the list by clicking its title in the top-left corner of Form Designer.
Click “New” to create a new list item.
You’ll now see the Rating Scale rendered within your form.
Users can select values for each question or category, providing consistent and meaningful feedback.
After submission, the responses are stored in the list and become read-only for standard viewing, ensuring data integrity.

This modern experience is intuitive and user-friendly, encouraging higher completion rates and more actionable data collection.

Integration and Advanced Use Cases

One of the most compelling advantages of using Ultimate Forms is its deep integration of the Rating Scale column across all components of the platform. The data you collect using these columns isn’t siloed—it can be harnessed throughout your SharePoint ecosystem.

1. Print Support

Need to generate reports or print feedback summaries? The Rating Scale column is fully supported in the Print component. This allows you to create PDF or Word documents that neatly include the matrix-style ratings, which is especially useful for employee reviews, performance audits, or stakeholder presentations.

2. Summaries and Reports

Ultimate Forms also allows you to calculate and display summary statistics. For example:

Show average scores across all submissions.
Highlight top-rated or lowest-rated criteria.
Display real-time dashboards and feedback reports for managers and decision-makers.

This makes it easy to turn raw rating data into actionable insights.

3. Alerts and Notifications

You can also use Alerts to notify team members when a new rating submission is received. The rating values will be included in the email message in a convenient format. This automation ensures that important feedback doesn’t go unnoticed and can be addressed promptly.

Why Use Rating Scale Columns?

Here are just a few reasons to consider adding Rating Scale columns to your SharePoint solutions:

Consistency: Uniform scoring simplifies data analysis and reporting.
Efficiency: Users can provide rich feedback quickly with minimal effort.
Versatility: Use it for employee performance, event feedback, product reviews, and more.
Engagement: Interactive forms are more likely to be completed accurately and on time.

Conclusion

The Rating Scale column is one of the most effective tools for collecting structured feedback. And with Ultimate Forms, you’re no longer limited by the outdated constraints of SharePoint’s legacy Survey lists. Whether you’re building HR systems, customer feedback portals, or internal audit forms, this feature lets you enhance your forms with professional-grade rating capabilities—without touching a single line of code.

By leveraging the modern Form Designer, full integration with Print and Alerts, and the seamless user experience, you can create powerful and scalable business solutions in SharePoint that drive better decisions and smarter workflows.

So go ahead—start using Rating Scale columns today and unlock a whole new level of feedback precision and automation in SharePoint.

Use buttons to navigate tabs

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, December 31, 2020

Hi, In some cases, you want to create a form where the user is guided through the process, step-by-step. Especially in complex forms, it is easier and more user-friendly to logically divide the columns by category into tabs or accordion panels, without overwhelming with the sheer number of columns you might need. Additionally, you might only want to show some columns when specific values were entered in other columns, completely hiding irrelevant columns using dynamic permissions. Although both Tabs and Accordion control were made available in Modern forms from the very beginning, there wasn't way to navigate between the different tabs using Previous/Next buttons. You could click on the tab header to switch to that tab, but you could not require a particular order of progression, users could jump between tabs as they saw fit. Of course, it's perfectly fine for some cases, but it's also sometimes desirable to enforce more strict order. We are releasing a new feature, which allows you to add navigation buttons, as well as force navigation only through the buttons in one or more form types. This feature is avaible for both Tabs and Accordion with Collapsible setting activated (meaning only one tab is allowed to be open, opening another tab collapses the currently selected one).

Open your form in Form Designer.
Click on your existing Tabs control or add a new one.
In the property pane on the right, enable navigation through buttons.
You can also choose to force users to only use buttons for navigation in one or more forms.
Button Bar will be added below your tabs. By default, it contains Previous, Next and Save button.
You can rename the buttons, control their style, provide translations into additional language. At run-time, the form will automatically display only the buttons relevant for the current tab (for example, Previous button is not displayed on the first tab). For advanced scenarios you can switch Button Bar into Custom mode to add/remove additional buttons. Note that in Custom mode only Previous/Next buttons are conditionally shown based on the current tab.
Publish your form.
Go to your list and create an item.
You will see that tab headers are no longer clickable and Next button is displayed on the first tab. Start filling out your form, clicking Next when done with a tab.
When you rich the last tab, Save button will be also displayed.

As you can see, it is very easy to implement this exciting new feature and we hope it will help you do more with your forms!

Control current form tab via rules

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Hi, Tabs and Accordion controls are extremely helpful when you build complex forms. By separating multiple columns into different tabs, you can create forms that are smaller, easier to navigate and clearer, while still collecting all the information you need. Tabs have another, equally important purpose. By assigning different permissions to tabs, you can designate each tab as a stage of your business process, hiding and locking tabs based on the current user's identity, type of form and column-based conditions. For example, you can place all the approval related columns on the Approval tab and only allow managers edit columns on that tab and that only when the status of the form indicates that is it being submitted for approval. In some cases, you want the form to open with a certain tab being active (such as the Approval tab for the manager) or maybe you want to switch the current tab dynamically, based on the values you enter. And now, you can!

Open your form in Form Designer. Add a Tabs control if you don't already have one. You can also use an Accordion control with Collapsible mode enabled. Add your columns to the tabs based on your business requirements.
Make sure the Tabs control is selected (selected control has a blue border), click on it to select.
In the right pane you will find Rules section.
Add a new rule. In my case, I want the Approvals tab to be selected in Edit form when the Approval column value is N/a (not available).

Note: rules are not really aware of tab names, as those might change. Instead, the rule sets the tab based on its position. If you change order of tabs, you need to update your rules.
Save your rule and publish your form.
Go to your list and open item, it should now open with the active tab set according to your rules.

This is another great and useful feature that helps you create amazing forms that your users will love!

Learning Management System In SharePoint

Amir Shingray — Thursday, December 24, 2020

Due to the importance of this topic for our users, we’re excited to share an update that will significantly enhance your SharePoint learning processes. If your organization is seeking a comprehensive and customizable Learning Management System (LMS) solution, we’ve got you covered. We’ve prepared an on-demand webinar that not only explains how to set up an LMS in SharePoint using Infowise Ultimate Forms but also comes with a valuable resource—a free LMS seed template. This template serves as the foundation for your LMS, enabling you to customize and adapt it to your unique business culture effortlessly. 🔗 Access the Webinar and Download the Free LMS Template Here Take advantage of this opportunity to revolutionize your training processes, simplify LMS implementation, and empower your organization with SharePoint’s potential.

A training plan and an efficient way to track training is the need of every organization that invests in their employee success. To effectively do that, you need a learning management system or LMS. Pre-made learning management can be effective for this; however, it may lack certain areas, including customizability. SharePoint, on the other hand, allows organizations to create a highly customized learning management system that acts as a central hub and provides the following features;

Create and Manage Training Content

SharePoint seamlessly integrates with Microsoft 365 apps and productivity tools. So when you use it as a learning management system, you can easily create training content and lessons that include audio, image, or video right within SharePoint. SharePoint as an LMS also allows you to create libraries that include links to multimedia files and text documents. Meaning that you can even add content from other websites like YouTube or Google Scholar to improve your lessons and training materials. Trainers and teachers can also create and store bite-sized micro-learning modules like blogs, daily tips, job aids, podcasts, videos, etc. This allows trainees and students to refresh their knowledge once the training ends. Aside from allowing users to create training content that includes rich media, a SharePoint-based learning management system provides centralized storage where you can store the training material. You can link metadata to the content and leverage the powerful search feature to find the required content using keywords. Users can customize the basic list view in SharePoint. They can filter content, change the order, hide or show particular columns; this further helps them easily find the content they need. In a SharePoint LMS, teachers and trainers can also restrict access to teaching aids and test answers and prevent the students or trainees from viewing and modifying them.

Manage Trainees and Trainers

By using a SharePoint based learning management system, you can allow trainees to enroll automatically into a course according to their knowledge assessment and skills. According to their organizational unit, you can also assign training courses to employees, connect a discussion to a specific course, and enable automatic adjustment of training needs according to team changes, promotions, and transfers. SharePoint also offers several options to enhance file exchange and the interaction between users, including blogs, group sites, forums, discussion boards, wikis, chats, etc. As mentioned earlier, SharePoint also allows trainers to set up permissions regarding the content trainees can view, edit, and share.

Make a Course Calendar

The out-of-the-box SharePoint allows trainers and teachers to set up a calendar to schedule training and other relevant events, including exams, tests, and assignment deadlines. Trainers and trainees can also sync SharePoint with their Outlook to access the events market on the native Outlook calendar. They can also drag and drop events and reminders into the SharePoint calendar from the Outlook calendar and vice versa. Color coding allows users to differentiate between events from different calendars. The overlay feature of SharePoint allows trainers to combine their calendar with a group of trainees. This feature is beneficial as it allows trainees to see other events and courses and schedule and attend training accordingly. The overlay function is also effective for integrating the Exchange calendar on top of the SharePoint calendar view.

Automate Notifications

One of the best features of a SharePoint learning management system is that it allows users to set up automatic notifications. The notifications are sent via text messages or emails. They are triggered by changes in the e-learning content or events like finishing a topic, failing or passing a test, or enrolling in a course. SharePoint also allows users to preschedule notifications for deadlines, training, meetings, exams, etc.

Enable Assessment

With a learning management system based on SharePoint, teachers and trainers can assess the knowledge of students and trainees through simple tests. Using the list functionality, you can create yes or no or multiple-choice questions, score the training results, and designate either a pass or fail grade. You can even build dashboards according to the test results with just a single click.

Enable External and Remote Training

In a SharePoint learning management system, training coordinators can create a workflow that automatically enrolls employees into external training. Using SharePoint Online, trainees can take part in training regardless of their location. They can access and download training materials from their mobile devices and enjoy the same benefits as they would on a desktop system. The co-authoring feature of SharePoint allows users to collaborate on the same document and make changes simultaneously; those changes are reflected in the document in real-time. Once the training is complete, managers can create surveys to test employee knowledge and get employee feedback.

Gamification, Certification, and Competency Management

Trainers and teachers can grant badges and achievement points for things like passing an exam, completing a course, mastering a new skill, and generate leaderboards with employee scores. This gamification feature goes well with the social side of corporate life and can complement the company’s recognition and reward policy. In a SharePoint LMS, trainers can automatically add certification tests to an employee to-do list using the workflows. Once the employee passes the test, they can add an e-certificate to the employee’s profile. Trainers and teachers can easily catalog, search, and manage the skill sets of individual employees in a SharePoint based learning management system. Managers can build a database with employee skills and competencies and anticipate HR needs and efficiently manage recruitment by enabling search.

Feedback, Analytics & Reporting

Trainees can assess the materials of finished courses in a SharePoint learning management system. They can provide real-time feedback on the learning materials by implementing tags and ratings. The courses with the highest rating appear on top of the search results. SharePoint can also help track employees who underwent training, those who finished the courses on time, and more by automatically generating reports. It also allows organizations to track the course registration rate of a particular trainee, their engagement with course materials and content, progress, certifications, and competencies, and generate interactive dashboards in real-time using the data.

Increase Your LMS’ Functionality With Infowise

Infowise designs and provides customized solutions for SharePoint and Microsoft 365, and these solutions can significantly improve your SharePoint experience. You can easily integrate Infowise’s solution into your SharePoint-based LMS and unlock features like enhanced forms, process automation, highly customized alerts, task assigning, automated list creations, list conversion and printing, design a shared calendar, and more. It is a no-code solution, which means that you can customize the solution according to your needs without writing a single line of code and all that through your web browser. The solution is agile and can seamlessly integrate with your current business solutions. You can request a free demo or download a free trial to learn more.

Preview forms for lookup columns

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Introduction

I love lookup columns in SharePoint! They make it so easy to manage a master list of values (say suppliers or contacts). Then you can reference it from different lists within your site (or even a site collection). Because the values are maintained in one centralized location, you have a single source of truth. This is often one of the biggest challenges in any information system. Our Ultimate Forms fully support lookup columns. Not only that, but we also add a bunch of additional features to them. Among them cascading parent/child lookups, adding new values on the fly, filtering by view, auto-complete mode and more!

Presenting Preview Forms

In this article I want to focus on another great feature - preview forms! Lookup columns show just a single column value in the form, which might not be enough. Say you are using a lookup column for Contact Person. You choose to use the Full Name column as your display column. But what if you want to know more about that person, for instance phone number or email? Of course you can just click on the link, but then you are redirected to the contact person's form and lose your context. With preview forms all you need to do is hover over the link. It will open a small preview form with all the details, while still keeping your main form in the background. But what happens when your lookup item contains a large number of columns and the display form is huge and complex? You don't really need all that information now (like your communication history, for example). We help you with that too! You can define a special preview form for this particular lookup column instance. For it you can choose only the columns you want to appear. So instead of the full display form, we will use this small, concise form. If you don't define one, no problem, we will use the full form. And if the list doesn't have a modern form defined yet, we will generate one on-the-fly as well. Might not be the best option though, so we do encourage you to create one of your own.

Configuring Preview Forms

So how do we configure a preview form? When you edit the lookup column settings, you will notice the new link, "Design preview form". Click on it and you will be taken to Form Designer. Here you can start designing your preview form. Notice that the header of Form Designer will indicate that you are currently designing a preview form). Don't forget to click on Publish when you're done! To get into editing the column settings you can use one of the following approaches:

Click on Connected Lookups on the main page of Ultimate Forms (make sure that the right list is selected first).
When in Form Designer, in the list of columns on the left you will see a Settings icon for the column.

You could be already using the column on the form and it won't appear in the list of columns. Notice the lock icon at the top, it means that each column can only be used once on the form. You can always unlock and re-use your columns for more complex form designs). In this case, click on the column within the design canvas of the form. Column properties will open on the right and you will be able to go into the configuration settings from there.

Summary

Preview forms for lookup columns provide an easy and convenient way of viewing additional details for a lookup item. As the form appears as a pop-up within the main form, it preserve the context and integrates seamlessly into your work process.

Working with data through external REST API

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, September 2, 2020

Hi, There is a new feature that was recently added to Ultimate Forms (SharePoint Online edition only at this point, but coming on-premises as well). It is called "external data connections" and it allows you to work with a wide variety of non-SharePoint data sources via interfaces integrated in SharePoint, hosted on external pages or embedded on your own non-SharePoint pages. We currently support the following data source types:

Databases
- MS SQL (read/write)
- Oracle (read/write)
- MySql (read/write)
Web services
- REST (read/write)
- SOAP (currently write only)
Documents (stored in SharePoint document libraries or via FTP)
- Comma-delimited files (currently write only)
- Tab-delimited files (currently write only)
- Excel files (currently write only)
- Word files (currently write only)
Email (write only)

Once you create a connection, you can define forms for the connection and then either share the New form with internal and/or external users or share a data view, from which you can view and edit existing items, as well as add new ones. In this article I will guide through the process of creating such a data connection. I will be using the sample, but fully-functional REST API that we created and are sharing with our customers. It implements a very simple contact management API, allowing you to view a list of contacts, as well as add new contacts, view, edit and delete specific contacts.

Sample REST API

The API is hosted under https://www.infowisesolutions.com/samples/api/contacts. It exposes the regular set of operations (HTTP method and URL endpoint):

GET https://www.infowisesolutions.com/samples/api/contacts - get list of items
GET https://www.infowisesolutions.com/samples/api/contacts/1 - get item with ID 1
POST https://www.infowisesolutions.com/samples/api/contacts - add new item
PUT https://www.infowisesolutions.com/samples/api/contacts/1 - update item with ID 1
DELETE https://www.infowisesolutions.com/samples/api/contacts/1 - delete item with ID 1

Contact item itself has the following structure:

id - unique ID and primary key of the contact. This property is read-only and should not be set.
lastName - last name: text (up to 50 characters)
firstName - first (given) name: text (up to 50 characters)
dob- date of birth: date
active - boolean (yes/no)
units - number of installed product units: number

None of the properties are required by the API, but you can make any and all of them required on the data connection level.

Configuring External Data Connection

Once you open Ultimate Forms, click on External data connections under Modern forms section.
Click on Add new profile.
Enter a new title for your connection. It will be used as a page title in some scenarios, so give it a meaningful title like, such as Contacts.
Select REST under Type.
Check all forms and views under Allowed access as we want to allow both browsing existing items as well as adding new ones.
Enter https://www.infowisesolutions.com/samples/api/contacts under URL.
User name, password or headers are to be left blank as this sample API doesn't require any authentication
Under Columns enter the contact item properties as described above. Note the following:
1. id column needs to be marked as key (checkmark on the left of the column name).
2. Match the column type with the property data type as described above, for example, lastName should be mapped to Single line of text and dob should be mapped to Date and time. Incorrect mapping of column types will cause errors when interacting with the API.
3. You can change settings of every column, giving friendly title, defining columns as required, etc.
4. You can mark column as visible or hidden in View by clicking on the Eye icon next to column name. It doesn't affect the visibility of columns in forms.

Configuring Access Control

Access control defines where and how the data connection is exposed to users. You can use your data connection in 3 ways:

Within a web part on a SharePoint page
On a hosted page on our site
Embedded on your own non-SharePoint page (such as your external website).

If you are planning to use the hosted page, check Allow hosted forms and choose if you want to expose New and/or View (list of items), choose both options. After you save your profile, you will be able to view the actual hosted page URL here as well. If you are planing to view on a SharePoint page or embed on your own web page, enter the allowed page URL.

Configuring Forms

Once you've saved your profile, you can click on Design form icon to enter Form Designer. Accept the offered option of generating a form for you, it will add all columns to the form canvas. Make any adjustments you want and publish the form.

Using Your Data Connection

Edit your connection and switch to Access Control tab. Here you can copy the page URL for the View page. Open it in a new browser tab, your data connection is now ready to be used. External data connections are a new, exciting and easy-to-use way of interacting with your existing data and API, giving you powerful options of integration of your data sources.

Hosting forms on non-SharePoint sites

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, August 19, 2020

Introduction

Forms are everywhere. We use them to collect information from our customer, submit support requests, ask for sales quotes. Almost every website out there contains at least one form of some sort. Ultimate Forms allows you to easily create sophisticated dynamic forms based on SharePoint lists or on external data sources. These data sources could be databases, web services, APIs and even simple files. Once you create a form, you can choose to host it:

On SharePoint pages themselves.
On Microsoft Teams tabs.
External form hosting - on pages hosted by our website.
Embedded forms - include form script on your own pages of your own websites.

Depending on whether you work with SharePoint lists or with external data sources, your starting point will be different. But we put in a tremendous effort to make the whole process as similar as possible.

SharePoint Lists

When you work with data stored inside SharePoint, you start by creating a list (or a document library). Create all the columns you need for your data (you can do it directly within the list or through Form Designer). Then design and customize the form using Form Designer. Once you click on Publish, the form is ready for use inside SharePoint. In certain cases you want to be able to offer access to the form to people outside your organization. Then you need to provide some sort of external access. The simplest approach would be to use the external sharing capability of SharePoint. But in many cases it won't be the right approach, as it still requires the user to log in, with their external credentials. We built External form functionality into our Form Designer. Through it you can expose your list to external anonymous user, thus creating public SharePoint forms. You can accomplish it on a page hosted by us or embed within your own page. People, who are not users in your organization, will then be able to enter information through the form. They won't have direct access to the underlying list. This functionality provides the easiest way to implement secure external forms in SharePoint.

External Data Connections

You can create connections directly to external data sources to create, view and edit information. Users will utilize the form and list view infrastructure of Ultimate Forms. The access can happen inside SharePoint sites, Teams, hosted on our pages and embedded into your own pages. We offer a variety of connection types, differing in their features and limitations. Some connection types limit you to only adding new items. Examples of such connections would be Email or Document connections. Other connection types offer the whole range of operation. You can add, view and edit items via database connections, web services and REST APIs.

Hosted Pages

The easiest option to allow external access is to host your form on the pages we provide. Simply allow this inside your External form or External data connection settings, no additional configuration necessary. This option is best for quick and easy solution, but it provide very limited customization options.

Embedded Forms

You can embed forms inside your own pages using the script snippet we provide. Make sure to specify the page URL in the form or external data connection settings. We will only allow forms to load on pages with authorized URLs. Copy the script snippet inside an element of your page that will contain the form (such as <div> element).

Security and Abuse Prevention

External forms allow external, anonymous users to submit information into your internal systems. Thus security is of the highest importance. Let's review some of the security measures we incorporated into the forms:

Limit type of access - by default, in External forms, only New form is exposed. You have to be a site collection administrator to enable Display and Edit forms. In any case, external users never communicate with your SharePoint directly. They communicate with our app only. The app first performs security checks on the requested resource and ensures that it is allowed by the external form settings.
Specify embedded page URL - only pages specified in the form or data connection settings will be allowed to load the form.
CAPTCHA, which stands for "Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart" is an automated mechanism that is able to determine if whoever is trying to submit a form is in fact a human or a bot.
We use Google ReCAPTCHA v3, which is the latest iteration of CAPTCHA technology. It accomplish the check without requiring any user input, purely based on the way users interact with the form. All pages hosted by us already have ReCAPTCHA built in. If you are embedding forms on your own pages and those pages are open to everyone, without any authentication, it is highly recommended that you enable ReCAPTCHA. To do so, sign up for ReCAPTCHA v3, then specify Site key and Secret key in the embedded form properties. You can read more and sign up here.
Monitoring - site collection administrators are able to see which list within their environment have External form settings turned on. Just click on the Monitoring tab in the app, then switch to External form.

Conclusion

External access is available for both SharePoint and non-SharePoint data. It allows to further leverage technology to provide fast and powerful solution for your organization's challenges.

Everything You Need To Know About Microsoft 365 Education

Amir Shingray — Saturday, August 1, 2020

As digital transformation continues to redefine education, institutions are turning to platforms that enable seamless collaboration, centralized management, and secure remote learning. One of the most widely adopted solutions globally is Microsoft 365 Education—a robust suite of cloud-based applications tailored to meet the demands of modern learning environments.

But while Microsoft provides the essential tools for teaching, communication, and productivity, many schools, universities, and educational institutions choose to extend these capabilities using complementary platforms like Infowise Ultimate Forms. Designed to enhance and automate SharePoint functionality, Ultimate Forms provides solutions that address real-world challenges in education—ranging from onboarding and HR automation to help desk management and student tracking.

Let’s explore everything you need to know about Microsoft 365 Education—what it offers, how it's structured, and how Infowise fits in to unlock its full potential.

What Is Microsoft 365 Education?

Microsoft 365 Education is a subscription-based offering that provides schools and universities with access to Microsoft’s suite of productivity and collaboration tools, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, and SharePoint. It’s specifically designed for academic institutions, offering both free and paid plans to support classroom learning, administrative processes, and remote instruction.

Microsoft 365 Education Plans: A1, A3, and A5

🟦 A1 Plan – Free for Students and Teachers

The A1 plan is a completely free package that includes web-based versions of Microsoft Office tools and essential services like Microsoft Teams, SharePoint Online, OneNote, and Exchange. It supports online collaboration, document sharing, and cloud storage via OneDrive.

While this plan doesn’t include desktop versions of Office applications (except for OneNote), it’s ideal for institutions looking for a cost-effective remote learning solution. Features include:

Unlimited number of users (students and staff)
Class and Staff Notebooks
Professional Learning Community (PLC) groups
School Data Sync integration
Built-in compliance tools (e.g., eDiscovery, DLP)

🟨 A3 Plan – Desktop Access and Additional Services

For more advanced needs, the A3 plan adds desktop versions of Office applications—enabling offline access—and unlocks additional tools such as Publisher, Access, and Bookings. Enhanced security features and centralized IT management tools like Intune for Education make it ideal for institutions with more complex administrative workflows.

🟥 A5 Plan – Enterprise-Level Tools and Security

The A5 plan includes everything in A3 and adds enterprise-grade security and analytics capabilities:

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 for threat protection
Power BI Pro for data visualization
Advanced compliance, identity management, and call analytics

This plan is suited for large institutions needing robust security, data analysis, and communication tools to manage and scale their educational infrastructure.

Key Tools in Microsoft 365 for Education

Whether you’re using A1, A3, or A5, Microsoft 365 Education includes a powerful lineup of applications:

Microsoft Teams – The centerpiece of modern virtual classrooms, Teams facilitates video meetings, chat, file sharing, and classroom management.
OneDrive – Secure cloud storage with 1 TB+ space per user for documents, assignments, and media.
Outlook – Enterprise-grade email with calendaring, contacts, and 50 GB mailbox (A1).
SharePoint – A collaborative intranet platform ideal for hosting educational content, managing files, and integrating apps.
Word, Excel, PowerPoint – Core productivity apps used for content creation and collaboration.
OneNote – Digital notebooks for interactive lessons and collaborative note-taking.
Power Apps & Power Automate (Flow) – Build custom apps and automate tasks without coding—perfect for administrative tasks.

How Infowise Complements Microsoft 365 Education

While Microsoft 365 provides the framework for digital learning and collaboration, Infowise Ultimate Forms adds automation, customization, and business logic capabilities that turn basic SharePoint lists into powerful business applications—without code.

Infowise has been a trusted SharePoint solution provider for over 15 years and supports educational institutions across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.

🔹 Use Cases in Education

Here’s how Infowise can supercharge your Microsoft 365 Education environment:

1. Student and Staff Onboarding

Use Infowise to build fully automated onboarding workflows:

Collect documentation and approvals via smart forms
Track progress with dashboards and alerts
Store student or employee data securely in SharePoint

Explore our Student Enrollment Hub for a free ready-to-use solution.

2. HR and Faculty Management

Digitize HR processes for faculty and staff:

Automate leave requests, approvals, and performance reviews
Maintain records and compliance documents with versioning and security
Set permissions and workflows based on roles

Check out the HR SharePoint Portal to learn more.

3. IT Help Desk and Support

Manage student and staff support tickets using SharePoint and Infowise:

Create Help Desk forms with automated routing
Use Alerts, Actions, and Permissions to manage issue resolution
Generate reports to track SLA compliance

See the Help Desk Solution.

4. Course Evaluation and Surveys

Use smart forms and workflows to:

Conduct course feedback surveys
Generate real-time reports
Trigger follow-up actions automatically

Why Schools Choose Infowise

🔸 No-Code Solution – Educators and admin staff can build and manage apps without developer assistance
🔸 100% SharePoint Native – Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 and SharePoint Online
🔸 Prebuilt Solutions – Access dozens of education templates that can be customized to your institution
🔸 Scalable and Secure – Built-in permissions, audit logs, and compliance tools
🔸 Rapid Deployment – Get started in minutes with our 30-day free trial

Getting Started

To get started with Microsoft 365 Education:

Visit the official Microsoft 365 Education site to sign up using your school-issued email.
Choose a plan that fits your needs (A1 is free).
Explore Infowise Education Solutions to enhance your platform with advanced features and automation.

Conclusion

Microsoft 365 Education provides the essential tools for learning, collaboration, and communication—but with Infowise Ultimate Forms, it becomes a complete digital transformation platform for education. From onboarding and HR to help desks and classroom automation, Infowise empowers educational institutions to build tailored, efficient, and secure solutions inside their existing Microsoft 365 environment.

Ready to transform your educational operations? Explore Infowise Solutions for Education.

Infowise web parts in Microsoft Teams tabs

Vladi Gubler — Friday, July 24, 2020

Introduction

Adding SharePoint web parts, lists and pages to Teams is a common approach for integrating the two widely use tools. With Ultimate Forms, you have a variety of integration options. For example, you can use Manage Teams action to create channels or send messages to channels, groups or individuals. Another common scenario is displaying SharePoint data inside Teams. Here you have two approaches at your disposal:

Hosting SharePoint web part pages - covered in this blog article. This approach will display a whole web part page. It is most useful when you need to display several web parts at once. For example, you can utilize it when building dashboards made up of several interconnected web parts.
Hosting individual web parts - this is the approach covered in this article. This approach is easier in a certain sense, as it creates a Teams page that does not rely on any SharePoint web part page.

Integrating Web Parts

The following Ultimate Forms web parts are supported in Teams:

Charts - display data in a form of a chart
Rollups - combine data from several lists and document libraries within one view. It can also show list of items coming from an external data source.
List Search - search information in lists and document libraries
Calendar - display color-coded calendars from multiple sources
Form - display a form to submit data to SharePoint and external forms via data connections.

You need to create at least one profile (set of settings) for the web part you are planning to use through Ultimate Forms app. Let me take you through the steps of creating a web part tab in Teams. Make you already installed version 1.4.0.0 or later of Ultimate Forms.

Add app to Teams - in your enterprise catalog, you click on Add to Teams button on the toolbar. Generally, the step is already perfomed by our installation wizard.
Once the process is complete, the web parts can be found in Teams and added to tabs
Go to the team you want to add web part in and click on plus button to create a new tab
Use Search or browser to choose the web part you want
Proceed through the prompt to add the tab. Once the tab is created, you can configure the web part to connect to the data.
Most web parts will request a site URL and then load the available profiles from the site. You can connect to any site within your tenant you have permissions for, not necessarily the site linked to your team.
You can reconfigure your tab at a later time by opening settings through the dropdown menu located within the tab header.

Conclusion

By leveraging Ultimate Forms web parts, you can quickly and easily integrate SharePoint data in Teams. It makes SharePoint more accessible to your users and improves their productivity.

Meet external data connections

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, July 9, 2020

Introduction

If you've used Modern forms in Ultimate Forms for SharePoint before, you know how powerful, yet easy-to-use they are. The sophisticated, responsive forms allow precise control over layout and look & feel, as well as advanced permissions and rules. Basically, you are able to implement a great deal of your business directly in the form. There might literally be no need need for any backend workflows. Until now, we've always closely tied the forms to the underlying SharePoint infrastructure. You could only create a form based on a SharePoint list or document library. The data can only come from and return to only that list or document library library. That is, until we figured you might want to leverage the forms to interact with data in other applications as well. This makes Ultimate Forms the most versatile tool in your organization.

Introducing Data Connections

So we added External data connections to Ultimate Forms. Using these connections, you can set up a form that submits data into a variety of non-SharePoint applications. You can host the forms inside and outside SharePoint. And we made sure to preserve the same familiar user interface. This way both your developers and your user will have the same familiar, intuitive experience. But we are not limiting it to forms. Using our Rollup web part, you can also display the external data right inside SharePoint web part pages. We made sure the look and feel is similar to SharePoint list. You also have the same set of features at your disposal, such as paging, sorting and filtering. All in all, your users will see the external data as identical to SharePoint lists. They can then work with it in an integrated familiar environment. They work with external data in SharePoint sites as it if it were native SharePoint data. Note that data connection are only present in the SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) version of Ultimate Forms. If you are on premises, the only option available to you at this point is External lookups. These look like regular SharePoint lookup columns, but draw their information from external data sources.

Connection types

Data connections support a wide variety of external data sources and protocols:

External Databases: Microsoft SQL, Oracle and MySql. You connect by simply providing a valid connection string and you get a database connection in SharePoint sites. If you work with information inside your network, you need to configure exception rules for your firewall. You can find our IP addresses here.
Salesforce - you are able to work with both production and test orgs, as well as switch between the two. This is the easiest way to integrate Salesforce in SharePoint.
REST APIs and SOAP web services - reading, adding, modifying and deleting items. You can provide you API key in the connection headers.
Documents: you can generate or update Word and Excel documents, as well as comma and tab delimited files. The system will then automatically upload them to SharePoint / OneDrive, FTP, Dropbox and Box. With Excel and text files, the system will append new submission to the existing file.
Email - you can send form data as an email (Exchange Online, Exchange on-premises and SMTP protocols are supported)

Security

The forms themselves have no knowledge of how to connect to your database or email server. No form does not and cannot load the connection settings, key or credentials. We safely store that information on our servers. The form submits to our servers only. The servers then verify that the submission. They will perform a series of check to ensure the submission is valid:

Check that the information is coming from a human (no bots allowed!).
Check if the submission type is in the list of authorized operations. For example, your connection might only allow new item submission and not editing of existing items.
Ensure the submission is coming from an authorized URL.

Connection settings

The actual connection settings depend on the connection type you decided to use. For instance, when you use a SQL server, you specify the .NET connection string. If you're not sure how to create a connection string, please refer to this site. Other connection type might require a different set of settings. For instance, to connect to Salesforce, you first create an application within Salesforce itself and authorize CORS. Once the application is ready, you use its Consumer key and Consumer secret to establish a secure connection. Once you've entered the connection properties, click on Connect. The system will connect to the data source and display a list of available tables or objects. You then select the table or object you plan to work with. The system will display the columns of the selected table or object. You can perform additional configurations on them:

Define the column format (for example, you might want to display a text column as a choice of values instead of free form entry).
Rename the column (database column often have cryptic names)
Define additional settings specific to the column type, such as maximum/minimum values for numeric columns

Note that some data connection types, such as Email or Text files, do not provide a list of columns. Here you will just create your own columns directly in Ultimate Forms. Once you've completed configuring your connection and column settings, you can save your new connection profile. You can now click on Design form inside the data connection list. You will proceed directly into Form Designer to visually design your form.

Form design

We are using the same Form Designer you are already familiar with, with some minor changes. For example, you cannot select the content type for the form (because, well, there are no content type outside SharePoint). But in general, the experience will be almost exactly the same. As in SharePoint, you can create tabbed interface, add permission rules and style your form with themes. The resulting form can look identical to any regular SharePoint form that you built in the past.

Publish your form

The form can be hosted in one of 3 ways (or all of them together):

In a web part on a web part page in SharePoint
Embedded on your own page (say your external web site) - we provide a short script snippet to copy and paste inside your page.
Hosted on our page - this is the easiest option for those quick solutions you might need to come up with.
On Microsoft Teams tabs

If you chose option 1 or 2, you need to specify where you will place the form. Make sure to include the page URLs within Allowed internal page addresses under Access control of the connection. It ensures that the form author maintains complete control over where her form can execute. For option #3, you need to allow access for anonymous external users, also under Access control. Once you save the connection, the system will assign a unique ID to it. In the same location you will be able to copy the form URL.

Form web part

You can place the form on any web part page by including Infowise Form or Infowise Rollup web part. In the web part settings, specify the connection ID that you copied from the settings page. Again, don't forget to include the page URL under Allowed internal page addresses, otherwise it won't load.

Print and Import

External data connection are valid source for Print and Import components of Ultimate Forms. You can create a print template based on the data connection. You can then print the information, convert to PDF (including fillable PDF) or generate a Microsoft Word / Excel documents. With Import profiles, you can automate data import into the external data source. You can both create new entries and update existing entries. For example, you can enter information coming from emails directly into MS SQL tables. And you can also add condition and perform value adjustments using functions.

Conclusion

External data connections let you create a modern and easy-to-use form interface within SharePoint and outside it. This works for many data stores, programming interfaces, and applications that lack such an interface. By doing this, you can use your existing tools and enhance the user experience, achieving seamless integration.

External forms for your SharePoint Online

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Introduction

In today's world, you need to connect and integrate your information systems with your customers, vendors, subcontractors and other external parties to facilitate fast and smooth data exchange. SharePoint Online provides abilities to share your sites and lists with external users, it's a great feature and many use it successfully. Unfortunately, there are some scenarios where it just wouldn't work. What if you need to collect some information from a large diverse group of external persons, some of whom you might not even know? Or they might not have the necessary Microsoft credentials to use the external sharing feature? Or maybe you're trying to collect the information using a kiosk and having people logging in and out is simply not an option?

External Public Forms

This is the reason why we added External Forms feature to our modern forms in the SharePoint Online version of Ultimate Forms. And, as per our usual, it's ridiculously easy to use!

How to do it

Once you're done developing the custom SharePoint form with our Form Designer, you simply click on External form on the toolbar. You can expose the form to external users with a single click. By default, that would be only the New form, but you can also use the same functionality for Display and Edit forms, if needed.

How does it work

When you enable external forms, you are presented with a unique external URL. The custom form is located on our website and can be access from anywhere, without having to authenticate. The form does not however expose your list to the outside world. Instead, it serves as a security barrier and ensures that only the permitted interaction with the list data is allowed to go through. For instance, when you allow New forms only, users will be able to submit new data, but won't be allowed to access the list or view any existing items. You can expose any type of custom SharePoint form, you are not limited in any way. Any custom SharePoint form that was designed using Form Designer, can be exposed. And once you are done with it, you can stop exposing it just as easily, simply uncheck external access and that's it! And if your form contains repeating sections, those will work as well. External forms can be displayed in two ways. As hosted forms running on a special page on our website (the easiest option) or embedded on your own page (slightly more complex, but still very easy). In both cases CAPTCHA support is provided to ensure only actual human beings enter information via the custom SharePoint form.

Possible use scenarios

External forms greatly extends the possible use case scenarios of SharePoint by providing integration capabilities on the external non-SharePoint pages. Some ideas for what you can use it for:

Signups
Contact requests
Quote generators
Problem reports
Surveys
Anything else really...

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Advanced styling in Modern forms

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Hi, Ultimate Forms' Form Designer is a fantastic tool for creating advanced, responsive modern forms in SharePoint (both online and on premises). Although simple and intuitive at the first glance, it is actually loaded with features that help you implement advanced, multi-stage business solutions directly in your browser, without any programming and, in most cases, without the need for complex workflows. In this article I will focus on the layout and styling part of the form design, without delving into rules or business logic. Let me show you how you can create great looking forms that will work equally well, no matter what type of device you are using. When you first open Form Designer, you will see that the main section of the screen is divided into three parts:

Design canvas - the largest part in the center. This is where you drag your columns and other components and visually design your form.
Left pane - here is your toolbox. All the columns in the list are there, waiting to be dragged onto the canvas. You will also see a selection of components, such as buttons or tabs.
Properties pane - this is where modify your column/component settings and add business logic rules.

Let's focus on the components first. First of all you will notice there is no table control. If you used to work with other form designers in the past, you are probably used to having to build a table-based grid and and placing your columns, labels and buttons within the cells of that grid. And now you should forget all about that! That's the old way of doing things and it resulted in rigid forms that where tightly tied to a specific device type (usually desktop) and looked horrible when viewed on a phone. In addition, this approach was a pain to use and required long and meticulous adjustments, setting pixel-level dimensions and generally wasting your time on something that computers are much better at than humans. Meet your new best friend, the humble Container! This little component will make creating sophisticated forms so much easier. As its name indicates, the container simply contains other columns/components within itself and controls their layout on the page. You can configure the container to display its child components vertically or lay them out side-by-side in 2 or more layout columns. Because containers are responsive by design, they will automatically adjust their content according to the device. So the same container will display 3 columns side-by-side on the desktop, 2 on a tablet and arrange them all vertically on the phone. No need to mess around with device-specific forms, no need to adjust width or add device-specific CSS. And because containers can hold other containers within them, it opens up unlimited design possibilities. For example, you can have one container with 2 layout columns and place another container with 2 layout columns within it. So now you divided the screen into 3 parts, half and two quarters! You can nest the containers as much and as deep as you need. Bear in mind that you can assign style and permission rules to anything on the form, including containers, so now you can create a fully dynamic form in minutes! Now let's talk about styling. There are several styling options that we have intergated into Form Designer, you will use the one you want for each partcular form (or a combination or 2 or more).

No styling - the form will already look great without any additional styling. It will simply take the styling from your site and just blend in. That's the easiest and most common approach
Themes - we currently support 3 themes (and additional 3 themes just for tabs and accordions). Themes control the general color scheme of the form.
Style rules - you can apply specific style rules to any column/component. You can control things like font, color, background color, border and much more. Style rules can also be conditional and maybe be applied only for specific users or under specific conditions.
CSS classes - add your own custom CSS classes to the whole form, overriding the default classes. You can assign a custom class name to any column/component to target it through your CSS classes. It's a more advanced option, that requires some knowledge of how CSS works. F12 is your best friend here.
CSS file - you can create a CSS file, place it in a document library (or on CDN) and reference it from all your forms. This is the best solution when trying to apply some sort of uniform look and feel in your organization. Again, you can specify custom class names for your components (basically anything you want, just no spaces) and target them through the CSS file.

Just to illustrate how an external CSS file would work like, this is my simple file's content: Once I add it to the form, it overrides the way file attachments look like (making them look huge, for no particular reason): As you can see, there are a lot of options to choose from. Try and see what works best for you in each particular case and, most importantly, have fun doing it!

Using Ultimate Forms in Microsoft Teams

Vladi Gubler — Friday, April 24, 2020

Hi, Microsoft Teams is becoming a central tool in almost every organization, especially considering the ongoing health crisis. Here, at Infowise, we also use it extensively, I would even say it's our main tool! Ultimate Forms helps you create amazing, advanced business solutions based on your SharePoint list and document libraries, using nothing but your browser! Anything from simple Vacation Request or Expense Report and all the way to complex Help Desk or Project Management solutions can be built in minutes, without writing a single line of code. So as you see, a combination of Teams and Ultimate Forms would be a killer! And so we tried that, found some issues, resolved them and are ready to show it to you. Let's start from the end result, so I don't try your patience: What you can see here is our Rollup web part that can be used to display information from one or many lists. We are going to be using this web part as our list viewer. This is a list item in our Modern edit form. Looks exactly the same as in the browser, right? And how about mobile? Well, here you go:

Pretty cool, right? This is actually a very simple form, without any of the fancy bells and whistles you would normally add, such as tabbed interface, column permissions, dynamic rules and so on, all the goodies Ultimate Forms is packed with!

And how about a dashboard?

OK, ready to build something like this yourself? Here we go!

First of all, this is really all Microsoft 365 stuff. I'm not sure if it would work on premise, my understanding is that currently it's not possible. But if it ever is, we will be able to support that as well.

So the first thing we need to do is make sure our site has Ultimate Forms installed and Ultimate Forms Extensions are either installed on the site or deployed to all sites from App Catalog. Without these two components it won't work and no point in reading the rest of this article.

Good, so now we need to either choose a list we will be integrating in Teams or creating a new one. Once we have the list, we can create a Modern form for it using Form Designer (a component of Ultimate Forms)

Don't forget to Publish when done!

Next, we want to create a new Rollup profile. We have to use a Rollup to display our list information and not rely on the SharePoint list views, as regular list views won't be able to open Modern forms in Teams due to their technical limitations.

Click on Rollups in Ultimate Forms and create a new profile:

This is the first tab. The important things here are to enter a meaningful title, as we will need it later. Under Template List, select the list you chose or created. Rollup is capable of showing combined information from multiple lists, in which case we use Template list to know which columns to display in the view. In our case, we will be using just one list (but of course you can use more than one, it's up to you).

Under Grouping you can select Site, List or None. For a single list, None makes the most case. If you want your users to be able to add new item, mark that checkbox as well.

Now it's time to enter one (or more) data sources. These point to the list where the actual data resides:

A true wealth of options here! You can point to a whole other site, choose lists by type or template, or choose specific lists, that's the option we will be using here. So:

Site - current site, unless you want to do a cross-site rollup
Scope - Single site (that's the only option that allows selection of specific lists)
Locate by - Specific lists
Choose the list[s] you want. Generally for the purposes of this tutorial, it's the same list we chose/created earlier and also used as our Template list.

Save the data source, then save the profile. Let's now create a page for the Rollup. Once you created a page, add a web part to it called Infowise Rollup: Next, open the web part properties to select the Rollup profile we created earlier. Note that the profile selection dropdown might take a couple of seconds to fill up: Publish the page. You are now ready to add it to your Teams. Open Teams and go to your team (under Teams in the left menu). Next, we need to add an app to display our page. On the top menu of the team, click on the plus sign on the right to open the app picker: Choose SharePoint app here: Next, select the SharePoint page (assuming that the current team is linked to the site where the page resides: Or just enter the page URL directly: Save and that's it. You can now explore and work with your list directly from Teams!

User-defined CSS classes in Modern forms

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Hi, Since we first released our Modern form and Form designer just about a year ago, we've received a lot of praise as well as constructive criticism and improvement suggestions. Many of those suggestions have to do with the look and feel of the forms, customer are always trying to push the envelope and design even more visually-striking forms and we completely support and encourage their efforts! We already offer various ways of styling your forms:

Any component on the forms can have its style configured by adding Styles rule. Using rules, you can assign common properties, such as color or font, without having any background in HTML or CSS, as well as more advanced custom styles. What is amazing about style rules is that you can apply them conditionally, based on the current user and column values
Configuring and applying CSS classes you define to the whole form using CSS button on the top menu

Based on the user feedback, we've now added the ability to assign a user-defined CSS class name to any component within the form, allowing you to have precise control over the style, as well as applying classes according to HTML structure and inheritance. I am assuming some basic knowledge of CSS, you will need that to be able to implement advanced styling. Of course, none of that is needed to build regular forms, the forms will look great with no styling as well :) I would like to illustrate the new feature through an example. I would like to style the label of just one field on the form in a way that is not possible through Style rule. Style rules are applied to a wrapper that surrounds the whole control (for example, both text field itself and its label) and do not have the ability to modify just the label but not the text field. To achieve my goal I need to execute two steps:

Give the control a unique CSS class name, it can be anything you want, just don't use any spaces. Just click on the component within the design surface, then enter the CSS class name in the General section of the settings pane.

I'm calling it "funkyLabel", cause I'm going to make it look funky :).
Now, in the CSS settings I need to define what my CSS class is going to do. Click on CSS in the top menu bar and enter your CSS class definition

Remember to prefix class names with a dot. As I'm applying the setting not to the whole component, but to the label, I'm adding "label" tag name to the class name. This is a standard way of using CSS, if you are not familiar with it, I encourage you to read any of the numerous introductory CSS tutorials you can easily google.
In my case, I'm setting font properties, such as family, size, color and style.

That's it! Once I close the CSS pane, I can already see the style being applied in the preview of the designer
Now all we need to do is Publish our form and voila! The possibilities are basically endless, give it a try and let it help you design fantastic looking forms!

SharePoint a Powerful Platform for Project Management

Amir Shingray — Thursday, March 5, 2020

“Group projects are completed with less frustration, and everyone is able to get their input on every aspect of a project. This program is the definition of teamwork.” — SharePoint Review, Capterra. The capabilities of SharePoint and Microsoft 365 are unmatched, the customization, collaboration, and document management capabilities of the platform make it the go-to solution for 80% of the Fortune 500 companies. SharePoint works well as a project management tool; project managers can create task lists for better task management. Create a project plan and a document library to store project documents within the project site. In this article, we’ll review the use cases of SharePoint for project management and the components that make it a powerful project management tool. SharePoint Project Management Overview From project initiation to the closing of the project, SharePoint facilitates for all the five stages of collaborative project management.

Project Initiation

SharePoint helps project managers to build a sturdy foundation for future work. At this stage, you’ll create a project site on SharePoint; the site can be shared with sponsors, making it easier to get approval, sponsorship, or resourcing. The project site features native SharePoint functionality, so the parties involved can work together to define the objective or the approach of the project. You can use the site to create a project charter and set the object, scope of work, and the timeline of the project.

Planning, Setting up

After creating a designated project site, team members can use SharePoint to create a document repository on the project site and create task lists. As the project progress, you can update the tasks and timelines. You can also use SharePoint to desk check the project plan by sharing it with team members and sponsors. You can also notify team members about their responsibilities and enable the acknowledgement feature to make sure they are aware of their assigned role.

Working

The project manager can display the task list on the homepage of the project site, increasing the visibility of tasks at hand. Team members can easily find their work and mark it complete after finishing the task. You can also generate reports and monitor the progress of the project.

Tracking and Re-Planning

SharePoint enables continuous monitoring of the project, making it easier for project managers to re-plan the project in case the project is not running according to the plan. You can pin the KPIs on the homepage of the project site, making it easier for everyone to check and understand the status of the project.

Closing

SharePoint simplifies the closing of a project; project managers can create a punch list, determine the course of action for future projects by creating a post mortem report. Project managers can mark the tasks completed on the project sites and update the relevant documents. You can also run a project retrospective and add a lesson learned document to the site.

SharePoint Components that make it a powerful Project Management Tool

The four key components that make SharePoint a powerful project management tools are as follows.

SharePoint Lists

Project managers have to keep up with all the components of the project for effective project management. SharePoint provides a convenient way for managing projects; users can create various lists for tasks at hand. Every time you add a list, you are adding a project management process to your SharePoint site. These lists may include;

Task lists with the ability to organize Work Breakdown Structure, transfer, shuffle, and indent or outdent tasks.
Document library with native SharePoint capabilities, including co-authoring, document versioning, version control, check-in, check-out, etc.
Other lists that project managers can create for effective project management includes project statement, projects risks, project issues, etc.

Web Parts

SharePoint lists are a convenient way to keep track of the process and enter project updates. On the other hand, SharePoint web parts allow users to track their project’s progress, with the option to report the progress directly on the list. Web parts make it easier to track and report the progress of processes on the list with the help of dashboards. You can use web parts to for.

Traffic light indicators
Open issues
Status reporting charts
Overdue work
KPIs, etc.

SharePoint Sites

SharePoint sites provide a one-stop-shop by bringing together all the components of your SharePoint project management tools, including libraries, web parts, lists. Each of your projects can have a dedicated project site, from where you can easily access reporting tools (web part), and update or track (lists) your work. These project sites are collaborative so that the project members can work together according to the roles assigned to them. SharePoint’s search functionality makes it easier to find a document without losing time performing manual searches across several folders or networks. A project site has all the key features of a SharePoint site, including templates, permissions and navigation.

SharePoint Site Collection

As the name suggests, SharePoint site collection is a collection of SharePoint project sites. In project management, a SharePoint site collection works as a portfolio where information from a variety of sources is stored in one place. This feature is handy, especially if each business unit of your organization has its own unique project requirements.

Conclusion

SharePoint as a project management tool brings a lot to the table; it provides a central location to manage, collaborate and track the progress of the project. Jessie Bell W., the owner of a construction company, has been using SharePoint for over two years. She says that SharePoint helps team members stay organized, keeps the remote team connected, and keep the project files documented. She further states that SharePoint helps keep the project managers and administrators accountable. Her team has a large number of her team members work from remote locations, but due to mobile access, they were able to maintain document flow.

Creating a Bank Deposits Dashboard with various Charts and Graphs using Infowise Ultimate Forms

Debolina Dasgupta — Monday, February 10, 2020

Part 1: Creating a proof of concept for Charts using Infowise Ultimate Forms

Dear readers, how are you? I am currently in Dubai and waiting for Microsoft Ignite to start. Have you attended the tour? It is nice to see how SharePoint has changed over the years. Modern design has taken over Classical design, making it more user-friendly. This week I started working with something very new. I am planning to create a bank deposits dashboard to check how the deposits have changed over the years.

Planning the Bank Branch Deposit Dashboard

A bank branch deposit dashboard defines how the deposits across various bank branches have changed over time. To complete the dashboard, I needed four charts.

The first chart shows a summary of the total and increases in deposit throughout three years.
The second chart shows the changes in bank branch deposits over the years based on the country.
The third chart shows the changes in bank branch deposits over the years based on the city.
The fourth chart to define the trend over the years, based on the various filters.

To begin, I created a design I wanted to use.

I started with a simple design of bar graphs, stacked bar graphs, and a Filter based graph. Once I defined the design, I started to think about what will be the best way to create a dashboard. I wanted to create a Modern page and add the charts. I also wanted to use SharePoint Design principals of using layouts and columns to ensure a responsive design, which looks the same on any device a person uses.

Creating a Proof of Concept (POC) for a Bank Branch Deposit Dashboard

To begin with, I started by evaluating and eliminating options to create a quick and easy solution for my Bank Branch Deposit dashboard.

Using Quick Charts in SharePoint Modern Pages

One of the simplest options to create a chart is to use the quick charts web-part in a Modern Page. It is effortless to add quick charts web-part, and it offers an option of Bar Chart and Pie Chart. It gave me an option to connect it to a List or to add values manually. However, you can only add 12 values manually.

Though it's a quick option, it is not enough for my dashboard. I needed a bar chart and the line chart, which is not available.

Using Power BI Dashboards and integrating with SharePoint

Power BI would have been a very neat solution. However, I didn't have a license. I wanted to use something simple, quick, and less costly.

Using SharePoint Framework (SPFx) with Custom Javascript-based Charts

Another option to have a custom chart solution is to create a quick SharePoint Framework based web-part for modern pages. We can then use the REST API of SharePoint Lists to fetch the data and connect it with a javascript chart library. There are hundreds of javascript chart libraries available. I have used High Charts before, and it is straightforward to integrate.

However, this would mean we would need some hours for coding. Even updating the web-part, in case there are changes later would also need more staff-hours. I kept it as an option, but I wanted to find out other alternatives. My requirements were quick, simple graphs, with options to customize quickly and free or include in some other license. I then started exploring the chart options in Infowise Ultimate Forms.

Using Infowise Ultimate Forms Chart Web part

I was already using Infowise Ultimate Forms to create my end to end business processes. I just finished working on a Personal Loan application system. You can read about it here. I started by exploring the charts option for Infowise Ultimate Forms. The best part is I could use the same User Interface.
You can easily find everything at the same place while Infowise Ultimate forms. This feature is impressive because my Business Users are already comfortable using Infowise Ultimate Forms. If the charts are easy to use, like the forms, processes, and workflows, my end users can customize their dashboard.

Innumerable options for chart types

The first thing that impressed me was a large number of options for Chart Types. Check out the options below. These many options make life easy.

Creating a Bar Chart using Infowise Ultimate Forms Charts

Since I was still exploring, I started by choosing the Stacked Bar Graph as an option for my POC. It has loads of options to define the display of the chart. It also has an option to choose if I want it to be 3D or not. All with a click of a button.

Creating a Profile for adding Bar Chart using Infowise Ultimate Forms Charts

My first requirement to create a chart is to create a profile. A profile defines the configurations of any chart. We can then add the chart to any number of pages, and updating the profile will also update the charts in all the pages, making updating a breeze. To create a profile, go to charts and then add a new profile. Lists of all profiles created before are also listed here. This profile makes it easy to create multiple profiles from the same data to create a variety of charts.

As soon as you create a new profile, you get a large number of options for configuration. Few interesting configuration options include:

You can use the view for any list as a base for the data. For example, I can create a view which only displays Bank Branches in some predefined cities. Then my graph will only show the data related to the predefined cities.
You can create a series where the value on the y-axis is the sum of values. Like in the chart below, I can sum the deposits to be displayed for each year.
You can also update the size, color and dimension, making it easy to create fantastic looking graphs.

Adding a chart to the Home Page, using Infowise Chart Web part

Once we create the profile, it is effortless to add a chart to any page using Infowise Chart Web-part. The web-part comes with a drop-down option to select the profile. You can add multiple charts to your page and create different graphs by linking them to different profiles. If there is any change in the profile, the graph adapts automatically without any additional effort.

Final POC using Infowise Ultimate Forms Chart Web part

Once we select the profile, the graph is automatically populated. This process helps me to create quick graphs with many customizations. It is cost-effective. Also, I am sure I can easily train my end-users to create graphs on their own. Follow me as I continue to use my POC to create a Branch Deposit Dashboard

Defining Approval Process and Tracking Daily Approvals Using Infowise Ultimate Forms

Debolina Dasgupta — Friday, January 31, 2020

Dear Readers,

Introduction:

Loan processing is a critical aspect of financial management, requiring efficiency, accuracy, and automation. Traditional methods often involve manual approvals and extensive paperwork, which can slow down the process. However, with modern tools like Infowise Ultimate Forms, loan application management can be streamlined with minimal effort. My loan calculator, which I worked on last week, has been a great success. Everyone appreciated how easily and quickly I could create a form with a large number of fields. All thanks to Infowise Ultimate Forms! Read more about it here.

Adding Business Logic and Automating the Process:

As promised, today I will document the next steps for my calculator.

Once I completed the form with multiple fields, the stakeholders wanted to incorporate business logic and automation. After a quick discussion, we decided to implement auto-approval for loans meeting specific criteria. If a loan application did not meet the criteria, it would need to be manually approved or rejected by an approver. Once the decision was made, the loan requestor would receive an email notification about the status of their application.

Auto-Approval for Personal Loan:

Auto-approval allows a request to be approved automatically if it meets certain conditions. In this case, we had two conditions:

The loan requested is less than $1,000
The requestor’s salary is more than $3,000

Additionally, the same process needed to run if the application was modified. I decided to try Microsoft Power Automate (formerly known as Flow). I logged into the Power Automate Portal and created a Flow. However, when I presented the completed Flow to my business team, they found it difficult to understand due to its complexity with connectors and logic. Any small change required going back to the developers.

So, we turned to Ultimate Forms: Forms for business logic. I was amazed at how intuitive and user-friendly it is. The interface is clean and easy to navigate, with checkboxes and tabs simplifying the process.

Business Advantages of Using Ultimate Forms: Forms:

1. Cost and Time Efficiency

Reducing manual work means reducing costs. By automating loan approvals, businesses save hours of processing time. Employees can focus on higher-value tasks rather than spending time on repetitive manual approvals. Ultimate Forms: Forms eliminates the need for complex coding, enabling business users to create automation workflows without relying on IT teams. This significantly reduces development time and costs.

2. Increased Accuracy and Reduced Errors

Manual processes are prone to human errors, such as incorrect data entry or missed approvals. Ultimate Forms: Forms ensures accuracy by setting clear rules and validations. The system automatically checks for missing or incorrect information before processing the loan application. By implementing automated validation, businesses can avoid costly mistakes and ensure compliance with company policies and regulations.

3. Faster Decision-Making

With automation, loan approvals happen in real-time. Instead of waiting for manual reviews, eligible loans are auto-approved instantly. This speeds up decision-making, leading to improved customer satisfaction and a more efficient loan processing system. A well-structured approval system also ensures that decisions are made consistently, reducing bias and enhancing fairness in the approval process.

4. Better Compliance and Audit Readiness

Financial institutions and businesses need to comply with regulatory standards. Ultimate Forms: Forms provides built-in tracking and logging features that record every action taken during the loan approval process. This makes it easier to generate audit reports and ensures transparency. If any discrepancies arise, the logs provide a clear record of who approved or rejected a loan and why.

5. Enhanced User Experience

A user-friendly interface makes all the difference. With Ultimate Forms: Forms, setting up automation requires no coding knowledge. Business users can easily configure workflows, define conditions, and customize actions without extensive training. The platform also offers mobile-friendly solutions, allowing approvals to be managed from anywhere, improving flexibility and responsiveness.

Key Features That Made a Difference:

1. Tutorials and Documentation

The application provides a vast number of tutorials and documentation on the right-hand side of the screen. I even found a video tutorial that explained the process step by step, making my work much easier.

2. Extensive "Run on Events" Options

Ultimate Forms: Actions can be triggered based on specific events, such as item creation or updates. With Ultimate Forms: Forms, I could select multiple triggers, allowing me to execute the same action on different occasions (e.g., Item is added, Item is modified, Item is deleted), thereby reducing repetitive work. One of the standout features was the ability to trigger actions when an attachment is created or deleted. This helps track important changes, such as reviewing new attachments or detecting accidental deletions. Timer-based events were another valuable feature. They function similarly to a Timer Job, allowing scheduled actions such as daily report generation.

3. Advanced Settings

The “Advanced Settings” tab offers more customization options, each with detailed explanations. Clicking on the "question mark" icon provides further clarification. Some key options include:

Manual execution: Ideal for testing workflows.
Repeatable execution: Ensures an action runs every time a new item is added.
Logging results: Useful for debugging.
Error handling: Stops the process and notifies the responsible person when an error occurs.
Permission management: Allows execution of actions even for users with insufficient permissions.

4. Action Settings: Defining Actions with "AND" and "OR" Operators

Once I set the trigger events and configurations, I defined the conditions and outcomes. Ultimate Forms: Actions allows selecting sites and lists, then specifying one or more columns using the "Values to set" option. The values can be static text or pulled from different columns. To define conditions, I used the dropdown menu to select columns and combined them using “AND” or “OR” operators. A word of caution: Be mindful when setting up conditions. The Infowise Tutorial provides guidance on how the system interprets them.

5. Importing Predefined Actions

Ultimate Forms: Actions also support importing pre-existing actions. If I had already created a similar action before, I could reuse it for my current workflow. With all actions in place, auto-approval started working seamlessly. My business team could now modify conditions without relying on developers.

6. Email Approval for Personal Loans

For loan applications that were not auto-approved, we needed an email notification system for approvers. I leveraged the Ultimate Forms: Alerts component, which I had previously used for sending emails. I simply added the conditions, and the emails were triggered accordingly.

Calculating Summary and Generating a Tracking report:

Once the approval system was in place, I wanted to generate an Approval Tracking Report. I used Infowise Ultimate Forms: Actions to create a list and set up three actions:

A timer-based event that creates a new record daily at 6 AM, ensuring the next steps update the summary correctly.
An action that updates the number of loan requests every time a new request is added.
An action that tracks approved loans, enabling us to analyze trends over time.

These actions allowed us to generate a tracking report, helping us understand the volume of loan requests and approvals. We could also visualize trends using graphs and charts.

Conclusion:

Automating loan approval processes with Ultimate Forms: Forms has proven to be a game-changer. By eliminating manual approvals for qualifying loans and streamlining notifications for pending applications, businesses can save time and improve efficiency. With its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, and automation capabilities, Ultimate Forms: Forms stands out as a powerful tool for business process automation.

Personal loans calculator using Infowise Ultimate Forms

Debolina Dasgupta — Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Introduction:

Loans play a vital role in personal finance, enabling individuals to make significant purchases, cover unexpected expenses, and manage their cash flow efficiently. However, calculating loan payments, interest rates, and repayment schedules can be challenging without the right tools. That’s where a Personal Loans Calculator comes in handy. In this article, I will share how I built a Personal Loan Calculator using Ultimate Forms. This tool simplifies loan management by providing an intuitive form for users to input loan details, receive instant calculations, and track approval statuses—all within SharePoint.

Understanding Loans and Their Importance:

A loan is a sum of money borrowed from a financial institution with the promise to repay it over time with interest. Loans come in various forms, including personal loans, auto loans, home mortgages, and business loans. They help individuals and businesses access funds they might not have upfront, allowing for investment and growth. For example, if an individual takes a $50,000 loan for one year at an annual interest rate of 12%, they may need to make monthly payments of $4,442, with the principal amount due at the end of the year. Loans provide financial flexibility, but they must be managed wisely to avoid excessive debt.

Why Do Banks Provide Loans?

Banks generate revenue primarily through lending. They earn interest on the money they lend, which helps them pay interest on deposits and maintain financial stability. The banking system operates on the money multiplier effect, where a portion of customer deposits is reserved while the rest is lent out. This cycle contributes to economic growth by increasing the amount of money in circulation. For example, if a bank has $100 million in deposits, it may lend out $90 million while keeping $10 million in reserve. The interest earned on these loans allows the bank to compensate depositors and remain profitable. However, banks must assess an applicant’s creditworthiness before approving a loan. If borrowers fail to repay, the bank risks financial losses. This is why strict eligibility checks and risk assessments are crucial.

Building a Personal Loan Calculator with Ultimate Forms:

To develop an efficient Personal Loan Calculator, I identified several key requirements:

Data Collection: Gather applicant details, including personal and employment information.
Document Upload: Allow users to attach supporting documents.
Mobile Accessibility: Ensure the form works on smartphones and tablets.
Automated Notifications: Send email alerts upon application submission.
Approval Workflow: Enable bank employees to update loan request statuses.

Step 1: Designing the Form

Using Ultimate Forms: Forms, I created a user-friendly form with a sleek design. The Form Designer tool allowed me to customize the page layout using built-in themes and custom CSS options. With a few clicks, I adjusted the colors, margins, and padding to align with the branding. To manage multiple input fields efficiently, I implemented tabbed navigation. This approach enhances usability by breaking down the form into logical sections. For forms with an extensive number of fields, accordion views can also be used as an alternative.

Step 2: Adding a Document Upload Feature

A dedicated document upload tab was added to the form. This feature allows users to drag and drop files, such as proof of income, identification documents, and other necessary paperwork. Ultimate Forms integrates seamlessly with SharePoint, ensuring efficient document management.

Step 3: Implementing Validations and Permissions

A robust form requires proper validations and permissions to ensure data accuracy and security. Infowise Ultimate Forms provides an intuitive interface for defining rules. I added:

Field Validations: To ensure users enter correct information (e.g., numerical values for income and loan amounts).
Role-Based Permissions: To restrict access to sensitive fields based on user roles.
Form-Specific Rules: Different validation criteria for Create, Edit, and View modes.

Step 4: Automating Email Notifications

Once the form was completed, I configured automated email alerts to notify applicants when their request was in progress. Without Ultimate Forms, setting up alerts would require additional tools like SharePoint Designer or Microsoft Power Automate. However, Infowise simplifies the process with an integrated alert system, featuring a dropdown-based UI for quick configuration. The system allows me to:

Define alert criteria (e.g., notify the applicant when a loan request is submitted or updated).
Customize email templates with dynamic data from the list.
Track and manage previously set alerts with ease.

Advantages of Using Infowise Ultimate Forms:

After completing the Personal Loan Calculator, I realized several advantages of using Ultimate Forms: Forms over traditional form-building tools:

Ease of Use: No coding is required, making it accessible for non-developers.
Seamless SharePoint Integration: Works flawlessly within the SharePoint environment.
Customizable UI: Allows personalized form design with CSS and branding options.
Powerful Workflows: Automates approvals, notifications, and validations.
Document Management: Enables easy document uploads and organization.
Mobile Optimization: Ensures a responsive and user-friendly experience on any device.

Conclusion:

Building a Personal Loan Calculator with Infowise Ultimate Forms proved to be a seamless and efficient process. By leveraging its powerful features, I was able to create an intuitive, functional, and mobile-friendly loan management system within SharePoint. If you haven’t tried Infowise Ultimate Forms yet, I highly recommend exploring its capabilities for form creation and automation. Have you built any forms using this tool? Share your experience in the comments!

Using SharePoint and Office 365 to create a Purchase Order System

Amir Shingray — Friday, January 10, 2020

Introduction

A purchase order system is a must if you want to efficiently handle the purchasing process and maintain an accurate financial record. An efficient purchase order system can:

Save time
Assist in planning and budgeting
Manage overages
Reduce errors
Monitor progress.

Several out-of-the-box purchase order software systems are available in the market for SharePoint and Microsoft 365. You will find significant differences between them both in usability and richness of features. Some of these systems are versatile, and some are limited. So how to determine what type of purchase order system you need? NOTE: At the end of this article, you will find a list of resources to help for an immediate implementation. We have a selection of webinars and pre-configured business solution templates. Either one of them comes with a pre-configured template you can install in your SharePoint with a click. You can set up a working purchase order system in your SharePoint Online or on-premises in just a few minutes.

Costly

Manually handling your purchase order system can be expensive. You will require to hire employees to handle the workflow, and as your business grows, the number of employees will grow as well. This can be difficult for many, especially if they have a limited budget to operate.

Time Consuming

If your purchase order system takes too long from order placement to delivery, it may need an upgrade. This delay could be due to authorization, data entry, or requests.

Communication Gap

Effective communication is a must between departments to deliver the desired product or services to the client. In a manual purchase order system, the chances of miscommunication increases, resulting in ineffective processes.

Increased Errors

Increased workload pressure may result in errors in certain areas. If you make mistakes in data entry, your client won’t receive what they ordered, which can hurt your business. Pressure also tempts the employees to disregard essential SOPs of the purchase order system. If your purchase order system is facing these issues, then it is time for you to adapt to a new system.

Purchase Order System in SharePoint

With SharePoint and Microsoft 365, you can address all the issues that your current purchase order might be facing. It can effectively handle all the processes of the purchase order system because of its built-in tools. Let’s review some of the best features you get by using SharePoint and Microsoft 365 as a purchase order system.

Order Tracking

The most stand-out feature of using SharePoint and Microsoft 365 as a purchase order system is that users can track their orders every step of the way. Purchase requests can also be followed and stored on the platform, from request approvals to delivery.

Freedom to Customize

Every company follows different guidelines and has different processes. With SharePoint and Microsoft 365 users can customize the purchase order system according to their needs. They can easily:

Set up their custom purchase order forms
Assign admin roles
Set up multi-level approval
Define purchase orders based on location, type, cost, etc.

Approvals

SharePoint makes it easy to implement approval processes based the current stage and the identity of the current user. Approval workflow will ensure the purchase order process proceeds according to rules and regulation of your organization. Team members can edit and approve the purchase orders that they have access to.

Automated Communication

Another excellent feature of SharePoint and Microsoft 365 is that it helps you communicate between departments without delays. Once a user submits a purchase request the platform automatically sends out emails to the related parties. And when the client receives the product, automated notification go out to all relevant parties.

Interactive Dashboards

SharePoint and Microsoft 365 helps you to monitor the progress of the purchasing process by generating dashboards from the information. You can also track the history of purchase requests by each department, view approval and denial percentage, and the overall status. These dashboards are saved on the platform, so you can use them as references whenever you need them.

Integration with External Systems

Flexibility is another reason you should use SharePoint and Microsoft 365 as a purchase order system. You can easily integrate it with external systems such as finance, equipment or asset, etc. This feature improves the overall efficiency of all departments in the company. For example, a department requests a printer. Once the department completes the purchase process, the platform will automatically register the new IT asset in the finance system.

Sharing and Printing

When you use SharePoint and Microsoft 365 as a purchase order system, you get the option to add a formatted template. This template serve as a basis for the print output and you can share it with others. The template can include your company’s information, i.e., company logo, address, phone, email, etc. and receiver’s information. It can also include a signature of the approving authority.

Resources

Learn more about creating a SharePoint purchase order system. In webinars you can install the included template to quickly create purchase orders in SharePoint.

Infowise

At Infowise, we serve as a strategic partner, assisting public and private enterprises in their digital transformation. Our product Infowise Ultimate Forms contains 19 SharePoint components. We developed each component to give you the power to innovate, automate, and scale up your processes. We designed our product for optimum interoperability and seamless integration within SharePoint. It constitutes the structural foundation for the digital transformation of your organization. Start by clicking on Try Now Free at the top of this page to download Infowise Ultimate Forms 30-days free trial. The installation process is a simple and wizard-driven and it only lasts a few seconds. After you've installed Infowise Ultimate Forms, you are able to create an unlimited number of business process applications. Or instead of starting from scratch let us help you! You can install a pre-configured, ready-to-use template from our vast business process solution library. You can do it directly from the app and adjust to service your specific needs.

Benefits of using SharePoint and Office 365 as a Vendor Management Software

Amir Shingray — Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Infowise Ultimate Forms "The ultimate software for any business needing an all in one office solution.” – Capterra Review by Matthew S. Vendor management empowers your company to take appropriate actions to control cost, reduce risk, ensure excellent service output, and generate mutual value from vendors. You would have to follow several processes for effective vendor management, such as:

Search for suitable vendors
Find and manage pricing details
Measure the work quality
Maintain business relations with vendors, etc.

It can be daunting for many to keep up with these tasks. So to avoid a disaster, companies use SharePoint and Microsoft 365 as a Vendor Management Software. By doing this, contract management becomes easier. Companies can choose better vendors, track their performance, and set goals for them. This helps create value and build strong relationships, among other benefits. And today, we are going to review some of the stand-out features of SharePoint and Microsoft 365 for vendor management. So let’s get started.

Integrated with Other Microsoft Apps

The most stand-out reason to use SharePoint and Microsoft 365 for vendor management is that no other management software matches its level of integration with Microsoft Applications. This can be a convenient feature for you if you are already using other Microsoft apps such as Word, Outlook, Excel, etc. because you won’t have to train your team to use the new management software. You can save crucial time and increase your productivity by easily importing/exporting your data on the Microsoft 365 platform. This will allow you to eliminate repetitive processes and bring some level of automation to your processes, making them more efficient. Your legal team can create, review, monitor changes, and manage user permissions for efficient vendor and contract management.

Shared Database

SharePoint and Microsoft 365 come with OneDrive, which provides up to 25 TB for storing your contacts and documents. You can save achieved targets, responsibilities, profiles, and other relevant information in a single database that is shared across the company. The centralized search feature makes it easier for the management to search and filter documents across the platform. They can also create custom views for their documents to increase the search capability of their management software.

Enhanced Security

A data breach is one of the major concerns of many businesses, and it should be, as almost 60% of the companies in the US and the UK experienced a 3rd party data breach in 2018. In vendor management, this risk increases substantially; that’s why a safe and secure management software is a must for your business. SharePoint and Microsoft 365 have a state-of-the-art security system that allows you to keep sensitive information safe. You can set-up multi-factor authentication, create dedicated admin accounts, block malware, encrypt your data and messages. You can also configure Advanced Threat Protection against malicious files, websites, and phishing attacks. The audit trail allows the management team to view who gained access, made changes to the data, and other related actions.

Increased Collaboration

Collaboration is vital in vendor management; it can help you make an improvement to your existing processes, encourage innovation for products or services, etc., and SharePoint and Microsoft 365 are widely popular because of their collaboration capabilities. It allows you to share sensitive documents safely both inside and outside the company. The Hero web part can be used to highlight important content such as policies, updates, and useful resources, thereby enhancing collaboration and user engagement. Microsoft 365’s co-authoring feature is handy for contract management, different departments can not only review the records, but they can also edit and write contracts. The shared document database makes it easier for the contract team to increase productivity by providing real-time read-write access.

Document Versioning

Without efficient management software, it can be problematic for you to keep up with the contracts; you would have to search through documents manually, you can inadvertently update a document and rewrite over it. Subsequently, it’d be harder to determine the most updated version of the report, etc. SharePoint and Microsoft 365 can effectively handle all these problems. Document versioning allows your vendor management team to track changes made to the documents in real-time. It maintains a record of previous versions of contracts during the contract lifecycle. It allows you to make changes to a report without worrying about overwriting/replacing the document, create a uniform file-naming system across the company, etc.

Manage Metadata

Metadata can be very helpful if your company is managing several contracts; with SharePoint and Microsoft 365, you can create metadata for the document. Metadata can include the business area of the agreement, type of contract, the title of contract, number of the contract, assign start-end or renewal date, the value of the deal, etc. You can customize the metadata to search and manage the documents, and the centralized database allows the management to configure and apply changes to the contract across the company.

Expandability

A company’s requirements changes as they grow, they might require more storage space, install new software, etc. And if their current management system is limited, they’d have to adapt to a new system. With SharePoint and Microsoft 365, you can scale-up your platform as your business grows. At least 500 million documents can be supported by the platform, which is more than enough for a large-scale enterprise. And if you run out of space, you can request additional space according to your needs. This eliminates the need to adapt to a new platform every time you upscale.

Advanced Search

As mentioned earlier, searching for one document among thousands can be problematic and kill productivity. SharePoint and Microsoft 365’s advanced search capabilities make it the undisputed champion among management software. Your team can search across a large number of documents from a single search bar, they can also create filters according to their need, and can even perform a multilingual search.

Infowise

At Infowise, we serve as your strategic partner. We assist public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavors with our scalable, smart, and robust tools, software, and applications. Our product Infowise Ultimate Forms contains 19 SharePoint components developed to give you the power to innovate, automate, and scale up your processes. It has been designed for optimum interoperability and seamless integration within SharePoint. It constitutes the structural foundation for digitization and facilitate your transition to digital transformation. Click here to install Infowise Ultimate Forms 30-days free trial. Simple process. After you've installed Infowise Ultimate Forms, go ahead and create an unlimited number of Business Process Applications. Or even better, do you want to start with a ready template? Great, click here and install the ready-to-use template from our vast business process solution library, re-purpose to service your needs.

Extending SharePoint Patient Appointment App to the next level

Abhishek Dubey — Saturday, December 28, 2019

Introduction

SharePoint has proven to be a robust platform for business process automation, especially in the healthcare sector. With the growing demand for no-code or low-code solutions, organizations are looking for ways to streamline their operations while minimizing the need for specialized development skills. One of the critical applications in healthcare is the Patient Appointment App, which helps manage patient bookings efficiently. Using Ultimate Forms, we can enhance this application to include advanced features that improve usability, compliance, and automation. In this article, we will explore how we can take the Patient Appointment App to the next level by incorporating features like color-coded calendars, automated email updates, advanced search, and more.

Why SharePoint for Patient Appointment Management?

Managing patient appointments is crucial for healthcare facilities. A well-structured system helps reduce scheduling conflicts, improves communication, and enhances patient satisfaction. SharePoint, combined with Ultimate Forms, offers a powerful solution with minimal coding effort. Key Benefits of Using SharePoint:

Ease of Use: Simple interface for booking and managing appointments.
Automation: Workflows and email notifications reduce manual work.
Customizability: Ability to tailor the system to the needs of different healthcare providers.
Integration: Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 tools.

By leveraging SharePoint and Ultimate Forms, we can extend the Patient Appointment App with additional features to meet the evolving needs of healthcare facilities.

Features of the Patient Appointment App

The Patient Appointment App in SharePoint includes the following essential features: Metadata Fields:

S No

Column Name

Type

Remark

Reserved for

Single line of text

Capturing patient’s name

Reserved by

People type

Who captured this request

Reservation for

Choice type

To capture booking choice from available medical practitioners

Reservation Slot Start Time

Date time

To capture Start time of reservation.

Reservation End Time

Date time

To capture End time of reservation.

Purpose of visit

Multi line text

To capture purpose of visit.

Remarks

Multi line text

To enter any remark about booking

Existing Functionalities:

Double booking check features– To avoid double booking on the same slot.
Email alert notifications- To inform the doctors and patients about booking confirmation.
Calendar view of reservations- To easily see the availability of slots.
Search functionality– to search the records for easy retrieval of booking information.

Enhancing the SharePoint Patient Appointment App

While the existing app provides a solid foundation, additional features can significantly improve its usability and functionality. The following enhancements were implemented based on customer feedback and compliance requirements.

1. Color-Coded Calendar View

To help differentiate between various types of appointments, we implemented a color-coded calendar view using Ultimate Forms. This allows users to visually distinguish between physician consultations, laboratory bookings, and other appointment types. Implementation Steps:

Use the Ultimate Forms: calendar web part.
Assign different colors to appointment categories.
Display the categorized bookings on a SharePoint page for easy access.

2. Charts for Data Insights

Data visualization helps administrators analyze appointment trends. We used the Ultimate Forms: Charts web part to create reports based on daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly bookings. Implementation Steps:

Configure the chart web part to pull data from the appointment list.
Display bar charts, pie charts, and trend graphs for better insights.
Embed these reports on a dashboard page for easy access.

3. Print and Export Functionality

To comply with local regulations, the ability to print and export appointment data was added. Infowise provides built-in features to print list data and export it to PDF or Excel. Implementation Steps:

Enable the Ultimate Forms: Print.
Configure export settings to allow downloading reports in various formats.
Provide a button on the SharePoint page to trigger export functionality.

4. Updating Appointment Data Through Emails

Some healthcare facilities rely on email communication for managing appointments. To reduce manual data entry, we automated the process using Ultimate Forms: Import, which creates or updates list items based on email content. Implementation Steps:

Configure the Import feature in Infowise to read appointment details from emails.
Map email contents to respective SharePoint list fields.
Set up automated workflows to process incoming emails and update the appointment system.

5. Unique Appointment ID

Each appointment now has a unique identifier for reference and compliance tracking. This was achieved using the Ultimate Forms: Items IDs. Implementation Steps:

Enable the Item ID feature in Infowise.
Configure a unique identifier format for appointment records.
Display the ID in appointment confirmation emails and reports.

6. Advanced Search Functionality

To improve searchability, we added advanced search capabilities allowing users to filter appointments by mobile number, patient ID, or physician name. Implementation Steps:

Use the List Search web part in Ultimate Forms: Forms.
Configure search parameters to include patient and physician details.
Embed the search web part on the appointment management dashboard.

The Impact of These Enhancements

By implementing these features, the Patient Appointment App has been transformed into a comprehensive appointment management solution. The improvements have resulted in:

Increased efficiency: Reduced manual work through automation.
Better user experience: Easier navigation with color-coded views and advanced search.
Improved compliance: Printable reports and unique appointment tracking ensure regulatory adherence.
Enhanced data analysis: Charts and reports provide valuable business insights.

Conclusion

Extending the Patient Appointment App using Infowise Ultimate Forms has demonstrated the power of no-code solutions in healthcare. By integrating features like automated email updates, data export, and enhanced search, we have created a more efficient and user-friendly system. SharePoint continues to be a reliable platform for business process automation, and with the right tools, organizations can leverage its full potential without extensive development efforts. If you are looking to enhance your SharePoint-based applications, consider exploring Infowise Ultimate Forms for its ease of use and powerful features. Thank you for reading! Feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments. Stay tuned for more insights on SharePoint automation solutions!

Office 365 as an HR Management System

Amir Shingray — Monday, December 16, 2019

HR Management System Solutions in SharePoint: A 2024 Update with Infowise Ultimate Forms

In 2019, we highlighted how SharePoint, combined with Infowise Ultimate Forms, could transform HR processes. Since then, Ultimate Forms has evolved significantly, offering even more streamlined and customizable solutions for HR departments, enhancing various HR functions such as onboarding and performance evaluations. This update reflects the latest developments and provides valuable resources to help you explore these capabilities. HR professionals can greatly benefit from these tools by improving processes, increasing productivity, and enabling strategic decision-making.

Revolutionizing HR with SharePoint and Ultimate Forms

Infowise Ultimate Forms leverages SharePoint’s robust platform to optimize human resources processes and empower HR teams to:

Simplify Recruitment: Automate the collection and processing of job applications, track candidates, and manage interview schedules with ease.
Enhance Onboarding: Create tailored onboarding experiences with custom workflows, digital forms, and document management.
Streamline Training and LMS: Centralize training materials, track employee progress, and manage certifications seamlessly.
Optimize Evaluation and Feedback: Use customizable forms and workflows to gather, analyze, and act on employee performance data.
Standardize SOP Management: Easily share and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure compliance and consistency.

Access more than 400 Free HR Solutions Templates Here

Nowadays, because of the growing competition, businesses need to opt-out for cost-effective solutions to maximize growth and maintain or improve their rank in the market. Microsoft 365 is one of the most cost-effective solutions that work seamlessly to provide various HR services, including recruiting and onboarding, performance management, employee engagement, leave management, employee administration, etc. You can subscribe to Microsoft 365 for a monthly fee and even add Dynamics 365 in your subscription to further enhance the functionality of Microsoft 365.

Here is an overview of some of the useful Microsoft 365 applications that can aid in HR management.

MS Teams

Employee onboarding, recruitment, and leave management are essential activities for the HR department; they require a lot of coordination, parallel operations, and timely execution. There are two sets of people that the HR department has to work with for employee onboarding and recruitment, the new hire themselves, and the internal departments that contribute to the onboarding activities. Emails are used to coordinate with others; too many emails can flood the inbox and mix-up the topics, leading to delayed responses, which can cause inefficiency.

Microsoft 365's Microsoft Teams app effectively resolves this issue; it allows the HR department to correspond with others without using emails, enhancing task management within MS Teams.

The HR department can create the onboarding and recruitment team in Microsoft 365 by adding the point of contact from each department as members. Working with MS Teams is simple; post what you want to communicate as a conversation, and all the team members will receive a notification about it. Only the team members can see and respond to the conversation similar to personal chat apps like WhatsApp and Messenger. Compliance and archival allow new Team members to view past discussions and back-up everything on OneDrive. MS Teams also helps manage and analyze HR data, driving strategic initiatives and improving HR processes. MS team provides a built-in shared files folder where you can upload files, and every team member will be able to see it. The planner tab in the Teams app allows you to create a shared task list inside the Teams app in Microsoft 365, and you can also set a deadline and assign the task to the responsible authority. The tasks can be categorized in buckets(departments); everyone can view the progress report of the functions.

Yammer

Yammer in Microsoft 365 allows the HR department to communicate with the new hires in real-time regarding onboarding schedules, venues, and logistics. Yammer is a social network that enables you to create a group and add new hires, where you can post the details. New hires will be able to see the posts and like, comment, and share them. New hires can post questions or share learnings with each other. HR professionals can use Yammer for effective onboarding communication, ensuring that new hires are well-informed and engaged from day one.

Sway

Another useful tool that makes Microsoft 365 a remarkable solution for onboarding is Sway. It allows you to create professional webpages where you can post the onboarding schedule, without the need of an IT specialist. You just have to add content (pictures, text, and links), and Sway will manage the formatting automatically for you. Microsoft 365's Sway not only creates the webpage; it also publishes it, and if you are not satisfied with the design, you can change it by using the Remix! Button. You can create a shareable link or a QR code to share your webpage with others. Using Sway for onboarding is a strategic aspect of human capital management, enhancing the onboarding process and improving organizational performance.

Forms

To monitor the quality of onboarding training programs, the HR department requires to get feedback from the new hires. Forms in Microsoft 365 allows you to add a question and create the forms online. HR management can share the link with the new hires, post it on Yammer, or generate a QR code at the end of the presentation to capture real-time feedback. Participants can fill the form using any browser on their mobile device, and the trainer/HR management will be able to see the data and analytics in real-time. The HR team can also create quizzes to test the knowledge of candidates or to test what experience did the employees gained from the training. HRM can create a poll as well that can help select favourable options regarding different decisions. Analyzing this HR data can enhance HR analytics and decision-making, leading to improved HR processes and outcomes.

Power BI

Power BI is an analytics service that is based on the cloud, enabling the HR team to visualize and analyze HR data with higher speed, understanding, and efficiency. The Get & Transform option allows the HR management to import data from multiple systems and turn it into interactive dashboards by using formatting, graphs, charts. MyAnalytics will enable employees to learn about their productivity; only employees can see their data in this feature. Workplace Analytics, on the other hand, is used to evaluate team productivity, it pulls the information from MyAnalytics while keeping the individual's information private. Power BI can significantly enhance human resources by providing insights into HR analytics, improving employee management, onboarding, and performance evaluation.

Conclusion

These are just some of the commonly used apps for HR management; there are many other apps in Microsoft 365. When integrated with Dynamics 365 Human Resources, Microsoft 365 becomes a high performing HRMS, enhancing workforce management and streamlining HR processes. Microsoft Dynamics plays a crucial role in HR management by optimizing HR functions and driving employee engagement through its comprehensive features. You can subscribe for a monthly fee of $9.99, and if you want, then you can even upgrade your package by choosing apps that are independent of the selected deployment option. Integrating payroll providers further enhances HR processes by facilitating payroll management, budgets, and tax filings, ensuring compliance and operational efficiency. It is a valuable tool that can substantially increase the efficiency of your business processes.

Infowise

At Infowise, we serve as a strategic partner, assisting public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavours with our scalable, smart, and robust tools, software, and applications, including those designed for human resource management. Our product Infowise Ultimate Forms contains 19 SharePoint components developed to give you the power to innovate, automate, and scale up your processes. Our product has been designed for optimum interoperability and seamless integration within SharePoint. Altogether, it constitutes the structural foundation for digitization and facilitate your transition to digital transformation. Click here to install Infowise Ultimate Forms 30-days free trial. After you've installed Infowise Ultimate Forms, go ahead and create an unlimited number of Business Process Applications. Or even better, do you want to start with a ready template? Great, click here and install the ready-to-use template from our vast business process solution library, re-purpose to service your needs.

SharePoint is an Excellent Tool for HR Management

Amir Shingray — Thursday, December 12, 2019

Introduction

HR team plays a crucial role in every business, whether small or large. Sometimes the work-load can be overwhelming, and manual processing can lead to errors. For efficient HR management, many companies now prefer human resource management systems. These HR applications are mainly built on software platforms like Microsoft SharePoint. They can greatly improve HR processes. SharePoint HR systems boost productivity, speed up growth, and enhance your company's performance.

What is SharePoint

Microsoft SharePoint is an collaborative software platform that allows companies to manage multiple aspects of their processes. It offers a plethora of functionality to businesses:

Collaboration site
Automated workflow engine
Data storage repository
Video conferencing software
And many others.

