No-code forms and workflow tools of the SharePoint trade

What can SharePoint do?

Collaboration

Document management

Internal Social Network

Forms

Process Automation (Workflows)

Business Intelligence

Reporting

Search

Metadata Management

…

Super secret

The next version will even make coffee!

Lots!!

What do You need SharePoint to do for You?

I am not a programmer. I want to create solutions (or get them created) without writing any code

Examples of no-code solutions

Human Resource portals

Self-service reporting, financial dashboards

Expense reporting

Review and approve document workflows

New-hire orientation sites

Ideation, feedback, & “suggestion boxes”

Structured documents: contracts, RFPs, & invoices

No-Code Forms and Workflow Tools of the SharePoint Trade

Asif RehmaniSharePoint MVP

VisualSP

Download my presentations at:http://bit.ly/asifconference

About me - Asif Rehmani

TrainerFounder and CEOVisualSPChicago, USA

Contact:

@asifrehmaniasif@visualsp.comwww.VisualSP.com

Author

Trainer & ConsultantSharePoint MVPConference Speaker

IgniteTechEdSPTechConSP ConnectionsSP FestDev IntersectionAnd many more…

In-context Help/Training for end users

Please help me understand who You are

Power Users AdministratorsThe infamous

SharePoint Guy / Gal

Developers

Agenda

What to use and when to use the no-code tools related to:

Workflows, Forms

The answers to the most asked questions

Lessons learned

“Let’s not write code until we have to write code.”

Power User’s motto:

Creating Solutions

Recommended sequence when creating your solutions:

1. Browser based only

2. Use no-code tools

3. Use code tools

OR

3rd party products

Advantages of building no-code solutions

Possibilities of what you can do are Enormous!

Quick learning curve

Easier ongoing management of solution

Delegate responsibility easily

Before we go forward, Question:

Which version of SharePoint are you on?

2010 20162013

Online

Form based Solutions

SharePoint Lists are great.

However… I want to control what list information is presented in list forms to users

The former ‘and current’ form solution from Microsoft

The story of InfoPath

Library form

InfoPath 2010 & 2013Custom SharePoint list form

Workflow form

I am worried about all the forms we are currently using in InfoPath and what’s going to happen to them now that Microsoft is not supporting InfoPath long term

InfoPath 2013Supported till 2026

Guidance on InfoPath

Already working with InfoPath and have a Lot of working forms:

Continue working with InfoPath

Never used InfoPath and looking for a forms solution for SharePoint:

Consider PowerApps, MS Forms, ASP.NET forms, or 3rd party vendor

Access Web AppsQuick form based application

Create web applications using Access

Build Access web apps and launch to SharePoint Online

Access web apps being retired - April 2018

• Just didn’t work for the required scenarios

• Needs outgrew capability of Access Services • mobile device support, integration with line of business data,

and professional developer extensions.

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/Office-Retirement-Blog/Updating-the-Access-Services-in-SharePoint-Roadmap/ba-p/57148

New(ish) kids on the block:PowerApps & Forms

Microsoft Forms

Not end-all-be-all forms customization tool

For non-technical power users

Quick data pull

Surveys, Quizzes, Polls, Information Gathering

MS Forms web part available in modern pages

PowerApps is The main Microsoft forms solution going forward

Creating Views of Lists using PowerApps

Customize List forms using PowerApps

Coming soon later this year…

PowerApps

PowerApps forms show up directly in the list view (late 2017)

PowerApps web part coming (late 2017)

Works great on mobile phones and tablets. Not so great of an experience on desktops and laptops just yet

Works only on Modern lists in SharePoint Online. Classic SharePoint interfaces not supported.

What are my non-3rd party Form options today?

SharePoint On-Premises and SharePoint Online Classic interfaces

InfoPath

SharePoint Online Modern interfaces

PowerApps, Forms

Process AutomationNo-code workflows

I want to create automated processes without writing any code

34

Workflow tools

Browser

SharePoint Designer 2013

Visio 2013

Flow

Visual Studio 2012/2013

3rd party applications

What SharePoint Designer 2013 offersStages• New base level concept of

stages

Visual Designer• Direct Visio incorporation• Stage-Level Diagrams

New Task Actions• Quick and easy to create

tasks and approval processes

Web Services• Able to call into Rest/HTTP

web services

Loops!• Able now to loop indirectly

with stages or directly with the new Loop actions

Copy/Cut and Paste• Core copy/cut and paste

abilities now introduced

36

2010 and 2013 style workflowsSharePoint Designer

2010

2013 & 2016

I am worried about losing all the work I put in creating workflows in SharePoint Designer over the years

SharePoint Designer 2013Supported till 2026

New(ish) way to do workflow:Flow

Flow in SharePoint Lists

Flow

The Main process automation solution by Microsoft

“Send for Review” Flow will be available later part of the year

Ability to ask for info (startup parameters/variables) coming soon

Integration in lists and libraries (late Oct 2017)

How do I practice my ideas and concepts?

Watch videos at:

https://www.visualsp.com & YouTube of course

Get a sandbox environment for practicing:

Get an Office 365 Trial

Or

Virtual machine on Azure

Or

Build your own Virtual Machine 42

Go for Quick Wins – Increases adoption and confidence!

Identify real pain points and focus in on them

Call to Action

Download my presentations at:

http://bit.ly/asifconference

Watch video tutorials at:

VisualSP.com

Thank You!@asifrehmani

asif@visualsp.comwww.visualsp.com