The business needs:
The documents stored in the Document Center have own content types, the default Document content is not used. Recording these documents is managed by a software out-of-the SharePoint (MOSS 2007), the recording data is stored in a MS SQL 2005 database. We need to display all these data in many formats:
- on the DispForm.aspx of all documents
- on the Document Information Panel (DIP) of all documents (different layouts for different content types)
- inside the documents
The problem:
If we use only "traditional" data types (not business data), it"s quite simple: create a custom DIP and assign it to the content type. But we cannot create a site column from business data – so we cannot display a BDC site column on the Information Panel….
The solution:
Fortunately, the DIP assigned to a content type is similar to columns: we can define it at site level, but we can override and customize this at library-level. So the solution's steps are:
- Create a content type, with the appropriate site columns and with special DIP if you need.
- Cretae the document library, which will use this content type.
- Assign the content type to the document library.
- Create Business Data columns for the document library.
- Customize the content type's DIP at the document library:
- Document Library settings –> Content Type settings –> Document Information Panel settings –> Edit this XSN form
- Create a new Data Source in the InfoPath form, from the current Document Library.
- Add the Business Data columns from the new Data Source to the Information Panel. Create the views, layouts, etc.
- Save and publish this DIP and enjoy it!