Companies can customize their SharePoint platform according to their needs. They may choose from an extensive software library which includes among other:

Word
Excel
PowerPoint
Outlook
OneDrive
Teams
Copilot

Microsoft Partner companies, such as Infowise, provides SharePoint-based platforms. Companies can integrate those into their SharePoint and take its capabilities to the next level. Two versions of Microsoft SharePoint are available in the market.

SharePoint On-Premise - managed internally by your IT team.
SharePoint Online - cloud offering fully managed by Microsoft.

Some companies also employ a hybrid strategy. In these cases their environment consists of a mix of on-premises and cloud components.

SharePoint for HR Management

SharePoint is a versatile platform that any department can use and customize according to their particular needs. SharePoint human resources management systems are useful for example:

To simplify employee onboarding process
To securely store personal information
To update employees about policy changes
To manage leave and attendance
To conveniently manage the recruitment process.

Companies can for instance integrate Infowise pre-built HR Recruitment process to enhance their SharePoint functionality. SharePoint-based HR portals can help the HR team in many different aspects. Following non-exhaustive list of potential HR process implementations:

Employee Onboarding and Recruiting

SharePoint HR portals allow the HR team to conveniently power through a vast number of employee applications. Instead of reviewing hundreds of printed resumes, the HR manager can search for the desired resume in the database. HR management can keep track of completed tasks by reviewing the centrally integrated checklists. For example, multiple HR officers had to interview various IT specialists and select one. They can monitor the process progress via convenient checklist. Real-time dashboards allow the HR team and new hires to visualize the onboarding progress. SharePoint human resources management system assist in generating reports and gathering interview statistics of the candidates. It can also create automated emails for interview invitations, notify candidates about rejection, welcome, and farewell emails, and create reminders and notifications. SharePoint users can create an extensive knowledge base and include all necessary information for the new hires. A knowledge base can contain information such as:

Company mission and guide
Employee handbook
Work responsibilities
Benefits
Employee training
E-forms

Employee Management and Evaluation

HR staff can manage employee-related operations and contents by using SharePoint HR portals. Document management becomes easy for the HR team. They can track changes and view the history of the employee documents, contract, or updated job description. Data encryption allows companies to protect employees’ sensitive information, control access or dictate document downloading. SharePoint can also generate alerts about unauthorized access to employees’ information. HR management can conveniently communicate with the employees through their profiles. They can also:

Track and approve salary changes
Monitor the attendance and working hours
Keep track of leaves and absents
Schedule shifts
Manage enrolment for courses

HR portals also allow the HR team to evaluate employee performance conveniently. They can report on task completion, review performance, and training results. Assess employees’ knowledge and skills after training and provide feedback to the employees. You can also conduct surveys to measure employee satisfaction and submit self-assessment questionnaires.

Keep Track of Policies and Procedures

HR staff has to make sure that the company policy complies with the state, local, and federal labor laws. They also have to make sure that the employees are meeting the company policy. HR management can associate regulations with centrally stored policies and procedures. You can easily monitor the status of the policy, active and expired certifications through the dashboard. Employees can easily acknowledge compliance with training, policy, or regulations. The HR team can schedule notifications to review and update policies or certifications that are about to expire. Audio, Video, and Graphics training materials integrated into the SharePoint HR portal allow HR management to conduct knowledge tests and arrange policy compliance training.

Conclusion

Automated and smart solutions have become a must-have in today’s competitive business environment. SharePoint and its HR portals can drastically improve the operations of your HR team.

Infowise

At Infowise, we serve as your strategic partner. We assist public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavors with our scalable, smart, and robust solutions. Our product Infowise Ultimate Forms contains 19 SharePoint components. We developed them to give you the power to innovate, automate, and scale up your processes. We designed our product for optimum interaction with various SharePoint features and third-party applications. It provides seamless integration with SharePoint. It constitutes the structural foundation for going paperless and facilitate your transition to digital transformation. Click here to install Infowise Ultimate Forms 30-days free trial. After you've installed Infowise Ultimate Forms, create an unlimited number of Business Process Applications. We have a solution for you when you are short of time and staff as well. Install one of the ready-to-use templates from our vast business process solution library. You can then re-purpose it to better service your needs.

Ultimate Guide for Creating Business Processes in Office 365

Amir Shingray — Monday, November 25, 2019

Introduction

In any organization, once the initial enthusiasm for implementing Microsoft 365 has subsided, they will start to look for more ways they can optimally utilize Microsoft 365. Indeed, all the processes of the organization cannot be moved and switched to Microsoft 365 overnight. Nevertheless, it is still imperative to detect and recognize all those areas of improvement where the organizations can have a smooth start by thoroughly implementing Microsoft 365 in all their business processes.
Microsoft 365 has a diverse range of tools with massive features. Therefore, it’s quite challenging to identify all of them to have an overview of its advantages and disadvantages that could have an impact on the developmental processes of the business. To understand it fully, let’s have a quick look at some of the queries and questions that regularly comes up when reviewing the demands and needs for a business process. By going through the requirements, we will be able to determine how Microsoft 365 would respond to each one of them. While you’re reading this, it would be fun to wrack your brain in finding some of the business processes in your organization that require improvement.
In this article, we will focus on covering no/low-code solutions. That would be quite beneficial for your organization if they can afford custom development, as there will be plenty of things to consider.

Tools for Creating Business Processes in Microsoft 365

When the clients are looking for improving or creating business processes in Microsoft 365 with a no or low-code tool, there are three options for them to choose from Microsoft Forms, SharePoint List/Libraries, and Power Apps. The very first thing to do is to review the present state of the business process and its complications. If the business process is simple and easy such as entering data into an Excel Sheet with no overcomplicated formulae, we suggest Microsoft Forms be the best tool. Running your business processes in Microsoft Forms is entirely stress-free and pretty much straightforward as it doesn’t require any technical expertise.
However, one of the prominent disadvantages of using Microsoft Forms is that it provides minimal field types and has limited options. If the field types of an organization are quite complex, it is then implementing the Microsoft Forms may not the best option. The next course of action in creating business processes in Microsoft 365 is to go for the SharePoint list. It offers a wide array of field types as well as has excellent built-in features, including views and validation. SharePoint list also enables you to utilize other tools like PowerApps. If you think a document upload would initiate the business process, then it’s better to choose Libraries. Power Apps is the most complex tools for creating business processes in Microsoft 365. Its use should only be chosen when the form’s logic becomes more complicated that SharePoint cannot handle. By using PowerApps, you would be able to perform things like repeating tables, cascading dropdowns, and also you can connect to data outside of the current list. Moreover, with the implementation of Power Apps, you would also be able to implement mobile apps. Generally, if the current business process is a complicated InfoPath form, then the PowerApps is the right tool for creating business processes in Microsoft 365. However, there is a lot to learn when you’re switching from InfoPath to PowerApps. Get yourself acquainted with a technical expert is recommended. You should also need to consider the audience for creating business processes in Microsoft 365. For instance, if your targeted audience doesn’t have the licensed external users, you may have to stay with Microsoft Forms or SharePoint Lists, as Power Apps doesn’t support external users.

Power Automate and Power Apps are essential tools within the Microsoft Power Platform for automating business processes and workflows. They offer user-friendly customization capabilities without the need for IT intervention, making them accessible to a wider audience looking to enhance operational efficiency. Power Automate offers a tremendous amount of nifty built-in templates, which can be used to create automated workflows. These templates are designed to streamline business processes and enhance user experience through intuitive interfaces.

Understanding SharePoint Workflows

SharePoint workflows are a set of automated tasks and processes designed to streamline and improve business operations. Workflows can be used to consistently manage common business processes within an organization by enabling the organization to attach business logic to documents or items in a SharePoint list or library. SharePoint workflows can be used to automate a wide range of business processes, including approval workflows, document review, and project management. By automating these processes, organizations can reduce the time and cost required to coordinate common business processes and improve productivity and efficiency. Whether it’s a simple approval workflow or a more complex business process, SharePoint workflows provide a robust solution for automating and managing tasks seamlessly.

Suitability for Your Business Process Flow

When the business process has been selected, then the next phase for creating business processes in Microsoft 365 is the flow of the process. The ideal tool is Microsoft Visio or any other related tool to streamline the entire process. When thinking about mapping out the workflow, several queries come to mind. Such as is there any approval phase? If there is, then how many? Is there a need for transferring of data upon the completion of the process? One of the significant workflow tools in creating business processes in Microsoft 365 used to be SharePoint Designer. There has been a rapid increase in organizations that are switching from SharePoint Designer workflows to Power Automate. Similar to Power Apps, you would probably require to learn about the Power Automate. According to us, it would take an immense amount of time and effort to learn and have the proficiency to run your business processes, especially if you were an avid user of Designer.
On the other hand, if you’re new to Power Automate, then this is the simpler and efficient version of SharePoint Designer.
From personal experience, there are plenty of loops in Power Automate; however, the new and improved logging assists greatly in those circumstances. Power Automate offers a tremendous amount of nifty built-in templates for creating business processes in Microsoft 365. For instance, its template sends the data to Microsoft Forms automatically to a SharePoint list. This is ideal for anyone who’s looking for a user experience of Microsoft Forms but requires the data in a SharePoint list that could be utilized for reporting or for a more complicated business process.
One more thing, Power Apps empowers into building plenty of logic with no need of using Power Automate. For instance, it enables you to send an email directly inside the app, which reduces the expense of overseeing two tools.

Envisioning the Entire Process

When the desired creating business processes in Microsoft 365 completely implemented in your organization, the final phase is to make an impressive user experience. To efficiently achieve that, you can utilize the modern pages in SharePoint Online to render a personalized experience as per the user’s requirements. Generally, they are mostly referred to us dashboard pages that contain links to forms, gives a view of the lists and libraries. You can embed the visualization of data from Power BI. However, you probably need to buy a license. This tool is quite helpful in providing prompt answers about your business process and its functionality. Furthermore, Microsoft has recently introduced the connector web parts, enabling you to connect and showcase your data outside of Microsoft 365.
We hope that considering all the benefits of improving and creating business processes in Microsoft 365 would give you a head start in getting solutions for your business operations.

Infowise Ultimate Forms

With Infowise Ultimate Forms, you create the entire business process in one no-code tool, tightly integrated into your familiar SharePoint interface. From smart dynamic forms, to actions, alerts, print templates and import profile, it has everything you need to enter your information into SharePoint error-free, automate and export it in multiple document formats. And it doesn't require you to be a developer with a significant experience to accomplish all that!

How I quickly built a Customer Onboarding (Account Creation) Solution for a Bank using Infowise Ultimate forms

Debolina Dasgupta — Monday, November 11, 2019

Is it easy to build a Customer Onboarding (Account Creation) Solution for a Bank using Infowise Ultimate forms?

Dear Readers, I have been using Infowise Ultimate Forms for about a month and a half. The fact that I absolutely love about the product is how convenient it is to have all the features in one place. I am able open my Infowise Ultimate Forms app right from my SharePoint list. Then I can use it to create forms and processes easily and quickly.

Life without Infowise Ultimate Forms

If I didn't have Infowise Ultimate Forms, I would need Power Apps or SharePoint Designer. These tools would help me create and update my form design. I could also add the company logo and branding. Sometimes it would also be necessary to add bits and pieces to make responsive web pages. By responsive webpage, I mean an application that works well with all kinds of devices. We also need SharePoint Designer workflows or Power Automate to ensure the processes run smoothly. If we need approval, we must add items and create the structure. Let's discuss the possible scenarios using an example, say Customer Onboarding in a bank.

Customer Onboarding: How does an account creation work in a bank?

The process of customer onboarding begins with the request to open an account. Say an individual wants to open a bank account. He or she will then proceed to either call or visit the branch of their convenience. Next, he or she fills out the onboarding form and submits it to the bank. The customer also needs to provide a set of documents, commonly known as KYC or Know Your Customer documents. Once the bank receives all the documents, a team will review them. This team consists of Legal and Compliance officers. They will check the information provided by the customer. If they find all the information current, the bank creates a new account for the customer. This is the first step when a bank introduces a customer to its banking service. Streamlining this process is crucial. If the customer is happy with the service, it will ensure their loyalty. Moreover he or she might also recommend other people, thereby increasing the bank profits. However, this is quite a lengthy process. It has multiple levels of checks and approvals by Legal and Compliance teams for the information provided.

Customer Onboarding: Forms and Process

To create a customer onboarding process, it is important to create a suitable form. This form should include all the information about the customer. Traditionally it consists of a large number of fields and options. We store all the information here, such as the account type, branch details, and nominee information. To create a large form, like the customer onboarding form, it is important to make it interactive. My requirements for the form include:

It must have the proper bank color branding and logo.
The form has to consists of distinct blocks of information, using accordions and tabs. This will help us to segregate the information.
The fields need to update on the selection of a given field. For example, if my account type is Joint Account, I need to provide the name of another account holder. If it is a Personal Account, then I will not need another account holder.
Form type defines which fields the form presents. As in the case of Account Number, New Item should not show account number, but Edit form needs to have an account number fields.
Once someone creates the form, the approval process starts.

Customer Onboarding: Creating a solution using SharePoint, Power Apps and Power Automate

When you make a list of items in SharePoint, it automatically creates three forms: New, Edit, and View. The forms are responsive, but they are not easy to customize. For example, hiding or showing options based on item selection is tricky. Hiding fields depending on the action, like New Item or Edit Item, is also difficult. A solution for that could potential be to use Power Apps. However, with Power Apps, we can either change only the form design or create a mobile/iPad based app. Though I can code the app to hide and show fields, based on conditions, a certain amount of coding skills is necessary. Also, there is no simple drag-and-drop option available to create tabs and accordions. You cannot easily customize the CSS to change the look and feel. Once I've created the forms using Power Apps, I need to use Power Automate to update the approval process. However, this also includes a learning curve and might not be a quick drag and drop solution. This, in turn, means that I have to move between applications to create a perfect solution.

Customer Onboarding: Creating a process using SharePoint and Infowise Ultimate Forms

Infowise Ultimate Forms, on the other hand, solves my problem quickly. I can add CSS and quickly create a custom design and branding. You can even easily accomplish the conditional show and hide of the account number field using the checkboxes. I can add rules and permissions easily, even in each field. I can add custom style to my fields and not just forms and even custom notification. You can also easily set Custom Validations and Rules on the click of a button. Best of all, you are able to accomplish all your tasks either using drag and drop or clicks. This is something that an ordinary user can easily perform with minimal training. The Form Designer also has good documentation, available just by clicking the help icon on the top right corner. Infowise Ultimate Forms includes a detailed section on Business Logic. Here, you can easily create alert and approval processes with just a click. I can easily create my entire solution in SharePoint, without moving around to any other application. Thus it is simple, easy to use and convenient, even for a non-technical user. I had fun mapping out my process using Infowise Ultimate Forms. What solutions are you guys working on? I would love to learn more about your challenges. Join me next week as I share more about the data and charts-based application.

What is a SharePoint communication site

Amir Shingray — Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Introduction

A SharePoint communication site is a platform for publishing content in a visually appealing format for reaching a broader audience. It has always been at the heart of collaboration as it is a new vision of building team sites. With a smart intranet vision, you are now able to expand the tools to deliver an out-of-the-box experience for extensive internal communications. SharePoint communication sites are simple, fantastic intranet interaction platforms that work across devices. These SharePoint sites offer new and creative designs to get started quickly and help integrate your look and feel. Furthermore, they easily create pages that use web parts from SharePoint to add rich functionality and pull data from other devices. By using SharePoint, you can connect with your readers and get their details along with information regarding the working of site and content. Announcing events, launching products, or organizing campaigns can be done via SharePoint communication sites to get insights and expertise by the team on the subject. One of the significant aims of these sites is to communicate broadly and effectively. You are able to launch a communication site in just a few clicks. You simply use the default site templates and selecting the appropriate page layout. It requires no additional coding or complex customizations. They also provide images and videos to beautify your content. It serves as the showcase of rich content on the website that is lucrative for readers. These communication sites power the organizational intranet as they are fully responsive and function seamlessly on mobile devices. This makes end-users and SharePoint developers happy. Consequently, it saves time for developing and fixing the design to support multiple screen sizes.

Publishing Content via SharePoint Communication Sites

The SharePoint communication sites are brand new team sites that can be created from SharePoint home. They are used to create pages for agencies and archives for documents. These sites are mobile-friendly and are modified to showcase information visually beautiful. Site designs with web parts are an essential feature of these communication sites. Besides, "blank" is offered with customized editing to create the design of your choice. The communication sites can modernize classical sites via Modern Pages as they are provided with a unique site template. The communication site designs are contemporary and broad screen sites for building beautiful and attractive pages. Besides, these designs have options such as Topic, Showcase, and Blank. These options have a variety of functions.

By using Topic you can share information such as news, updates, status, and events.
You use Showcase to post images, photos, or live stream videos for launching products or organizing events.
Blank is there for you to create the design of your choice.

You are also able to perform your won site design customizations. Each site design is provided with web parts such as the hero web part for bringing site emphasis and using visuals for grasping the attention of the readers. Another web part is the news web part for the winning team by publishing exciting content on site. For displaying detail about upcoming events, products, and campaigns, the event web part is used. The document web part showcases the default document library, which can be altered easily. Highlighted content web part is also preferred for displaying data from a library, site and site collection. Sharing a selection of images, photos and videos are done by using the image gallery web part. Site creation from SharePoint communication sites may be embedded with the Yammer web part for extraordinary bi-directional communication features. This includes people's profile and comment section web part. By using people's profiles, you can add many readers as a team whose profile pictures will detail the information of the readers. Site creation via page templates is a direct link with your readers. The comment section is provided for encouraging readers to give suggestions regarding the content of the website. Also, you have an option of deleted comments.

Benefits

The communication sites are beneficial in many ways, with advancements and modernization over time. These benefits are discussing below:

The SharePoint online sites are provided with search engines for employees to find data.
Intranet communication allows users to communicate and collaborate on a broader level.
These sites are adaptable to many devices, such as mobile phones.
The authoritative sites have been revolutionized by using photos, images, and live stream videos.
The evolution of Share Point has advanced the interface, such as page layout, tools, and interaction design.
The development of SharePoint focuses on client development. Hence, it is increasing industry-standard practices extensively.
The use of the content on the website shows its popularity among readers that able you to tune your site by providing content for readers' interests.

How to create Communication sites?

Communication sites are created like Microsoft 365 Group. The basic methodology of creating communication site is given below:

Choose and click SharePoint from the Microsoft 365 App.
Select Create site.
You will have two options to choose from. Choose Communication Site.
Now, you have to choose a site template as it is a page layout that can be altered later. Therefore, choose Topic. In this section, you will be provided with photos and images for the setting of your page layout.
The right side of the screen shows site name, site address, site description, and select a language.
Write the name of your site in the site name. Next, put the URL in the site address. Then, write a description in the site description of your website, i.e., the purpose of this site.
Choose language and click finish.
Finally, the site has been built.

What Sets Communication Sites Apart?

The new communication sites are not provided with Quick Launch or left-handed side menu. Similar to Microsoft 365 Group site, a new site is created as a separate site collection by using the SharePoint Communication site. Besides, these sites are offered with new web parts, out-of-the-box site designs, topics, customized homepage, and a blank. These sites are convenient for broadcasting data. Hence, these sites are the future of website development as they mainly focus on building creative and extensive websites for communicating and collaborating with the broad audiences effectively.

Infowise

At Infowise, we serve as a strategic partner, assisting public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavors with our scalable, smart and robust tools, software and applications. Our product Infowise Ultimate Forms contains 19 SharePoint components developed to give you the power to innovate, automate and scale up your processes. We designed our product for optimum interoperability and seamless integration within SharePoint. It constitutes the structural foundation for digitization and facilitate your transition to digital transformation. Click here to install Infowise Ultimate Forms 30-days free trial. Using our installation wizard it's a quick and simple process. After you've installed Infowise Ultimate Forms, you are able to create an unlimited number of Business Process Applications. Or even better, do you want to start with a preconfigured template? Great, click here and install the ready-to-use template from our vast business process solution library, then re-purpose to service your needs.

All you need to know about Microsoft Flow

Amir Shingray — Monday, October 28, 2019

All you need to know about Power Automate

Introduction

In today's world, you need to integrate your apps and services in the cloud. They must be able to connect smoothly with each other, transferring data and updates. Power Automate is your efficient tool. This article is all you need to know about Power Automate. This cloud-based tool streamlines the processes by enhancing efficiency and productivity. It does so by automating business processes and removing manual steps. It accomplishes that by enabling anyone and everyone within the organization to automate their daily tasks. Your employees no longer need to fill a ticket for a developer to take part in the implementation. The important additional benefit is the removal of the human element, which helps ensure consistency and identify bottlenecks. By automating your daily business tasks, Power Automate allows you to focus on more significant tasks. It connects different apps in the cloud. It gathers data from them and keeps them in sync. It sends you timely notifications and offers many more features to explore. Power Automate refers to automated workflows as “flows.” Right now, Power Automate helps you connect apps and services. Here are just some examples:

Dropbox
Dynamics 365
Facebook
Microsoft 365
OneDrive for Business
Power Apps
SQL Server
X (Twitter)

Power Automate springs into action by the way of triggers. As a response to these triggers, it will initiate the responses, permitting apps to interact with each other. When a trigger occurs (for instance, you received an email), the corresponding app transmits a signal to other apps. It informs them that a certain event just happened. These signal receiving apps would then respond to in accord.

How does Power Automate Empower its Users

Power Automate empowers you by making your life a little easier. It does it by automating your routine tasks such as data collection, notifications sorting, alerting, pinging, and whatnot. It does so by dividing its automation workflows into three main categories.

The first is automated flow. The onset of a pre-selected event triggers it. For instance, a user updates a document. Power Automate will send a notification to all users signaling the document’s update.
The second category is a scheduled flow. As the name suggests, it executes based on a specified time. For example, the users receiving a regular ping about an upcoming meeting.
The third category is button flow. It relies on direct user action, such as a button click.

Power Automate’s Capabilities

Power Automate's capabilities are wide-ranging. You can begin with the list of pre-configured templates. This will help you save time in your busy schedule. Some of these ready-made templates are as following: Template #1: Save Microsoft 365 email attachments to OneDrive for Business With this template, you would not miss any email attachment if you find yourself cluttered with emails. Through this template, any attachment in the incoming mails will get saved automatically. Template #2: Get emails for positive tweets This template lets you track the positive feedback on X regarding any particular hashtag you are following. You would receive a notification when any positive post is being tweeted corresponding to your interest. Template #3: Create new events on Google Calendar from Microsoft 365 Power Automate will make a Google Calendar event when you create an event in a Microsoft 365 Calendar. This way, you ensure that your events appear in all your calendars in perfect synchronization. Template #4: Track your work hours and work location This template will track your out-of-office timekeeping. With the columns, you will create yourself, such as date, timestamp, and location, Power Automate will keep track of your current time and place. You will be receiving a push notification for all your work-related runs. Template #5: Selectively post Instagram photos to Facebook You do not need to switch apps when posting a social media update. Power Automate will display the same photo (with caption) that you published on Instagram, on your Facebook account. Template #6: Save tweets to an Excel file With this Power Automate template, you can track your tweets smoothly. Get all your work-related tweets automatically archived to an Excel file. You can create that file on Dropbox or OneDrive. Learn more about Power Automate templates

Power Automate Use Cases

Power Automate offers a wide-ranging array of possibilities. Because you can create your own flows, the uses cases opportunities are unlimited. It provides users with integration possibilities for Dynamics 365. The following are some of the use cases for how it accomplishes the integration.

Tailoring not-to-be-replied-directly emails with options buttons

Case managers send out emails with preloaded options. The idea is that they want the customers not to reply directly to their emails. There can be a way for these case managers to send an email without having to tag an options button for the customers. By selecting the “send an email with options,” you will have the ease of setting up an option button. You can tailor the email with corresponding actions or a time delay for sending the email. You then direct the customers to a “confirmation screen” just as they respond to the email. If they select an option, such as closing off their case, then this selection would activate a workflow in Dynamics to do just that.

Saving Storage by Moving Attachments to SharePoint

Attachments in Dynamics 365 for Customer Engagement by Notes can consume a lot of storage. Power Automate solves this problem by offering a way to move for these attachments to SharePoint libraries. The flow will then store them there as SharePoint documents. Users start from a blank flow template and then select for the Dynamics 365 connector. They configure the flow to trigger the creation of a new record. They can also set a condition, after which the system checks for an attached document. Users configure document locations and the records’ length. Next, the users configure the SharePoint connector for Power Automate. Lastly, the action of updating a file removes the attachment, and moves it to SharePoint.

Approval processes in multiple stages

A common business requirement is to establish an approval process. The manager field in the user profile helps to map out the hierarchy of approvals. This use case is about setting up a multi-stage approvals system. A sales rep creates a new record in Dynamics 365 and indicates a need for approval by the means of a custom field value. It then automatically triggers a flow. The record creation then triggers the flow, identifying the record, its creator, and the creator’s manager. It then formulates a dynamic approval email to convey it to the manager. This flow has a limitation, which is that it cannot capture the CRM entity’s URL. We use a custom field for the flow to register this URL. The flow then sends out an email, requesting an approval. When the approver grants the approval, the flow sends an message to the next approver. The organizational hierarchy controls the required sequence of approvals.

Power Automate Plans and Costs

Power Automate Pricing starts from $5.00/month. Microsoft offers both free and subscription pricing models. They also offer a free trial without the need for the users to submit their credit card details. Following is a glimpse into their pricing plans:

Infowise

At Infowise, we serve as your strategic partner. We assist public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavors. We provide scalable, smart and robust tools, software and applications to help you improve efficiency. Our product, Infowise Ultimate Forms, contains 19 SharePoint components. We tailor-made those to give you the power to innovate, automate and scale up your processes. We designed it from the ground up for optimum interoperability and seamless integration with SharePoint. It constitutes the structural foundation for business process automation and facilitate your transition to digital transformation. Click here to download Infowise Ultimate Forms 30-days free trial. The installation process is simple with our intuitive installation wizard. After you've installed Infowise Ultimate Forms, create an unlimited number of business process applications. These will simply use your SharePoint lists and document libraries. To make it easier, you can start with a pre-configured solution template. Click here and install the ready-to-use templates from our vast business process solution library. You can then customize it to better serve your unique needs.

Deploy Business Solutions in SharePoint Online with a Single Click

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Introduction

Ultimate Forms is a great platform for developing sophisticated, yet easy-to-use, business solutions in SharePoint. Our customers and partners use it to build everything they need to run their organizations more efficiently. They create anything from rather simple Expense Reports to advanced Project Management, HR or Help Desk solutions. We offer hundreds of the most commonly used SharePoint solution templates for installation, free of charge, on our website. Once you get one, you can further customize it according to your needs. You only use your browser, no development skills of any sort required!

Template Manager

We developed an amazing replication technology in our Template Manager. With it we are able to replicate any site with or across tenants. It includes including all lists, web part pages, navigation, and Ultimate Forms setting . That means that you can replicate a business solutions and have it set up in your environment with a single click. You can leverage this capability both for our solutions and your own! Template Manager will do the following for you automatically:

Create a new team site (or use your existing one)
Create/modify lists and libraries (including columns, columns settings, content types and views)
Create and update web part pages
Set up quick links in left pane navigation
Apply all Ultimate Forms settings, including forms, actions, alerts, print templates, and much more!

Walkthrough

Let me explain the installation process in more details. First, install Ultimate Forms in your Microsoft 365 environment or on premises. Once you load up the app, you will see the Solution catalog button on the top menu bar. Click on it and our Solution Gallery will open. Please note the vendor selector menu at the top. At this point you can see our business solutions under Infowise Solutions and our webinars under Infowise Webinars. And yes, you can now install the exact sites we used in our webinars and workshops and try out what we showed you on your own. This is the additional benefit of registering for our webinars. Here you can browse the collection of our business solutions. They are free of charge, all you need is a license for Ultimate Forms and you can install whatever you need. And, once installed, you can modify further to exactly match your requirements. Think of it as your starter kit for building advanced modern business processes in SharePoint. Click on the solution you want to install. Here you can see a detailed explanation of what the solution offers. For select solutions and webinar you will also notice a tutorial video. In the top right corner you can find the installation settings. Normally all you need to do is click on the Install button, no special configuration required here. You can choose to install as a new subsite under the current site (recommended) or to modify the current site. Take special care when selecting to modify the current site. Your site might already contain lists with the same names as the ones used by the solution. If so, the process might modify them and you might lose your data. We recommend that you exclusively use this option on new sites. A confirmation prompt will appear. Agree to the prompt to start the installation process. The process will start running now and you will be able to see the real-time progress. In the vast majority of cases the process will complete without any errors. However in rare cases, there might be unexpected glitches in the SharePoint Online infrastructure. The log will contain all errors and warnings. In most cases, just running the installation again should resolve all the issues. It should take about 2-3 minutes for the process to complete. The longest part is the creation and setup of the various lists and document libraries the business solution uses. The process has completed successfully. Click on "Close" and your newly created and configured business solution will open in your browser. You will also receive an email with the log. We invite our partners and partners-to-be to use this platform to promote and sell their own solutions. We are working on integrating a trial and licensing mechanism.

Your Own Templates

Like what you see and want to be able to develop and install business solutions internally? Good news is that you already can! All you saw here uses our Template Manager component that you already have. Ask your administrator to create login credentials under the Billing section of the app. Log into Template Manager to create, manage and apply your own business solutions within your tenant. The complete deployment mechanism I just highlighted is at your disposal. Ultimate Forms makes the deployment of custom SharePoint business solutions simple and accessible to everyone.

Microsoft Office 365 in the classroom: An Overview of Tools and Methods

Amir Shingray — Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Today’s modern classrooms can significantly benefit from Microsoft 365. Children from a young age can take advantage of the various tools and software that comes with Microsoft 365 to enhance their classroom experience. Similarly, teachers and instructors can customize it to teach students most effectively. Microsoft provides a dedicated version of Microsoft 365 for educational institutions called Microsoft 365 for Education. Below we will detail how Microsoft 365 brings classroom education into the 21st century.

Building a 21st-century classroom with Microsoft 365 Personalized Learning Initiatives Sharing is Caring Conclusion

Building a 21st-century classroom with Microsoft 365

Microsoft 365 provides a robust set of tools to optimize classroom experience. OneNote, for example, can offer innovative ways to present notes, slides, hold class discussions, and more. Furthermore, it can improve grading, assignments and more to make sure the class time is dedicated to learning and discussion. OneNote can transform into a digital notebook where teachers and instructions can store class notes and all relevant information relating to the courses they teach. It can link to web content for research and also become a collaboration space. The best part is that since everything is digital, there is no more worrying about running out of paper in physical notebooks. The information can be accessed at any time from any compatible device, which makes it all the more convenient for teachers. PowerPoint slides have been used for years to deliver course presentations in class. While PowerPoint is still effective today, OneNote is equally better. Teachers can easily communicate more effectively with each other using OneNote. It’s an effective way to share lectures, course notes and such with each other and gain advice and feedback. It also allows for collaboration to make more innovative content for the students. Implementation of tools such as OneNote in the classroom boosts the productivity of teachers and students benefit from better teaching methods. The 21st-century classroom places a priority on convenience, productivity and innovative teaching. It’s all about clearing the clutter and making life easier for teachers so they can do the same for students. The idea here is to transform the classroom so that students at a younger age can get a head start on computer literacy. It allows them to be more organized as they move up in education levels.

Personalized Learning Initiatives

Microsoft has been working with schools as part of their Personal Learning Initiative. Microsoft calls it blended learning. Blended learning helps students learn at their own pace. It allows teachers to customize their teaching for each student. It’s a lot more personalized, so each student gets the individual attention he or she needs. Depending on what assistance each student needs, instructors, can customize the curriculum so that students can succeed. During each class, instructors can provide students with short lessons and then each student can work on his or her own. The instructors act as mentors and guides, helping students understand the course material at his or her pace. Students can get instant feedback between lessons. The learning of each student is divided into two components. There’s the physical classroom instruction component, and then there’s the online component that allows for more of a collaborative learning experience. The online and classroom instruction components work in tandem with each other, and it provides for innovative yet effective teaching and learning experience. The best thing here is that before each class session, students are suitably prepared and have digested the lessons well. They can then contribute effectively in classroom discussions and display their knowledge of the lessons taught to them daily. This is a good way for instructors to get regular feedback on students’ performance, and it would help them customize the learning accordingly. Students are more in charge of their learning, and they become responsible learners. It makes students more independent and utilizes instructors as and when needed. Microsoft is pioneering education in the 21st century to make learning more personalized for each student. While classroom instruction is here to stay, this integrated and collaborative teaching is the future of education. Teachers form meaningful relationships with each of their students. Students become independent, responsible and productive learners. The Personalized Learning Initiative has already shown to be a success at the regional level. The Fresno Unified School District worked with Microsoft and found that student outcomes became a lot better with Personalized Learning Initiative. The mix of classroom and digital instruction is already proven to be a trendsetter in the field of education. One PLI teacher at Fresno is quoted to have said, “The feedback aspects have been incredible. When I stand at the front of the class and say it live, there are lots of problems with the ‘talking teacher.’ If I can spend time with them online while they’re writing, it affects change in real-time. The tone of the classroom is relaxed, constructive, and allows kids to hear the feedback in a new way. I talk less but give more feedback. And it’s working.” This is an evolution in classroom education, and teachers have shown to enjoy mixing it up for students so they can have an effective and enjoyable classroom education. Feedback is personalized, and the students can learn and grow better.

Sharing is Caring

While Microsoft’s Personalized Learning Initiative is still a relatively new concept in 21st-century education, software products like SharePoint have been around for some time. Microsoft SharePoint takes collaboration to a whole new level. In a time where the world is more connected than ever before, SharePoint has become the center of collaboration in the education sector. Whether it’s teacher to teacher or teacher to student, any collaboration or group discussion can happen via SharePoint. SharePoint Online takes center stage in Microsoft 365 as it works in tandem with Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and more. SharePoint sites can become teaching portals and resources for students. Teaching and learning can extend beyond the classroom where students and teachers can collaborate from wherever they are. SharePoint has redefined classroom instruction and the approach to education today. Group learning and teaching can easily be enhanced by Microsoft Teams as well. Microsoft Teams is very powerful as it provides an all-in-one sharing and communications tool. It can complement SharePoint Online as well. Microsoft Teams offers groups to work together on different channels. Teams can be divided into smaller units and channels can be dedicated to them. Students assigned to the same Teachers Assistants can have a channel of their own, for example. When it comes to teachers, Microsoft Teams goes the extra mile. With Microsoft 365 for Education, you can switch on the Assignments tab in Teams. The Assignments tab gives teachers and instructors a convenient way to assign grades to assignments and provide feedback to students. Quizzes can be administered easily, thanks to Office Forms. Office Forms keeps things organized for students and teachers. Instant feedback can be given, as well as an instant score at times. Students could see their grades online and at times, receive them instantly.

Conclusion

Microsoft 365 for Education is the perfect solution for modern learning and classroom instruction. It provides excellent tools and software for both students and teachers. These tools help simplify tasks so that more time is spent on learning in the classroom. It allows for effective student-to-student, teacher-to-teacher, student-to-teacher collaboration and communication. It enhances classroom learning and teaching and takes it beyond the classroom. Education in the 21st century has been more connected than it ever was thanks to the power of Microsoft 365 for Education. Apart from Microsoft 365, Microsoft’s Personalized Learning Initiative is proving to be an excellent new way of classroom instruction. Personalized learning is helpful for both students and teachers. Teachers can provide individualized and personalized guidance to students and giving them appropriate feedback. Students can become responsible and independent learners with teachers and instructors acting as guides and mentors. Thanks to this teamwork of teaching and technology, Microsoft is creating a new standard in education.

Infowise

Here at Infowise Solutions, our client list includes some of the world’s best-known higher educational institutes. That is in addition to many school boards in North America, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and Africa. Our product is used by the educational institutes for:

workflow automation
process automation
advanced dynamic forms
document management and filing

We have helped schools and research facilities across the globe in leveraging the power of their Microsoft 365 platform. They are using our product to its full potentialand quickly build many modern solutions that fit their needs. Through our implementation partners, we have been part of the digitization process for many universities and research organizations. Whether you prefer Microsoft 365 or On-premise, our partners can help you. They will guide you on how to successfully digitize your educational institution.

Five Best SharePoint Blogs You Must Follow

Amir Shingray — Friday, August 30, 2019

The Internet is a great resource to learn about new technologies and software. It is an entire library of learning tools that you can benefit from at no cost. While some resources may require membership, most of the web resources are free to a great extent. If you wanted to learn more about SharePoint, then there are several resources available online that you can use. These resources are in the form of blogs written by individuals who know SharePoint and have a lot of experience with it. We have featured some of these blogs below so that you can learn more about SharePoint and enhance your IT knowledge.

SharePoint Maven

This blog is managed by Greg Zalfond, otherwise known as the SharePoint Maven. He calls it the SharePoint knowledge base. The man is an authority on SharePoint and has been an expert for over 10 years. He is one individual one can learn a whole lot from, especially if you want to master SharePoint for yourself, your business, and your clients. He calls himself the virtual expert on SharePoint. One of the best ways to learn about SharePoint is to learn from experts who have been using it for a long time. On this blog, you can learn about its various features, tips and tricks, and other ways to make best use of this amazing software.

Marc D Anderson's Blog

Like Greg Zalfond, aka SharePoint Maven, Marc D Anderson is also another expert in SharePoint and Microsoft 365. He's a 30 year veteran in the IT industry and has a vast knowledge that makes him an authority on SharePoint. Tech enthusiasts, IT wizards, and anyone with interest in SharePoint and Microsoft 365 can learn a lot from Marc.

Microsoft Office's Official SharePoint Blog

If you want to know the latest in the SharePoint world, then there's no better place to start than Microsoft's official blog. Every news and update is straight from the official source. Other than that, you get to hear about different ways SharePoint has been helping companies and users. Whatever new release is being developed and worked on will be talked about here as well. If there are new releases, you'll get to know about it here before other places. It's written by experts at Microsoft, and its got a great design and feel to it. The best part is that it's not cluttered with advertisements or click-bait, so it's a good read. Since SharePoint Online is considered part of the Microsoft 365 family, you also get to read articles about Microsoft 365 in general. So while reading about SharePoint, you get to know about PowerPoint, Word, and Excel. Latest milestones in Microsoft Office, Microsoft 365, and SharePoint are all highlighted in the blog.

ShareGate

ShareGate is one of the most popular web resources on SharePoint. It's designed to make your SharePoint life easier. A firm by the name of GSOFT from Montreal, Quebec in Canada authors the blog and provides some excellent tips and advice on using SharePoint. The blog is part of the leading company site where you can learn about their products as well. The target audience of the ShareGate blog is IT experts and those who use it daily. You may require a strong base in IT and advanced knowledge in IT to understand the content here. ShareGate should be your daily dose of SharePoint knowledge if you want to become an expert in this amazing software from Microsoft.

European SharePoint Conference Community Resource Center

SharePoint has garnered a considerable number of fans all across the globe. This website and blog have contributions from SharePoint experts in Europe. These are highly knowledgeable and offer helpful tips and advice to everyone who uses SharePoint. It's a well-built resource, and while it's not an official Microsoft blog, it's quite resourceful indeed. The content is text and video, and it's a whole lot of knowledge just waiting to be absorbed and learned. Microsoft Regional Directors, MCMs and MVPs are featured on the blog as well so you get all the best experts in one place.

Conclusion

The above five blogs are excellent resources for SharePoint rookies, experts and IT wizards. There's a lot to learn from the official Microsoft blog as well as those authored by experts in SharePoint such as Marc D Anderson and the SharePoint Maven. Keep reading the blogs regularly and increase your SharePoint knowledge so you can one day become an expert and write your own blogs to be read by enthusiasts worldwide.

Infowise

Infowise is a leading provider of forms and processes solutions for the Microsoft SharePoint platform. We provide solutions to a broad spectrum of industries, including and not limited to, financial services, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, educational institutes, scientific research entities, Global NGO's, governments; local municipal, regional and national. Our applications are widely used in the transportation sector, including airlines, ground transportation, and port authorities. As authors of productivity and agility software, we're pleased, yet not surprised that these global businesses have adopted our tools in their daily productivity cycles. Our flagship package Infowise Ultimate Forms is an integrated suite of SharePoint components that enables users to create advanced, dynamic forms, sophisticated business processes and striking visualization.

Ultimate Forms supports all Microsoft SharePoint platforms, including Microsoft 365 and all current on-premises SharePoint versions.

An Understanding of Various Microsoft SharePoint Roles

Amir Shingray — Monday, August 26, 2019

Understanding the Various SharePoint Roles

Microsoft SharePoint is excellent collaboration software, but as in any enterprise environment, for a platform to run smoothly, it requires qualified professionals to do exactly that. Because of the inherent complexity of such a sizeable multifunctional platform, there are a few roles that are necessary for SharePoint to function well. Each position has its own set of permissions, so one does not interfere with one another.
According to Microsoft, SharePoint roles are divided into three categories; owners, members, and visitors. Owners are the administrators that manage the backend in the SharePoint environment. These are the backbone of the SharePoint application. They make sure that the SharePoint and its various components are performing optimally so the other user groups can get their work done from it. Members are contributors or end-users. The owners make sure the members can use the SharePoint software without hitches. Now, the last user group is visitors. They have the least permissions awarded to them because they are neither owners nor members. There are individuals you may need to share documentation with the outside of the enterprise, and you only want to make sure they’re restricted to just perhaps only viewing it. These would not be allowed to edit, share or copy the data in any way, and those permissions can be assigned accordingly. So visitors, in technical terms, would have just read-only access in the SharePoint environment. 
Below we explain each role and the function each are expected to perform within the SharePoint environment. Roles can be both full time and part-time depending on their designation. SharePoint Roles aren’t that complicated once you understand the function they perform. We’ve detailed some of them below for you so that you can understand them better as well. 

SharePoint Product Owner
SharePoint Business Owner
SharePoint Farm Server Administrator
SharePoint Farm System Administrator
SharePoint Contributors- End-User
SharePoint Trainers
SharePoint Power User 
SharePoint Developer
SharePoint Business Analyst
SharePoint QA Analyst
 
Product OwnerThis person is responsible for the entire SharePoint platform and assigns all the roles. He/she is the one who procures and licenses it for enterpriser use. He/she is part of the owner category. 

Business OwnerThis person is also part of the owner category. Similar to the product owner, he decides how SharePoint is implemented in the business or enterprise. He works with the Product owner to assign other roles as well.

Farm Server AdministratorThis person takes complete charge of the hardware that powers SharePoint in the enterprise. The software can only work at an optimal level when the hardware is working fine. All the servers were running at all times and maintained adequately. That’s the responsibility of the Farm Server Administrator.

Farm System AdministratorThis person administers all the operating systems running SharePoint. That includes developing, testing, and production. These individual monitors all system processes, and he/she makes sure the systems are performing up to standard.
 
Contributors- End-UserContributors are those who make use of the SharePoint environment. They are the ones who collaborate with other users. The owners have to make sure the contributors are making the best use of the SharePoint environment. Contributors can then assign roles among each other. For example, one can be the lead on content and be the reporting authority for others. These could be team leads and have their units that report to him working on SharePoint.

SharePoint TrainersThere may be recruits in the team that haven’t used SharePoint and need to be trained. This person’s responsibility is to ensure everyone, new to SharePoint or a veteran, is trained to use SharePoint properly. He or she would teach every recruit the basics of using SharePoint and make sure they’re adequately trained before being assigned user roles. Additionally, they also are the support persons whenever super users, end-users, owners and other administrators need advice or assistance in. In most large organizations, trainers are available to provide support because they are considered experts on the platform.

SharePoint Power User        Consider this person as the SharePoint advocate in the business. He’s honed his SharePoint skills and can advocate on how best to use SharePoint. He/she is one of the primary users and contributors and is the role model for other users in the enterprise. 

