Design a form template

You can use the options in this dialog box to make initial design decisions about both form templates and template parts. For example, if you want to design a form template that can be opened and filled out in either Microsoft Office InfoPath or a Web browser, you can select the Enable browser-compatible features only check box.

In addition, you can use the links on the left side of the dialog box to quickly open form template (.xsn) files, form (.xml) files, or template part (.xtp) files. If you choose to open an .xsn file, the form template will open in design mode, the environment that is used to design form templates. If you open an .xml file, the form opens in the environment for filling out forms. If you open an .xtp file, InfoPath opens a dedicated design environment for creating template parts.

Open a form template

Use the options under this heading to open form template (.xsn) files, template part (.xtp) files, and form (.xml) files.

On My Computer     Click this link to open a form template or template part in design mode. The form template or template part can be located on your computer or in a shared location, such as on a network share.

On a SharePoint Site     Click this link to open a form template or template part that has been published to a server running Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 or InfoPath Forms Services.

Customize a Sample     Click this link to open one of the five sample form templates that are included with InfoPath. You can customize these sample form templates or simply review their underlying design to get ideas for your own form templates.

Forms on Office Online     Click this link to go to the Templates on Microsoft Office Online Web site, where you can browse for free form templates and template parts. To access this site, you must be connected to the Internet.

Import     Click this link to open the Import Wizard, which you can use to convert Microsoft Office Word documents or Microsoft Office Excel worksheets into InfoPath form templates. If you have installed a custom form template importer, such as one provided to you by your information technology (IT) department or one that you purchased from a third-party provider, you can access the importer by clicking the Import link.

Recent form templates

Click a link in this list of recently used form templates to quickly open one of the form templates or template parts that you frequently work on. You can hide the links or clear the current link history in the Options dialog box (Tools menu).

Fill out a form

Fill Out a Form     Click this link to open the Getting Started dialog box, where you can find options for opening and filling out forms that are based on form templates.

Design a new

Form Template     Select this option to design a new form template (.xsn) file.

Template Part     Select this option to design a new template part (.xtp) file.

Blank      Select this option to let InfoPath automatically create the data source for you as you add controls to the form template or template part.

Web Service     Select this option to base the design of your form template on a Web service. When you design a new form template that is connected to a Web service, InfoPath builds a data structure for your form template that is based on that Web service. The resulting form template can then be used to submit data to and query the Web service. You can work with the form template in many of the same ways as when you design a new, blank form template — for example, you can insert controls, add or remove data validation, conditional formatting, and rules, and publish the form template.

Database     Select this option to base the design of your form template on a database created in Microsoft Access 2000 or 2002, Microsoft Office Access 2003, or Microsoft Office Access 2007, or Microsoft SQL Server 2000 through Microsoft SQL Server 2005. When you select this option, you can query or submit data to the Access or SQL database.

XML or Schema     Select this option to base the design of your form template or template part on an existing XML document or XML Schema.

Connection Library     Select this option to base the design of your form template on connection settings stored in a data connection file in a data connection library. This is useful in scenarios where you cannot or do not want to connect directly to an external data source.

Enable browser-compatible features only     Select this check box to limit the features, controls, and settings in design mode to only those that are supported in both InfoPath and a Web browser. InfoPath controls or features that aren't supported in browser-compatible form templates are either hidden or disabled so that you aren't tempted to use them during the design process. If you are designing a template part, you can select this check box if you want the template part to use only those features, controls, and settings that are supported in both InfoPath and a Web browser.