InfoPath 2010 and Forms Services

InfoPath and Forms Services enable developers to create forms that SharePoint users can fill out in a browser. Shown here is the InfoPath 2010 designer (top) and a SharePoint form created with it (bottom). The InfoPath client allows developers to create data connections between forms and various external data sources, such as SQL databases, Web services, and SharePoint libraries. The form templates they create for viewing or entering data can then be stored and rendered for SharePoint users by Forms Services, a SharePoint Server feature. InfoPath forms are commonly used in SharePoint workflows, or as a way to submit data to applications such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems via SharePoint Server.

InfoPath 2010 and SharePoint Server 2010 deliver several improvements for SharePoint forms. For example, InfoPath 2010 can be used from within SharePoint Designer 2010 to design forms that enter data in SharePoint Server 2010 lists, such as the task entry form shown above; the design process is considerably simpler than in the previous version. InfoPath forms can also be integrated with several new SharePoint Server 2010 developer features, including the Business Connectivity Services component for accessing external data in SharePoint. As shown at top, the InfoPath 2010 designer has also adopted the Office Ribbon interface, which makes common design tools easier to find.