SharePoint DeveloperSharePoint is a potent application for enterprises. Every enterprise has different needs, and standard SharePoint might be a great solution to those needs. However, some enterprise models may have specific requirements that the standard SharePoint may not wholly cater to. That’s where the SharePoint developer comes in. This person’s job is to customize and develop SharePoint to meet those needs that the standard version may not necessarily meet. He/she makes it ready for testing and participate in it as well. SharePoint Developers are an integral part of the enterprise. SharePoint Developers work with business teams to develop solutions as required for the efficient operation the different parts of the organization, i.e., sales, marketing, and accounting. It is entirely tailor-made to increase enterprise productivity.

SharePoint Business AnalystBusinesses may be new to SharePoint, and sometimes you need experts to guide them on how best to make use of SharePoint.Here enters a SharePoint Business Analyst. As the title indicates, their role is to study the overall organization structure and workflow and based on that they advise businesses on how best to implement SharePoint. SharePoint business analysts conduct a proper analysis and provide a custom solution for the enterprise. 

SharePoint QA AnalystQuality assurance testing is integral when it comes to SharePoint implementation within an organization. He/ she conducts tests on the application and makes sure there are no issues within the functionality. 

ConclusionThere are other functionalities, and designations enterprises can use, and these aren’t necessarily universal but based on the needs of the individual enterprise. Organizations can decide which roles to employ and create depending on their needs, but they always come under owners, contributors, and visitors according to their designation.
 
Infowise
infowise is a leading provider of forms and processes solutions for the Microsoft SharePoint platform. Financial services providers make a large section of our client's list. As authors of productivity and agility software, we're pleased, yet not surprised that these global financial businesses have adopted our tools in their daily productivity cycles. Our flagship package Infowise Ultimate Forms is an integrated suite of SharePoint components that enables users to create advanced, dynamic forms, sophisticated business processes and striking visualization.
Ultimate Forms supports all Microsoft SharePoint platforms, including Microsoft 365 and all on-premises SharePoint versions.

An Overview of Microsoft 365 Security Center and Microsoft 365 Compliance Center

Amir Shingray — Tuesday, August 13, 2019

In today’s digital-first environment, organizations face growing pressure to protect sensitive data and meet strict regulatory requirements. Whether you're dealing with healthcare data under HIPAA, customer data under GDPR, or financial records under SOX, having the right tools to manage security and compliance is essential.

Microsoft 365 addresses these challenges with two powerful platforms: the Microsoft 365 Security Center and the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center. Together, they provide IT administrators and compliance officers with comprehensive oversight of security posture and regulatory alignment—while also integrating seamlessly with productivity tools like SharePoint and Microsoft Teams.

Understanding Microsoft 365 Security Center

The Microsoft 365 Security Center is the central console for threat management and security operations across the Microsoft 365 environment. It provides actionable insights, dashboards, and alerts that allow administrators to protect identities, endpoints, and information.

Key Features

Microsoft Secure Score
Offers a quantitative measure of your current security posture, with recommendations tailored to your environment.
Threat Protection
Includes tools like Microsoft Defender for Office 365, which helps detect phishing, malware, and other attacks.
Alerts and Incident Management
Surfaces real-time alerts with context, severity levels, and suggested response actions.
Identity and Access Control
Enables conditional access policies, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and role-based access to ensure that only the right people have access to sensitive resources.

For organizations looking to centralize their threat mitigation strategies, the Security Center integrates with Microsoft Sentinel for extended cloud-native SIEM capabilities. It also aligns well with governance strategies for SharePoint Online—where document access and collaboration controls are crucial.

Learn more in Microsoft’s official documentation.

Exploring Microsoft 365 Compliance Center

The Microsoft 365 Compliance Center is designed to help organizations meet internal and external compliance obligations through automation, reporting, and risk management tools.

Key Features

Compliance Manager
Provides scores, assessments, and improvement actions aligned with more than 300 regulatory standards like GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.
Information Protection
Allows classification, labeling, and encryption of data based on sensitivity.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Monitors and restricts the sharing of sensitive data such as credit card numbers or medical records.
Audit, eDiscovery, and Insider Risk Management
Supports legal investigations and internal monitoring to ensure compliance with employment and operational standards.
Records Management
Define retention schedules, automatic deletion, or archival workflows for content stored in Exchange, OneDrive, and SharePoint.

To fully harness its power, organizations should align the Compliance Center’s capabilities with their SharePoint-based content management systems. Learn more about optimizing government records in SharePoint.

Why Integration Matters

Although Microsoft offers two distinct centers, a truly effective compliance and security strategy blends their strengths:

Use alerts from the Security Center to trigger retention holds or audit actions in the Compliance Center.
Monitor policy violations via DLP and investigate them using insider risk tools.
Improve your Secure Score while simultaneously tracking Compliance Score improvements, ensuring a dual lens on both proactive defense and reactive risk mitigation.

By managing both security and compliance under one roof, organizations can reduce silos, respond faster to threats, and achieve higher transparency—especially during audits.

Infowise Ultimate Forms: A SharePoint-First Compliance Enabler

While Microsoft 365 provides enterprise-grade protection, organizations often need more customized data input and workflow automation—especially when using SharePoint Online.

That’s where Infowise Ultimate Forms comes in.

How Ultimate Forms Enhances Microsoft 365:

Build No-Code Business Solutions
Create logic-based forms, validations, and conditional interfaces tailored to HR, IT, finance, or legal workflows.
Automate Sensitive Data Processes
Automatically trigger alerts, approvals, or restrictions when users submit forms containing personally identifiable information (PII) or health records.
Audit and Track Interactions
Each submission and update is logged, timestamped, and permission-controlled—ready for audit trails.
Integrate with Compliance Policies
Use field rules and calculated fields to enforce internal policy logic that aligns with Microsoft 365 compliance labels and DLP strategies.

Need to build a secure public-facing form? Check out our post on secure external form submissions in SharePoint.

Real-World Use Cases

🏥 Healthcare Providers

Integrate SharePoint and Infowise to collect and protect electronic protected health information (ePHI). Pair with Microsoft Compliance Center to monitor HIPAA alignment and automate documentation workflows. Learn more in Is SharePoint HIPAA Compliant?

🏛️ Government Agencies

Use DLP and Records Management to control sensitive government data. Extend SharePoint with Infowise to manage FOIA requests, emergency plans, or legislative workflows.

💼 Corporate HR and Legal Teams

Automate onboarding, incident reporting, and policy acknowledgment forms with Infowise. Link audit data to Microsoft 365 eDiscovery tools for litigation readiness.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Ignoring Policy Customization
Out-of-the-box settings rarely meet all organizational needs. Always customize policies to reflect your actual risk profile.
Incomplete Retention Configuration
Failing to configure retention properly can result in data over-retention (risk) or premature deletion (non-compliance).
No User Awareness Training
Even the best tech can’t replace educated users. Combine technical enforcement with awareness programs.
Underutilizing SharePoint Forms
Don’t rely on unstructured email communication—replace it with structured forms and automation to enhance accountability and tracking.

Best Practices for Microsoft 365 Security & Compliance

✅ Set Up Role-Based Access in SharePoint to enforce least-privilege principles.
✅ Enable MFA Across All Accounts for stronger identity protection.
✅ Run Regular Secure Score Reviews to adapt to evolving threats.
✅ Align Labels and Policies in Microsoft Purview with your internal classification scheme.
✅ Automate Approval Trails with Infowise to reduce compliance friction.

For organizations that want to transform their Microsoft 365 and SharePoint environments into secure, compliant powerhouses—request a demo or explore our live webinars.

Final Thoughts

Managing security and compliance is not optional—it's a mission-critical responsibility. Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Centers give you a powerful, cloud-native command center to monitor, protect, and govern your digital estate. But the value multiplies when paired with tools like Infowise Ultimate Forms, which provide the flexibility and customization SharePoint-based organizations need.

Together, they offer a streamlined, scalable way to align your data strategy with your compliance framework—without slowing down operations.

Action buttons in Form Designer and more

Vladi Gubler — Friday, August 9, 2019

Introduction

Form Designer component of Ultimate Forms is in the center of our product. It helps you to easily create and deploy dynamic modern forms for SharePoint Online and on premises. With it we offer flexible layout options, rule engine, dynamic permissions and public form functionality, among other great features. Form Designer fully supports all built-in and our special column types. In addition, it contains a wide selection of controls. These help you control the layout, improve usability and interaction with the form. Some of the most common are tabs, accordions, headers, fragments, images and even payment buttons. They are there to help you create sophisticated, but user-friendly forms.

Buttons

Buttons are one of the most important controls you can place on your form. They give the users tools to interact with the forms. The most common button types are well-known to all. You can find buttons such as Save, Edit, Close or Cancel on almost every form. Combination buttons, such as Save and Edit, will both save the form and afterwards place the form into Edit mode for further changes. In this article I would like to focus on more advanced buttons types. You can leverage those to make your form much more dynamic and flexible, as well as eliminate manual steps.

Action Buttons

Buttons of this type are able to set values to an unlimited number of columns with a click. For instance, you can add a button to "approve" your vacation request. That will set approval status, approval date and maybe the name of the approver, with just a single click. You start by dragging a button on your form and placing it anywhere, even within a tab. I would like to remind you that you can assign permissions to anything in Form Designer, even to a button. Also note that when you set a buttons permissions to Read, it still appears on the form as an inactive button. Set a label you want, you can also choose the prominence level of your button (primary, which stands out, or default). Next, under Type select Action. You can now assign values to the columns in the list. Note that although those can only be writeable columns. For instance, you can't set a value to Created By columns, as those are read-only by definition. The actual permissions on the column do not matter, it can be Write, Read, Hidden or even completely absent from the form. As long as it's writeable on the list level, you can set its value. On the right-hand side you will use the value picker to assign the value. The assigned value can be static text, column name, calculation or even a function result. You can also optionally define parameters. When a user clicks a button with parameters, a pop-up window will request values for those parameters. You can map parameter values in assignments in the same way you use regular column names. When you map more than one column, you can change the order of the value assignments. Note that the assignments will execute in that order. This way you can reference a column value you just set within the same button click.

Trigger Actions

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms helps you to implement sophisticated automation with ease. Unlike traditional workflow tools, it requires no previous knowledge and experience. With actions you can do almost everything, both inside SharePoint and in external applications. Creating new items, managing permissions and even updating databases are just some of the actions you can execute. Actions can run based on events (such as Item is added), based on timer (such as two days before Due Date) and manually. Users execute manual actions from list view toolbars and from form toolbars. You can also place a button on the form itself and choose Trigger Actions as its type. Next select one of the actions you previous created for the list. The button will now execute that action on demand. Note that you can only view action button of this type on Edit and Display forms. The reason for that is that they require an existing list item or document to run.

Create Associated Item

When using in a combination with an Associated Items column, the button can create new child items. Once you select one of your Associated Items column, you can add value assignments. Similarly to Action buttons, you can map columns to text, column names, calculations and functions. And similarly, you can use parameters.

Execution Confirmation

Another useful feature is the execution confirmation. You can add this option to any kind of button, not just to Action buttons. The user will be asked to confirm the button click in a popup prompt. You can even specify what message will appear there.

Button Bar

Button bar is a specialized control that contains and displays buttons. The main advantage of the control is the ability to automatically display relevant buttons for the current form type. For instance, it will display Save and Cancel buttons on New and Edit forms, but Edit and Close buttons on Display form. Button bar also provides layout configuration for the contained buttons. For example, you can align buttons to left, right or center. In most cases, you will leave the button bar configured for its default behavior. This way it will control which buttons appear based on the form type. You can also configure custom behavior. In these cases, you fully control which buttons to display and when.

Conclusion

Buttons are a power tool and can help you create highly functional forms. They save time, integration various pieces of functionality and provide users with the power to better control the forms.

Office 365 and SharePoint- customizable and adaptable tools for Financial Industry’s Complex Compliance and Regulatory Policies.

Amir Shingray — Tuesday, July 16, 2019

Internal Compliance Vs. External Compliance

The financial sector, more than other industries, is under great scrutiny by local and federal governments' legislative and regulatory agencies. Some of these regulations are internal, some are external. An Internal Compliance program describes the internal control measures required for monitoring compliance within an organization. It serves as an in-house guide detailing internal protocols and procedures put in place to deal with risks. For internal regulations banking supervisors must be satisfied that effective compliance policies and procedures are strictly followed. External Compliance refers to laws, rules and standards set by legislators, central banks, governmental bodies, market conventions, and codes of practice ethics developed by industry associations. Before going deeper into Microsoft for Solutions for the financial services within the compliance context, we need to define a few things:

What are Microsoft 365 Services?

Microsoft definition of Microsoft 365, as such, "Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based service that is designed to help meet your organization's needs for robust security, reliability, and user productivity." The best part is that it runs in the cloud and is continuously monitored by Microsoft engineers for safety, reliability, and security.

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“UBS is a leading the industry in public cloud adoption by using Microsoft Azure for global scale, security, to improve business agility, reduce costs and gain a competitive edge.” UBS is one of many global giants that decided to migrate their data and services to Microsoft Cloud.

Microsoft press release- April 26, 2017.

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As Microsoft Press Release back in 2017, Microsoft 365 services have earned respect and trust of major banking groups globally. For example, Swiss banking giants UBS Group is moving their confidential banking data to Microsoft data centers. "Tremendous transformation is taking place in the financial services industry, and technology is increasingly providing a competitive advantage to firms," said Judson Althoff, executive vice president, Worldwide Commercial Business, Microsoft Corp. "UBS is a model of digital transformation in the financial services industry.” With Microsoft Azure, the firm receives all the advanced technological and economic benefits of cloud technology. The rush to the cloud by significant banking institutions is underscored by Microsoft's investments in security, transparency and regulatory compliance. As such, UBS can innovate while doing business all over the globe.

So, what does Microsoft 365 include?

The business packages come with productivity software such as Office with all its essential components, collaboration packages as in SharePoint and Team. Office Online has all your favourite office software such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel with additional powerful features. Advanced packages include storage packages such as Exchange and OneDrive. These packages, as mentioned afore, allow for more effective collaboration between and within teams wherever they are located. Everything happens in the cloud from document exchanges, interactions and more. SharePoint works in tandem with other included apps in the Microsoft 365 suite.

Microsoft Cloud Financial Services Compliance Program (FSCP)

According to the Microsoft Cloud Financial Services Compliance Program, "The Microsoft Cloud Financial Services Compliance Program (FSCP) was specifically created to help financial services and regulated financial affiliates assess the risks of using Microsoft's cloud services. The FSCP offers deep insights into Microsoft cloud services' capabilities, risks, and performance. The FSCP is available to customers using Microsoft 365, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Microsoft Intune."

Difference between Compliance and Operational Risk?

Both Compliance and Operational Risk are considered as Non-financial risks. The Basil Compliance Accord document states that "there is a close relationship between compliance risk and certain aspects of operational risk." It also says that "' compliance risk' is defined as the risk of legal or regulatory sanctions, material financial loss, or loss to reputation a bank may suffer as a result of its failure to comply with laws, regulations, rules, related self-regulatory organization standards, and codes of conduct applicable to its banking activities (together, "compliance laws, rules and standards").

Types of Compliance Requirement

Cloud computing is a beneficial tool, but it does pose some risk. Regulators and professional associations are keen on evaluating these risks while developing majors to help mitigate potential risks. Adapting a strong risk governance and management practices in today’s digital business environment are imperative in a world where cloud computing and its usage is becoming very commonplace. Regulators focus on a few essential areas when evaluating compliance policy:

General Banking and Insurance regulations

In terms of general banking and insurance, there are regulations that software like Microsoft 365 would need to meet compliance for. Examples would include MiFID II, Solvency II, and Anti Money Laundry. Impact on Cloud Deployment: These days, it's common to have transaction recording and recordkeeping requirements. With these, one may run into challenges about cloud deployments such as voice recording requirements. You'll even find requirements related to logging and specific data retention within these regulations. Broker-dealer specific regulations The term broker-dealer is used in U.S. securities regulation parlance to describe stock brokerages because most of them act as both agents and principals. A brokerage acts as a broker (or agent) when it executes orders on behalf of its clients, whereas it acts as a dealer, or principal when it trades for its account." The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) is the regulating body for broker-dealers in the United States. SEC 17a-4 is one example of broker-dealer regulations. It pertains to records kept by brokers and dealers and the period they're required to be maintained. Impact on Cloud Deployment: For these, expensive logging and brokerage surveillance processes are required to be implemented within the service Cloud and Outsourcing regulations There are certain regulations that are important to know about cloud and outsourcing regulations in both the US and the UK/EU. For example, one must be careful to adhere to FFIEC guidelines in the US and the EBA and PRA guidelines in the EU/UK. Impact on Cloud Deployment: All financial supervisors see cloud computing as a form of outsourcing. These regulations are a primary focus when moving applications into the public cloud, and a broad range of risks are addressed in these regulations. Many of them appear as soft law (guidelines) or exist on a country-by-country basis, which may make the assessment process more complicated for multinational FI's. Benefits of Using SharePoint, Microsoft 365 for Streamlining Compliance Policies

Compliance

When it comes to compliance, Microsoft 365 has financial institutions covered. Compliance Manager assists IT managers to come up with custom risk assessments for applications that their financial institutions use. With Microsoft 365 Advanced Message Encryption, admins can have their encrypted emails expired and revoked. High-risk content like phishing emails and confidential data that is leaked can be worked on and taken care of to minimize risks to the institution.

Collaboration

Thanks to Microsoft 365, now users can collaborate with your teams and connect to resources all in the same place. Such capabilities allow users to stay in touch with customers, teams, and stakeholders.

Productivity

Microsoft 365 is for the modern IT admin. You're productive wherever you go. You're never out of reach from Office 265 whether it's mobile, your desktop or any other device. It allows for ease of collaboration thanks to Microsoft SharePoint Online as well. Indeed, cloud users gain productivity is boost thanks to additional features in Word and PowerPoint as well. All software can are available on the go with along with your documents safe and secure in the cloud. Team members can access presentations and reports on the fly from any device and work anywhere with teams across the globe.

Customer Service

Technical service is available to IT admins round the clock, so whenever there's a critical issue, help is just a phone call away. Microsoft 365 is always by your side for quick response to all problems. IT admins don't need to worry as they can get live help right away on the phone.

Mobility

Microsoft 365 offers financial institutions IT teams’ complete mobility. They can work 24/7/365 from any mobile device and have access to the cloud. Since everything is in the cloud, all data is seamlessly accessible from all supported mobile devices. It's convenient and flexible and saves time. No work or data or task is out of reach and IT admins can efficiently work on their mobile devices, especially in times of urgency. Cost-Effectiveness Microsoft 365 Business comes in three different flavours: Business, Business Premium and Business Essentials all reasonably priced. Thanks to the low cost of Microsoft 365, you can always be productive without spending too much. It's a suite of software and services is more than worth its reasonable price. You get the backing of one of the world's largest software giants Microsoft and time-tested software at your fingertips. It doesn't get any better than this.

Security

Security threats are a reality when it comes to financial institutions. Data security is essential, and Microsoft 365 provides all the safeguards that financial institutions require and adhere to regulations as well. In general, all prominent cloud providers, Microsoft Azure, Amazon AWS and Google Drive, offer a host of security compliance and governance features. As well major cloud providers support security standards and compliance certifications including PCI-DSS, HIPAA/HITECH, FedRAMP, GDPR, FIPS 140-2, and NIST 800-171.

Conclusion

In collaboration with Microsoft and our implementation partners, we do our best to make sure that our products used in the financial services follow compliance rules and regulations. There is a strong defence and safeguard against any security threats offered by the leading organization in the offering cloud service. Furthermore, we make sure we deliver the best customer service to end clients and businesses. Additionally, cloud users benefit from cost optimization, productivity and mobility provided by our partners. Microsoft 365 is there to make sure the IT departments within financial institutions stay stress-free. Everything from hardware configuration, software installation, ongoing support, maintenance, administration, to capacity planning is streamlined to make their lives easier. Microsoft 365 is designed to do all the hard work for your IT gurus so that they can handle all the above tasks a lot easier. They can make sure your data is secure, protected, and backed up, and the servers are consistently maintained. It's cost-effective too, so there's more bang for your buck. Overall, Microsoft 365 offers a complete all-in-one solution for financial institutions' IT requirements and that also help them follow regulations. Here at Infowise Solutions, our client list includes some of the world’s best-known financial institutions. Our products that are used by the financial sector are a cross-section of what we offer; Workflow automation, process automation, advanced dynamic forms and document filing. We have helped thousands of businesses across the globe in leveraging the power of their Microsoft 365 platform to its fullest potential to quickly build a wide variety of modern business solutions, tailor-made to meet their business requirements. Through our implementation partners, we have been part of the digitization process for many businesses in the financial sector. Please visit our partner's page and research which partner is best suited to deliver the service you require.

Infowise

infowise is a leading provider of forms and processes solutions for the Microsoft SharePoint platform. Financial services providers make a large section of our client's list. As authors of productivity and agility software, we're pleased, yet not surprised that these global financial businesses have adopted our tools in their daily productivity cycles. Infowise Ultimate Forms is an integrated suite of SharePoint components that enables users to create advanced, dynamic forms, sophisticated business processes and striking visualization.
Ultimate Forms supports all Microsoft SharePoint platforms, including Microsoft 365 and all on-premises SharePoint versions.

Form Designer - A New Approach to SharePoint Form Design

Will Cooper — Thursday, April 11, 2019

What are SharePoint Forms?

Forms are the the most common and useful module in the whole SharePoint platform. This is the "face" of SharePoint lists and document library. The place where the main interaction of users with the SharePoint data takes place. The main goal of the forms is to allow smooth and error-free data entry. Which means forms have to be intuitive, not complex and self-explanatory. A well-designed form leads the user through the data entry process. It provides the necessary details and explanations. And most importantly, it applies smart validation to prevent human errors. The built-in SharePoint forms have gone through many iterations. Each introduced an additional improvement and updated the underlying technology. Over the course of the by-now long history of SharePoint, we've seen forms based on different design principals. The visual language of the forms has also significantly evolved. But something did stay more or less the same. SharePoint forms have always been static in nature. In most cases, they just stack the list columns on the screen with some basic validation capabilities. Microsoft tried to fill the gap with various external form engines. We all remember InfoPath, which was the go-to tool in the past. Today, the switch was made towards Power Apps and Microsoft Forms. And yet there is still a lot you can't easily accomplish with these tools. Especially if you are not a developer.

Why Form Designer?

Form Designer is an all-in-on form design tool that incorporates all the features you would expect from a modern form design engine. It offers an innovative layout paradigm that is easy to use, responsive and extremely flexible, to inherited cascading permissions and sophisticated rules and automation. We created Form Designer based on years of experience with real-life SharePoint project and real-life customer challenges. It is the tool to elevate your SharePoint Forms experience.

Where to begin?

Columns and controls

All List Columns and Form Controls appear in the left navigation. You can drag and drop controls from this part of the interface directly onto your SharePoint form in the middle of the screen. We refer to this section of the screen as the "design canvas". Learn how to use the Form Controls by adding each type and trying different settings and placements. The Container control is critically important to the overall functionality. For those familiar with using nested HTML tables, the concept is similar. You may nest multiple containers with each other cascading down as far as necessary. Within each container, you can set the number of columns allowing your SharePoint forms to be set up in grids appearing exactly the way that you want. Containers fill out three crucial roles:

Layout - they control the form layout in a responsive way. Your form will look great no matter what kind of device you use.
Styling - by applying styles to containers you visually divide your form into convenient sections.
Permissions - you can apply permissions to containers as a whole. This way all the columns (and other controls) within the container inherit its permissions. And you can also assign unique permissions at any level!

The container control is probably the most versatile control of Form Designer. Most commonly, you will use it to display controls in a row, as opposed to their usual up/down layout. Containers have a variety of layout options:

One to four controls in a row
60/40 or 40/60 split - one larger control next to a narrow one.

And the most important feature: when used on a small device, such as a mobile phone, containers adjust automatically to the screen size. Four controls in a row on a desktop become two in a row on a tablet and one in a row on a mobile phone! No additional configuration is required, the form is fully responsive by design!

Rules

You can use rules to set column values automatically. Rule can generate a value based on text, other column values and functions. The value is then set to the parent column of the rule. You can even apply rules conditionally, based on column values, form type and even the user identity or group affiliation. And you can use rule to set the current tab in the Tabs or Accordion controls! For instance, you can easily calculate a total price including tax by mutliplying the total before tax by one plus tax rate. Such rules are easy to set up and they work in real time.

Permissions

Using permission rules you can apply permissions to any control or column on the form. When you apply permissions to a container-type control, such as containers, tabs, accordions or buttons bar, the permissions are inherited by the contained controls. And you can also override those inherited permissions at any level, by supply specific permissions for the child control. With permission rules, you can show/hide controls or switch columns between read-only and editable modes. Similarly to rules, permissions are executed in real time. So for example, if you want to show a whole new section of controls when a certain selection is made to a choice column value, all it takes is just a single permission rule!

Design

There are multiple levels of styling you can apply to your forms. Read this article for more details. In short, you have themes, form-wide styles, CSS files and conditional per-control style rules at your disposal. Styles are easier than ever to incorporate into your SharePoint forms. Each Form Control can be set to use its own style attributes. These styles allow for precise configuration of the overall look of the form. Styles can include any type of standard attributes including borders, colors, padding, alignment or anything else that you want. The Form Design design canvas updates to show you the exact appearance of your SharePoint form as you make updates. This makes it easier than ever to understand how settings change the form. You can click on the Preview button at any time to see how the form will look on different devices including PC, tablet or phone.

Configuration

In the right-side pane you will be able to find all the context-specific settings. These apply to whichever form control is currently selected. These settings allow for configuration of all necessary granular settings including validation, defaults and look and feel settings.

And finally

Form Designer is the central component of Ultimate Forms. We invest a lot of our time and efforts into constantly improving this fantastic tool. We encourage you to explore and see how Form Designer can help your business to thrive!

Is SharePoint HIPAA Compliant

Avi Pagi — Thursday, October 25, 2018

Ensuring compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is paramount for healthcare organizations managing electronic protected health information (ePHI). Microsoft SharePoint, a widely used platform for collaboration and document management, can support HIPAA compliance when configured appropriately.

Understanding HIPAA and SharePoint

HIPAA establishes national standards for the protection of sensitive patient data. While SharePoint offers robust features for data management, it does not automatically guarantee HIPAA compliance. Compliance depends on how healthcare organizations implement and manage SharePoint to safeguard ePHI.

Key Considerations for HIPAA Compliance with SharePoint

1. Business Associate Agreement (BAA)

Microsoft provides a BAA for its cloud services, including SharePoint Online, under the Microsoft 365 suite. This agreement outlines Microsoft's responsibilities in safeguarding ePHI. However, it's crucial for healthcare organizations to understand that signing a BAA is just one step; they must also implement necessary safeguards within their SharePoint environment.

2. Access Controls and Permissions

Implementing strict access controls ensures that only authorized personnel can access ePHI. Utilize SharePoint's permission settings to assign user roles and restrict access based on necessity. Regularly review and update permissions to reflect changes in staff roles or responsibilities.

3. Audit Trails and Monitoring

Maintaining detailed audit logs is essential for tracking access and modifications to ePHI. SharePoint's auditing capabilities allow organizations to monitor user activities, helping detect unauthorized access or potential breaches.

4. Data Encryption

Encrypting data both at rest and in transit adds an extra layer of security. While Microsoft 365 services, including SharePoint Online, provide encryption, organizations should ensure that any additional integrations or customizations also adhere to encryption standards.

5. Training and Policies

Educate staff on HIPAA requirements and the proper use of SharePoint for handling ePHI. Develop and enforce policies that outline procedures for data access, sharing, and incident response.

Enhancing SharePoint with Infowise Ultimate Forms

To further bolster compliance efforts, healthcare organizations can leverage tools like Infowise Ultimate Forms. This no-code solution allows for the creation of customized forms and workflows within SharePoint, facilitating better control over data collection and management.

For instance, implementing a Modern Patient Management System using Infowise Ultimate Forms can streamline patient data handling while maintaining compliance.

Conclusion

While SharePoint can be configured to support HIPAA compliance, it requires deliberate actions by healthcare organizations to implement necessary safeguards. By establishing comprehensive access controls, monitoring systems, and utilizing tools like Infowise Ultimate Forms, organizations can effectively manage ePHI within SharePoint.

For a deeper dive into SharePoint's role in healthcare compliance, explore our article on Collaboration in Healthcare – the Case for Microsoft 365.

Note: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Healthcare organizations should consult with compliance professionals to ensure full adherence to HIPAA regulations. At Infowise, we are serving as a strategic partner, assisting public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavors with our scalable, smart and futuristic tools, software and applications. Our product Infowise Ultimate Forms contains 19 SharePoint components developed to give you the power to innovate, automate and scale up your processes. Our product has been designed for optimum interoperability and seamless integration within SharePoint. Altogether, it constitutes the structural foundation for digitization and facilitate your transition to digital transformation. Click here to install Infowise Ultimate Forms 30-days free trial. Simple process. After you've installed Infowise Ultimate Forms, go ahead and create an unlimited number of Business Process Applications. Or even better, do you want to start with a ready template? Great, click here and download the ready-to-use template from our vast business process solution library, re-purpose to service your needs.

Collaboration in Healthcare – the Case for SharePoint and Office 365

Avi Pagi — Thursday, October 25, 2018

The Need for Collaboration in Healthcare

Healthcare is being impacted by a plethora of factors like costs of services, pharmaceuticals, and an increasing number of an uninsured population. Add to that more rigorous regulations are being introduced from different jurisdictions. On the other hand, users of Healthcare systems, now, after having being introduced to digital start-ups such as Amazon, Uber and Google have developed enhanced customer expectations. Under these conditions, the industry has to adopt effective measures to meet these challenges. Streamlining business processes is a distinct area that can have an immediate impact on the delivery of patient care at the same time help private practices and hospitals gain efficiency, limit human errors and achieve profitability. Information technology (in addition to the effective deployment of human resources) is a successful way to streamlining business processes. Healthcare organizations are implementing digital management systems to enhance access to information. Such management systems effectuate the business processes by improving collaboration between the human resources and different departments. Healthcare organizations are starting to make use of collaboration as a measure to reduce costs and enhance the quality of service provision. Organizations have increased the adoption of collaboration platforms that store patient information and so streamlines their business processes.

SharePoint and Microsoft 365: Collaboration Enhancing Tools

One such collaboration platform is offered by the Microsoft’s SharePoint. Many healthcare organizations have implemented it for its multiple usages. These usages range from ensuring compliance with regulations by distributing policy updates to sharing patient information and the providing the training and development programs. In the healthcare industry, the physicians and other medical staff have to collaborate to make value-based, patient-centered health plans. Here, the technology could be used quite effectively to provide them with a secure platform that streamlines their collaboration. Healthcare organizations are increasingly using the SharePoint Apps and Add-ins for the list of purposes. For instance, the App is being utilized for a Merit-based Incentive Payment System which provides yearly updates to physicians. SharePoint Apps are also increasingly being deployed to expedite the processes. For instance, they use SharePoint with Microsoft Flow to notify the medical staff of changes in the on-call scheduling or to approve insurance authorizations.

Collaboration Tools

Previously, there were limited ways for the company to structure their collaboration strategies when Microsoft released its key collaboration product: SharePoint On-Premises. Today, the companies are afforded with a range of possibilities when it comes to structuring their collaboration strategies, with the release of Microsoft 365. They can now use the product flexibly as per their team size, the type of collaboration they want to ensure (like team-wide, enterprise-wide, chat based, etc.), the extent of cooperation they can afford to allow, their present capabilities of workflow management, and their allowance for knowledge re-usability. The companies are afforded with such flexibility through a list of collaborative tools provided by the Microsoft’s Microsoft 365 collaboration kit. Following devices are available for the healthcare companies to enhance their collaboration.

Team sites

Through this tool, users are able to access information through a newsfeed, an activity log, and several document libraries. This tool is widely used because of its efficacy in ensuring collaboration between larger teams so that they can communicate easily, keep a check on team activities, and store important documents and links. This tool also has features for document and workflow management which assist them in executing their tasks effectively. The companies can use this tool as a corporate intranet, an online learning platform, a project management system or a knowledge management solution.

Communication sites

Communication site is another collaboration tool that transcends team borders and gives a collaborative platform for the whole company. The entire community on the home page of SharePoint will be able to access the information published on the communication site. This tool is different from the team site tool in that that the previous one doesn’t constrict the collaboration between teams. Healthcare organizations can use this tool to publish information for their employees, for instance, as regards best practices to be followed, training sessions and corporate events to be attended, etc. Whatever the healthcare institute deems to be an organization content can be published through this collaborative tool.

Hub sites

Hub sites are intended to combine all the activities going on in the team and communication sites and bring them onto a single platform. Hub sites will render the same style across all associated sites so that it is easier to navigate through them as they are all well-organized.

Outlook Groups

Microsoft 365 Groups have now been expanded to incorporate all the available collaboration tools and so provides ease-of-use to all the employees accessing them. After setting up an Outlook Group, the users are equipped with a set of tools which include a shared Outlook inbox, a shared calendar, a shared document library, a shared OneNote Notebook, a team site and a planner for group task management. Outlook Groups are a great way to collaborate with external users who are not allowed to get access to team sites. They are a useful tool for those wanting to communicate via emails.

Yammer Groups

Yammer groups are similar to Outlook Groups with a single exception. In Yammer Groups, the shared inbox (in the Outlook Group) transforms into a conversation thread. This collaboration tool assists in file sharing and permits external users to contribute to the collaboration process.

Microsoft Teams for chat based teamwork

This tool will allow the staff to have open channels for collaboration, they could also create a private channel for communication. Teams are integrated with Skype, thereby helps the staff to have audio and video conferences. This sort of collaboration gives way to an environment that is not restricted by organizational hierarchy thus making way for more interested teams. *** At Infowise, we are serving as a strategic partner, assisting public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavors with our scalable, smart and futuristic tools, software and applications. Our product Infowise Ultimate Forms contains 19 SharePoint components developed to give you the power to innovate, automate and scale up your processes. Our product has been designed for optimum interoperability and seamless integration within SharePoint. It constitutes the structural foundation for digitization and facilitate your transition to digital transformation. Click here to download Infowise Ultimate Forms 30-days free trial. Simple process. After you've installed Infowise UF, go ahead and create an unlimited number of Business Process Applications. Or even better, do you want to start with a ready template? Great, click here and download the ready-to-use template from our vast business process solution library, re-purpose to service your needs.

A Non-Tech Geek’s Guide to Business Process Modeling

Amir Shingray — Wednesday, September 26, 2018

In today’s tech-driven world, we constantly encounter buzzwords like automation, digital transformation, process optimization techniques, process controls, workflows, and digitalization. For those immersed in technology and digital operations, these terms are part of everyday conversations. However, for business professionals who focus on non-tech aspects, these concepts can seem overwhelming and difficult to grasp. Yet, as modern businesses become increasingly interconnected, understanding technology is no longer optional—it is essential for success. One critical concept in this realm is business process modeling (BPM). It serves as the foundation for optimizing and streamlining business operations. Many people mistakenly perceive it as simply structuring workflows or creating blueprints that outline how to perform tasks. While process mapping is a key component, BPM goes far beyond simple documentation. It is a complete methodology that combines different tools, techniques, frameworks, and best practices. This helps to analyze, improve, and automate business workflows. At its core, BPM aims to enhance efficiency, consistency, and adaptability within an organization’s processes. It involves identifying inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and redundancies and then systematically improving them using a structured approach. By implementing BPM, companies can reduce operational costs, minimize errors, improve compliance, and create scalable, repeatable workflows that drive growth and agility. One important tool for BPM is Business Process Management (BPM) software. This software helps businesses automate and improve repetitive tasks. It ensures that workflows run smoothly with little manual help. These tools use workflow automation, data analysis, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). They help improve processes, making them smarter and more efficient over time. In today’s fast-moving digital world, BPM is important for workflow automation, operational efficiency, and digital change. Using BPM helps organizations make their business processes efficient and adaptable. This means they can respond to changes in the market, customer needs, and technology. BPM helps improve customer service, enhance supply chain management, and streamline internal operations. It provides a strong base for a more agile and future-ready business.

What is Business Process Modeling?

Business process modeling (BPM) is a key activity in business process management and systems engineering. It involves representing enterprise processes in a structured way, allowing for analyzing, improving, and automating. Usually, business analysts who know how to model perform BPM. It can also involve subject matter experts who understand specific processes well, or both types of people. In some cases, process mining tools can automatically generate process models by extracting insights from event logs. In simple terms, business process modeling maps out routine business functions to streamline them for maximum efficiency. It consists of interconnected tasks arranged in a logical sequence, ensuring smooth execution of processes such as communication, analysis, decision-making, and control.

The Purpose and Benefits of Business Process Modeling

The main goal of business process modeling is to create standard operating procedures (SOPs). These procedures help manage routine tasks and allow businesses to grow when needed. BPM tools and techniques help make daily business operations clearer. They streamline workflows, improving one process at a time. When properly implemented, business process modeling offers the following benefits:

Enhanced Visibility: By documenting and visualizing workflows, businesses gain a clearer understanding of operations.
Increased Efficiency: Identifying and eliminating redundancies leads to smoother, faster processes.
Process Optimization: BPM tools help businesses refine workflows to meet evolving needs.
Cost Reduction: Analyzing inefficiencies allows organizations to cut unnecessary expenses.
Compliance and Standardization: Establishing SOPs ensures consistency and regulatory compliance.

How Business Process Modeling Works

The Business Process Modeling (BPM) process starts with collecting data. This data helps us understand, analyze, and improve workflows. This stage involves gathering documents, records, employee inputs, and practical observations related to a specific process. The goal is to get a clear and detailed view of how a business works now. This is important before making any changes. To ensure accuracy, business analysts may conduct interviews, surveys, or workshops with employees directly involved in the process. They may also review historical data, system logs, and performance reports to identify patterns, inefficiencies, and potential bottlenecks. In some cases, process mining tools help find useful insights from digital records. They automatically map workflows based on real user activity. Once analysts collect enough data, they review and analyze the information. They examine how people complete tasks, how different steps connect, and where they may find inefficiencies or redundancies. This evaluation is crucial because it provides a baseline for comparison when implementing process improvements. After gathering and analyzing the information, the next step is to create a visual representation of the process. People typically use flowcharts, process maps, swimlane diagrams, or BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) diagrams for this purpose. These visual tools show the order of tasks, decision points, dependencies, and interactions from start to finish. They provide a clear and organized view of the workflow. By mapping out the process visually, organizations can identify gaps, remove redundant steps, and optimize workflows for better efficiency. This structured approach makes sure the BPM initiative is based on data and clear goals. It helps with process improvement, automation, and long-term success. Researchers may use different modeling techniques and tools depending on the nature of the process. The main goal is the same. We want to understand and improve business processes. This will help achieve the best performance.

Tools and Techniques in Business Process Modeling

BPM is supported by various tools and techniques designed to improve efficiency and visualization. These include:

Flowcharts and Diagrams: Visual representations of processes help in understanding task sequences.
Organizational Charts: Define roles and responsibilities within a process.
Process Mapping Software: Digital tools allow teams to analyze and modify workflows. It can be helpful in streamlining processes.
Statistical Representations: Data-driven insights assist in performance measurement and optimization.

By utilizing these tools, businesses can identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and redundancies, ultimately paving the way for improved workflows.

Business Process Modeling in Digital Transformation

Digital transformation has made BPM more critical than ever. Companies today are always changing to keep up with new technology. They need smooth workflows to handle the fast pace of change. BPM is the backbone of digital transformation. It makes sure that automated systems and digital workflows are efficient and effective. It also helps align these processes with business goals. BPM integrates seamlessly with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), robotic process automation (RPA), and cloud computing, making business operations more agile and responsive. With AI-driven analytics and automation tools, BPM can enhance decision-making, optimize resources, and improve overall business agility.

Common Challenges in Business Process Modeling

While BPM offers numerous advantages, its implementation can present challenges. Some common obstacles include:

Resistance to Change: Employees and stakeholders may resist changes to existing workflows.
Complexity in Mapping Processes: Some business processes are highly intricate and require detailed examination.
Lack of Expertise: Not all organizations have in-house expertise in process modeling and analyzing.
Integration Issues: BPM tools must integrate with existing business systems and software.
Continuous Improvement: BPM is not a one-time activity; it requires ongoing monitoring and refinement.

To overcome these challenges, businesses should use change management strategies. They should invest in employee training and adopt easy-to-use BPM tools. These tools help simplify processing and implementation.

Implementing Business Process Modeling in Your Organization

For organizations looking to implement BPM successfully, here are key steps to follow:

Identify Core Processes: Start by pinpointing the essential business processes that need improvement.
Gather Data: Collect relevant documents, performance reports, and process logs.
Select the Right Tools: Use BPM software that aligns with your business needs.
Create Process Models: Develop visual representations of workflows using diagrams and flowcharts.
Analyze and Optimize: Identify inefficiencies, redundancies, and areas for improvement in order to increase productivity.
Automate Where Possible: Integrate automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks.
Monitor and Refine: Regularly assess process performance and make necessary adjustments.

Future Trends in Business Process Modeling

As businesses continue to evolve, so does BPM. Some future trends shaping BPM include:

AI-Powered BPM: AI-driven automation and predictive analytics will enhance process efficiency.
Low-Code and No-Code BPM Platforms: These platforms let non-technical users build and manage workflows without needing coding skills. This might include form building and workflow automation tools.
Blockchain for BPM: Blockchain technology will enhance transparency and security in business processes.
Hyperautomation: The integration of AI, machine learning, and RPA will create fully automated workflows.

By staying ahead of these trends, businesses can maintain a competitive edge and maximize the benefits of BPM.

Infowise and Business Process Management

At Infowise, we are committed to helping businesses streamline their digital transformation journeys. Our Infowise Ultimate Forms includes 19 SharePoint components designed to empower organizations with automation, innovation, and scalability. Built for seamless integration and interoperability within SharePoint, our product forms the foundation of digitization, helping businesses transition smoothly into the digital age. By using business process modeling, organizations can control their workflows better. This helps improve productivity and leads to long-term success of the digital transformation in business.

InfoPath alternatives for designing SharePoint Forms

Bijay Kumar — Tuesday, September 25, 2018

As a SharePoint consultant, I usually get few queries on what is the best form designing options in SharePoint on premise or SharePoint online. After Microsoft declared there will be no new version of InfoPath will come in future, lots of people are asking what are the alternative options of InfoPath?

InfoPath Background

InfoPath is one of the most used forms development tool in SharePoint. By using this tool you can easily create complex electronic forms without using any code or very less code. As a developer with little knowledge you can add required validation rules, conditional formatting required in the form, you can pull data from various data sources and can show in the form easily.

End users also can fill out the form directly in the browser without installing InfoPath in their local system. InfoPath was quite popular even if it has few well known limitations like mobile versions of the forms are not user friendly.

Due to its limitations, InfoPath 2013 is the last version of InfoPath and there will not be any further releases. It is necessary to look for a perfect alternative of InfoPath for form design in SharePoint. InfoPath is supported in SharePoint 2016, in SharePoint 2019, and, until July 14, 2026, in SharePoint Subscription Edition on premises and in SharePoint Online.

Various form designing options

Custom Solution (requires time and effort)

One of the alternative is to develop custom solutions using server-side controls as a farm solution for SharePoint on premises. Here you may need tools like Visual Studio. And for Microsoft 365 SharePoint online you can SPFx form customizers written in TypeScript. But this require time, development effort and development cost.

Microsoft Forms

A simple and straightforward, but very limited form tool included with SharePoint. Not suitable for complex forms with advanced logic.

Power Apps

Power Apps are a developer-oriented general forms platform that can connect to many data sources, including SharePoint. Although quite feature-rich, it becomes exceedingly difficult to configure for complex forms, requiring custom scripting and JSON formatting.

3rd Party Tools

The last option you can go for is to use any third party products. There are lots of 3rd party products available. But as a we should choose one which we can use to develop forms easily with less technical knowledge, which can provide some additional benefits apart from just form design and mostly importantly which is cost effective.

Some 3rd party tools are good for form design but the cost is too high which is not worth money always.

I was going through few 3rd party forms like K2, Nintex, Kwizcom forms, Infowise Ultimate Forms etc. I found Infowise Ultimate Forms really very useful. Compare to InfoPath these tools provides various other things not just form design.

