Introduction
If you have a SharePoint list and want an InfoPath dropdown list box populated from the list, follow these steps.
Also, if you have tried to use an XML data connection to populate a dropdown list box when using a browser-based InfoPath form with Forms Services and have received an error when submitting, you may want to use a SharePoint list instead.
Steps
- Step 1 - Create or use an existing SharePoint list
- Step 2 - Add a SharePoint list data connection in InfoPath
- Step 3 - Check the dropdown list box values
Step 1 - In SharePoint, use an existing list or create a custom List
(Note: To ensure that users have access to the list when they fill out a form, the custom list is best located under the same SharePoint site as the form library)
Step 2 - In InfoPath 2007, open the drop-down list box properties, select Look up value from an external data source and click Add:
Select Create a new connection and select Receive data:
Select SharePoint library or list:
Enter the URL location for the SharePoint library:
Select the name of the SharePoint list:
Select the field(s) you want available in the InfoPath list box:
Do not select Store a copy of the data in the form template:
Give the data connection a name (can be the same as the SharePoint list name) and make sure 'Automatically retrieve data when form is opened' is selected:
Click on the icon next to Entries to select the field to display in the dropdown list box:
Select the custom list and then select the Value and Display Name:
Step 3 - In InfoPath 2007, preview the form and check the dropdown list box values:
