Add Repeating Table Items to Sharepoint List

Question

Hi, I am having a hard time finding a solution in the forums or documentation for this. Here is my problem:

I have an Infopath form that utilizes one repeating table. This form has a repeating table that needs to ultimately be submitted to an existing Sharepoint list when the user submits a form. I understand that the only way to do this within Infopath is to merge the data, but this will not work for me. Apparently I will need to use a SQL table or Access. Just testing, I've actually successfully got the items to submit to a Access table.

Here is where I am stuck. Once submitted to the Access/SQL table, what do I do with the data and how do I get it to my existing Sharepoint list? I am not a programmer, so a in the box solution would be preferred. If coding is required, I do have access to an Internal programmer, but I will have to be very specific in what is needed.

Thanks for your help!

Answer 1

I would write a web service using the built in Sharepoint web services, that adds items to a list. I do not believe there is an out of the box solution for this.

hope this helps,

sivilian

Answer 2

I would like to see if any popular approaches have since been addressed to this need? 
We would like to see a solution here where I work with Purchase Orders (repeating order lines).

Answer 3

I would like to see if any popular approaches have since been addressed to this need? 
We would like to see a solution here where I work with Purchase Orders (repeating order lines).

Qdabra has built a feature within their qRules package that can now do this for us.  It injects code into the form, but at least we don't have to write it.  We can even submit repeating data like this to multiple lists, if needed.  This particular rule will be part of 2.0 - soon to release.  For now, they have 1.7, which has a lot but doesn't have this yet.  They also have the larger DBXL, which can do it beautifully, but it's a bigger product that does much more than this, so it may be overkill depending on the situation.

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SharePoint Architect || My Blog

Answer 4

I would like to see if any popular approaches have since been addressed to this need? 
We would like to see a solution here where I work with Purchase Orders (repeating order lines).

As there are no out-of-the-box solutions available, you'll have to write code or use a third-party tool to get this done. There are several approaches possible if you write code; the method you choose will probably depend on your level of comfort coding and/or whether you've got the time and resources to implement that code. Some possible approaches are:

1. Write a custom SharePoint Designer workflow action that extracts the rows of a repeating table and submits them to a SharePoint list.
2. Write a Visual Studio workflow that extracts the rows of a repeating table and submits them to a SharePoint list.
3. Write a SharePoint event handler that extracts the rows of a repeating table and submits them to a SharePoint list.
4. Use the SharePoint Lists web service to submit rows of a repeating table to a SharePoint list.

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S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton, owner of the InfoPath Solutions Blog and 40+ InfoPath - SharePoint integration articles

Answer 5

Dear SYM Wong-A-Ton
I tried your solution described on your site by using SharePoint list web service. I inserted your VB code parts for my submit button form code and published the form. Approved and activated form as admin, added as new content type to that list (which GUID was used as a value for the listName field) and completed it on the SharePoint list. But when I clicked on Submit button - nothing happened, form is not saved and nor submitted to the list. Should I also add an action for the Submit button by telling where to submit the form? When I clicked on the save button - form is saved but only with one top row  from the repeating table. Any suggestions on debugging? Thank you.  - Andrei

Answer 6

I would like to see if any popular approaches have since been addressed to this need? 
We would like to see a solution here where I work with Purchase Orders (repeating order lines).

As there are no out-of-the-box solutions available, you'll have to write code or use a third-party tool to get this done. There are several approaches possible if you write code; the method you choose will probably depend on your level of comfort coding and/or whether you've got the time and resources to implement that code. Some possible approaches are:

1. Write a custom SharePoint Designer workflow action that extracts the rows of a repeating table and submits them to a SharePoint list.
2. Write a Visual Studio workflow that extracts the rows of a repeating table and submits them to a SharePoint list.
3. Write a SharePoint event handler that extracts the rows of a repeating table and submits them to a SharePoint list.
4. Use the SharePoint Lists web service to submit rows of a repeating table to a SharePoint list .

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S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton, owner of the InfoPath Solutions Blog and 40+ InfoPath - SharePoint integration articles

S.Y.M. Wong-A-Ton I would be very interested to learn more about number 1 approach you mentioned in your post on how this could be achieved with a SharePoint Designer workflow action to extract rows of a repeating table?

Can you point me in the direction of information on how I could do this using SharePoint Designer workflow?

Thanks very much!

Answer 7

Dear SYM Wong-A-Ton,

I am also struggling with this issue of submitting rows of a repeating table to a SharePoint list. I have tried your code solution posted on bizsupport online on submitting a one-column repeating table. Can you point me in the right direction to extend this solution using multiple columns?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance

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vsimonis

Answer 8

Vsimonis, please make a new thread with your specific question.

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SharePoint Architect || Microsoft MVP || My Blog
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