Infowise Ultimate Forms as an alternative to InfoPath

Infowise Ultimate Forms is fully no-code solution. You can develop rich business applications easily using browser only without using any tool. It supports all modern browser and device types. You will be able to create forms with tabs easily which is one of the basic requirement in any small, medium or large organizations.

Apart from forms, you can also implement business logic by using process without creating any workflows. You can also use various actions to connect to external applications like databases, REST APIs, Twilio, Exchange, Gmail, Docusign, etc.

Two widely used key features

I have just explained here two widely used key features of Infowise Ultimate Forms here: Reporting & Printing. Apart from this there are lots of benefits and feature available which we will discuss in another article.

Reporting

Reporting is another great feature of Infowise Ultimate Forms. You can enhance SharePoint list with color coding and icons, which will improve visualization of your list data. Apart from this you can also display your data in calendars and charts. You can easily create visually attractive dashboards for your business users.

Printing

Printing SharePoint list data is a huge task in terms of alignment, how it will appear, it is not at all easy. But by using Infowise Ultimate Forms you can get a nice look, clean tabular view of the list data for printing. Apart from print you can also download the data in PDF format. Another important feature is you can email to other users as an attachment from the browser itself. Neither it will open your Outlook or any email in browser.

You can also select any individual item[s] from the list or the whole list. You can then print, convert to PDF, Word or Excel or email. This is really a handy feature for the business users inside organization.

You can install a 30 day trial version from Infowise Ultimate Forms and can try out its extensive feature set.

New Exchange action capabilities

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Introduction

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms helps you add automation to your SharePoint without being a developer. With its numerous action types, you can accomplish many tasks, both inside and outside SharePoint. Manage Exchange allows you to perform various operations in Microsoft Exchange from SharePoint.

Create event - create Exchange events based on SharePoint list item properties.
Update event - updates existing Exchange events with new information.
Delete event - deletes Exchange events.

You can work with events in your own calendar, or, if you are an administrator, in other users' calendars as well. We provide support for multiple event properties, including attendees and All Day events.

Let's See a Demo

To demonstrate how the action works, I'm going to build a simple, but complete real-world system. We are going to implement a one-way sync between a SharePoint calendar list and an Exchange calendar. We add, update or delete events in a SharePoint list. Our actions will automatically replicate these changes to Exchange. Basically we are setting up real time mirroring between SharePoint and Exchange events.

SharePoint List

Many of the columns we are going to be using already exist in the Calendar list of SharePoint. You can either use that list type or you can use a simple custom list. Make sure your list contains the following columns:

Title - single line of text
Description - multiple lines of text
Location - single line of text
Start Time - date column with time option
End Time - date column with time option
Attendees - person column with multiple entries enabled
Original Title - single line of text. We use this column to store the previous value of Title, so we can update changes in Title.
Original Start Time - date column with time option. We use this column to store the previous value of Start Time, so we can update changes in Start Time.

We will use the combination of Title and Start Time as the unique identifier. Therefore we need the "original" values, so we can update these columns in Exchange as well. We will store the original values and pass them to the Update action to ensure we update the correct item. Here is the suggested design for the list form. I used our Form Designer to implement it in just a couple of minutes.

Required Actions

We are going to be using 4 actions for it: 3 Manage Exchange actions and one Update list item action. But first, we need to make a small change in our SharePoint calendar list. We will create two new columns, that will help us perform the update in Exchange: These are the actions we are going to be creating: Note the fourth action, Store original values. This action will update the original value columns after running an update. This helps us ensure the values are always up-to-date for the next update. NOTE: in Microsoft 365, you must be a Global Administrator to add the first such action in your tenant. Subsequent actions do not require you to be an admin. This is needed to grant access to Exchange so the app can create and update events there. Without granting the consent, you won't be able to save the action, as it won't have the necessary permissions to run.

New Event Action

This action runs on Item is added event in SharePoint and creates a new event in Exchange. General Settings Action settings

Update Event Action

For existing events, updates the Exchange event with new values from SharePoint. General Settings Action Settings As you can see, we use original value to choose which event we want to update. This way even when we change the event title in SharePoint, we update the correct event in Exchange.

Delete Event Action

Deletes event from Exchange when we delete it from SharePoint General Settings Action Settings

Store Original Values Action

The only action that does not interact with Exchange. We use it to update our Original Title and Original Start Time columns, so they are ready for the next update. As this action happens after the Update event action, we might have two different titles when updating the event in Exchange:

The original title (the one that the event in Exchange still has).
And the new title that was updated in SharePoint.

This action runs on Item is added and Item is modified events. We are also going to be using Conditions to only run the action when Title or Start Time actually change. General setting Action settings

Conditions

Notice how we are using the "after change" condition here. It compares the current value of Title with itself (which is always true). But it also compare the previous value of Title with the current value using the reverse operator. The reverse operator in this case will be not equals. This way the condition will only be true when the value actually changed. Otherwise the previous value will be the same as the current value. And this is it, now any change made to the events in SharePoint will be reflected in the Exchange events!

Conclusion

Ultimate Forms makes it easy to integrate SharePoint with a variety of external applications. In this article I showed you how to synchronize event information found in SharePoint list with events in Exchange. The same configuration is available both in Microsoft 365 (SharePoint Online and Exchange Online) and on premises. The SharePoint/Exchange integration is a simple but powerful tool in your SharePoint toolbox.

Meet Action Groups

Vladi Gubler — Friday, September 14, 2018

Introduction

Using the Actions component of Ultimate Forms you can easily implement sophisticated business logic without the unnecessary complexity of traditional workflows.

Actions are easy to configure.
They require no deployment. By simply saving an action, you are already allowing to start running.
You can add and modify actions gradually over the course of your solution's lifecycle. This way you don't have to foresee future needs and requirements.

Actions can do almost everything inside and outside SharePoint:

Create/update items
Manage permissions
Interact with line-of-business applications
And much more

The way actions are implemented and what sets them apart from traditional workflow solutions is that each action is basically on its own. Different actions in the same list almost never interact with one another. Each action contains everything it needs to run. No need to design a flowchart ubiquitous in all workflow products. You just configure when this particular action needs to run based on triggers and conditions, and it will do its work. Simple. Actions can start executing in a variety of ways:

Responding to list item events (such as item being created, modified, deleted, etc.)
Timer-based (such as run 2 days before the Due Date or every Friday)
Manually by users.

Actually, the same action can even have multiple triggers.

Run Actions in Sequence

In some cases you want several actions to run at the same time. For example, closing a project consists of updating its status and also sending an email to the supervisor. Normally with actions, your actions will run in sequence when both of the following apply:

You set them to run on the same event
They have the same conditions.

But if you prefer to trigger them manually with a single click? Or you might not want to add complex conditions over and over again.

Enter Action Group

This action type is there to trigger other actions. It can have its own triggers and conditions. Once you execute it, it will execute its referenced actions in the specified sequence. I'm sure you will find this action easy to configure and use.

Walkthrough Demo

In this demo, we will build an action group that will perform all the necessary steps of closing a project. This is of course a simple demonstration of what the action group can do. You can use them to create much more advanced solution with ease. In our example here we have 3 actions:

Complete project - our action group, it can be executed by editing the item or manually
Update status - updates the item status, has no triggers, can only be executed through an action group
Notify manager - sends an email, also can only be executed through an action group

Configuring the Action Group

First we will examine how we configure our action group action. Under General settings we specify the action name and description. I recommend to always give meaningful names to actions, it will help you and, with manual actions, your users. Under When to execute we specified Item is modified. This way the action will automatically run when an item is updated. We can also add conditions to only run the action when certain changes occur. I will not be covering this functionality in this particular blog. We can also specify Manual execution for the action. That means that users will be able to trigger it manually from a button. Under the Advanced settings tab you will notice that the Impersonation option is not available. This action type doesn't support impersonation (because it doesn't actually do anything with any SharePoint list items). But the actions attached to it can use this option, depending on their requirements. It gives you precise control over what action can do what.

Action Settings

Under Action settings we can attach other actions to the action group and set their order. Order is important as it allows you to stop execution when one of the actions fails. You do that by checking the Halt execution on failure checkbox on the Advanced settings tab. For instance, if your action group is supposed to move an item to the archive list, it will include two actions:

One that copies the item
Another one that deletes the original item.

Obviously, you don't want to delete the original item if the copy action failed.

Let's Test it out

And that's it, now when we execute the action group action, it will execute all the attached actions automatically. Let's execute the action manually. You simply click on the Run Actions button in the list toolbar, then click on the action itself. You can also trigger the action from a button you place on your form directly. Once it's done, the action will display its execution result: As you can see, it shows the names of the action it executed and any messages they returned. In this case it all went well and there were no messages of any kind. If you enabled it, you can also see the result in Action History:

Execution Looping

Another powerful, but probably not a very well-known feature of action groups is the ability to loop through values in a certain interval. The interval could be two dates or two numbers. The action group will then execute the associated action once for each value within the interval, passing that value as a parameter to the action. For example, you can easily create tasks for each day within the interval period, with just one action!

Additional Consideration Points

A couple of points that you need to be aware of:

As I mentioned earlier, Impersonation is set on per-action basis. Impersonation allows users with insufficient permissions to execute actions that require higher permissions. For instance, this way a regular user might be able to set permissions on list items.
Attached actions can have their own conditions. The action group will check those during the execution. Actions that do not pass their conditions will not execute. The action-specific conditions are in addition to the conditions on the action group itself. These control whether or not the action group itself is triggered.
Actions can be a part of zero, one or several action groups. You can use action groups to bundle conditions together. Actions that are a part of an action group can also have their independent triggers and be executed on their own, independently from the action group. You have the full flexibility to decide how you want to implement it!

Conclusion

Action groups are a power addition to your digital toolbox. They allow you to bundle together a number of different actions. Users are then able to execute all these actions in a single step.

Understanding Business Process Mapping and Its Significance in an Enterprise’s Digital Transformation

Amir Shingray — Monday, August 20, 2018

If you think business process mapping is one of the recent trends that have evolved in the world’s wake for digital, you’re wrong. The concept dates back to early 1920s when Frank Bunker Gilbreth, a veteran industrial engineer, and efficiency expert designed the process flowchart for American Society of Mechanical Engineer. The process flowchart was designed to eliminate loops and redundancies from different processes and operations and streamline the tasks involved in a process to increase efficiency. Since work efficiency was a burning issue in that era of industrial revolution, the concept was highly applauded. From then on, efficiency experts and strategy makers started implementing the idea, after customizing it to the requirements of their own processes. Hence evolved process mapping and a century later, BMP or business process mapping has become an integral component of business process workflow automation – and digital transformation, in the larger scheme of strategic implementation.

Business Process Mapping – digging into the concept

As per standard definition, Business process mapping, a component of Business Process Management (BPM), is a framework used to create visual representations of work processes. Business process mapping shows the relationship between the steps and inputs to produce an end-product or service and is are concerned with what a business does, why it does what it does, what the standard is for success, who is responsible, and when and where different steps will occur. In layman terms, it is a template-based task of standardizing the way a process should be performed and in the bigger scope, defines what a business does, the chain of command, and a parameter to measure the efficacy and efficiency of a process. Business process mapping involves some essential components that include:

Process – the entire workflow from initiation till completion
Tasks – the breakdown of the entire process or operation into smaller, standalone functions
Flow – a segway of different tasks, defined by arrows and connecting lines
Events – the triggers or cues that cause a process to start, pause, continue, redirect or end
Gateways – agile decisions that tend to alter the course of a process
Participants – the individuals involved in process operation, with assigned roles

Over the course of time, and especially during the past decade, business process mapping has seeped into the administration, strategic, and operational fabric of an enterprise’s setting. Regardless of the size and industry, organizations are using business process mapping for a variety of functions such as sales, audits, cost management, business process workflow automation, change management, crisis response and control, automation, initiating innovation, and to measure the outcomes of a task or process. More specifically, it is being implemented and used for internal audits, standardizations, automation and upgrading, internal and external communications, training and organizational development, and compliance with international organizations such as ISO 9001 and Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 – in public as well as private sector organizations alike. But…

Why is business process mapping important for an organization?

Let’s find out. Business process mapping, in the larger scheme of DT, has emerged as a critical success factor for businesses – out of intensifying market competition and the global leap towards digital. It has become ever more crucial for businesses to create user-centric processes aimed at creating opportunities form both operational and user experience standpoint, and streamlining various task, operations. That is in addition to the need to develop and foster an efficient workflow system. Business process mapping is important for:

Smooth and efficient inductions and onboarding new employees
Efficient, on-point communications, for delegating tasks
To keep the stakeholders in the loop
Innovation, re-engineering, improvement, and upgrading of processes

At Infowise, we are serving as a strategic partner, assisting public and private enterprises in their digital transformation endeavors with our scalable, smart and futuristic tools, software and applications. Our product Infowise Ultimate Forms contains more than 20 SharePoint components developed to give you the power to innovate, automate and scale up your processes. Our product has been designed for optimum interoperability and seamless integration within SharePoint. It constitutes the structural foundation for digitization and facilitate your transition to digital transformation.

Send SMS messages from SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Introduction

SMS messages are a great way to send notifications. When you need to make sure the message reaches its recipient fast and is read right away, SMS is the way to go. Using the Actions component of Ultimate Forms you can easily implement this functionality both on premises and in the cloud. You don't need to deal without complex configuration, integrating the text message functionality in your work processes.

Let's do it

In this example, we are going to be sending a text message to a user for whom we create a task in a Tasks list. Once a task is created and the user is specified in the Assigned To column, a text message with the task title will be automatically sent. Additionally, we will send a text message when Assigned To value changes in subsequent updates to the item.

Register with Twilio

First, we need to sign up for an SMS service. There are many options available out there. But we will be using Twilio. We've been using it for a while internally and found it to be reliable and affordable. The service exposes a REST API that allows us to send text messages programmatically. Once you're signed up, you will receive API Credentials (Account SID and Auth Token). Basically these are your user name and password for use with the REST API.

Create User Property column

Now we are switching to SharePoint to implement our business logic. Although not required, I will be using our User Property column. It is able to automatically fetch user's phone number. It can use the SharePoint Profile service or retrieve it directly from Active Directory (on premises only). Of course, you can just type the number in when you create a task. But agree with me that it's a lot easier and cooler when it's done automatically. I'm using the Microsoft365 version of Ultimate Forms here, but your on-premises experience is similar. Needless to say, your Profile Service or Active Directory must contain phone numbers for your users. Add a new User Property column to your Tasks list and call it Phone. Note a couple of things here. First, I checked Allow editing. That causes the value of the field to not just simply fetch the data for the current user. It will become more dynamic such as allow manual entry of the user to fetch. Or, as in our case, take the user name from a parent column, such as Assigned To in our case. Locate Work phone in the box on the right and add it to formula. Now when we create a task and specify a user, it will fetch the phone number automatically.

Create the action

Next, we add the action that will actually send the text message. Click on Design button in the ribbon, go over to Business Logic section and click on Actions. Select Call application or service action type and configure the general settings: The only important thing here is to make sure Run on events is set to Item is added and Item is modified. That will ensure the action runs when an item is added to the list or when Assigned To changes. Switch to Action tab, this is where we actually configure our connection to Twilio, our SMS service provider.

Change Application type to Twilio
Set Account SID as created earlier
Set Auth token as created earlier
Add property mappings:
- To -> [Phone] - maps the recipient to the Phone column value
- From -> enter the outgoing phone number from Twilio
- Body -> [Subject] and [ID] - maps the body of the message to the Task name and item ID

Switch to Conditions tab, here we want to ensure that the action is only triggered when the task is actually assigned to a user. Add a condition: Assigned To not equals and leave the field on the right empty. Additional condition is to send when Assigned To value changes, here we compare Assigned To after change to itself. It ensures the condition only passes when the previous value of Assigned To is different from the current one. That would mean that the value was changed. Save the action, you are done! Try adding a new task and assigning it to yourself, check if a text message is delivered. That's it, it just took 2 minutes to implement SMS functionality!

Summary

Ultimate Forms makes it easy to automate and integrate your SharePoint-based solution. It is fast and easy to do and doesn't require to be a developer or memorize any special syntax. In our example here we saw how easy it is to integrate sending SMS messages from SharePoint list items. SMS message help your system to becomes more relevant, precise and on time.

Automatically import Excel files into SharePoint lists

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Introduction

The Import component of Ultimate Forms, can be used to set up automated import profile for data found in various external sources. Email messages, databases, web services, REST API's, SMS messages and even regulat tab/comma delimited text files can all serve as source of the automatic import. It opens up fantastic possiblities to create automated, connected solutions, such as help desk systems or even email-based approvals.

Import from Excel

In this article I am going to demostrate the ability to import data from Excel files (.xlsx), which many of our customers requested. You can map the location of an Excel file, specify the worksheet to use and we will automatically import tabular data we find there. For simplicity sake, we expect the most common layout scenario: a table of data, with a header row, starting from A1 cell. We will automatically detect the boundaries of the table. Note that legacy Excel file formats (for instance, .xls files) are not supported.

Configuration

First you need to tell us where the file is located. If the file is in a SharePoint document library within the same tenant, simply provide the URL of the file and under Authentication leave it at Anonymous. We will know to use our app credentials to fetch the file. The file can also be placed at any location acceesible through a URL, you might need to provide user name and password to get the file from that URL. Click on Connect, it will load the file and show the worksheets for you to select one. Also, optionally specify Update date column. We will use this column value and compare it to the latest item imported during the previous run. Only items newer than the ones already imported during the last run will be imported. You can also leave this field empty, this way we will always import the complete file. Once you establish the connection, you can create one or more actions. Those actions specify what you want to do with the data once imported. The most common action is Create list item. It will simply convert every data row from Excel into a SharePoint list item, according to column mappings you provide. Update list item action will update existing SharePoint list items with new information, based on the unique identifier found both in the Excel file and in the list (think about updating Status based on external data). Sync action combines the two, it will update existing items when found or create new ones when needed. A quick note about mappings. You can perform direct mappings (such as Title column in the file to Title column in the list) or you can perform various calculations and function to convert the raw value into something different (for instance, extract the year part of a date and store just that). You can also map conditions that will instruct the profile to only import certain item and disregard the rest.

Additional Settings

A couple of additional settings I would like to mention:

The polling schedule can be set to None. The profile will not be executed automatically by the timer, you will run it manually when needed. Use this option to also temporarily disable a profile if needed.
The Description field allows you to enter any additional information about a profile when needed, for example explaining its purpose to other users in your organization.

Explore More Options with Ultimate Forms Printing

Will Cooper — Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Printing is an area of Ultimate Forms that offers a range of possibilities, many of which remain untapped. Whether you're looking for advanced formatting, batch processing, or automated scheduling, Ultimate Forms provides a wealth of printing features to enhance your workflow. Customized PDF output can be automatically generated to accommodate precise requirements, ensuring that your documents meet business needs with minimal effort. If you've only used print-related functionality sparingly, there's a great deal that you might have missed. Let's explore some of the lesser-known but powerful print capabilities available in Ultimate Forms.

Use CSS Styling for Print Templates

Although it might not be immediately obvious, you can control your print templates using CSS styling. This allows you to achieve a professional and customized look that aligns with your brand or business needs. To get started, you can use the developer toolbar in Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to inspect the HTML and related CSS classes in the print template screen. Follow these steps:

From the list view, select an item and open the Infowise Print dialog.
Press F12 to open the developer toolbar.
Click on sections of the output in the print preview screen to help identify the elements and class references.
In the Infowise Print Templates, navigate to the Display Settings section.
Enter your own CSS to modify the look of the output to suit your preferences.
Continue making tweaks until you get the desired results.

By using CSS, you gain the flexibility to adjust fonts, colors, spacing, and even hide or show elements dynamically to create a polished and functional print output.

Advanced Print Template Formatting

If basic formatting is not sufficient for your needs, Advanced Edit Mode allows you to build highly customized print output to match precise business requirements. By leveraging nested HTML tables and custom styling, you can structure your document in a way that suits your workflow. For instance, you can:

Create structured tables that organize information efficiently.
Apply custom colors and branding elements.
Control how different sections of data are presented in the final PDF.

To assist with this, Infowise offers a mini-guide to help you learn how to implement advanced formatting techniques. You can access it here: Advanced Print Formatting Guide.

Word Template

You can use a Word document as a template for printing. Simply create an Word document and enter the SharePoint list column names surrounded by double square brackets. The Print module will replace those with actual values at runtime. For example, to include the Title column, simply type [[Title]]. Once your document is ready, upload it to the Word section of the print template. It will then be used when printing to PDF or Word. You will be happy to know that all column types are supported, including both built-in columns and special Infowise columns.

Batch Printing of Item Print Templates

Batch printing is another powerful feature that can significantly streamline document generation. Instead of printing individual records one at a time, you can consolidate multiple records into a single PDF file using Infowise Actions. This is particularly useful when dealing with large datasets or when generating reports that need to include multiple entries. To set up batch printing:

Create a new Infowise Action using the "Print list items" action type.
In the first tab "General", unselect all options under Run on events to ensure manual execution.
Below it, select Manual Execution.
In the third tab "Action", configure the filter settings to select a set of records (e.g., "Created greater or equals 1/1/2025").
Choose your print template and set the target output (email is a good option to start with).

This method allows you to generate bulk PDFs quickly and efficiently, reducing the time spent on manual printing tasks.

Timer-Based Reporting

Do you have reports that need to be generated regularly? With Ultimate Forms, you can set up automated actions to generate and store reports at scheduled intervals. This feature is excellent for maintaining a historical record of your data at different points in time, such as weekly, monthly, or quarterly summaries. To set up a timed action:

Create an Infowise Action using the "Print list items" action type.
In the first tab, check Timer Based only for the Run on events options.
Choose a schedule (e.g., every Sunday at 10 PM).
In the third tab, select Document Library as the print target and choose the appropriate SharePoint library.
Include a date parameter in the file name to ensure uniqueness (e.g., "your-company-name-timesheet-[Today]").
Add a validation condition such as "ID always not equals 0" to meet the system requirements.

With this setup, reports will be automatically generated and stored without manual intervention, keeping your data organized and accessible.

Additional Features to Explore

Beyond the primary printing functionalities, Ultimate Forms offers a range of additional features that can be leveraged to further enhance document generation and management:

Conditional Formatting: Apply conditional formatting rules to highlight specific data points.
Dynamic Content: Use formulas and dynamic fields to generate content on-the-fly.
Integration with Workflows: Combine printing functions with workflow automation to trigger document generation based on events.
Multi-Language Support: Create templates that accommodate multiple languages for international teams.

Why Explore Ultimate Forms Printing Features?

There is a surprising amount of versatility in Ultimate Forms' print output capabilities. Whether you need batch processing, automated scheduling, or advanced customization, these features can help streamline your workflow and improve efficiency. By incorporating these printing functions into your next project, you can:

Save time by automating repetitive tasks.
Ensure consistency in document formatting.
Enhance reporting accuracy with scheduled report generation.
Improve user experience with clean and professional print templates.

Share Your Ideas

Do you have innovative ways to use the PDF output in Ultimate Forms? We would love to hear about your solutions! Share your insights and help the community explore new possibilities. By taking full advantage of Ultimate Forms' printing capabilities, you can optimize document management and elevate your business processes to the next level.

Associated Items Summary Capabilities

Robert Cathlina — Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Introduction:

Ultimate Forms is a no-code/low-code solution that extends SharePoint’s capabilities, allowing businesses to create advanced forms, workflows, and automated processes without custom development. One of its most powerful features is the Associated Items Summary Column, which enables instant calculations across related records. With this feature, businesses can:

Automatically calculate key figures such as total costs, averages, or standard deviations.
Update parent records in real-time as child records change.
Reduce manual data entry errors and improve overall process efficiency.
Provide dynamic reporting without the need for external tools or manual calculations.
Improve visibility into critical business operations by aggregating data in one centralized view.

By leveraging this functionality, organizations save time, reduce complexity, and make faster, data-driven decisions without the need for coding.

Associated Items Summary Capabilities:

The Associated Items functionality is one of the most valuable features in Ultimate Forms. With the Associated Items Summary Column, users can instantly calculate key values—such as the sum or standard deviation of all child records—without leaving the Parent List form. This eliminates the need for manual calculations and enhances real-time reporting. This capability is particularly useful in financial tracking, project management, sales reporting, operational oversight, and data-driven business intelligence, where real-time calculations help businesses monitor performance efficiently. The ability to dynamically update and summarize data removes bottlenecks in decision-making and enhances productivity. To demonstrate how this feature works, we will use two SharePoint lists:

Projects (Parent List) – Tracks overall project progress and total costs.
Sub Projects (Child List) – Manages smaller project components with detailed cost breakdowns.

If you need guidance on setting up an Associated Items relationship, refer to our Associated Items Documentation.

Step-by-Step Implementation:

1. Setting Up Cost Tracking in the Sub Projects List

First, define key cost-related fields in the Sub Projects list:

Setup Cost (Currency)
Execution Cost (Currency)
Completion Cost (Currency)

These fields will store financial data for each sub-project. Every time a new sub-project is created, these values will be used to dynamically update the overall project’s financial summary.

2. Setting Up Tabs and Tab Permissions in Sub Projects list:

To improve the user experience and streamline data entry, we will configure Tabs and Tab Permissions in Ultimate Forms. We need to include all three of our costs columns as well as the ‘Sub Project Name’ column. This tab will make it possible for our users to enter into Sub Projects and see their effect on the Projects statistics immediately.

Go to the Ultimate Forms Design Screen in the Sub Projects List.
Click on Tabs
Create a new tab named Home.
Add the following columns to the tab:

- Setup Cost
- Execution Cost
- Completion Cost
- Sub Project Name

Save the settings

3. Configuring Associated Items Summary in the Projects List

Once the Sub Projects list is ready, we need to create Associated Items Summary Columns in the Projects list:

Navigate to Design in the Projects List
Go to Associated Items Summary and click Add New Column.
Configure the column settings:

Column Name: Setup Cost Sum
Associated Items List: Sub Projects
Field to Calculate: Setup Cost
Operation: Sum

Repeat the process for Execution Cost and Completion Cost

4. Setting Up Tabs and Tab Permissions in Projects list:

Before testing out this new cool feature, we want to go ahead and setup a tab on our Projects list.

Go to the Ultimate Forms Design Screen in the Projects list.
Click on Tabs
Create a new tab named Home
Add the following columns to the tab:

Project Name
Completion Cost Sum
Execution Cost Sum
Setup Cost Sum
Sub Projects

Save the settings and publish

Testing the Associated Items Summary:

Now that our Associated Items Summary Columns and Tabs are configured, let’s test the functionality:

Go to the Projects List and click New Item.
At first, the Associated Items Summary Columns will be empty.
Enter a Project Name and click New Item under the Sub Projects
The Sub Projects entry form will open. Fill out the fields and enter values in the cost columns.
Click Save – the Associated Items Summary Columns in the Projects List will immediately update with the total costs from the Sub Project.

With this setup, every time a new sub-project is added, the Parent Project’s total values automatically recalculate in real-time, ensuring financial transparency and up-to-date reporting.

Business Benefits of Associated Items Summary:

By implementing Associated Items Summary, businesses gain multiple operational advantages:

1. Real-Time Financial Oversight

Instead of relying on outdated spreadsheets or manual updates, teams can view live cost updates directly in the Parent Project form. This ensures financial accuracy and eliminates the risk of miscalculations.

2. Increased Productivity & Reduced Manual Work

Without automation, updating Parent Records requires manually totaling child records and re-entering data—an error-prone and time-consuming process. With Ultimate Forms, calculations happen automatically in the background, freeing up time for strategic work.

3. Enhanced Data Accuracy & Compliance

By automating calculations and updates, businesses reduce human errors and ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements. The system maintains consistency across projects, making audits and financial reviews seamless.

4. Better Decision-Making with Real-Time Insights

Managers no longer need to wait for reports or manually aggregate data. They can view up-to-date project financials in real time, enabling faster and more informed business decisions.

5. Customizable Calculations for Various Business Scenarios

Beyond financial tracking, Associated Items Summary is useful for:

Sales & Revenue Reports – Automatically calculate total sales per region or per client.
Task & Performance Monitoring – Track the number of completed tasks and analyze efficiency.
Inventory & Supply Chain Management – Calculate available stock dynamically based on incoming and outgoing shipments.
HR & Training Management – Aggregate employee training hours and completion rates.
Marketing & Campaign Analytics – Measure the effectiveness of campaigns by summing conversions across multiple platforms.

These use cases highlight the flexibility of Associated Items Summary in adapting to various business functions.

Conclusion:

The Associated Items Summary Column in Ultimate Forms is a game-changer for organizations looking to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and gain real-time insights without technical complexity. Whether managing project costs, tracking task progress, or automating approvals, this feature eliminates manual work and enhances decision-making. With Ultimate Forms, companies can customize and automate business processes within SharePoint without writing a single line of code. The seamless integration of Associated Items Summary allows organizations to move away from error-prone manual data management and embrace a fully automated and scalable solution. Discover how Ultimate Forms can revolutionize your business operations. Learn more in our documentation.

Ultimate Forms for O365 limits and throttling

Vladi Gubler — Monday, October 16, 2017

Hi, Infowise Ultimate Forms exists in two versions. One is for our on-premises customers and one for customers using Microsoft 365. The products provides you with a wealth of functionality to help you implement your business solutions in SharePoint. Some background features, such as Actions, Item ID or Import, allow you to create and update multiple list items and documents behind the scenes based on list updates or timer. We allow you to define your own actions and import profiles and specify the logic of which items to update and how many updates to execute each time. The Microsoft 365 version runs on the Azure infrastructure and uses powerful Azure Functions capabilities to execute the necessary heavy lifting of querying, evaluating and updating your items. Unlike the on-premises version that runs on your own servers, Microsoft 365 version runs on a shared infrastructure with essentially limited resources. To ensure smooth and problem-free operation, the app service must always have enough available resources to keep handling incoming requests. For that reason, we need to make sure that no single customer utilizes server resources in excess of a certain pre-defined limit. For example, configuring an action that updates thousands of items every single time it executes will take up a significant portion of the available resources, causing a slowdown for other customers. Moreover, excessive use of the SharePoint API could cause the customer to become temporarily blocked by Microsoft as well. Ultimate Forms implements a sophisticated throttling system that ensure fair distribution of resources. We constantly monitor multiple parameters, such as rate of requests, length of execution of each request and so on. The throttling system will stop execution of requests when it decides that the customer is crossing the maximum allowed thresholds. The throttling limit will depend on the customer's license type. In general, the higher the scope of the license and the more users it includes, the higher will be the throttling limit. In any case, no action is allowed to execute for longer than 500 seconds. If several actions are set to respond to a single event, the duration will be calculated from the moment the first action started to execute. If an action exceeds the limit, we will trigger an execution error within the action. If your action is set to write to the Action History, you will see an error message similar to 'Exceeded maximum allowed execution time'. If the action updates multiple items, some items will not be updated. Items already updated, will not be rolled back. We encourage you to monitor your business logic execution and make the necessary adjustments to make sure your actions do not get throttled. For example, you can use conditions to limit the number of list items an actions executes on and that way shorten its execution time.

New Hourly Actions Available

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, September 28, 2017

Introduction

Actions are a great way to implement your sophisticated business logic without the complexity of workflows. Using the Actions component of Ultimate Forms, you can make changes in SharePoint and other systems. This includes databases, SMS, Entra ID / Active Directory and business applications. Actions are easy to confgure, even for non-technical users, they do not require deployment and are ready to run as soon as you click Save. And with 19 different action types, there is nothing you can't do!

Action Triggers

Actions can be executed in a variety of way.

They can respond to list events (such as items being created, modified or deleted)
They can run on a timer
They can even be executed manually by a user. That could be accomplished via buttons on list view, form toolbar or even within the form itself.

Timer-based Actions

Let's focus on the timer-based actions. Here we have two choices. We can execute based on a date column (such as run an action two days before the Due Date, with the ability to repeat). Or we can run on a daily, weekly or monthly basis at a specific time and day (where applicable). We also have the ability to run an action every hour, for your fast-changing applications. I'd like to focus again on hourly/daily/weekly/monthly actions. We've covered this topic before in documentation and tutorials, but there is still some confusion. Every action needs an item to run on (what we call the "current item"). It doesn't necessarily mean that the action is supposed to change this particular item. In fact is could be working with an external line-of-business application. All it means that the column values of this item will serve as input data for the actions. Also the action execution result will be written into the action history of this item. Without a current item to run on an action cannot execute. In most cases the current item is selected implicitly. This applies to event-driven, manual or timer-based actions involving a date column. The current item is the one that was clicked on, modified or added or one with the date value matching the action settings. Say, it expires in two days and that's when the action is configured to run. But when an action is set to run hourly/daily/etc., it is simply executed during that time and does not have a current item to run on. Didn't I just say that every action requires a current item? There is no contradiction, these timer-based action do receive a current item. There are two ways in which it can happen. Each comes with its own set of pros and cons.

1. Static Conditions

We can provide one of more "static" conditions. What makes a condition static? Any action can accept conditions, they ensure that the action only runs when needed. For example, Status equals Completed makes sure the action only runs on completed items. In the condition settings you select a column on the left, an operator and a value on the right. For instance, "Status" was our column, "equals" was our operator and "Completed" - our value. (For more advanced users, yes, I'm omitting "always"/"after change" setting for simplicity). Now the value part is what's important now. Here you can set static values, such as Completed here. But you can also reference column values from the item, such as Due Date greater than [End Date]. In this condition we compare column values of Due Date and End Date. Hourly/daily/etc. actions might contain one or more static conditions. When the action is triggered, it first executes the static conditions to query the list. Such as Status equals Completed will return all items with Status Completed. Now it will go over item by item and execute itself on it, passing that item as the current item. It will then execute the conditions again, this time all of them, not just static ones and continue as usual. Please make sure to configure your conditions careful and as narrowly as possible. You don't want to waste your server resources going over thousand of items each time the action runs. Including too many items can also cause your SharePoint to be throttled by Microsoft.

2. Implicit Selection

When action contains no static conditions, we will simply take the first item from the list. We will then treat this item as the "current item" and execute the action based on its properties. This method is suitable for the majority of applications where the current item is not really important. For example, when you want to send a weekly report of open tasks, you can leave the conditions empty. Then under Items section of Action settings you would enter conditions such as Status = Open. This combination will ensure the action runs only once. Then in its actual processing it will collect and include all the open tasks.

Conclusion

When using hourly/daily/weekly/monthly action, you have a choice to make. You might want to run the action once per list or once for every item that passes your conditions. In the majority of cases, running once per list is the most efficient option. All you need to do is leave the Conditions tab blank.

Actions vs Workflows

Vladi Gubler — Monday, November 28, 2016

Introduction

Once you see that just storing your data in SharePoint lists does not help, you know you need process automation and business process management. When a user saves an item, several things happen in the background. This includes updates, creating new items, calling external systems, and sending emails. And as a SharePoint professional, you know that all you need is the good old workflow engine, right? Power Automate is the go-to tool when people discuss SharePoint automation, inside SharePoint itself and beyond. I have to remark that Power Automate currently only exists in Microsoft 365. Which means that you need to start learning how to create workflows, how to understand flowcharts and how to build complex processes. However, there is a way that might better match your existing knowledge and experience. Despite their deep-seated integration in the SharePoint experience, workflows are not always the right tool for the job.

Why Not Workflows?

I have a lot of experience with SharePoint workflows. I have built custom ones using Visual Studio, Power Automate, and SharePoint Designer. I always felt that things are too complicated with this approach. The automation tool you pick should offer simple and fast solutions for everyday users, not just for expert developers. Workflows simply contain too many moving parts and steps. The approach mainly targets people who already know about workflows and have extensive experience with them. Consider the following common scenario. When I create an item in a regular SharePoint Contacts list, I have a field for Last name, First name and Full name. Full name is basically a combination of First name and Last name. So the question is: would you create a workflow to fill in Full name automatically if left blank? I would say that almost everyone I talked to said that the overhead of using a workflow was simply not worth the effort. They would prefer their users to work a bit harder than to develop, deploy and support a workflow. You can clearly see there is an unresolved issue here. You could say, workflow engines are great for complex, multi-stage processes, that's their main purpose. I will not argue here, although not sure I would agree either. Most automation needs are not complex processes. They are often small improvements, like the full name above. Those completely fall under the radar, because they are not worth the effort of the workflow developer.

Introducing Actions

This is why we needed to create our own automation platform. The requirements was to create something that is simple, easy, and non-technical, but still extremely powerful. And we developed the Actions component of Ultimate Forms, as a Power Automate alternative. Actions are everything workflows are not. They are light-weight, autonomous, simple to configure and require no deployment. You can add, modify or remove Actions one-by-one, without disrupting the whole system, as the need occurs. And they do not require extensive workflow-specific knowledge. In fact, Actions completely disregard the whole concept of a flowchart! And creating a solution based on actions takes minutes, not hours or days. Actions can help you in a lot of ways by replacing Power Automate, when the latter is just too complicated for the job. Let me list just a few of the main differences between Actions and Power Automate flows and let you make up your own mind:

Triggering

Workflows are started automatically, when an item is created or updated or they can be started manually. We offer a variety of ways you might want to trigger an Action (and you can trigger the same Action in several ways too):

List item or document event - item is created, modified, attachment added, document checked in, etc.
Timer - 2 days before the due date, or every Friday
Manually - from list or document library toolbar, form toolbar or even a special button on the form itself. You can even show and hide Actions based on the user permissions. And the best of all, you can request and pass parameter values to ask the user for more information.

Another huge differences: actions can even run before you save the item. This way you can perform additional checks and even prevent the form from saving the item if needed. Quick example: room reservation system that will prevent you from double-booking resources!

Action Types

We tailored actions towards common scenarios that you would often need to implement in SharePoint. They are easier to configure and take a lot less time to deploy. For example, you can automate document generation and email-based delivered in just a couple of minutes! We currently offer 24 different action types. We designed them to perform common tasks in SharePoint sites and in different integrated applications. By not being a generalist tool, but targeting specifically SharePoint, Actions save a lot of time and effort. And the learning curve is so significantly easier.

Development Time

Workflow starts with a flowchart, even the simplest one. A not so surprising fact is that many people would stumble at this step already. A visual flowchart only makes sense to people with a certain brain structure. Some people find complex symbolic representations confusing. Actions don't use flowcharts as part of their implementation. You treat each action as an autonomous unit. Pick the type of action you need, specify the trigger type and save. The action is ready to go, there is no deployment, multiple workflow versions and no specialized tools to learn. Many of our customer commonly develop and deploy whole solutions using actions in under 20 minutes!

Ultimate Forms Integration

Actions are a central, integral component of Ultimate Forms. They interact and integrate with other Ultimate Forms components to provide unique functionality. Some of the examples for such integration are:

Generate Associated Items action to generate Associated Items
Signature columns serve in conditions as Yes/no.
Print action uses Print templates

Conclusion

The purpose of actions is not to replace Power Automate flows. In fact, there are plenty of scenarios when a flow is the right tool for the job. Actions are there to provide you with an alternative. The choice of the most suitable tool depends on the task at hand and the knowledge and experience of your current personnel. Actions can help you to avoid unnecessary complexity and get things done faster with less effort.

Create an expense report in SharePoint - step-by-step

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Introduction

Expense Report is one of the most common forms that almost any organization needs. You want to be able to quickly and easily report your business expenses and then route the form for approval. You would not believe how many places, even today, still use pen and paper, Excel or Word documents! Not everyone has the skills and the knowledge to build a robust modern solution for this common need.

But with SharePoint it's all so much easier. It's a great collaboration platform that is designed from the ground up to handle data and processes in shared, multi-user environment, while still preserving the necessary security restrictions. SharePoint out of the box is a great starting point for many business solutions and a lot can be done using SharePoint Designer or custom development. However, it's not always easy to build something slightly more advanced. For instance, multiple line items within the expense report or dynamic routing (when the approver is set dynamically based on the department) are certainly challenges that might have you scratching your head.

In this blog I will provide you with step-by-step instructions on how to build a real life expense report, complete with an approval stage. I will be using our product, Ultimate Forms, to add the necessary extra on top of regular SharePoint lists to make sure the process works exactly how I need it to work.

Here’s what we’ll implement:

Expense Report creation: Some of my information, such as my name, will be automatically pre-filled.
Line items in the form: Users can add line items directly within the form without needing to save first.
Automatic calculations: The summary will be dynamically calculated based on line items.
Dynamic approval: The manager is determined automatically based on the selected department.
Email notifications: Managers will receive approval requests, and employees will be notified of approval or rejection.

Our finished form will look something like this:
Cool, right? :) So let's start! I will be using the Microsoft 365 add-in version of Ultimate Forms, but you can do exactly the same on premises as well.

Step 1: Create the Necessary Lists

To build this solution, we need three SharePoint lists: Departments, Line Items, and Expense Reports.

Departments

This list will contain the various departments our employees belong to. It will then be used as a lookup source for our Department column in the Expense Reports list. We will start with a regular Custom list and just add one column of type Person or Group and call it Manager. Itwill hold the manager for the department

Line Items

This list will contain the line items for the expense report. We will start by create a new Custom list. To allow the parent and the child lists to create and maintain a relationship, we will need to replace the default Item content type with our special Infowise Associated Item content type. It contains a set of special hidden columns that allow us to create the relationship between the child and the parent items. To replace the content type do the following:

Create a custom list.
Go to List Settings
Create a custom list.
Go to Advanced Settings
Choose Yes for Allow management of content types (the first option on the page)
Save
Under List Settings you will now see a new section for managing content types. Click on "Add from existing site content types".
Select "Infowise Associated Item" content type and save
Back on List Settings, click on Item content type and then delete it from the list
Configure columns:

Rename Title to Details
Add a choice column Expense Type and fill the choices you want (such as Fare, Lodging, Meals, Entertainment, etc.)
Add a date colum Date
Add a currency column Amount

Expense Report

The main list holding all the data regarding the expense reports, excluding the line items. Start by creating a new Custom list.

Now let's configure the columns:

Report ID: Rename the Title column.
Date: A Date column, defaulted to Today.
Employee Name: Using Ultimate Forms add a new User Property column named Employee Name. It will be used to automatically prefill the submitter'sname. In the Microsoft 365 add-in version, you can use the following formula:[FirstName] [LastName]. In the on-premises version you can do the same to fetch the data from SharePoint Profile service, or, if using Foundation, directly from Active Directory: [givenName] [sn]
Department: Add a lookup column Department using the Departments list, make it required
Location: A Single Line of Text column (to specify where the expenses took place)
Start Date and End Date: Date columns.
Items: Using Ultimate Forms add a new Associated Items column named Items. It will point to our Line Items list and use the Infowise Associated Items content type
Subtotal: Using Ultimate Forms add a new Associated Items Summary column named Subtotal. It will calculate a Sum of the Amount column in Items
Advance: A Currency column defaulted to 0.
Total: A Calculated column using the formula =Subtotal - Advance, set the display format to Currency
Approval Status: A choice column, add choices N/a, Approved and Rejected, make it required and make sure N/a is the default
Approval Date: A Date column.
Approval Comments: A Multiple Lines of Text column.

That's it, all our lists are created, so we can start turning them into an actual business application.

Step 2: Configuring Form

Well, we actually just need to configure one form, the Expense Report itself. First, let's configure automatic numbering for Report ID. This way each report will have a unique identifier. I used the format EXR-<submitter name>-<year>-<numerator>, but you can use any other format you like.

Go to Expense Reports list
On the List ribbon click on Ultimate Forms' Design button
Under Configure Business Logic click on Item IDs
Add a new rule for Report ID column. Set it to run on New item and check Prevent manual editing. Under Pattern enter: EXR-[Employee Name]-$Year([Created])-[#]
Save

Next, let's configure the tabs and tab permissions. This will ensure users can only update the information they are allowed to.

