SharePoint Task Manager Customization With InfoPath

Kanban Task Manager currently comes in two versions that may be used together: one for Outlook tasks and one for SharePoint tasks. The SharePoint tasks are easy to customize, but if you want to change the task form there are some things to consider.

Form customization with InfoPath
As all SharePoint lists items the tasks of Kanban Task Manager for SharePoint can be customized. The most common way is proably to add and delete columns in the task form.

When you use the Enterprise version of SharePoint 2013 you can also customize the task form itself with the integrated InfoPath tool. In the demo below I am explaining how to do it and what to think about.

Try it first!
I recommend that you activate Kanban Task Manager on a separate site in the collection to test your customization idea. When you try it on a site where Kanban Task Manager is not normally used, you can make sure it really works as intended before you implement it on a site where a group is actually working with Kanban Task Manager.

Related Items
With SharePoint 2013 the new column type “Related Items” was introduced in the task lists. It might be useful when you want to add related items to a task, but unfortunately it does not go well with InfoPath.

"Related Items" is hidden by default, so users never see it when they select phase, project or responsible in a Kanban Task Manager tasks. Therefore it can be deleted from the task list without problems and without anyone noticing it.

Same for all
What I have advised above is valid for all task list customizations with InfoPath. If you have connected Outlook to a SharePoint Task list with HelpDesk OSP and want to customize that list with InfoPath, you should also remove the Related Items first.

As HelpDesk OSP is not installed in SharePoint but only in Outlook, you don't have to try the customization on a separate site. But you should test it with another list before you modify the list that is connected to Outlook.

Only for Kanban Task Manager
When you customize the Kanban Task Manager task form you must do one more thing: change the information source for phase, project and responsible so that it is not linked to item. In the next version of Kanban Task Manager this change before customizing with InfoPath will not be needed.



I have recorded a few more demos on SharePoint and InfoPath that you might be interested to watch before you start customizing your task form. Please refer to the kalmstrom.com Tips section to learn more.

By Peter Kalmstrom
CEO and Systems Designer
kalmstrom.com Business Solutions