Go to Expense Reports list
On the List ribbon click on Ultimate Forms' Design button
Under Modern Forms click on Form designer
Add header Expense Report
Add a new tab Expenses
Add the following columns to appear on the tab: (To fit two or more columns in a single line, you can use a container.)
1. Employee Name
2. Date
3. Department
4. Add section: Trip Details
5. Start Date
6. End Date
7. Location
8. Items
9. Subtotal
10. Advance
11. Total
In Tab Permissions, add the following rules:
Add a new tab Approval
Add the following columns to appear on the tab:
1. Approval Status
2. Approval Date
3. Approval Comments
In Tab Permissions add the following rules:
In Style you can choose theme would you like
For extra credit, let's apply custom styling to the form to make it really stand out. You can make use of the styles described in this article.
In the end, click Publish

Step 3: Configuring Alert

Set up two alerts:

Manager Notification: Sends an email to the manager when an expense report is submitted.
Submitter Notification: Notifies the submitter when the report is approved or rejected.

Alert #1

Go to Expense Reports list
On List ribbon click on Add Alert button
Under Recipients remove yourself from To box
Click on box to add a new recipient
Under Person in column select Department and then in the additional selector – Manager and clik Add
Under What to send clear everything but Item is added
Under Email Content create your own email template, it can contain text, column values and special functions (such as Edit Item link)
Save the alert

Alert #2

Go to Expense Reports list
On List ribbon click on Add Alert button
Under Recipients remove yourself from To box
Click on box to add a new recipient
Under Person in column select Created By and click • Under What to send clear everything by Item is modified
Under Conditions add Approval Status after change not equals N/a - that will make sure the alert is only sent when an approval decision is made
Under Email Content create your own email template, it can contain text, column values and special functions
Save the alert

That's it! Your Expense Report system is ready for action!

Importing emails into SharePoint lists

Vladi Gubler — Monday, November 16, 2015

Introduction

Email remains one of the most widely used communication tools in business today. From contact forms on websites and customer support messages to automated service notifications and internal updates—email is a vital input source. However, turning emails into actionable data in SharePoint has long been a challenge.

While SharePoint has historically included a basic feature for incoming email processing, it’s severely limited and available only in on-premises environments. For organizations using Microsoft 365 (SharePoint Online), this feature is missing entirely. Even when available, native SharePoint email import lacks flexibility and doesn’t support modern use cases like dynamic field mapping, email-based approvals, or external system integration.

That’s where Ultimate Forms: Import, a component of the Ultimate Forms suite by Infowise, comes into play. It allows organizations to capture data from incoming emails and transform it into structured list or document library items—regardless of where the email originates or what format it uses. This empowers you to automate processes, enhance traceability, and streamline operations without manual data entry or complicated development.

In this article, we'll explore the capabilities of Ultimate Forms: Import, walk through a real-world use case, and show how to configure the tool to capture and process email data automatically into a SharePoint list.

Why Ultimate Forms: Import?

Ultimate Forms: Import is a flexible and powerful solution for importing external data into SharePoint. It supports not only email, but also database servers, SOAP/REST web services, and more. Here are some standout capabilities that make it a must-have tool for email-driven automation:

Works with Microsoft 365 and on-premises SharePoint
Whether you're using SharePoint Online or Server, Ultimate Forms: Import works seamlessly in both environments.
Connects to any email server
You can configure it to monitor any type of mailbox, whether hosted on Microsoft Exchange, Gmail, or other IMAP/POP3-compatible servers.
Imports to any list or document library
You can import emails directly into SharePoint lists, including custom columns and metadata.
Supports creation and updates
Ultimate Forms: Import can create new list items or update existing ones based on conditions. This enables powerful scenarios like email-based approvals and syncing.
Simple setup without admin privileges Unlike native solutions that require farm-level configuration, Ultimate Forms: Import can be set up and managed by site admins without backend access.

Real-World Use Case: Contact Form to SharePoint List

Let’s walk through a practical example that mirrors a common scenario many businesses face.

Scenario:

Imagine you run a public-facing website hosted outside of your internal network. This website includes a “Contact Us” form where users submit inquiries, providing details like:

First Name
Last Name
Company
Email Address
Message or Comments

When someone submits the form, it sends the information to a shared email inbox (e.g., contact@yourcompany.com). Your goal is to automatically capture that email and log it into a SharePoint list for follow-up, without manual intervention.

Step-by-Step Implementation:

Step 1: Set Up the SharePoint List

Create a new custom list in SharePoint called Contact Requests with the following columns:

First Name (Single line of text)
Last Name (Single line of text)
Company Name (Single line of text)
Email (Single line of text)
Comments (Multiple lines of text)
Date Received (Date and time)

You can also add workflow status columns if you want to track follow-ups, assignments, or priorities.

Step 2: Analyze the Email Format

Here’s an example of what the incoming email might look like:

^{First name: John}

^{Last name: Smith}

^{Company: ACME Ltd}

^{Email: jsmith@acme.com}

^{Comments: I really like your product. Please contact me with pricing info.}

Although this appears structured to the human eye, it’s a block of text to SharePoint. That’s where Ultimate Forms: Import parsing functions become essential.

Step 3: Use Ultimate Forms: Import to Process Emails

Go to the Ultimate Forms designer and select Ultimate Forms: Import from the components list. Configure a new import job with the following settings:

A. Source Configuration

Source Type: Email
Email Server: Enter IMAP/POP3 server details
Login Credentials: Provide the shared inbox credentials

You can also define filters for subject line (e.g., “Contact Request”) or sender address to ensure only relevant emails are processed.

B. Destination Configuration

Target List: Contact Requests
Create Item: Yes

C. Field Mapping (With Function Guide)

Now comes the key part: turning the raw email content into structured SharePoint list data using Utimate Forms: Import built-in functions. Let’s go over exactly how this is done.

The first function we need to use is $StripHTML. Most modern emails are in HTML format, meaning the text you see on your screen is actually wrapped in multiple invisible tags that tell your email client (like Outlook) how to display it—for example, to bold a word or insert a line break. This formatting data is of no use to us in SharePoint, so we need to strip all those tags away. That’s where $StripHTML([Body]) comes in. It returns just the plain text version of the email body, free of HTML. Easy, right?

The second function is a bit more complicated, but much more powerful. It's called $Extract, and it’s capable of examining a block of text and pulling out just the parts you need, based on a predefined pattern. Take a look at our sample email again:

First name: John

Last name: Smith

Company: ACME Ltd

Email: jsmith@acme.com

Comments: I really like your product. Please contact me with pricing info.

The lines all follow a clear pattern: a label, followed by a colon and a space, then the value, and finally a line break. This is the exact pattern we’ll use in the $Extract function. Here’s an example:

$Extract($StripHTML([Body])|?First name: ^\r)

Let’s break this down:

The first parameter is the incoming text, which is the result of the $StripHTML function. So, yes—you can nest functions!
The second parameter is the pattern: basically <prefix>^<suffix>.

?First name: is the prefix. The question mark ? means we’re looking for “First name:” anywhere in the text, not just the beginning.
^ indicates what we want to extract.
\r is the suffix, a special character that marks a line break. Why use this? Because if we don’t supply a suffix, any space will be interpreted as the end of the value. But names and company titles often contain spaces, so using a line break ensures we capture the full value.

So, the result of this function:

$Extract($StripHTML([Body])|?First name: ^\r)

...will simply return “John” from the email body. Pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it!

Using this pattern, we can map all five fields needed for our list:

Field Mapping:

$StripHTML([Body]) – Removes HTML tags from the email content
$Extract($StripHTML([Body])|?First name: ^\r) – Extracts the first name
$Extract($StripHTML([Body])|?Last name: ^\r) – Extracts the last name
$Extract($StripHTML([Body])|?Company: ^\r) – Extracts the company
$Extract($StripHTML([Body])|?Email: ^\r) – Extracts the email address
$Extract($StripHTML([Body])|?Comments:^$) – Extracts the full comment section

You can map each function to the corresponding SharePoint column.

So all we need to do is map these five columns, and we’re done! Below is a sample of how this configuration might look inside the Ultimate Forms: Import interface in our own internal system.

You can map each function to the corresponding SharePoint column.

Step 4: Test the Configuration

Send a test email to your monitored mailbox in the correct format.
Wait for Ultimate Forms: Import to process the message.
Check the SharePoint list to ensure a new item is created with correctly populated fields.
Refine your patterns if needed.

Benefits of This Approach

No Manual Copying
Completely eliminates the need to manually copy-paste from emails into SharePoint.
Improved Accuracy
Reduces human errors caused by manual entry and ensures consistent formatting.
Real-Time Processing
Incoming messages are processed as soon as they arrive, allowing your team to act quickly.
Enhanced Automation
Easily integrates with other SharePoint components or Power Automate flows for further automation.
Scalable and Flexible
Works across various use cases: support tickets, customer feedback, job applications, sales inquiries, and more.

Conclusion

Integrating incoming email with SharePoint has never been easier or more powerful than with Ultimate Forms: Import from Infowise. It turns unstructured email messages into structured data in your lists, helping your organization streamline processes, improve responsiveness, and enhance data accuracy.

Whether you're handling contact forms, service requests, or approvals via email, Ultimate Forms: Import bridges the gap between external communication and internal systems without needing complex development or elevated permissions. In just minutes, you can deploy a secure, scalable solution that brings your business workflows to life.

If your team is struggling to manage email-driven processes manually, it’s time to unlock the full potential of SharePoint with automated imports. Try Ultimate Forms: Import and watch your productivity soar.

Automate process of copying project documents

Genady Vaisman — Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Introduction

In today's fast-paced business environment, it’s crucial to have effective tools for managing documents, especially when dealing with projects. The process we are going to describe automates the creation, copying, and linking of documents for each project within a SharePoint system using Infowise Ultimate Forms. This approach helps streamline and expedite document management, ensuring accessibility and proper linkage to projects.

In this article, we will walk you through how to automate the process of copying relevant department documents into a dedicated folder for each new project in the Documents library and associating those documents with the project for easy access. We will focus on leveraging Ultimate Forms: Forms, SharePoint, and Microsoft tools to achieve this automation.

Structure Overview

Templates Document Library

The Templates document library holds pre-defined templates associated with specific departments. Each document is tagged with a Department field, which helps in identifying the relevant templates for each project.

Projects List

The Projects list contains basic project information, including:
- Title: The name of the project.
- Project Department: This column links the project to the relevant department, matching the Department field in the Templates library.
Documents: This is a lookup column that connects the copied documents to the project through the Ultimate Forms: Associated Items field.

Documents Library

The Documents library is where the documents will be copied to, organized by department and project name. Each document in this library will have a Project lookup column, which connects the document to its corresponding project in the Projects list.

Action: Update list item:

The Automation Process

We will now go over the steps for automating document management using Ultimate Forms: Actions.

Step 1: Create the Department Folder in the Documents Library

Action: When a new project is created, the first action checks if the department folder exists in the Documents library. If the folder doesn't exist, it is automatically created under the structure {Project Department}.

Step 2: Create the Project Folder Under the Department Folder

Action: The second action creates a project-specific folder inside the corresponding department folder. This folder follows the naming convention {Department}/{Project Name}, ensuring proper organization.

Step 3: Copy the Documents from the Templates Library to the Project Folder

Action: The third action copies the relevant documents from the Templates library into the newly created project folder in the Documents library. The templates are selected based on the Project Department chosen for the project.

Example Workflow

Let’s walk through an example where a new project is created in the Projects list.

Project Name: "Module X Development"
Project Department: "RnD"

The Following Actions Occur:

Create the RnD Folder: A folder named "RnD" is created in the Documents library if it doesn't already exist.
Create the Project Folder: A folder named "Module X Development" is created under the "RnD" folder.
Copy Documents: Relevant documents associated with the RnD department (from the Templates library) are copied into the RnD/Module X Development folder.

Summary of the Process

A new project is entered into the Projects list.
The following actions are automatically triggered:
- Create Department Folder: If it doesn't exist, a folder for the department is created.
- Create Project Folder: A folder named after the project is created under the department folder.
- Copy Documents: Department-specific templates are copied into the project folder.
Each document added to the Documents library triggers the following action:

The Project lookup column is set to the folder name (which is the project title), linking the document to its corresponding project.

Conclusion

By automating these steps, you can streamline your project document management and ensure that all necessary templates are properly copied, organized, and associated with the correct project. This process not only saves time but also ensures that documents are easy to find and access, improving overall project efficiency.

Using Infowise Ultimate Forms and SharePoint, you can create a fully automated system that enhances project management workflows, reduces manual errors, and improves team collaboration.

With this automation in place, you'll be able to focus more on the content of the projects and less on the management of the documents. It's a powerful way to integrate document management with your project tracking system and ensure smooth project execution.

Infowise Ultimate Forms vs. InfoPath - feature-by-feature comparison

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Introduction

When we started to develop Ultimate Forms, we did not position it to be an InfoPath competitor or replacement. We aimed to create a platform that helps our customers use SharePoint better. We wanted to close the gap between their needs and what SharePoint can do. This way, they wouldn't have to spend money on expensive custom development. We did not plan to copy InfoPath's features exactly. Instead, we aimed to meet the real business needs we saw. Many customers have used Ultimate Forms as a replacement for InfoPath. They have been doing this for years. In my opinion, it is a natural choice. With the announcement of InfoPath's demise and the frantic search for a suitable successor that followed, we felt obligated to present our own comparison as well. I believe it will speak for itself. It will show you that InfoPath had a strong alternative while it was active. It also has a better successor, in my opinion, after it ended. So, without any further ado, let us start.

Why Forms in SharePoint?

So why do we actually need forms in SharePoint? Well, SharePoint is a great platform for storing and managing business data. It's easy to use, extensible, has a robust UI and permission system and the price is usually right. The only place where SharePoint is lacking is forms, the interface for adding, displaying and editing individual data items. They are pretty basic, for the lack of a better word, not something you can base your business solution on. InfoPath was at one point presented as the right technology to replace the default SharePoint forms when the need comes for something a bit more advanced. And many companies around the world went all in with the InfoPath development, creating in some cases thousands of forms.

InfoPath

You can actually use InfoPath in two distinct ways, each with its own pros and cons:

Replacing built-in forms - an InfoPath form will replace the built-in form, so whenever you click on Add new item or view/edit an existing item, you will actually see the InfoPath form. SharePoint will use InfoPath Forms Services to generate browser-based representations for InfoPath forms and integrate them into SharePoint UI. I would like to use the word "seamless", unfortunately, it is not so.
Using form libraries - here the form, although hosted within SharePoint, is not actually integrated into SharePoint. You are basically working with InfoPath as an XML editor, that saves the resulting XML data structure into a specialized document library. Although some XML fields can be promoted to library columns, this is only a partial integration and cannot be considered a true SharePoint solution.

The first approach, although offering higher levels of integration, is actually the weaker one. Beyond the eye candy of being able to modify the layout of the form, it offers little in terms of functionality. There is just not enough power to serve as a real business process building block. So in our comparison, we are going to be focusing on the form libraries, occasionally mentioning InfoPath forms, where relevant.

Ultimate Forms

So what is Infowise Ultimate Forms anyways? Basically, it's a platform that extends SharePoint to make it easier to build business solutions. When I say "extend", I mean preserving the way SharePoint works out-of-the-box. It seamlessly integrates directly into the SharePoint user interface. So you never lose any existing functionality and the way things look and feel. We add new functionality, tons of it. And you only need your browser, no external designers or tools required. And, despite its name, Utimate Forms is much more than just forms. It will take care of your business logic (including data import and export) and reporting (including KPIs, charts and much more). And here we start the actual comparison. Look for a link to a separate page with a full summary table at the end of the article.

Design And Integration

Here we discuss what design tools we use and how well each platform is integrated into SharePoint.

Design Environment

Ultimate Forms deeply integrates into your SharePoint, you design your forms directly in your browser by simply clicking the Design button on the list toolbar. Given necessary permissions, any user can design forms, from anywhere, no tools required. InfoPath is actually a client application, you must purchase and install on your own computer, without it you can modify any forms (although the end users don't need the application, InfoPath Forms Services will convert the InfoPath form into a browser-based form on the fly).

Integration

Ultimate Forms extends your existing SharePoint forms without replacing them. So 100% native functionality is preserved, plus the many additional features that Ultimate Forms adds. InfoPath replaces SharePoint forms with custom pages. Most SharePoint column types can be mapped to corresponding InfoPath controls (text, number, date and so on). But some, such as Managed Metadata, are not supported. 3rd party components? You can forget about those. Even supported controls look and work differently, your users will notice the difference.

Layout

The first thing users want to change in SharePoint forms is the layout. Moving the columns around, adding custom colors and fonts is always high up on their list. Let's see what Ultimate Forms and InfoPath can offer in that department.

Form Layout

Ultimate Forms allows you to subdivide your form into tabs (with tab permissions), add sections or groups and arrange the list columns in multiple vertical columns. You can also control the location and appearance of labels and descriptions. Note that all of these are accomplished through configuration and not drag-and-drop, making it easier and faster to design a form. InfoPath provide a visual design interface allowing you to place fields in a custom layout table. Section are easy to implement. Tabs are harder, requiring your to create multiple views and provide a mechanism for switching between views.

Look and Feel

Ultimate Forms offers you configuration options for setting common look and feel parameters, such as background images or borders. For more advanced customization, you can provide your own CSS styling. Each one of the 3 list forms (new, display and edit) can be given its own distinct look. InfoPath uses a visual designer to modify the look, which can, in many cases, be more time-consuming to configure.

SharePoint UI Integration

Ultimate Forms fully integrates its forms into the SharePoint user interface, your site-wide branding is preserved intact, while giving you the ability to override as much as you need. InfoPath is a distinct product, with its own look. Although it can forced to visually appear similarly to the rest of your site, it's not a natural process and can be quite time-consuming.

Permissions

Here we will focus on the common need of being able to control writability and/or visibility of columns, depending on the current user, column values and form type.

Tabs and Accordions

Ultimate Forms allows you to group your columns into tabs/groups with subsections. InfoPath makes it easy to create groups/sections. Tabs are much trickier, as you have to use multiple views (time-consuming, especially when you need to achieve a certain look).

Container Permissions

Ultimate Forms allows you to assign permissions to whole containers/tabs/groups, making the contained column writable, read-only or completely hidden. The permissions can be applied based on the user (for example, depending on whether or not the user is a member of a certain group), column values (e.g. Status = Completed) and form type (New or Edit form). InfoPath can use rules to hide/disable specific columns only, not groups/sections. That will be very time-consuming when you have a lot of columns on your form.

Column Permission

Ultimate Forms can apply permissions to a specific column, overriding tab or container permissions. As with tab permissions, user, conditions and form type are used to determine the permission level. InfoPath can hide/disable columns based on conditions. User or form type do not come into play.

Data Structure

Let's talk about how the data is stored and what relationships between entities we can implement.

Storage

Ultimate Forms extends regular SharePoint lists, so data is stored in lists (or document libraries). InfoPath, when replacing forms, also stores data in the list. But in most cases the data will be stored as XML files in forms libraries. This is not a native SharePoint format, rendering many SharePoint feature incompatible.

Repeating Sections

Ultimate Forms allows you to link any item to multiple related items, found in other lists. These can be tasks, general purpose items or even documents. Each related item is a full SharePoint item, with its own version history, permissions and workflows and can be viewed and edited separately. You can even drill down into related items from any list view of the parent items. InfoPath only supports repeating section when working from a forms library. The repeating section are stored within the XML and do no map to SharePoint items. You must open the parent item to view the repeating sections and they do not exist separately. As such, they are not visible in views.

Related Items Summary

Ultimate Forms includes the ability to count or summarize related items automatically, without having to edit the parent item. You can even count/summarize just the items that pass a certain filter. InfoPath can count or summarize repeating section values inside the form, while you are editing it.

Column Types

Let's examine which column types are supported by each platform.

Support For Built-in Column Types

Ultimate Forms supports all column types. InfoPath does not support some column types, such as Managed Metadata.

Support For Custom Column Types

Ultimate Forms supports all custom column types, including from other vendors. InfoPath does not support custom column types.

Custom Column Types Provided

Ultimate Forms provides a set of additional column types, such as associated items, cascading lookups, electronic signatures, color choice, document link, voting, etc. InfoPath provides none.

Validations and Defaults

Default Values

Ultimate Forms allows you to specify distinct default values for different users/group. Additionally, you can pass default value though the URL. InfoPath allows you to specify a single set of default values.

Validation Rules

Ultimate Forms can validate column values based on regular expressions (such as email or phone number, but you can create your own), length and compared to other column values or expressions. The validation rules can be applied based on conditions and based on the current user. InfoPath can check basic patterns, based on conditions.

Validating Related Items

Ultimate Forms can validated based on related items, e.g. preventing a support ticket from being closed when there are still open tasks assigned to it. InfoPath does not supported this.

Actions

Let's see how business logic can be implemented.

Types of Actions

Ultimate Forms offers 24 different actions types, ranging from updating/creating/deleting list items in any list, managing permissions and creating lists/sites to managing Active Directory, calling web services and executing stored procedures in any database. InfoPath can only set field values of the current form.

Execution

Ultimate Forms can execute actions when item is added/update/deleted, on timer or manually, via buttons InfoPath executes actions when a field value changes.

Lookups

Cascading lookups are the most common requirements in any business solution. Being able to filter a list of cities based on a state is one example.

Cascading Lookups

Ultimate Forms supports unlimited number of levels of cascading lookup, including multiple parent values. InfoPath only provides support when working with forms libraries.

Adding New Values

Ultimate Forms allows you to add new values on the fly. InfoPath requires the values to be present when the form loads.

Filter Values

Ultimate Forms allows you to add additional filter to make selecting values easier and faster, especially when working with large number of values. InfoPath has no such capability.

Signatures

Being able to sign your data is an important part of many business processes.

Signature Type

Ultimate Forms uses an electronic signature, where the validation is performed against your Active Directory or using hand-written signatures. InfoPath allows you to sign using a digital signature.

Signature Providers

Ultimate Forms can use Active Directory, hand-written or declarative. InfoPath requires you to have a digital certificate (either issued internally by your organization or purchased from a provider).

Displayed In

Ultimate Forms allows you to view signatures in forms, views and even in print-outs, including PDFs. InfoPath's signatures are visible in forms only.

Printing

Despite our efforts to go paperless, printed copies are still inevitable, as well as read-only PDF versions.

Print Templates

Ultimate Forms allows you to create multiple custom print templates, for single items, lists and even calendars. Templates can be shared with other users and the most suitable template can even be selected automatically. InfoPath prints the screen as-is.

Export/Email

Ultimate Forms allows you to save the print out as PDF and/or email it to any recipients, both internal and external. InfoPath allows you only to print (unless opening the form in the client application).

UI Integration

Ultimate Forms allows you to print from forms, context menu and ribbon buttons, including the ability to print multiple items at once. InfoPath only has the ability to print from forms, one item at a time.

External Data

Being able to work with data found in external applications is essential in today's integrated business.

Data Sources

Ultimate Forms can work with any database type, REST APIs and a variety of 3rd party applications. InfoPath can only work with MS SQL and web services.

Filter External Data

Ultimate Forms can filter external data based on column values. InfoPath can filter external data based on column values.

Automatic Import/Export

Ultimate Forms can import and export from email, any database and web services. InfoPath does not have automatic import/export capability.

Color-coding

Color-coding allows you to identify data at a glance, without having to read.

Type

Ultimate Forms allows you to set background colors, font colors or use icons. InfoPath allows you to set background colors, font-colors, boldness and underlines.

Displayed In

Ultimate Forms color-codes forms, views, calendars and print-outs. InfoPath displays color-coding in forms only.

Item IDs

Assigning automatic item IDs in your own format is essential in many applications, such as support tickets, invoices, etc.

Templates

Ultimate Forms allows you to create multiple templates and select the most suitable one automatically. InfoPath does not support item IDs.

Format

Ultimate Forms uses a combination of text, column values, functions and numerators. InfoPath does not support item IDs.

Applied In

Ultimate Forms applies item IDs automatically in new and/or edit forms. InfoPath does not support item IDs. This concludes our feature-by-feature comparison. I will let you decide which platform works better for you, just keep in mind that I just covered some of the features of Ultimate Forms, those that map to the corresponding InfoPath features. There are tons of other features you can leverage:

Actions - although partially covered above, actions are an extremely powerful feature covered in a variety of past webinars.
Alerts - a replacement for the built-in alerts, we offer multiple internal and external recipients, timer-based notifications, conditions and custom email template.
Color-coded calendars - view data from multiple sources, such as lists, databases and Exchange calendars.
Charts and graphs - visualize your data with over 30 chart types and filter using charts.
Color-coded views - apply color-coding to any list view, without having to modify it using SharePoint Designer.
Indicators - add KPIs, progress bars and countdown to any form/view.
List search - find items in list, print and export to PDF/Excel/Word directly from the search results.
Voting - let users vote on items/documents and leave comments.
Much more...

For your convenience, here is the full comparison article:

Passing values to related forms from a parent form

Vladi Gubler — Friday, February 21, 2014

Introduction

Relationships between two or more SharePoint lists has always been a major core concept in Ultimate Forms. Using our special Associated Items column, it's easy to set up such relationships. The child items show up inside the parent item form. You can work with them within the parent, adding new ones, modifying and deleting existing ones. One of the most common requirements is the ability to pass column values from the parent item to the children. For example, when you create a new child item, you want it to include some of the parent item's values. It saves you the time and effort of having the retype the values.

Sample Implementation

Consider the following scenario: you are building a SharePoint-based quote generation system (similar to our Quote Generator solution). For this you are using 2 main lists:

Sales Quotes- where the main details of the quote go, such as customer name, bill to/ship to addresses, totals and so on
Quote Lines - this is where you enter the actual quote line. Each quote will have at least one quote line

Associated Items column makes it very easy to set something like this up, you can even add new invoice lines while your quote is still in its New form, without having to save it first, directly from within the form. Assume that your requirement is to enter the Currency type both in the quote itself and on each quote line. Doing so manually is time-consuming and prone to human errors. What you need is an ability to pass the value selected on the quote to the quote lines automatically. Thankfully, it's really easy to set up. Associated Items column will read the values of the parent item columns and pass them to the child New form automatically. Almost all column types are supported and there is nothing to configure, it happens automatically. Now all we need to do is to use these value to set the default value for the columns on the child form. Forms' Default value setting are here to help. Let me go over the process step-by-step, with some images to make it easier for you. When we open the main Sales Quote form we enter some data there: When you click on New entry, a pop-up window of the child form opens. The parent form will automatically pass all its column values to the parent in the format iwfv_<Internal column name>. For example, for the Currency column, it will most likely be iwfv_Currency. I said most likely, because the internal column name will not necessary be the same as the display name of the column. The display name might be renamed, contain unsupported character or simply be too long. SharePoint assigns simplified values to internal column names. These never change no matter what you rename your column to. Thankfully, it's easy to figure out what the internal name of the column is. Go to List Settings, then click on the column. The internal name of the column will appear in the address bar as the value of Field parameter. Now we can use these parameters in Forms to set default value rules. We have a choice of creating a general form for the child list. This form will be used whenever you add/edit items in the list. The other option is to add a data entry form specifically for the Associated Items column in the parent. This form will only be used when opening from within the parent form. It might make sense to do so when you need the form from the parent to be different from the general form. No matter how you created the form, the next step is the same. In Form Designer select the column you want to pass the value to, then click to add a new Rule in the Rules section on the right. Switch from Value to Parameter, then enter iwfv_<internal column name>. The internal column name must be taken from the parent list! Save the rule, publish the form and you are done. Now when you open the child form from the parent, the column values are going to be prefilled with the value you entered on the parent form!

Creating and managing users in Active Directory from SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Introduction

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms provides a quick and easy way of adding automation to SharePoint. And the most important part is that you are able to do it without being an accomplished workflow developer. The component allows you to create, modify and manage SharePoint items and documents. Additionally, you can connect to and interact with a variety of 3rd party applications. Our customers use this component for a wide variety of business solutions in SharePoint. It makes it easy to introduce business rules and automation without the steep learning curve of traditional workflow solutions. Today I would like to focus on one particular action type: Manage Active Directory. This action allows you to:

Create users in Entra ID / Active Directory
Update users in Entra ID / Active Directory
Enable/disable users
Reset passwords
Add/remove users to security groups and distribution lists
Create security groups and distributions lists
Delete security groups and distribution lists

Prerequisites

Ultimate Forms

If you still don't have Ultimate Forms in your environment, you can easily install a 30-day trial. All you need is to have SharePoint (either in Microsoft 365 or on premises). Make sure you possess sufficient permissions to install or ask someone to do it for you.

Permissions

If you are on Microsoft 365, the permissions request will appear as a pop-up window. You will see it when you first save your Manage Active Directory action. The pop-up will request a Graph API permission to manage Entra ID (formerly known as Azure Active Directory). Ensure you grant the permission, as otherwise the action will fail to execute. If you are on premises, your SharePoint application pool accounts needs additional permissions. Grant it management right on an organizational unit (OU) within your Active Directory. The permission will allow the application pool account to create and update users.

SharePoint List

A list in SharePoint we are going to use to create and update our users. I chose to use a standard Contacts list as it already contains most of the columns I need. I added the following columns only: Username and Password. But of course, you can use any list and just add columns to it.

Demos

Our example today will help use to accomplish two things:

Create a new user in AD when we add a new item to the SharePoint list.
Reset existing user's password when someone updates the list item with a new password.

We are going to be doing that by adding a set of actions for our SharePoint list. Start by clicking on Design button on our list's toolbar, then clicking on Actions.

Create User Action

Our first action is going to be Create User (type: Manage Active Directory). This action will automatically run on Item is added. In general, actions can run:

On various events (adding, updating or deleting items)
On timer (such as 2 days before Due Date)
Manually with a click of a button.

Under Action Settings select "Create User" as action type, enter your Active Directory connection information. In Microsoft 365, the information consists only of your domain (such as example.com). On premises, you need to enter directory type, name and OU path). Next map the list columns to the Active Directory user properties. Use the value picker by clicking on the input field to select columns rather than typing them in. Next save the action to add it to the system. Now every time you add an item to the list, the system will create a new user in Entra ID / Active Directory.

Clear Password

But wait, the password is clearly visible to anyone with access to the list, not much of a security system. But we can rectify this shortcoming with ease. And we accomplish that by adding another action. This additional action will clear the password field value as soon as we have used it. We'll be using Update list item type of action for that: Generally, actions run in the same order as they appear in the Actions section. But note that all actions in the same batch see the item exactly as it was before actions started running. As the result of this fact, the order makes no difference in this particular case.

Reset Password Action

And the last thing we want to implement is the ability to reset password. Add another Manage Active Directory action and set it to run on Item is modified. In the Action Settings select Reset Password action type and map the necessary fields: One more thing is needed here and that's a condition to only run this action when users actually enter the new password:

Testing It Out

Now let's test it! Enter user data into the list: Save and check your Active Directory. Presto! A new user has been added: Now edit the user in the SharePoint list and enter a new password. The action will execute and update the user with a new password.

Conclusion

In summary, we covered just a fraction of what the Actions component is capable of. We designed it specifically for non-technical users who still want to maximize their SharePoint investment!

Automate business processes with $Extract function

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Introduction

Infowise Ultimate Forms is a complete platform for no-code business solutions in SharePoint. Our customers use it to implement a wide variety of internal and external processes. We, here at Infowise, use Ultimate Forms extensively to implement our own internal solutions as well. One of the most widely used solutions is our internal Help Desk. In this blog article I would like to expand the topic first covered in this blog post. There I was explaining in details how you can create Help Desk applications by integrating your SharePoint's lists with emails. You saw how easy it is not only to receive new service requests via email, but also how to configure email-based approval processes.

Functions

You will find Value Pickers throughout the many components of Ultimate Forms. You use them when you need to assign or compare a dynamic value. Dynamic values are useful when the actual value can only be known at execution time. For example, [First name] [Last name] is a dynamic value made up of contact's first and last name. This value will be different for each contact. Dynamic values contain text, column values (as illustrated above), simple arithmetic and functions. We offer a wide selection of different functions. For example, $Year() function will return the year part of date, such as $Year([Created]). Value Picker makes it easy to use functions and columns. When a Value Picker is in use, it expands to reveal the available columns and functions.

$Extract Function

One of the most useful functions, especially when dealing with email import, is $Extract. As its names implies,$Extract function allows you to extract parts of a longer text according to patterns that you define. For instance, you want to email an update a service request, implemented as a SharePoint list item. You would want to pass the unique identifier to the system. This unique identifier specifies which service request you want to update. The item ID is the usual candidate for this identifier. In our internal CRM system, we pass the ticket ID in the subject line of every outgoing email. The format is: "some subject IWID:100", where the ID is 100. This way, when the customers reply and we import that reply, the system knows which ticket it needs to update.

Using $Extract

$Extract function accepts 2 parameters:

Value - can be text, column name, another function or a combination of them. This is the incoming value you want to extract from.
Pattern - instructs the system how to extract the value. Generally in the format Prefix^Suffix, where ^ is the value you want.

For example $Extract([Subject]|?IWID:^) will extract the ID number from "some subject IWID:100". You might notice that we preceded the prefix with a question mark. It means that we a looking for it at any position within the text. Without the question mark, it would expect the text to start with IWID:. Also, we omitted the suffix, which means we are going to get everything up to the next space, line break or comma. To include all the text up to the line break only, specify \r as the suffix. In our internal CRM system we use $Extract functions for any purposes:

Update the correct ticket the additional details coming from subsequent email. We use $Extract to get the ticket ID from the subject line. $Extract([Subject]|?IWID:^)
Categorize tickets. By including IW:Sales or IW:Support tags in the body of the email and CC'ing our CRM system, we instruct it to properly tag the new ticket. $Extract([Body]|?IW:^)
Close tickets. By including IWID:Close tag anywhere within our reply, we instruct the system to mark the ticket as closed.

Additional Usage Ideas

$Extract function is a great tool for a variety of uses. You can use it whenever you need to convert unstructured data to structured (such as First Name column value). An example of unstructured data could be the free text in the body of an email or any other free text column. For example, you are receiving emails in semi-structured format. Those could be for example web form submission details. It could be something that looks similar to this: First Name: John
Last Name: Doe You can use $Extract to use parts as input for SharePoint columns. $Extract([Body]|First Name: ^) will produce John. Once your data becomes structured, you can now use it with great ease in any of your business processes. By parsing email data, you are providing input for your structured processes.

Available Throughout Ultimate Forms

You might notice that the Value Picker and, as the result, $Extract function are available not only in email. In fact, currently 8 components make use of this module:

Forms - used in conditions for permission and validation rules.
Actions - used in conditions for actions, Create/Update actions for setting values and as parameters for various action types.
Import - used in conditions and in Create/Update/Sync actions for setting values.
Print - used in conditions for selecting default print templates.
Item ID - used in conditions for selecting ID template.
Alerts - used in conditions for alerts.
Associated Items - used in Associated Items Summary field in conditions.
Color Choice - used in Indicator column for specifying values.

You can see now how powerful this single function can be. Which provides you with a great tool for making your business systems even more intelligent.

New types of functions in Value Picker

Vladi Gubler — Monday, August 12, 2013

NOTE: to learn more about the Value Picker and its many function, please read the documentation.

Introduction

Ultimate Forms is a complete platform for no-code business solution development and automation for the Microsoft SharePoint environment. It comes in two versions, for Microsoft 365 and on premises. It contains all the necessary components to enter information, automate processes and visualize the output to facilitate business decisions. Many components of Ultimate Forms allow you to configure conditions to select items or define new values for SharePoint list columns. In these cases you use the Value Picker to enter the values. These values can contain text, existing column values, arithmetic operations and special functions. For example, when you use an Update list item action, you both select an item[s] to update and set the new column values. You will find Value Pickers in Form Designer, Actions, Alerts and many other components. Value Pickers look just like ordinary data entry controls. But once you click on one of them, it will expand to show the full picker. You can then type in your values and also select from the list of columns on the left and from the list of functions on the right. The picker automatically validates the entered value. The validation ensures that there are no grammatical errors and that the returned value is of the correct type. For instance, when entering a condition for a date/time column, the value must return a valid date/time. A relevant error message will display if what you've entered is somehow incorrect. As mentioned, your value consists of simple text, column value (on the left side) and functions (on the right). Several types of functions are color-coded for convenience. Value Picker offers a selection of powerful functions. For example, [Me] returns the current user, whereas $Year([date column]) returns the year part of the date value. Moreover, you can even use simple arithmetic, such as [Amount]+100. You can combine text, columns and functions. You can also nest columns within functions and functions within functions.

Functions in the Spotlight

In this article I would like to focus on some of the most widely used functions. Our customers from around the globe successfully use this functions on a daily basis. You can find them in their forms, actions, alerts or import profiles. $Year(DateTime) Returns the year (number) from a date column value. For example, $Year([Created]) - returns the year an item was created. Value Picker will show an error if you try to pass a column that is not a date. $Month(DateTime) Similarly, returns the month (number) from a date column value. $Day(DateTime) Returns the day (number) from a date column value. $Weekday(DateTime) Returns the weekday (text) from a date column value. For example, it will return Saturday, if the language of your SharePoint site is English. $Hour(DateTime) Returns the hour (number) from a date column value. The value will be in 24-hour format. $Minute(DateTime) Returns the minute (number) from a date column value. $WeekNumber(DateTime) Returns the number of the week in the year (1-52). The numbering starts according to the regional settings of the site. [Today] Returns today's date [Current User] or [Me] Returns current user for assignment or conditions, e.g. Where Created by Equals [Me]. $Lookup(LookupField|DisplayField) Returns the value of a column from a list used in a lookup column in the current list. Consider the following: Leave Requests list uses a column Department, which is a lookup to Departments list and shows the values from its Title column. The Departments list also contains an another column, Abbr, which is used to store abbreviated names of the departments (such as SL for Sales or MK for Marketing). $Lookup([Department]|[Abbr]) will return the abbreviated name of the currently selected department. For instance, you can use it for generating IDs or referencing manager names. $Extract(Text|Pattern) Extracts a portion of text according to a pattern. Your pattern can provide the required prefix and suffix surrounding the text you are looking for. For example, your Body column contains the contact name after the word "Contact:". $Extract([Body]|?Contact:^\r) will return the text from the word Contact: until the end of the line from anywhere within the column.

? - indicate that the prefix can be found anywhere within the text. When ? is not included, the prefix must be at the beginning of the text
Prefix - optional, any text immediately preceding the extracted value
^ - value to extract
Suffix - optional, any text immediately following the extracted value. When omitted, spaces, commas, periods and line breaks are considered the suffix. \r is the special character indicating that the suffix must be the line break (spaces, commas and periods are included in the extracted value).

For example, if your text is "First name: John", the pattern First name: ^ will return the word John. A possibly better pattern to use would be ?name: ^. The latter will work equally well in case of "Last name: Smith". [List Title] Returns the name of the current list [Site Title] Returns the name of the current site [List URL] Returns URL of the current list [Site URL] Returns URL of the current site $Left(String|Length) Returns the specified number of character from the beginning of a literal or column value. You can include column names for both arguments or even use functions within functions. $Right(String|Length) Returns the specified number of character from the end of a literal or column value. You can include column names for both arguments or even use functions within functions. $Substring(String|Start|Length) Returns the specified number of character starting from the a specific position within a literal or column value. You can include column names for all three arguments or even use functions within functions. $Contains(String|String) Returns whether or not (yes/no) the second argument value is found anywhere within the first argument value. You can include column names for both arguments or even use functions within functions. $Find(String|String) Returns the position (number) of the second value within the first value. If the value is not found, -1 is returned. You can include column names for all three arguments or even use functions within functions. $GetValue(URL|ListName|ItemID|FieldName) Returns a field value from an arbitrary list

URL - optional, URL of the site. When omitted, current site is assumed, you must still include the pipe | character. In principal, you can provide URL of any site, assuming the user will have the necessary permissions to access it. Column values and functions are also permitted.
ListName - name of the list to query. Column values and functions are permitted.
ItemID - ID of the item to retrieve. Column values and functions returning a number are permitted.
FieldName - name of the column to get the value from. Column values and functions are permitted.

$Text(DateTime/Number|Format) Convert datetime or number value to string according to the specified format string. The format strings are according to Microsoft .NET specifications, e.g. given a date column value, dd-MM-yyyy could return 01-01-2013 $AddDate(DateTime|Amount|Unit) Add/subtract value to a datetime value, e.g. $AddDate([Created]|10|day) will return the date 10 days after the Created date of the item. $If(Boolean|Expression|Expression) Returns either expression A or expression B result depending on the value of the Boolean argument. All 3 parameters can be literal, column values or functions. For the Boolean parameter you can even use comparison, such as [Amount]>10 or [Approval]!=Approved.

Conclusion

Value Picker is a powerful tool heavily used in all components of Ultimate Forms. It provides flexibility to your forms and automation, while ensure correct syntax and output type. By leveraging its functions you can greatly enhance the business solutions you build in your SharePoint.

Synchronizing DB tables with SharePoint lists

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, July 25, 2013

Synchronizing database tables with SharePoint lists

Introduction

Today's world is all about integration of information. We want to enable free data flow between the different applications we use in our organization. And we expect the tool we choose to use to enable this integration in a way that is easy, fast and simple. Ultimate Forms is a complete platform for creating business solutions in SharePoint and beyond. And as such it provides multiple integration features and capabilities. It works the same both in SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises. One of the most common requirement is the ability to synchronize data from external database SharePoint lists. And Ultimate Forms is the perfect tool for this particular task. Using Ultimate Forms it's easy to establish two way synchronization process between a database table and a SharePoint list. It requires no developer knowledge and no specialized connectors.

Scope of Implementation

In this article I am about to show you how to accomplish synchronization between SharePoint and database table. We support multiple types of database servers. The most common would be Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle and MySQL. We are going to achieve the following functionality:

Database and SharePoint column mapping according to our own logic (even when the column names do not match)
New items are automatically created in the list when they are added to the DB table
Existing items are updated in the list when they are updated in the DB table
BONUS! Two-way synchronization between SharePoint and SQL database.

The Import component of Ultimate Forms will handle importing new and existing items from the database to the list. This versatile component is capable of importing from a variety of external data sources:

Emails, including Exchange, Exchange Online, Gmail, POP3
Database tables
SMS messages
REST APIs
Web services
Excel files
Comma, semicolon and tab-delimited files

For sending updates back from the list to the database, we'll be using Actions, our most versatile component. It has the ability to run stored procedure in any database with parameters coming from a SharePoint list item.

Prerequisites

To successfully synchronize a database table, it has to contain the following columns (the column names do not matter):

Unique identifier - any text/number field that is unique across all items in the list.
Created Date - date/time column containing the creation date of the item. This column value must remain constant for the lifetime of the item.
Modified Date - date/time column containing the last modification date of the item. When you first create an item, its Created and Modified dates should be the same.

In the SharePoint list, you would need to store the database unique identifier in any suitable column. I strongly recommend that you index the column to improve performance. You would also need to create suitable columns to contain database column values without losing the data types. You can always import any database column into a SharePoint text column.

One way synchronization

The following steps will create an import profile for the SharePoint list. The profile will automate the process of synchronizing database items to the SharePoint list.

Navigate to the list in your browser.
Click on the Design button on the list toolbar.
Click on Import settings, then click on Add new profile.
Give an easily identifiable name to your new profile.
Specify the polling schedule, the import can be as frequent as every 15 minutes.
Switch to the Data provider tab.
Change the provider type to Database.
Select the suitable database type.
Enter a valid connection string, according to the database type and authentication mechanism
Choose authentication type:
- Connection string - username/password are provided in the connection string.
- Service account - SharePoint Timer service account credentials are used.
- This account - enter username and password to be use for authentication. Username and password are going to be encrypted and stored within the profile. This setting is only available on premises.
Click on Connect to display a list of available tables/views.
Select the relevant table or view.
Select update date column, it should be the Modified date in your database table.
You do not need to fill out File content and File name columns.
You can now create your import action. For our purposes the best type would be Sync action. It combines the functionality of Create and Update actions. It uses the unique ID to match an item in the SharePoint list. If the action cannot find one, it creates a new one, otherwise, it updates the existing item.
Select Sync list item action type.
Enter an action name.
Map values to the SharePoint columns. You can use text, database column names and functions. Use the value picker to generate valid expressions.
Under Item section, enter a condition to compare unique ID value in both the SharePoint list and the database.
Save the action.
Click Save to save the profile.

We've now established a one-way synchronization from the database to SharePoint. If your solution requires two way synchronization, continue reading.

Two way synchronization

The Actions component is capable of running a stored procedure from the SharePoint list. It passes the data from the SharePoint list item as parameters for the stored procedure. You would need a stored procedure in your database that updates an item with the values it receives as parameters. Next, you need to create an Action to run this stored procedure whenever a list item update occurs.

If you are still inside Ultimate Forms, click on Actions in the left-side menu.
Otherwise, navigate to the list, click on Design and then on Actions.
Click on Add new action
Select Run DB stored procedure as your action type.
Ensure that the only selected item under the When to execute section is Item is modified.
Switch to Action tab.
Select the suitable database type.
Enter the connection string.
Click Connect.
Select the stored procedure.
Map the procedure parameters to the column values and/or expressions. Make sure that your stored procedure accept the unique identifier as one of the parameters and uses that parameter to select a single item to be updated.
Save the action.

That's it, your two-way synchronization with an external database table is now established. The synchronization interval depends on the polling schedule settings of the Import profile. Wait for the import profile to fill the list with the database items. Then start updating the items and see the changed reflected in both the database and in the list.

Summary

In this article I explained in simple steps how to establish SharePoint-database synchronization. Once established, the process requires no additional intervention and will run automatically in the background.

Deep Dive - asynchronous vs synchronous actions in Smart Action Pro

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, July 11, 2013

Introduction

The Actions component of Ultimate Forms eases the pains of SharePoint automation. Designed with non-developers in mind, it's easier and faster to work with compared to traditional workflows. Ultimate Forms works equally well in both SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises. Both versions even have the identical user interface. This makes it easier to transfer your knowledge and experience. With a wide selection of configurable action types, Actions can accomplish most common requirements both inside and outside SharePoint. And with our simple approach, you don't have to understand workflows and flowcharts. You configure and deploy each action individually without any dependencies. You implement automation using actions by performing the following steps:

Select the SharePoint site and SharePoint list or document library
Select the action type
Select trigger[s]
Configure action-specific settings. For example, with Update list item action, you specify which item to update and what columns to update.
Optionally add conditions. You might only want to run the action when certain conditions apply.

One helpful setting here is "after change" conditions. The "after change" setting allows you to only run the action when a particular change takes place. For example, Status after change equals Completed will only run when the current update changed the Status column value to Completed.

Action Triggers

Actions triggers is what causes actions to start executing. Ultimate Forms offers a comprehensive selection of trigger types. This makes triggering actions simple, adjustable and suitable for every need. Ultimate Forms offers 4 different types of action triggers:

List events: a user adds, modifies, deletes, checks in/out or moves SharePoint list items. You can also detects when a user adds or deletes list item attachments.
Timer: based on any date column within the item (e.g. "2 days before Due Date") or daily/weekly/monthly at a predefined hour.
Manual: by clicking on the execution button in toolbars or directly inside a list form. The Run Actions button on toolbars will list all actions marked as Manual. Users can trigger the actions directly from there and track their progress. You can also place a button on your modern SharePoint form of the type Trigger action.
Form events: a form can trigger actions on different events, for example when the form opens. This is especially useful in some logging scenarios.
Action group: a special action type Action Group triggers the actions it contains. You can use action groups to trigger multiple actions with the same button click. Another unique capability of action groups is repeated execution according to range of values. For example, executing for each date between two dates.

You can mix and match all available trigger types. The same action can run under different triggers if needed.

Current Item

Actions have a concept of "current item". This is the item which originally triggered the action. For example, if the action runs on Item is added, this is the item you just added. When you add conditions to the actions, the properties of the current actions are the ones you refer to in your conditions. In some action types, for example, Update list item, the current item must not be the target of the update. You can choose any item or items in any list in any site. It can even apply to items in a completely different site collection. However, you still use the values from the current item on the right-hand side when settings values for columns or using conditions. Timer trigger allow you to run your action action that execute on a particular interval. For example, it can run every day at a particular hour. As such, there is no current item by default. You can provide at least one "static" condition for the action to select its current items. A static condition is one that does not reference any column values on the right. It allows the system to apply the condition without a current item. For example, Status = Completed is a static condition, because the value on the right (Completed) is just text. The action will execute the static conditions first. That will produce the list of one or more items. The action will then execute on each, receiving it as its current item. If you provide no static conditions, the action will just use the first item from the list as the Current Item.

Asynchronous and Synchronous Actions

If you switch to the Advanced Settings tab of the action, you will notice that you can set an action to run synchronously. This setting only matters for list event-based actions, it does not change anything for other trigger types. The default setting is for the action to run asynchronously. To understand what this setting means, let's explore how SharePoint updates work. When you add/edit your list item and click on Save, there are two events being triggered:

Before the actual database update
After the actual database update.

The Before event happens before SharePoint writes the changes back to the database. Because of this fact, you still have the ability to cancel the update at this stage. The After event happens after the update, so there is no way of reverting the change at this point.

Asynchronous Actions

Asynchronous actions continue their execution in the background even after the form closes. No visual indication exists for the user that the action is still running. Asynchronous actions are great for any long running operations. For example, updating multiple items, creating sites or calling web services. Generally, unless specifically required, all your actions should be asynchronous. Bear in mind though, that asynchronous action might still need to update the current item when done. One common need is to update the current item for logging purposes. Or it might be of the type Update list item and set to modify the current item. Therefore the action will perform a secondary update on the list item. This second update might trigger additional actions on the list. Our system will ensure secondary updates don't trigger more actions on the same items, to prevent an infinite loop.

Synchronous Actions

Synchronous actions in SharePoint run differently. They will actually execute before the database update. Without using Actions, the only way to implement synchronous execution in SharePoint is by the means of custom code. Don't plan any long-running action to execute synchronously, it's not a good idea. If the action takes a long time, the form would appear to remain stuck. Two main reasons to use synchronous actions are:

No secondary update - you might have a requirement not to update the item the second time. For example, you might not want there to be another entry in the version history. Synchronous actions inject their changes to the update already in progress. This way it all appears as a single update and create a single entry in the version history.
Cancel update - in some cases you might want to cancel the update in progress and display an error to the user. For example, in resource booking scenarios, you need to prevent double-booking. You use an action to check if there are existing reservations for the same resource. If the action finds existing bookings for the same resource and time period, it raises an error on the form.

To learn more about double-booking scenarios install our Room Reservation solution that implements this approach.

Final Thoughts

So as you see, there are multiple different options for action triggering. That give you precise control over how and when to run your actions. Combined with the overall simplicity, Actions are great tool for any novice and experienced SharePoint developer.

Integrating SharePoint with external database application

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, April 25, 2013

Introduction:

Integrating SharePoint with external databases and applications can streamline data management and automate business processes. By leveraging SharePoint’s capabilities for linking, exporting, and importing data, it becomes possible to synchronize information between different systems without complex custom development.

This post demonstrates how to seamlessly connect SharePoint with an external database using Ultimate Forms: External Data Lookup, Ultimate Forms: Actions, and Ultimate Forms: Import.

Key Capabilities Demonstrated:

Link an external item to SharePoint – Selecting a customer from an external database table and entering sales data for that customer in a SharePoint list.
Exporting data to external DB item – Updating the SQL table with the amount of the last sale.
Importing data back into SharePoint – Changes made to the SQL table are imported into a log list located in SharePoint.

For this demonstration, we will use a SharePoint site with two custom lists: Sales and Imported Sales. Additionally, an external MS SQL database table called Clients will store customer details with the following fields:

ClientID (int)
Client Name (nvarchar)
Phone (nvarchar)
Email (nvarchar)
LastSale (currency)
LastUpdate (datetime)

Linking External Items:

To integrate SharePoint with an external data source, we will use Ultimate Forms: External Data Lookup. This feature functions similarly to a standard lookup column but connects to external sources such as MS SQL, Oracle, MySQL, or web services.

We will add an External Data Lookup column to our Sales list, along with an Amount column (currency type). The settings for the External Data Lookup field include:

Defining the connection string to the external database.
Selecting the appropriate table and column.
Configuring automatic mapping of database columns to SharePoint fields.

Once configured, users can select a client from the external database when registering a new sale in SharePoint. This ensures data consistency across systems.

Exporting Data to an External Database:

When a new sale is recorded in SharePoint, we need to update the corresponding client record in the SQL database with the latest sale amount. This is achieved using Ultimate Forms: Actions, which enables executing SQL stored procedures directly from SharePoint.

A stored procedure is triggered automatically when a new sale is recorded. The procedure updates the LastSale and LastUpdate columns:

Update Clients SET LastSale=@LastSale, LastUpdate=GETDATE() WHERE ClientID=@ClientID

Our sale amount is now registered in the SQL table.

This ensures that the external database remains synchronized with sales recorded in SharePoint.

Additional benefits of Ultimate Forms: Actions include:

The ability to trigger updates based on multiple conditions.
Sending confirmation emails after each successful database update.
Logging all executed actions for auditing purposes.

Importing Data into SharePoint:

The next step is to import updated client records from the SQL database back into the Imported Sales list in SharePoint. This is done using Ultimate Forms: Import, a tool that allows importing data from external databases, emails, and web services into SharePoint lists or document libraries.

To automate the import process:

We create an import profile in Ultimate Forms: Import.
The profile runs every 15 minutes to retrieve the latest changes from the Clients table.
The LastUpdate column in the SQL table is used to identify updated records.
New or modified records are added to the Imported Sales list in SharePoint.

Best Practices for SharePoint-Database Integration:

To maximize the efficiency and reliability of SharePoint database integrations, consider these best practices:

Optimize Queries – When configuring External Data Lookup, avoid retrieving unnecessary columns to improve performance.
Implement Security Controls – Ensure that only authorized users have access to update or modify external data sources.
Monitor Performance – Regularly review execution logs and optimize scheduled tasks.
Use Conditional Logic – Implement business rules that determine when and how data should be exported or imported.
Regularly Backup Data – Schedule backups for both SharePoint and the external database to prevent data loss.

Conclusion:

With Ultimate Forms, integrating SharePoint with external databases is simple and requires no custom development. We have successfully:

Linked SharePoint to an external SQL database.
Automatically exported sales data from SharePoint to an external system.
Imported updated data back into SharePoint, ensuring real-time synchronization.

By leveraging Ultimate Forms: External Data Lookup, Ultimate Forms: Actions, and Ultimate Forms: Import, organizations can enhance their SharePoint functionality and streamline data integration processes.

For more details, check out the Ultimate Forms documentation and see how you can improve your SharePoint environment today!

In depth - calculate summary of related items

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Introduction

Associated Items column is a great help when you want to use your SharePoint as an application development platform. Simply put: it makes SharePoint relational. You can create related items, tasks or documents directly from the parent item, which can then be viewed, monitored or updated from any Display or Edit form of the parent item and any list view of the parent item's list. You can easily manage tasks related to your project, add repeating sections to your forms or upload and assign documents to your RFPs.

How to link lists

You can manage your related items in two ways:

Simply create a lookup column in the child list, pointing to the parent list. It will filled out automatically and used to manage the relationship.
Use one of the provided Associated content types. By using a set of hidden relationship columns, the connection is created and maintained in a completely transparent fashion. The advantages of this method include the ability to create multiple different Associated Items columns in the same list (think separate corrective and preventive actions) and also the ability to create related items for a parent item that is still in the middle of its creation process (such as add line items to an invoice that hasn't been saved yet).

Associated items can be presented in a variety of ways, including read-only and editable grids, repeating subforms and even as charts. You can also use validation rules on the parent form to ensure child items are entered before the parent can be saved.

Summary columns

Associated Items Summary column works together with the Associated Items column to calculated summaries based on the related items:

Count the number on related items (e.g. how many lines are in the current invoice or how many tasks belong to the current project)
Calculate sum, average or even standard deviation of any number/currency column in the related items (such as, invoice total or average support ticket handling time per client).
Concatenate text values into one, separated by commas.

The value is calculated automatically, updated each time related items are added, modified or deleted and is stored within the parent item itself. Example of settings: You can even calculated summary of only specific child items using filters, such as the number of open tasks (count tasks where Status does not equal Completed). And using Forms validation rules, you can use these values in input validations, such as prevent a project from being closed when there are still open tasks. Summaries are calculated both on the form in real time and behind the scenes. So if you add, update or delete any child items outside of the parent form, the update will still happen and the parent form will be modified behind the scenes in (almost) real time.

Summary

Relationships are everywhere and it just makes sense that your SharePoint forms know how to create and manage relationships. Automatic calculations of summaries and total is a great feature, which has uncountable real world applications.

Create many-to-many relationships between lists

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, February 14, 2013

Introduction

Relationships between entities are the basis of any information system. Your customers relate to your products and your projects relate to your tasks. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to set up and use relationships between lists in SharePoint. Especially when you try to implement more advanced types of relationships, such as many-to-many relationships. But in reality, it can be quite easy, once you have the right tools. Associated Items column helps you do just that. It can easily set up and navigate relationships between multiple different SharePoint lists. This will turn your SharePoint into a real application platform. You will be able to view and manage parent-child list relationships. This generates a SharePoint list hierarchy normally missing in the product. You normally create relationships between lists in the same SharePoint site. You can also create them between two different sites in the same site collection.

Let's see how we do it

In this example, we will create a many-to-many relationship between our customers and products through support calls. Both customers and products can have many support calls. Using the Associated Items column makes it easy to create, view, and navigate support calls. You can do this directly from products or customers lists. Associated Items column creates and maintains the relationship. First it automatically adds and maintains a unique identifier of the parent item within the child items. When you open the parent item in a display or edit form, the column will scan the child list. The column will look for items corresponding to the unique ID of the parent item. The parent form will then display the child items in a tabular format. In most cases, you will use simple one-to-many relationships. An example for that would be line items in an invoice or tasks associated with a project. A many-to-many relationship expand upon that, by linking two items via a 3rd list of items. That is exactly what we are planning to demonstrate here today.

Creating SharePoint lists

We will need to set up 3 lists (each can be of any type, the types below are just what we used):

Customers - a regular SharePoint contacts list
Products - a regular SharePoint custom list
Support Calls - a regular SharePoint custom list

In Support Calls add two lookup columns, one for products and another for customer, make both required. These lookup columns will establish the relationship between the lists. The Associated Items column will then display child items based on this relationship directly in forms and list views. We also created two more views. One view called Customer Lookup includes Title and Product columns. The other is Product Lookup, which has Title and Customer columns. We will use these view for the Associated Items columns we are about to set up. Associated Items columns will use the views we create here. They will control which columns show in the parent item. You can always modify the views to change the representation. You can also allow the column to display a list selector and allow the user to choose the view when interacting with the forms. If your view contains filters and sorting, the column will respect them as well. When working with large lists, you can also enable paging. That will make your form load faster.

Creating associations

In Customers, add Associated Items column, pointing to Support Calls list. You only need to set up the view (Customer Lookup as explained above) and the option to add new items in the Display form. This way, we can add new support calls directly from the customer’s display form. You do not need to place the parent item in edit mode first. Do the same for Products list, but select Product Lookup view instead.

Seeing the results

At this point you have completed the setup. Open a product in the display form and add some support calls that point to specific customers. You will see the product lookup field in the entry form. You do not need to select the product name again. The system will fill it in automatically, so there no need to handle it. You can also add support calls from the Customers list, in the same fashion. After you finish adding support calls, you can see them in both the Products and Customers lists. This provides you with a great way to explore the details. Note here both Wooden frame and Hinge products have their support calls sub-view expanded by user.

Setting up multiple cascading lookup levels

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, February 7, 2013

Introduction

Lookups are one of the most commonly use column type in SharePoint. Users across the globe take advantage of these columns on a daily basis. A lookup column displays a dropdown selection of item[s] from a different SharePoint list. Usually you would use a list from the current site. But it is also possible to perform cross-site lookups, by using site columns. Despite their common usage, regular SharePoint lookup columns are quite limited. In some cases, as with large lists of over 2000 list items, they are completely useless.

Enter Connected Lookup

Connected Lookup column is a component of Ultimate Forms. It expands the features of the regular lookup column and adds the following valuable additions:

Parent/child filtering - for example, by selecting a state, you pick only from the cities of that state.
Filter/sort by view - only allow to pick relevant items. For instance, filter out archived/discontinued items automatically.
Add new items - add new items directly from the form, without having to switch to the lookup list and lose your data.
Easy way of implementing cross-site lookups - no need to use site columns, simply select the site and then list.
Auto-complete mode - users enter a few characters and only values containing these characters appear. This is a life saver when you have to work with large lists.

Connected Lookup works by filtering the dropdown items by one or more parent values. Parent values have to come from another column in the same list. We support both lookup and choice columns as parents. Note the the lookup list itself must contain a similar lookup/choice column. Each items in the list has to have a value in that column. When the user selects a parent value (or values), it triggers the Connected Lookup column. The column will then query the lookup list for all the items matching the selected parent[s]. We support both single and multiple relationship types. We designed the column to have the easiest possible setup with the widest variety of features. As long as you remember to add the column in the lookup list, the settings will offer you that column automatically.

Multiple Levels

In this blog entry I'm going to show you how easy it is to set multiple levels of cascading lookups. In our example, we will set up list of sales. We will then assign each sales figure to country, state and city. Selecting a country filters the available states and selecting a state filters the available cities. First, let's create our Countries, States and Cities lists. For all lists we are going to be using the versatile Custom list type.

Countries

Simply create a new custom list, no need to add any columns. The built-in Title column is all we need.

States

Create a new list, then add a lookup column pointing to Countries. You can use the built-in lookup column or our Connected Lookup for the additional functionality. Consider this: you are adding a new state. But then you realize you forgot to enter the relevant country. Now you can do it directly, without having to switch lists. Make sure Filter according to parent lookup checkbox is unchecked, as this is a stand-alone lookup.

Cities

Create a regular custom list. Add regular lookup or Connected Lookup (without Filter according to parent lookup) pointing to Countries. Then add Connected Lookup pointing to States list. Leave Filter according to parent lookup checked, the field should pre-select Country as the parent field.

Sales

Create a regular SharePoint list. Add regular lookup or Connected Lookup (without Filter according to parent lookup) pointing to Countries. Next add Connected Lookup pointing to States list. Leave Filter according to parent lookup checked, the field should pre-select Country as the parent field. Next add Connected Lookup pointing to Cities list. Leave Filter according to parent lookup checked, switch the parent field to be State. Finally, add a currency field for sales amount. That's it, add some data to your lists. Now when you create a new sales entry, you can see the cascading functionality in action! Need to perform lookups across site collection boundaries? Read this blog to learn how you can accomplish that.

Create a process with dynamic approvers using Ultimate Forms

Ethan Bach — Thursday, February 7, 2013

What is Ultimate Forms?

Ultimate Forms is a no-code/low-code solution designed to enhance SharePoint's capabilities by allowing users to create dynamic business processes, forms, and workflows without requiring programming knowledge. It provides a comprehensive set of tools, including custom forms, automation, notifications, permissions control, and integration with external data sources. Organizations use Ultimate Forms to streamline operations such as document approvals, HR processes, project tracking, and purchase requests, making SharePoint more powerful and user-friendly. One of the key features of Ultimate Forms is its approval workflows, which can be configured for static or dynamic approvals depending on business requirements.

Introduction to Dynamic Approvals:

Ultimate Forms supports two types of approval processes: static approvals and dynamic approvals.

• Static approvals involve predefined approvers at each stage. A good example for that is our Vehicle Reservation System which has three stages – User Request, Manager Approval and Vehicle Supervisor. Although the user could be anyone, the Manager and the Vehicle Supervisor are strict and do not change according to the user who places the request.

• Dynamic approvers adapt based on conditions. Good example for that is our HR Recruitment Process System which has five stages, each stage can have a different approver according to the association of the candidate. For example, if the HR recruiter associated the candidate to the Customer Service department then the approver should be the customer service manager, but if the HR recruiter associated the candidate to a different department, than the approver should be the person who runs that department and so on.

Using dynamic approvals ensures that the right person always reviews and approves requests based on real-time business logic, reducing delays and miscommunication. This guide demonstrates how to configure dynamic approvals in a Purchase Request System using Ultimate Forms.

Setting Up Lists and Columns:

The system requires three SharePoint lists:

Purchase Requests – Stores user-submitted requests and approvals.
Approval Tasks – Holds approval tasks for each request.
Departments – Maps each department to its designated approvers.

Step 1: Create Required Lists:

Follow the original setup guide to establish the Purchase Requests list.
Create the Departments list from a custom list template.

Step 2: Configure the Departments List:

Rename the Title column to Department Name.
Add a new column:

- Name: Purchase Request Approvers
- Type: Person or Group (allow multiple selections if needed).

3. Populate the list with department names and their corresponding approvers.

This configuration ensures that every department has a designated approver(s), allowing for automatic routing of requests.

Step 3: Link Departments to Purchase Requests:

In the Purchase Requests list:

- Add a Lookup column named Department, linking to the Department Name column in the Departments list.
- Set the column as required.

2. Open Tabs and Tab Permissions in Form Designer.

3. Modify the Request Tab:

- Add the Department column.
- Set column order to 3.
- Click Save -> Publish.

This step ensures that when users submit a request, they must select a department, which determines the approver dynamically.

Configuring Approval Permissions:

In the Purchase Requests list:

- Navigate to Tabs and Tab Permissions in form designer.
- Select the Approval tab.

2. Add the Write rule in Permission Rules:

- Set For users/groups: in Column.
- In the dropdown, select Department.
- On the Dropdown underneath, choose Purchase Request Approvers.
- Click edit and display on the Apply in forms

3. Click Save.

Now, only the assigned approver(s) can edit and approve the purchase request, ensuring the correct approval workflow.

Automating Approval Notifications:

Navigate to Actions Settings in the Purchase Requests list.
Create a new action:

- Type: Send Email
- Name: Send Email to Approver
- Uncheck the item modified checkbox.

3. Open the Advanced Settings tab:

- Check "repeatable" and "log results"

4. Open the Action Setting tab:

- On the To: field click on the right dropdown (and not the left people picker) and choose Department.
- On the dropdown underneath, choose Purchase Request Approvers.
- Subject: "Purchase Request System - You have a new request to approve."
- Body: add the following HTML text:

<div style="font-size:12px;font-family:Arial;" > Hello, <br /><br /> There is a new purchase request wating for your approval. <br /> <br /> <b>To review this purchase request please press <a href="[Site URL]/Lists/[List Title]/EditForm.aspx?ID=[ID]&Source=[List URL]&iwtabID=1"> here</a> </b> </div>

5. Navigate to the Conditions tab.

Add two conditions using the AND operator:
- Requested Item → Not Equals → Leave Empty
- Department → Not Equals → Leave Empty
Click Save

These conditions ensure that notifications are only sent when a request is valid and a department has been assigned.

Now the system should be up and running.

Testing the Dynamic Approval System:

Log-in as a Requester user and submit a new Purchase Request.
Create a new request by adding a new item to the Purchase Requests list.
Fill out all the columns and click save
Check the Approver's Email:

The designated approver for the assigned department will receive a notification with a direct lin

5. Approver Actions:

Click the link to review the request.
Navigate to the Approval tab.
Approve or reject the request.

Don’t remember to log-in with the approver credentials first.

The system now supports dynamic approvers, ensuring that requests automatically reach the correct decision-makers.

Additional Benefits of Dynamic Approvals:

Scalability – As departments change or grow, approvals remain flexible without requiring workflow modifications.

Time-Saving – Automating approver assignments reduces manual interventions.

Better Compliance – Ensures proper authorization and tracking for every request.• Improved User Experience – Requesters and approvers receive clear guidance on actions required.

Conclusion:

With Ultimate Forms, it is easy to create flexible, dynamic approval processes within SharePoint. This Purchase Request System showcases how approvals can adjust dynamically based on selections, eliminating static workflows.

By leveraging features like Tabs and Permissions, Actions, Connected Lookup and Associated Items, organizations can streamline approval processes effortlessly.

For more details, explore the Ultimate Forms Documentation and start building your own dynamic approval workflows today!

Auto generate associated items

Ethan Bach — Thursday, January 10, 2013

Introduction:

Managing structured data efficiently is a critical challenge in SharePoint-based workflows. Many business processes require users to input multiple related data points, such as order line items, approval tasks, or project milestones, within a single form. Traditionally, SharePoint does not natively support repeating sections, making it difficult to manage parent-child relationships between different pieces of information.

Infowise Ultimate Forms solves this challenge by providing an Associated Items field, which effectively acts as a repeating section within SharePoint lists. This functionality enables users to add multiple related records within a single parent item, creating a structured and dynamic data entry process. By leveraging this feature, businesses can streamline their workflows, enhance data integrity, and ensure consistency across related records.

One of the standout advantages of using repeating sections is automation. Instead of manually adding related records, organizations can predefine required sub-items that automatically generate upon form submission. This capability is particularly useful for approval workflows, where each new request should automatically trigger a set of predefined tasks.

In this demo, we will create a Purchase Request system that automatically generates predefined approval tasks. This ensures that approvers receive a structured list of action items before approving a request, reducing manual effort and increasing workflow efficiency.

Required Products from Ultimate Forms Enterprise Bundle:

To implement this solution, we will use the following Infowise Ultimate Forms components:

UltimateForms: Actions—Enables automated creation of child list items.
UltimateForms: User Property—Retrieves default user properties from Active Directory to prefill fields.
UltimateForms: Associated Items—Establishes a parent-child relationship between two lists and displays child list items on the parent list item.
UltimateForms: Item IDs—Generates unique IDs for each request.
UltimateForms: Forms—Provides a tabbed interface and allows permissions management for different tabs.

Creating the Lists:

We will set up two SharePoint lists:

1. Purchase Requests List

This list stores purchase requests and approval statuses. To set up this list:

Create a new custom list and rename the Title column to Request ID.
Add the following fields:
- Full Name (User Property Field)
- Email (User Property Field)
- Requested Item (Multiple Lines of Text)
- Cost (Currency)
- Quantity (Number)
- Approval (Choice)
- Approver Name (User Property Field)
- Approver Email (User Property Field)

2. Approval Tasks List

This list holds the approval tasks for each purchase request. To set up this list:

Create a task list from the tasks template.
Add a Lookup to Purchase Request List field:
- This should be a lookup column referencing the ID field in the Purchase Requests list.
- This lookup column is essential for the Associated Items Field to recognize the parent-child relationship.

Configuring the Solution:

1. Generating Unique Request IDs

On the Purchase Requests list, use UltimateForms: Item IDs to configure the Request ID field by setting an ID template under Item ID Settings in design.

2. Adding the Associated Items Field

In the Purchase Requests list, add an Approval Tasks Field (Associated Items Field).

3. Creating a Tabbed Interface

Using UltimateForms: Forms, create two tabs in the Purchase Requests list:

Request Tab – Contains fields related to the purchase request.
Approval Tab – Contains approval-related fields and tasks.

Each tab should be configured as follows:

Add rules to the Approval Tab to make it visible only when the Request Tab has been completed.
Restrict access to the Approval Tab by assigning permissions to the Purchase Requests Approvers Group.

Add rules to the Request Tab to make it read-only after submission.

4. Automating Task Generation

Using UltimateForms: Actions, automate the creation of approval tasks:

1. In Purchase Requests list click on design, go to Actions.
2. Add new Action.
3. Use the Create List Item Action to generate predefined tasks in the Approval Tasks List whenever a purchase request is submitted.

Testing the Solution:

To ensure everything is working correctly, follow these steps:

Create a new purchase request – Go to the Purchase Requests list and create a new item. You should initially see only the Request Tab.
Fill out the form – Enter all necessary details such as requester information, item details, and cost, then save the request.
Switch to an approver account – Log in as an approver and edit the purchase request.
Verify the Approval Tab – The Approval Tab should now be visible. Navigate to it to view the auto-generated approval tasks.
Check task assignment – Ensure that tasks are correctly assigned to the designated approvers and contain the necessary details for processing.
Complete the approval process – Have an approver complete the assigned tasks and approve the request.

If any issues arise, verify that the UltimateForms: Connected Lookup, UltimateForms: Associated Items, and UltimateForms: Action settings are correctly configured.

Conclusion:

By leveraging Infowise Ultimate Forms components, we have created an automated Purchase Request system that dynamically generates predefined approval tasks. This ensures that the approval process is structured and streamlined, improving efficiency and compliance in SharePoint workflows. One of the key advantages of this system is its ability to standardize the approval process. By automating task assignments, organizations can eliminate bottlenecks and delays caused by manual tracking. Additionally, having a predefined set of tasks ensures that all necessary steps are completed before final approval, reducing the risk of missing critical verification points. Automating approval tasks reduces manual effort, minimizes errors, and ensures all necessary steps are followed before approving a request. This method can be expanded to other workflows, such as document approvals, onboarding processes, or project management, to further enhance automation in SharePoint environments. Organizations looking to improve efficiency can extend this solution by integrating additional automation features, such as email notifications and conditional task creation based on request parameters.

Automate report generation using Ultimate Forms Enterprise

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Introduction

Ultimate Forms is a no-code platform for SharePoint. We designed it to enhance and extend SharePoint's capabilities. It allows users to create dynamic business processes, forms, and workflows without requiring programming knowledge. Ultimate Forms provides a comprehensive set of tools, including custom forms, automation, notifications, permissions control, and integration with external data sources. Organizations use Ultimate Forms to streamline operations such as document approvals, HR processes, project tracking, and purchase requests. It helps to make SharePoint more powerful and user-friendly. Ultimate Forms makes it easy to create and maintain relationships between different lists in SharePoint. It allows you to manage the relationships and automates summary calculations. Based on this relational data, it's easy to create reports and other drilldown features. Ultimate Forms also helps you configure automation in a way that is fast and easy. Using its Actions, you can implement automated SharePoint reports in a considerably shorter time than with any other tool. In this article I will show you how easy it is to automate weekly report generation. The report will arrive in the managers' inboxes, without writing a single line of code. We can use SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) or SharePoint on premises, the implementation steps are exactly the same. We will be managing sales figures in a regular SharePoint list. Every week the system will generate a new report based on this data. Next it will email it report to a designed group of managers.

Implementation

We will be using the following components found in Ultimate Forms:

Actions - will allow us to created a timer-based action, which will generate and email a PDF-based report
Print - will allow us to design and implement the report template. This component has multiple configuration options and output format. You can print both individual items and lists.
Associated Items - will allow us to automatically calculate summaries of sales figures by region. Associated Items column implements relationships between SharePoint lists. Once we add it to our parent list, it will display a list of child items. You can add and manage child items directly in the parent item forms.

We designed these components to work hand-in-hand in a complementary fashion.

Create Lists

In our demo we will have two lists:

Sales - this is where we enter our sales figures, either manually or through some automated import. The actual method of data entry is outside the scope of the demo. You might want to look into the Import capability of Ultimate Forms.
Regions - this is where we enter a list of the region names. It serves as lookup values for the sales figures. It also contains our Associated Items Summary columns, which will calculate the totals for us.

The following steps will ensure you have the lists you need:

Create a custom list named Regions.
Create a custom list named Sales, add the following columns:
1. Region - lookup to Regions, required field
2. Amount - currency, required field

Next lets add out special column types to the Regions list.

Create an Associated Items column, pointing to Sales, call it Sales.
Create an Associated Items Summary column, use it to Count the ID column in Sales. Call this column # of Sales
Create an Associated Items Summary column, use it to Sum the Amount column in Sales. Call this column Amount.

Summary column automate the summary calculations. You will notice that when you add new child items to the parent, the form will calculate the summary automatically.

Print Template

We are now ready to setup our report. First, we need to create our custom print template to define the way the report will look like.

Go to Regions list --> Design --> Print and export
Create a new template by specifying the following:
Title - Report (can be anything)
Type - List, as we want to print all regions in one report
Select Region, # of Sales and Amount columns
Add any text to Header and Footer sections. It could be the name of the report and any disclaimers
Save the template

Print Action

Actions allow you to quickly and easily implement automation in SharePoint lists. Unlike traditional workflows, they are simple to use and require no specialized knowledge. With over 20 different action types, you can easily work with data both inside and outside SharePoint. You do not need any additional licenses and specialized connectors. Let's create the action that will produce and send out the report:

Go to Regions list --> Design --> Actions
Create a new Print list items action
Enter Weekly Report as action name
Specify that the action runs on a weekly timer.

Under Action settings, specify which items to include in the report. Entering conditions that is always true (such as ID not equals 0) will include all items
Specify the print template and recipients (user or group)
Specify email subject and body
Under Conditions you need to specify a condition that always applies to a single item in the list. In my case I chose ID = 1. This ensure the action only runs once on this particular item. The report itself however will include the data for all items.
Save the action to enter it into the system. The system is now ready to function.

Testing

Now we can enter a number of regions into our Regions list. For each region we can enter multiple sales events. Once done, proceed to clicking on the Print button in the toolbar of the Sales list. That will display a preview of the sales report. This is the report that you will receive in the mailbox every week. This is it, you've successfully configured a weekly sales report!

Automate project generation with Smart Action Pro

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, October 11, 2012

Introduction

Infowise Ultimate Forms is a fantastic tool for turning your regular SharePoint lists into real life business applications. Using no-code approach you can build advanced solutions using nothing but your browser. It contains all the components you need: smart forms, intuitive automation and clear reporting. Its Actions component makes SharePoint automation fast and easy for everyone. You don't need to be a script wiz! You don't need to memorize JSON formatting, create a flowchart or perform complex deployments. With 21 (and counting) different action types you can automate almost anything, inside and outside SharePoint. From updating list items, creating sites, managing permissions and even creating users in Active Directory. Unlike traditional workflows, it's easy to configure and run, even for novices.

Sample Solution

In this article I will demonstrate how easy it is to build a project tracking solution. I will base it entirely on SharePoint lists. My solution doesn't use workflows, Power Automate flows or Power Apps. My goal is to automatically create a predefined set of project tasks whenever a users adds a new project. In my example I will be creating 3 tasks:

Check resources - set to start on the same day as the project and last for 7 days. The task reminds us to check resource availability for the project.
Prepare documentation - during the first 30 days of the project prepare the necessary documentation.
Review project - assign a review task to the manager 30 days after the project starts.

All the users need to do is create the project entry itself, all the tasks are generated automatically. The system will automatically link the newly created tasks to their parent project. That makes it easy to view and modify related tasks directly from within the project itself.

Lists

We start by creating two lists:

Projects - regular SharePoint list with Title, Description, Start Date and End Date columns
Project Tasks - regular SharePoint list with Title, Start Date and Due Date columns.

We can also create an Associated Items column in the Projects list. The column will display the related tasks for each project. Pro-tip: use AI-assisted Form Generator to create the lists for you. You will not find an easier or faster way of creating SharePoint lists. And the best thing is its built-in support for relationships, like the one we use here. You create both Projects and Project Tasks lists at the same time and the tool will ensure the correct configuration of their connection.

Actions

Now we are ready to add our actions that will actually generate the required tasks. On the Projects list's toolbar click on Design, then click on Actions. We will be creating an action for each task we want to create. Click Add new action to display the action creation pane. The action type we will use is Create list item action. The actions only need to run when someone creates a new item (project). Give each action a short name and (optionally) a description. Switch to Action tab. In the List setting select our Project Tasks list. Next specify column value mappings for the generated items. You can use any combination of text, functions and column values from the current list, Projects. Locate and click on the column name in the Value Picker. It adds the column name surrounded by square brackets. You can then perform simple arithmetic calculations on the value. In my particular case I'm adding 7 days to the Start Date value. We include a selection of commonly used functions that you can include to manipulate your values. Note the special column Parent field name we mapped there. This is not an actual column in the Project Tasks list. This way you to specify that you want to establish a connection between this new item and its parent project. Select the Associated Items column from the parent list and the system will establish the relationship automatically. Do the same for all three task actions. You should get the following result:

Testing

Now when we create a new project, the system will create and link 3 tasks for it. Save the new project and return to the Projects list view. Allow about a minute for the actions to execute. Then click on Click for details link under our Tasks column (the Associated Items column we created). That will show us the newly generated tasks related to our new project: Click on the project itself to open it in Display form. You will see all your related tasks and will be able to manage them directly. You can optionally enable logging on your actions (under the Advanced tab). Then you can click on Action History toolbar button to view your action history.

Summary

In this article I showed how you can create SharePoint tasks automatically. The whole implementation process took about 10 minutes. As you can see, Ultimate Forms has a great potential of saving you time and effort! You can install a 30-day trial of Ultimate Forms to see for yourself.

Creating a simple shopping cart in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Introduction

The beauty of SharePoint as a platform for business solutions is its flexibility. You can use it to create any type of solution that you don't currently have dedicated software for. With the right type of add-on, such as our Ultimate Forms, the sky is the limit! Our customers have been building a wide variety of solutions, from simple tracking lists, to full-fledged project management solutions. To have some idea of what is possible, take a look at our Solutions gallery. All the business solutions there are free for you to install with a click!

Shopping Cart

I was asked if it was possible to create a shopping cart mechanism in SharePoint using our product. Well, after some thinking I sat down and built it and I want to show you how something like that can be easily accomplished. Our shopping cart is based on a blank site and offers the following functionality:

Manage product categories, products and price lists
Create shopping carts and add multiple products to them
Automatically calculate tax and totals
Print out the cart or create a PDF document.

We will be using the following component of Ultimate Forms:

Forms - will allow us to control permissions of certain columns, based on the shopping cart's lifecycle
Associated Items column - will allow us to create relationships between the cart and its content
Connected Lookup column - will allow us to create advanced lookup columns, with cascading functionality
Print - will allow us to print the shopping cart content or convert it into PDF
Item ID - will allow us to generate custom IDs (such as cart ID)
Color Choice column - will allow us color-code cart based on status

I used SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365), but you can also use SharePoint on premises.

How to build

Lists

We will start with a blank site template and create the following lists:

Product Categories (custom list) - contains the product categories, no changes are required to this list.
Products (custom list) - contains the product names. Add a lookup field pointing to Product Categories. You can use the built-in lookup field or Connected Lookup. Connected Lookup will also allow you to add new categories on-the-fly while adding new products, which is very convenient. This column cannot be blank (required).
Pricelist (custom list) - contains the product prices. Add the following columns to the list:
Category - lookup to Product Categories. Can be a built-in lookup column or a Connected Lookup. Required.
Product - Connected Lookup pointing to Products with Category being the parent column. Selecting a category filters the list of products. Required.
Price - single line of text, required. In the simple scenario each product will have just one price, but you can also extend the site to have multiple prices (for example, temporary discounts). We will convert the column to Currency once we are done setting up all the lists, as we won't be able to use it in lookups unless it is a single line of text.
Title - the Title column is already present, but we don't really need it. To make it uneditable, add an item ID pattern "[Category] - [Product]" for the column in Item ID Settings and select Prevent manual editing. That will fill the column in automatically with the selected product category and product name without the column having to appear on the data entry forms.

Items (custom list) - contains the shopping cart line items. To enable a multiple-to-single relationship with the shopping carts, we need to replace the default content type "Item" with our custom content type "Associated Item". To do so:
- Go to List Settings
- Go to Advanced Settings
- Enable content type management (first option at the top) and save
- You should now see the content type listing, it should only contain Item.
- Click to add an existing content type and select Associated Item under Infowise. Save.
- Click on Item and delete this content type
- You can now disable content type management

Add the following columns to the list:

Category - lookup to Product Categories list. Required.
Product - Connected Field pointing to Products with Category being the parent column. Required.
Price - Connected Field pointing to Pricelists with Category being the parent column. Required.
List Price - single line of text. We need to copy the price value from the lookup column into a currency column to be able to use the value in calculations. We will convert this column to be Currency once we are done setting up the list.
Qty - number, required.
Line Total - calculated column, [List Price] * [Qty]. We will format this column as currency.
Create an item ID to fill in the List Price column using the Price column value. Select Prevent manual editing to hide the column from data entry forms.
Shopping Carts (custom list) - contains the actual shopping carts. You should limit the user to only view their own items in the list settings. Add the following columns to the list:
Title (already exists) - create an item ID to fill in this column with an ID pattern of your liking. I used "SP-$Year([Created])-[#]", which will produce values such as "SP-2012-2", but you can do whatever you like. Prevent the column from being manually edited. Rename the column to "Cart #".
Bill to - multiple lines of text. Billing address.
Ship to - multiple lines of text. Shipping address.
Products - Associated Items. The column will show the related items from Items list. You can leave the default settings intact.
Subtotal - Associated Items Summary. Calculate the sum of Line Total values of the Products column.
Tax - number as percentage. Use the default value according to your local laws. You can also skip this column if tax is not applicable.
Total - calculated column. Use the formula [Subtotal]+[Subtotal]*[Tax].
Status - Color Choice column. Enter the shopping cart status values such as Open, Processing and Shipped. You can also use the regular choice field if you don't need the extended color-coding capability.

We are done creating all the lists. This would be a good time to convert some of the field from single line of text to Currency, as mentioned above. We can also add tabs to Shopping Cart list to make the data entry easier. Also, you should set column permissions of the Status column to prevent data entry in New form. We will be using the default value there at this point, no user input is required. This is how our Shopping Carts list looks like:

Print

Also create a print template for the Shopping Cart list to make the print-out look professiona. Add your logo, contact info and maybe some terms and conditions. You can use the Simple mode and just select the columns you want to be displayed. The columns will be just stacked one on top of the other, as shown below. We can also use the Advanced mode and have full control over the layout of the print template. We are done. Fill in Product Categories, Products and Pricelist lists and your users can start shopping!

Summary

With SharePoint and Ultimate Forms it's easy and fast to create a simple shopping cart solution based entirely on SharePoint lists. The solution includes the sophisticated smart forms, repeating sections and customizable print templates with PDF conversion. It's just one example of the flexibility of Ultimate Forms!

Creating email-driven business process in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, April 19, 2012

Creating email-driven business process in SharePoint

Introduction

With the help of Ultimate Forms it's easy to create any type of business process in SharePoint. Unlike some other tools, we designed Ultimate Forms to provide value not just to seasoned developers. As a fully no-code solution, even novices can quickly build advanced solutions with little to no training. Ultimate Forms requires no deployment steps. You can modify your configuration at any time on a live system, thereby allowing for continuous improvements. This helps to increase customer satisfactions. Ultimate Forms works the same way both in SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises. Today, I will explain how to create a real email-driven support desk app. We will use a SharePoint site and Ultimate Forms. The system will be able to:

Receive support calls sent to a designated email address
Manage these support calls by tracking status, resolutions steps and associated tasks
Mark support calls as resolved and automatically request customer approval via email
Closing the support call by replying to an email

Several advantages to the system go beyond the limitation of a plain vanilla SharePoint site:

We are email-enabling a custom list, so we are free to use any columns. That greatly exceeds the capabilities of SharePoint email integration on premises.
You can make support calls without logging into the system. This makes it easy to receive them from outside the organization.
You can break down the support call into multiple tasks, and you can track each one individually.
Support agents cannot close calls without the customer's consent.
Users can only modify information when item status and their identity allow it.

Required Components

We will need the following Infowise Ultimate Forms components:

Forms - adds tabs, tab permissions and custom validations (amongst other capabilities)
Alerts - an upgrade to built-in SharePoint alerts. Allow us to send to external recipients and also use conditions.
Import - allows importing emails and DB items into SharePoint lists and document libraries. We will be using it both for creating new items and to implement email-based approvals.
Associated Items column - adds the ability to create and manage relationships between different lists
Color Choice column - adds color-coding and icons
Indicator column - adds KPIs, progress bars and countdowns

You can download a 30-day trial version of Ultimate Forms, which is fully functional. Use the Try Now Free button located in the top right corner of any page on our site. Our user-friendly installation wizard will get it installed and configured in just moments.

Creating Site and Lists

We will begin our process by creating a blank site and call it Service Center. Next create two lists:

Support Calls - custom list that will contain the support calls
Tasks - Tasks list. You can also create a custom list and simply add common task list columns, such as Status, Due Date and Assigned To.

Now let's add the columns for Support Calls list:

Description (multiple lines of text) - will hold the problem description as submitted by the customer
Importance (single line of text) - will hold the Importance settings of the incoming email
Submitted by (single line of text) - will hold the email sender name
Email (single line of text) - will hold the email sender address
Status (Infowise Color Choice) - will hold the current status of the support call. You can set it do differentiate the values by color or by icon. The possible values are:
1. New (red, default) - the call was just received
2. In process (yellow) - the call is being handled
3. Resolved (blue) - the support team resolved the issue and asks for the customer approval to close the support call
4. Closed (green) - the call is closed following customer approval
Steps (multiple lines of text in Append mode) - document resolution steps in this column
Tasks (Infowise Associated Items) - manage associated tasks, so you can create and track multiple related tasks for each support call. Just use the default settings when adding the column (make sure Tasks list already exists and is of Associated Tasks type). This component allows us to track resolution steps right within the support ticket.
Customer Approval (yes/no, default no) - will hold customer's approval to close the support call
Approval Submitter (single line of text) - will hold the approving customer's name
Approval Submitted (date and time) - will hold the date and time of the approval

Business Process Configuration

Now we can configure Ultimate Forms components.

Form settings

First, let's create tabs, tab permissions and validation rules using Form Designer.

Click on Design button on the toolbar of the list
Click on Form Designer
Drag and drop Tabs control
Rename the first tab General
Drag the following columns onto the tab
1. Title
2. Description
3. Importance
4. Submitted by
5. Email
6. Attachments
Add the following permission rules to the tab:
1. Write mode in New form - allow data entry for new support calls (when they do not originate in emails)
2. Read mode in Edit/View forms - do not allow anyone to change the columns values when submitted
Rename the second tab Resolution. It will hold the handling and resolutions steps.
Drag the following columns to the tab
1. Status
2. Steps
3. Tasks
Add the following permission rules to the tab
1. Deny (hidden) mode in New form - we don't want any hanlding when adding a new support call
2. Read mode in Edit/View forms - read/only mode for closed support calls
3. Write mode in Edit/View forms when Status is not equal Closed - allow editing while the support call is open. Optionally specify user/groups who are allowed to update the handling steps
Add a new tab named Closure. It will hold the customer's approval to close the support call.
Drag the following columns to the tab
1. Customer Approval
2. Approval Submitter
3. Approval Submitted
Add the following permission rules to the tab
1. Deny mode in New form
2. Read mode in View/Edit forms - because we will be getting approvals via email, we never need to edit these columns manually

We are done creating the tabs, now the information can only be editing when it is allowed. For column Status add a Column validation rule "not equals" "Closed" with error message "Support call cannot be closed until confirmed by the customer" with the condition "Customer Approval" equals "No". That would mean that when Customer Approval value is No, Status column cannot contain the value Closed. That will prevent users from closing support calls until it is confirmed by the customer.

Alerts settings

We use the Alerts component of Ultimate Forms. It replaces the built-in alert mechanism and sends out notifications to customers when support calls are marked as Resolved. By replying yes/no to this messages the customers can approve closing the support calls.

Click on Design on the toolbar of Support Calls, then on Alerts.
Click on Add new alert.
Open up the Recipients section and remove your name from the To recipients.
Add column Email to the To recipients by selecting it and clicking on Add.
Open up the What to send section
Uncheck Item is added and Item is deleted checkboxes, only leaving Item is modified
Add condition "Status" "After change" "Equals" "Resolved". That will send the alert only when the support call's status is changed to Resolved
Open up the Email Content section
Enter the following into Subject: Approve resolution of '[Title]' - ID:[ID]
Enter the following (or similar) into Body:

Hello,

Our support team marked your service call '[Title]' as Resolved. Please reply with yes if you confirm that the issue has been resolved, otherwise reply with no.

This is not a monitored email account, please only reply with "yes" or "no".

Thank you,

Support Team

Import settings

With the Import component we are enabling retrieval of emails. Wirth the data coming from emails we can both create new SharePoint list items and update existing items.

Click on Design on the toolbar of Support Calls, then on Import
Click on Add new profile
Name it Email (the actual name does not matter)
Leave the polling interval at 15 minutes (the default minimal value, 0 means every hour)
Select the mail server protocol. For SharePoint Online, leave it at Microsoft 365. On premises, choose Exchange 2007 or POP3, depending on what email server you are using. For on-prem customers:
1. Enter the address of the mail server (such as mail.example.com or mailserver)
2. Enter the user name and password for authentication, note that they are stored securely.
3. If needed change the default port and SSL settings
Choose to delete the emails from server (optional)
If on premises, click Connect
Now let's add two actions, one for creating new support calls and one for updating approval value in existing ones
Create a new Create list item/document action
Call it Create support call
In Values to set fill in the following pairs:
1. Title - [Subject]
2. Description - [Body]
3. Importance - [Importance]
4. Submitted by - [Sender Name]
5. Email - [Sender Address]
In conditions add "Subject" "Not contains" "ID:". This will prevent importing emails containing "ID:" in the subject line, which are basically the replies to our approval requests.
Save the action
Create a new Update list item action
Call it Confirm closure
In Values to set fill in the following pairs:
1. Customer Approval - $Extract([Body]|^) - that will extract the first word from the email body. For more details on the Extract function, please refer to the user guide
2. Approval Submitted - [Date Sent]
3. Approval Submitter - [Sender Name]
In Item selection conditions add the following:
1. ID equals $Extract([Subject]|?ID:^) - that will extract the text immediately following "ID:" from the subject line, which will be the ID of the support call item, as included in the alert.
2. Status equals Resolved - only update the items requiring an update
In conditions add "Subject" "Contains" "ID:". This will only run the actions on emails, which are replies to the alert.
Save the action on the Import profile.
Save the Import profile itself.

Testing

Send an email to the service email account. Now see how the Import component converts into a support call. This process may take as long as 15 minutes to complete. Handle the support call by repeatedly adding and completing tasks and modifying the steps. When you have finished, change the status to Resolved. You will receive an email from the system requiring your approval to close the support call. Reply yes and watch the support call being confirmed for closing. In this case as well, you should wait up to 15 minutes for the import job to run. You will now be able to close the support call. Tip: When you test the application, you can run the Import profile manually. Go to the Import management page in Ultimate Forms. This saves you the time needed to wait for the timer to trigger the next import task. We have finished creating a functional automated support desk system in minutes without any custom development!

Put your lists to work with Smart Action Pro

Vladi Gubler — Sunday, July 17, 2011

Introduction

When we enter information into our SharePoint sites, we often have a requirement that certain actions have to take place when this information is entered. We might need to set specific permissions on a document based on its properties. We might need to update our ERP application or create a new site for a project. SharePoint contains a workflow infrastructure and we can also add custom event receivers to our lists, but in both cases we are talking about costly development, with many workhours (and money) spent on requirement analysis, coding and testing, not to mention deployment in multiple environments. And all we wanted to do was a simple one-step task!

Thankfully, you can now leverage the power of Infowise Ultimate Forms: Actions to your advantage. Using one of our 21(!) possible action types, you can perform a multitude of actions within SharePoint sites and in any external application. And most importantly - there is no coding involved, just some easy settings from within the familiar List Settings page.

Example Use Case:

Let me show you an example to demonstrate the power, versatility and the ease of use of Ultimate Forms: Actions. In our system, we enter a new project name to the list of projects. The same second the following actions take place automatically:

Task is created for a reviewer with due date in 30 days.
Specific permissions are set for that task.
The new project is registered in our LOB (line-of-business) application using a stored procedure call (or you can use web services as well).
A new site from a preset template is created for the project.
A task is created within the new site.
The projects list entry is updated with the link to the new site.
You receive an email saying that your tasks have completed successfully.

Getting Started

Now let's see how it's done:

Step 1: Create the Necessary Lists and Columns

Сreate a Project Center site, just create a Blank site.
Create a list of Projects, based on a Custom list template.
Create a Review Tasks list based on Tasks list template. Create a lookup column to
the list of Projects called Project.
Add Hyperlink column to hold links to project sites.

Step 2: Create Actions

You can now start creating actions.

Let's create an action for creating a review task in our Tasks list.
Open our Task list.
Open Design -> Actions -> Add new action.
Select Create List Item action type.
Enter a user-friendly name, such as Create review task.
Enter a description, description are intended to give some extra info to your users regarding the task about to be performed.
You do not need to enter the Advanced Settings tab now, but you can use it to set some advanced properties of tasks, such as making them hidden from users, allowing multiple execution or allowing tasks to run with high privileges.
Select Item is added and deselect Item is modified, so that our task only runs when the project is created, not when it's updated.
Enter the In our case, we need to choose the site where our list is (Current Site in our case), select the list where the review task is created (Review Tasks list) and enter the column value for the new task.As this action will run in all cases, there is no need to specify conditions, but you could use a set of conditions to make actions run in certains cases only.

- Task Name = Review for [Task Name] - value in square brackets indicate column values of the current list, in this case the name of the new project. You can also use the value picker to select the column values and functions from a list instead of typing them in manually
- Project = [ID] - project ID for the lookup column
- Due Date = [Today] + 30 - creates a due date for the task in a month from the date project was created
- Assigned to = email address of the reviewer.

10. Save the new action.

Step 3: Set Permissions

Now you can create an action to give specific permissions to the review task

Select Manage Permissions action type.
Enter user-friendly name and description.
Under Action Type select Add Users.
Under Affected items, enter Project=[Title], so that only the review tasks related to the current current project (which is actually only the task we create in the previous action) is selected.
Enter a user to give specific permissions to.
Select a permission level.
Save the action.

Step 4: Register in a Database

Let's add an action for registering the new project in an SQL database:

Select Run DB strored procedure action type.
Enter name and description.
In Action Settings select MS SQL provider type. You can use any other provider type as well, such as Oracle.
Enter a connection string for your database and click Connect to populate the list of stored procedures.
Select a stored procedure from the list.
Specify value for the procedure parameters using current item's column values, text and functions. You can use the value picker for this values as well.
Save the action.

Step 5: Create a Site

Now we create a site for the project:

Select Create site action type.
Enter name and description, switch to Action Settings tab.
Enter [Title] in the site Title box to create a site named after the project.
Enter [ID] in the URL field to ensure unique site URL.
Select a site template from the list.
Save the action.

Step 6: Add a new item to the task list for the new site.

A new item is added to the Tasks list of the new site by the following action:

Select Create list item action type.
Enter name and description, switch to Action Settings tab.
Because we are adding an item to a site that does not exist yet, we need to use an existing site for specifying values and condition. Then we enter a Run-time value for both the site URL and the list name, this value will be used when the task is actually performed.
Select any existing site created from the same template as our Project site
Select the Tasks list
Enter values for Title, Due Date, Start Date and Description columns using text and column values.
Enter server-relative (or absolute) URL for the run-time value of the site URL, remember to use the [ID] token we used in the previous action.
Enter Tasks as a run-time value for list name. You must always enter a run-time value for the list name if you entered one for the site URL.
Save the action.

Step 7: Update Current Item with Link.

Let's update our current item with a link to the new project site:

Select Update list item action type.
Enter name and description, switch to Action Settings tab.
Set Current Site and Current List.
In Value to set, enter Link = URL to the new site, including the [ID] token.
In Item selection settings, enter ID=[ID], this will select the current item.
Save the action.

Step 8: Send Email Notification.

Let's create an action to inform the project creator of successful execution of all tasks:

Select Send e-mail action type.
Enter name and description, switch to Action Settings tab.
Select Created by in To field.
Enter Subject and Body. You can use column values and functions.
Save the action.

This is it. We now have all the actions in place. Whenever we create a new project name, we will have the whole working environment set up automatically for us! And no coding, as promised!

HR Recruitment Process using Ultimate Forms

Ethan Bach — Sunday, June 19, 2011

Update: The HR Recruitment Process Site Template is Available for Download!

Introduction:

Ultimate Forms is a suite of SharePoint components that provides all the capabilities needed to build state-of-the-art electronic forms quickly and efficiently using only a browser.

In this post, we'll show how to build a simple HR recruitment system using Ultimate Forms. We’ll see how easily an HR solution can be created within SharePoint with minimal effort.

Recruitment Process Goals:

Insert candidate details, resumes, recommendations, and other relevant documentation into the system.
Categorize candidates based on relevant criteria.
Assign approval tasks to managers and provide tools for decision-making.move on with the candidate.
Send confirmation emails at every stage to the appropriate individuals.

At the end of the process, we should have a comprehensive view of each candidate's progress.

Now, let’s see how it works.

Defining the Process Roles:

In this example, the recruitment process involves three roles:

Recruitment Agent – responsible for submitting candidates.
HR Manager – reviews applications and makes approval decisions.
Division Manager – gives the final approval for selected candidates.

The process starts when the recruitment agent creates new item, uploads a CV file, and starts to fill out the form. The recruitment agent form is actually split into four steps, in a wizard-like style (powered by Ultimate Forms: Forms). Using the wizard style simplifies the metadata entry and enables the recruitment agent to fill out several fields at a time instead of many fields on the same page which can be a pain. The fields are grouped into logical subjects (each subject represented by a tab in the wizard) e.g.- initiation, details, candidate details, association and etc.

Here are some screenshots of the recruitment agent forms:

After the recruitment agent finishes to fill in her fields, the next stage is the HR Manager approval. To proceed to the next stage, the system sends a confirmation email to The HR Manager (powered by Ultimate Forms: Alerts), which indicates that she has a new candidate to review.

HR Manager Confirmation Email Example:

The HR manager edits the item and can review all the candidate details by switching the form tabs and can decide whether to move forward with the candidate or reject him. Afterwards the HR manager needs to approve or reject and finally add some remarks about her decision.

*remark - In some cases, the HR manager or HR director is the final step at the process. It can be changed with slight adjustments.

HR Manager form:

The last stage the division manager approval. After the HR manager approves the candidate, according to the candidate associations (filled in by the recruitment agent), the appropriate division manager gets a confirmation email which indicates that he has a new candidate to review.

Behind the Scenes: How It Works

This solution is built using a custom SharePoint list containing all necessary columns for each stage of the process. With the help of Ultimate Forms: Forms, we organized the list fields into nine tabs:

Initiation
Details
Association
HR Recruiter Approval
Technical Interview
HR Interview
Division Approval
HR Manager Approval
Rejection Actions

Here is a screenshot of the Tabs and tab permissions form – Smart List Pro Settings:

Tab Permissions:

For the recruitment agent tabs - Initiation, Details and Association we left the Permissions section empty, that means that every user can add candidates, which was good enough for this example. It's possible to restrict the tabs only to the recruitment agents by adding a permission rule to the recruitment agents Active Directory group or SharePoint group. That would restrict the tabs only for the recruitment agents.

For the HR manager and the division manager tabs we added permission rules.

HR Managers can edit and approve candidates.
Division Managers have read permissions for HR approvals and write access for their approval stage.

Example of Tabs and Tab Permissions Configuration:

Here is a screenshot of the "Tabs and Tab Permissions" focused on the "HR Manager Approval" tab.

Automating Notifications and Alerts:

To ensure smooth communication, we used Ultimate Forms: Alerts to automate email notifications:

HR Manager Notification: Triggered when a Recruitment Agent submits a candidate.
Division Manager Notification: Triggered when an HR Manager approves a candidate.

By using Ultimate Forms: Alerts, we designed a mail template that includes relevant fields and attachments, ensuring that each notification contains all necessary details.

Here’s how a sample email template looks within the system:

Here we can see that the template contains some rich text and placeholders for list fields. Is very simple to create templates and manage them. Mail templates also enables to share templates between users and to add an attachment to the alert!

Conclusion:

As demonstrated, Ultimate Forms makes it incredibly easy to create electronic forms and automate business processes directly within SharePoint. This HR recruitment example is just one of many possible applications of Ultimate Forms.

With Ultimate Forms, organizations can streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and eliminate manual processes. By leveraging components like Ultimate Forms: Forms, Ultimate Forms: Alerts, and Ultimate Forms: Actions, businesses can build advanced recruitment solutions with minimal effort.

For more details, check out the Ultimate Forms documentation and explore how you can enhance your SharePoint environment today!

Create drip campaigns in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, May 19, 2011

Introduction

You might not know it, but you can easily implement fully-automated email drip campaigns in SharePoint. You do not need to know how to write code, all you need is your browser. First, we need to define what an email drip campaign is. Wikipedia is always a handy research tool for these things: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drip_Marketing. In short, you send a series of timed messages to your customers. These messages follow an event, such as registration, product download, etc. These messages can contain instructions, advertisements, images or anything else you need. The main goal here is to create a meaningful virtual conversation with your customer. And the idea is to do it without having to hire a horde of marketing people. What are the requirements for the implementation? You need Infowise Ultimate Forms, and in particular, its Alerts component. This component serves an upgrade to the good old SharePoint alerts. Ultimate Forms works both on SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises. It greatly improves and extends the alerts functionality, introducing a plethora of useful features, such as:

Flexible recipients - SharePoint alerts only send within your organizations. With the Alert component of Ultimate Forms, you can send to anyone in the world. You can also send to recipients defined at run time, for instance, based on a column value in the item.
Attachments - you can enclose attachments or documents.
Full control over the email content - specify exactly how the email messages looks like.
Timer-based notifications - date-based alerts that automatically send according to a date in column. The notifications can go out both before and after date. You can also set them to repeat
Conditions - only send alerts when they are relevant. For example, you can specify that the alert only goes out when the Importance of the list item is High.

You can install a 30 day trial here.

Implementation

Overview

What we need is to create a contacts list in your SharePoint site. That is where you will enter the contact information of your new customers/leads/contacts. The list will have a set of custom alerts attached to it. Each alert will then execute after a specific delay starting from the moment someone adds a new contact. In our case, we will have 3 alerts:

One will go out after a week
The second - after two weeks
The third - after a month

Obviously you can create as many alerts as you need and define the intervals the way you want them. You can even set conditions for the alerts. For instance, if the contact unsubscribes, the system will stop sending to that contact.

Step-by-step instructions

So, let's start:

Make sure you've installed Infowise Ultimate Forms. If the app is still missing, you can install a 30 day trial here.
Create a new SharePoint list to store contacts. You can start with a blank list and add columns according to your needs. You just need to make sure you designate one of the columns for email addresses.
Click on the Add Alert button located on the toolbar of the list. Make sure not to not confuse with Alert Me, which will take you to the built-in alert mechanism. Alternately, you can click on the Design button and then proceed to Alerts.
The side pane for adding a new alerts will open. If you used the Design button, simply click on Add new alert to display it.
Provide a meaningful name for your new alert. You do not need to change the site or list settings.
Open the Recipients section.
The To field contains your name for now, remove it by clicking on the X.
Add a new "Persons in column" recipient by selecting the email column and clicking on Add to To.
Optionally, add yourself to the CC or the BCC recipients. This way you will receive the same email when the contact receives it.
In the What to send section, clear all the checkbox related to item added, modified and deleted events. Our alert will work only based on intervals.
Mark the According to date in column checkbox.
Select Created as your date column.
Specify that you want the alert 1 week after date.
Open the Email content section
Define the email content by specifying the message subject and the message body. Your subject and body can contain functions and column values from the current contact item. Use Add column button to display the list of columns and functions for selection.
In my example, I'm using the Full Name column token. The system will then automatically replace the token with the runtime value coming from the list item.
Save your new alert.
Repeat steps 4-17 to configure additional email messages of your campaign. You just need to make changes to the time interval and the message content.

This is it, your drip campaign is ready. Now create new contacts in the list and they will start receiving the mailings!

Conclusion

SharePoint is the main tool for many internal processes that you do not have a special system for. Infowise Ultimate Forms is a no-code add-in for SharePoint. With its help, you can quickly and easily implement a wide variety of such solutions. SharePoint email campaigns are a common need that will take little time and effort to implement.

Create relationships in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Sunday, April 10, 2011

Introduction

Using SharePoint lists and document libraries to store and manage real world entities is an everyday task. We use them to represent lifecycles, projects, stages, events, what not. And as in the real world, we need to maintain relationships between the different entities. For example, holding a trade show needs careful planning. You must assign and track related tasks. Your project may have subprojects or you might want to connect document to it. Unfortunately, SharePoint only supports the most basic tools for managing these relationships. In the vast majority of cases it boils down to the ubiquitous Lookup column. You can use use it to point to the parent item from a child item, that's about it. Tracking and maintaining these relationships is a truly daunting task. That's where Associated Items column of Ultimate Forms can help! You can use the column to create master-detail relationships in SharePoint sites. It works equally well between all kinds of list items and documents. You can create, view and manage any number of related items associated with any item or document. And you do it directly from within the parent item itself. This is just one way of how it might look: As you can see, the related items, appear right inside the Display form of the parent. You can choose the exact way of presenting and working with them too:

Read-only grid with a full context menu. You use the context menu to open items in a pop-up for editing. This works best for when the child list contains more columns that the view in the parent can include.
Read-only grid with a data entry row - you can add and modify data directly in the parent form. You modify existing items by switching them to edit mode. You will use this option when the view already contains all the editable columns.
Editable grid - you can add and modify items directly, without switching to edit mode.
Forms - each child item appears as a subform with the main parent form. This mode allows non-grid appearance, similar to repeating sections.

Now let me just give you a few examples of what you can accomplish using our Associated Items column. The whole experience emphasizes ease of use and speed of configuration. I'm listing only simple examples. You will find that the product can be helpful in many sophisticated business scenarios!

Many-to-many Relationships

Just imagine managing a list of your partner companies and a list of products. In some of the products Company A is a supplier, but in others it's a client. But you would prefer to manage its details only once. Associated Items column is perfect for such cases.

Just create a list for Companies and Products. You are free to decide how you want to configure these lists.
Now create two relationship lists (just regular custom lists with lookup column for both Companies and Products lists). We will call one relationship list i Suppliers and the other - Clients.
In Companies list create two Associated Items columns. One will be pointing to the Suppliers list (called Supplies) and the other to the Clients list (called Buys)
In Products list also create two Associated Items columns. One will be pointing to Suppliers list (called Suppliers) and the other - to Clients (called Clients)

And that concludes our configuration. Now you can view the suppliers and the customers for each product. And you can see which products each company supplies and buys from you. Moreover you can see the related items directly from views!

Read and Sign

In regulated environments some documents, such as SOPs, require a read confirmation by the relevant employees. It must occur each time a new version comes out. Proper management and documentation of this formal process is absolutely crucial. Usually such systems take weeks if not months to develop. But it will only take a few minutes using the Associated Items column!

Create a User/Group column called Readers in your document library. This is where you specify who should read each document. You can enter both users or groups. When you enter a group, each group member receives a separate task, so you can track each employee individually.
Create an Tasks list, then replace the default Task content type with our special Associated Task content type. This is a special content type we supply, similar to the built-in Task. The only difference being that it contains additional support for the Associated Items column.
Enter the settings page of Ultimate Forms by clicking the Design button on the document library's toolbar.
Create an Associated Items column in the document library pointing to the newly created Tasks list.

In Actions, add a new manual action of the type Generate Associated Items. This action will appear as a button on the form. User will trigger it to automatically generate a task for each individual user specified in Readers column.

Create a new form for the document library in Form Designer. Drag all the relevant columns onto the design canvas.
Drag a Button control, switch its type to Trigger action and pick your Generate associated items action.
Publish the form when done.
The implementation is now complete. When you upload a document, you specify the Readers group. Once you are ready to request reading confirmations, you just click the Generate button. The action will then create a separate related task for each user in the group.
You can track the related tasks from within the document properties or from views.
You can optionally set the action to run on events as well. For example, you can have a Status column in your document library and set the action to run when the status changes to Ready.

NOTE: you can install the full pre-configured solution here. You can also find it in the Solution catalog section of the app. The solution is available both in SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises.

To sum things up

Associated Items column is a powerful tool. It helps you turn your SharePoint into a platform for building real life business applications. And it does not require installation of any special tools except your browser! Download a trial version of Ultimate Forms to test drive it yourself.

Take control of your SharePoint alerts

Vladi Gubler — Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Streamline Your Notifications with Ultimate Forms: Alerts

Alerts have been one of SharePoint's main selling points since its inception. Whenever you wanted updates to be pushed directly to your mailbox, you used alerts. No need to manually check for updates—let the server do it for you. Over time, SharePoint has evolved significantly, offering enhanced collaboration and document management features. However, the basic functionality of alerts has remained largely unchanged. Anyone familiar with SharePoint’s alert system from previous versions will find the current mechanism to be very similar. You simply click "Alert Me," configure a few optional settings, and you’re set to receive notifications.

The Problem with Default SharePoint Alerts

In practice, default SharePoint alerts can quickly become overwhelming. Setting up an alert for a frequently updated list or document library can flood your inbox with notifications, many of which may not be relevant. SharePoint’s built-in alert system lacks advanced filtering options, meaning you receive alerts for every single change, regardless of its importance. Additionally, SharePoint's default email alerts are quite generic. When you receive a notification, you still need to visit the actual item in SharePoint to determine what action needs to be taken. This inefficiency can slow down workflows and create unnecessary distractions.

The Solution: Ultimate Forms: Alerts

Recognizing these challenges, we developed Ultimate Forms: Alerts, a powerful alternative to SharePoint’s built-in alert mechanism. This component allows you to receive only the alerts you need, in the format you prefer. Below are some of the main advantages of Ultimate Forms: Alerts:

Send alerts to whoever you need - Unlike SharePoint’s default alerts, which have limited delivery options, Ultimate Forms: Alerts allows you to send notifications to SharePoint users/groups, distribution lists, users in a User/Group column, contacts stored in a list, or even manually typed email addresses. Additionally, you can specify To, CC, and BCC recipients and even define a "Do not send" list to prevent certain users from receiving alerts.
Centralized Management - Manage all your alerts from a single interface. Administrators can also oversee and configure alerts for all users, ensuring consistency and efficiency across the organization.
Seamless Integration - Unlike some competing components, Ultimate Forms: Alerts is not a web part; it integrates into the user interface, just like the built-in alerts mechanism.
Alerts and notifications - Get notifications not just when items are added, updated, or deleted, but also based on date conditions. For example, you can send alerts before or after a specific date, with repeating options for recurring reminders.
Conditions - Define precise conditions to control when alerts are sent. Use any combination of column values to trigger notifications. The powerful integration with Ultimate Forms: Forms allows you to set up alerts that align with different stages of your business processes. For example, you can configure an alert to be sent only when an item progresses from one stage to another, reducing unnecessary notifications.
Templates - One of the standout features of Ultimate Forms: Alerts is its ability to create fully customized email templates. You can include dynamic content such as column values, links to the item, list, or site, and even attachments. Unlike SharePoint’s default alerts, which provide minimal customization, Ultimate Forms: Alerts allows you to design emails that contain clear instructions, additional context, or even images and branding elements. Templates are stored for future use, making it easy to standardize notifications across teams. Administrators can create and manage templates for all users, ensuring consistency.

Get Alerts That Matter

With Ultimate Forms: Alerts, you can eliminate unnecessary notifications and focus on what truly matters. By refining how and when alerts are sent, users can significantly reduce inbox clutter while ensuring that important updates never go unnoticed. Whether you need to improve task management, document collaboration, or compliance tracking, Ultimate Forms: Alerts provides the flexibility and control required to streamline your SharePoint experience.

Real-World Applications of Ultimate Forms: Alerts

Organizations across various industries can benefit from using Ultimate Forms: Alerts. Here are some practical use cases:

Project Management: Get notified when critical tasks are updated, ensuring that deadlines are met and stakeholders stay informed.
HR & Compliance: Receive alerts when employee records are modified or when compliance documents need to be reviewed.
Sales & Customer Support: Set up alerts for new leads, contract renewals, or customer support cases, so teams can act quickly.
IT & Security: Configure alerts for system maintenance updates, security incidents, or access control changes.

Take Control of Your SharePoint Alerts Today

Take control with Ultimate Forms: Alerts and experience smarter, more relevant notifications tailored to your needs. With its advanced features, customizable templates, and seamless integration, this solution ensures that you only receive the alerts that truly matter. To learn more about how Ultimate Forms: Alerts can revolutionize your SharePoint notifications, visit our Documentation page.

Building a business process in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Introduction

Infowise Ultimate Forms is a complete platform to create no-code business solutions in Microsoft SharePoint. It consists of 19 components, all designed to work together. The product allows you to build sophisticated business processes in SharePoint using just your browser. You don't need SharePoint Designer (long discontinued) or Power Apps / Power Automate. Ultimate Forms components broadly consist of 3 categories:

Forms - create advanced, responsive forms with tabs, dynamic rules, repeating sections, signatures and much more.
Business logic - implement processes, alerts, document generation and more.
Reporting - create dashboard, define KPIs and generate print-outs.

Working together, these components convert any regular SharePoint site into a complete data management and business process automation system. We designed our product to help you implement any business process in minutes. And with our extensive and growing Solution catalog, you receive a solid foundation.

Vehicle Reservation Form

One of the solutions in the catalog is Vehicle Reservation Form. We designed it to illustrate the concepts of multi-stage SharePoint-based business process. This process leads the users through 3 stages:

An employee can reserve one of the company cars
The manager approves the reservation
The vehicle supervisor handles the order

You can even administer special requests within you reservation. For instance, preparing a gift basket for an important guest or supplying winter tires. You can view the process live on the solution page. As you can see, the process displays complex and powerful capabilities. But the whole process of implementation only took just over an hour, using nothing but the browser! And we base it solely on SharePoint list items and documents.

Step-by-step Instructions

In this tutorial I will explain to you step by step how you can build this solution in SharePoint. You can then use the same principals to build any business solution in SharePoint, according to your specific requirements.

Make sure you install Ultimate Forms in your environment or create an Online trial. You can accomplish either here.
Start by creating a blank SharePoint site.

Configure Lists

Create a custom SharePoint list named Vehicle Types. The list will hold the types of vehicles you can book. You do not need to add any columns, the built-in Title column will suffice.
Create a custom list named Vehicles. Add a lookup column, named Class, pointing to the Vehicle Types list. You can use the regular lookup field or our Connected Lookup. The latter will give you the option of adding new vehicle types from the Vehicles list, while adding a new vehicle.
This is an extremely helpful feature. If your vehicle type is not on the list, you can just add it when you need it.
Create a list for reservation-related tasks. We will use the Associated Tasks content type and call the list Tasks, no need to change any of the default settings.
Create a document library for related documents. Call it Attachments, there is no need to change any of the settings.
Now we come to the main list of our system, the one that will store and manage the reservations themselves. Create a custom list called Vehicle Reservations.
These are the columns we need to include in the list. I will explain the settings for our custom fields in more details.
Vehicle column is a Connected Lookup master-detail column. We filter the items in the Vehicles list according to the value selected in the Vehicle Type column.
First we tell the column what list to take the values from and which column to show. So far it is almost identical to how the regular lookup field works.
Now we configure the Connected Lookup to link to a parent column. We specify the parent lookup column in the current list AND the link column. The link column is a lookup column in the Vehicles list which points to the Vehicle Types list. We called this column Class, as you might remember from before.
Our Pick-up Location column is also responsible for color-coding the reservations. We will be using our Color Choice column.
It looks and functions similarly to the regular choice field. However, it lets you choose a different color or icon for each option. When included in a view, it paints the whole row in the color of the selected value.
We permit the employee to enter multiple tasks for each reservation. They serve the purpose of including and tracking specific requests pertaining to that reservation. We are using our Associated Items column, which can create and manage related tasks.
We've already created a list for storing the associated tasks. Now we add the column that will allow users to enter and track the tasks in the context of a reservation. Once we add the column, you define most of the settings automatically when you select Tasks as your source list.
Note that the Source view selector specifies what view to use as a template for the view in the field. That is how you specify which fields to show.
The system automatically fills out the employee's manager using the information managed in SharePoint profiles. Using our User Property column, we can define what information to get from the user's profile. We can also determine a template to show that information.
You can use multiple profile properties and regular text. In our sample form we simply include the Manager property. Find the property in the right box, select it and click on Add to formula.
We need to ensure that someone else does not change manager and supervisor approvals. Obviously we can enable versioning on the list and see who made the change in the version history. But this is not convenient and prone to errors.
Our Electronic Signature column allows you to instantly know when someone changes the column values. When that happens, the system will invalidate the signature. You will be able to immediately see that in list views.
Just add the signature column and specify which columns are to be signed. The manager will sign the values with a username and password. This will make any changes easy to see right away.
Document Link column allows you to attach documents to a specific location in the form, as a field. We store the documents themselves in a regular SharePoint document library. So you can utilize all the document library features, such as check-out, versioning and approval.
The Supervisor needs to allocate a car for the reservation. You can even manage the cars in database, external to SharePoint.
Using our External data lookup column, we can pull the car information from the database by specifying the key. In our case the key is the license plate number.
We need to provide the column with a connection string for the database. Then we can select the correct table/view from a list of tables and views.
After that we can specify which fields we want to use and even give user-friendly names to some or all the fields. Finally, we can either select the key value or type it in, depending on the requirements.

We have now completed defining lists and columns.

Configuring Forms

Now we define the different tabs that will make up the process. Form Designer is the component responsible for that. Generally, each stage of the process gets a separate tab and we define permissions based on those tabs, which is the fastest way. Place a tab control on the design canvas. Make sure there are three tabs: Reservation Details, Manager and Vehicle Supervisor. Rename the existing tabs and add more. First, we click the tab name and start dragging the columns from the column gallery on the left. For each tab you can specify the desired layout. The tab will automatically arrange the columns. After that we need to specify the permissions. For instance, the first tab (Reservation Details) is in Write mode in the New form. And we configure it to be in Read in the rest of the forms. This way the manager and supervisor cannot change the reservation details.

Results

This is basically it, the process is ready for testing. We used no custom development and wrote no code. We can implement the process in either SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises, using the same tools. One last thing you might want to do is to define a dashboard as the system's Welcome page. You can use charts and filter web parts of Ultimate Forms.

Read and Sign documents in SharePoint made easy

Vladi Gubler — Monday, November 29, 2010

Introduction

Today I'm going to show you how to create a fully functioning regulatory Read & Sign system in just a few minutes.
Just a few words as a background: various regulatory agencies, such as FDA, require certain documents, say SOP's, to be regularly read by employees to ensure compliance with company policies. Achieving employee compliance with these policies is crucial for organizational success. The fact that the document has been declared as read by a certain employee needs to be recorded in the system so it can not be refuted, ensuring proper adherence to essential regulatory documents.

What we are building

Many of us have chosen SharePoint as the platform for managing the complete lifecycle of all our document, so it makes sense to have the Read & Sign functionality there as well. Basically, we need to assign a task to each of our employees in the target audience to read and sign the document and we need to be able to track the status of these tasks. And obviously we need to be able to do all that as painlessly as possible. The vanilla SharePoint installation does have a few shortcomings when it comes to these requirements, it is not as easy as it should be to create tasks for multiple users, based on domain groups, or even nested domain groups, and task tracking is also not very intuitive. This is where we, here at Infowise, can help. Our Ultimate Forms contains various components that work together to create such a system in just a few minutes to give you all the functionality and ease of use you need. So let me show how. (The following is based on a bit older SharePoint 2010 UI, but the same exact functionality is there for all current SharePoint versions, on premises and in Microsoft 365) Take a look at how your system will look like in just 10-15 minutes: We need Ultimate Forms - you can download and install it free of charge for a 30-day trial.

Let's do it

First we need a document library for the SOP's. Just go ahead and create a simple document library, as you usually would. Now we need two new columns in the library (of course, you can also add additional columns for your needs as well). The first column will be of type Person or Group. We will call it Signers, it will accept multiple values and require data entry.
For the second column, which will use the Associated Items column, we will need a target list for the tasks. You will use a Tasks list with either our own Associated Task content type or use the default Task one. In the latter case you need to work just a bit harder but you get the added bonus of email notifications when tasks are assigned. So we will go for the second options.

Create a Tasks list and name it Signing Tasks
In the list settings go to Advanced settings
Allow management of content types

Add Associated Task content type located under Infowise

Remove Task and Summary Task content types
Click on the Associated Task content type to edit
Hide the columns we will not need, such as priority, status, % complete and start date. To hide, click on the column name and choose Hide.
Add yes/no column named I confirm reading
Add Signature field to the list (also name it Signature), select the I confirm reading column to sign.
Modify the default view to contain Title, Assigned To, Due Date, I confirm reading and Signature columns

Now we can add the Associated Items column to our SOP document library.

On the ribbon click on Create Column
Enter Read & Sign as the new column's title
Choose Associated tasks column type
Uncheck the Add to default view checkbox
Specifiy the number of items per page (e.g. 10)
Check Generate tasks automatically checkbox
Enter task title - Please read and sign

Save the column.

Seeing the results

You are now ready to test your SOP system. Upload a document and enter users and/or groups into the Signers column. These are the people who are to sign the document in the future. Save the document properties. You can now edit/review/approve the document in the usual fashion. When it is time for the read & sign procedure, just edit the document properties and click on Generate tasks. A task named Please read and sign will be created for each of the users in the Signers column, domain groups, if present, will be expanded as well. Each user will receive an email informing him of the task. The user can open the context menu of the task directly from the display/edit form of the document or from the Signing Tasks list. The user edits the task by checking the I confirm reading checkbox and signing with username and password. The manager can view the signing progress by viewing the document's properties at any time.

Conclusion

As you can see, this is really easy and straightforward. You can use any combination of our components to create sophisticated business processes in SharePoint in minutes.

Using electronic signatures in SharePoint

Vladi Gubler — Saturday, July 31, 2010

Introduction

In this post I'm going to go over the Signature component of our Ultimate Forms. I will explain how it can help your SharePoint system meet federal regulations, like FDA 21 CFR Part 11.

SharePoint is a great tool for managing all kinds of data: documents, business processes, you name it. Coupled with a Single Sign-on, entering data is a breeze, you don't even need to authenticate yourself. Your SharePoint automatically recognizes you based on your on-premises domain or Entra ID login information. But what if you are required by regulations to enter username/password combination each time you need to enter data? Of course you can disable Windows Integrated Authentication, but then you will need to enter your password each time you need to check someone's phone number in the SharePoint people search, your users will certainly not like that. And what about the production floor with multiple employees sharing a single PC, do you really expect them to log off/log on each time they want to update a batch status?

Electronic Signature

This is exactly why we developed our Electronic Signature component. As any other column it can be added to any SharePoint list or document library. You can then attach it in its settings to some or all of the other columns in the same list. By specifying signed columns, you are making sure the system will break the signature whenever one of their values changes. There are several ways you can sign an item. You can choose one of the following in the column configuration:

User name/password - the column will interact with your authentication provider (such as Active Directory or Azure Entra ID) to validate your identity in real time.
Handwritten signature - write your signature using a stylus, finger or mouse.
Declarative - simply mark a checkbox to confirm signing.

Once you sign, a hashed value of the signed fields, your identity, item version and time of signing are added to the item. You will be able to see the signature in both views and display/edit form and even validate it in real time. If one of the signed fields is changed by you or any other user, the signature column notices the change and causes the signature to become invalid, unless a new, fresh signature is added. Our product monitors changes in the background and catches all updates, even those not made directly using the SharePoint UI, such as updates using web services for those integrated systems you might have. This ensures the signature is always valid and up-to-date and it is impossible to override or fake. Try it our now, we offer a 30-day fully-functioning version available for both SharePoint Online (Microsoft 365) and on premises.

How to create a business process in minutes with Smart List Pro

Vladi Gubler — Thursday, July 22, 2010

Introduction

Implementing business process in SharePoint with Ultimate Forms is fast and easy. And the best thing is, you don't need to be a seasoned developer. It combines all the components you need:

Sophisticated, yet easy to use form
Intuitive automation
Reporting and visual display of data

Business process automation is simple and accessible to every user of our platform. I will demonstrate the ease with which you can build a pretty complex multi-stage business process using plain old SharePoint. The process I chose is a software version approval. Approval workflows are probably one of the most common business processes in SharePoint. Our customers daily build a lot of different approval processes, based on SharePoint lists and libraries. Ultimate Forms works the same both in SharePoint Online and on premises. The user interface and the implementation steps are exactly the same in both environments. We put in a lot of effort to ensure that. It makes implementation and automation of business processes a skill that you transfer no matter what environment you work in. The process is rather simple and contains 3 stages. A developer submits a new version, the QA authorize it and the IT department approves its installation. Of course, this could be any other process as well, depending on your business needs.

The Form

Ultimate Forms: Forms component far extends the regular SharePoint list form. It includes tabbed interface, permissions on tabs and/or individual columns, advanced validation and much more. We can also use our Electronic Signature column. It allows you to electronically sign some or all column values. This way it's plain to see whether someone has subsequently changed the signed values. Your process will become more formal if you decide to integrate collect signatures workflow as part of it. The process we are building involves 3 tabs: Dev, QA and IT. The basic outline of the process flow is:

When entering a new process application, only the Dev tab is visible.
Now it's QA's turn. They open the item for editing and the Dev tab becomes locked in read-only state. The QA tab is now editable.
Once the QA person has made a decision, the QA tab becomes read-only and the IT tab is editable.
Once the IT representative makes a decision, all tabs become locked in the read-only state. No further changes to the list item are possible.

We start with creating a regular custom list. I strongly recommend using our Form Generator (new). That will allow you to create the list in the fasted possible way. The following columns need to be added to the list:

Product (text, choice or lookup field) - name of the software we want to approve
Version (text) - version number
Dev Team Leader (user) - name of the development team lead
Dev signature (Signature column, optional). This column signs the above columns to ensure nobody has changed their values.
QA Approval (choice: n/a, Approved, Rejected, default: n/a) - indicates QA department approval status
QA Approval Date (date) - the date/time when the QA decision was made
QA Comments (multiline text) - general QA comments
QA Team Leader (user) - name of the QA team lead
QA signature (Signature column, optional). This column signs the above columns to ensure nobody has changed their values.
IT Approval (choice: n/a, Approved, Rejected, default: n/a) - indicates IT department approval status
IT Approval Date (date) - the date/time when the IT decision was made
IT Comments (multiline text) - general IT comments
IT Team Leader (user) - name of the IT team lead
IT Signature (Signature column, optional). This column signs the above columns to ensure nobody has changed their values.

NOTE: Signature columns will be added in the second step, inside Form Designer. Once you have created the list, you can move to creating the tabs and permission. Click on Design to enter Form Designer for the new list.

Optionally click on New column and add the signature columns.
Drag and drop Tabs control on the canvas.
Create 3 tabs by renaming existing and adding new tabs. The tabs are Dev, QA and IT (the tab names do not matter of course)
Click to select the Dev tab and drag the following columns onto it: Product, Version, Dev Team Leader and Dev Signature (if you choose to use it)
Click to select the QA tab and assign the following columns to it:QA Approval, QA Approval Date, QA Comments, QA Team Leader and QA Signature (again, if you choose to use it)
Click to select the IT tab and assign the following columns to it:IT Approval, IT Approval Date, IT Comments, IT Team Leader and IT Signature (again, if you choose to use it)

Now we handle the permissions:
Select the Dev tab, select Write under Permissions and check only the New form, add the rule
Select Read permission and the check Edit and Display forms, add the rule
Select the QA tab, select Deny under Permissions and check only the New form, add the rule
Select Write permission, check the Edit and Display forms and add under conditions that QA Approval equals to n/a
Select Read permission, check the Edit and Display forms and add under conditions that QA Approval does not equal to n/a
Select the IT tab, select Deny under Permissions and check only the New form, add the rule
Select Write permission, check the Edit and Display forms and add under conditions that QA Approval equals to Approved and IT Approval equals to n/a
Select Read permission, check the Edit and Display forms and add under conditions that IT Approval does not equal to n/a

Don't forget to click on Publish when done. And now you have successfully completed your task! In just under 10 minutes you've managed to create quite a complex dynamic form. Using any other tool would probably take you a lot longer. And you will need to possess specialized knowledge and experience. You can obviously expand the form further. Some of my suggestions could be:

Include permissions based on user identity
Create a workflow using Ultimate Forms: Actions to send email to the parties
Use dynamic rules to set dates.