How can I display the contents of a custom list in a custom form?

Question

I'm designing an application that'll be used to track customer follow-ups call and I've designed a custom list that contains all the relevant data. I want the display to mimic our current webform instead of the default SP view.

Where would I manipulate the display most effectively? In sharepoint designer? or would I need to create a custom CSS?

What's a good workflow for this, and does anyone have any code samples they can send me to?

Thanks!

Answer 1

You have a number of options:

1. Write an entirely custom application page (.aspx) and set that page as the default edit/create page.
2. Write an entirely custom webpart, put in on an aspx page living on the site somewhere, and then set that as the default edit/create page.
3. Use Infopath (if you have the enterprise version).
4. Use sharepoint designer to edit the existing edit/create forms.
5. Add your own custom CSS and/or javascript files to the existing edit/new forms and modify them client side, rather than editing the server side markup.
6. Add a new page to the 'Forms' folder of the list/document library for your custom new/edit form.
7. Don't integrate with out of the box functionality at all. Make your own pages for viewing lists, searching data, creating, modifying, deleting data, etc. and prevent access by standard users to the out of the box pages.

I haven't worked with Infopath personally, but I've done every one of these other options on some project at least once, so if you'd like to know more about any one possibility then feel free to ask. Part of it will depend on what you're familiar with (I don't know if you're looking for, say, a designer solution, or if you'd prefer a code solution) and also what would integrate best with the rest of the application.

Answer 2

I would most certainly look into Infopath Designer.

Though the variants of how to do it (in browser-enabled or client forms, with logic inside Infopath form or outside of it, etc., etc.) depends on your requirements and Sharepoint configuration (really a few dozens specific questions).

Update
(after reading comment to another answer "We're running Foundation, so Infopath isn't an option"):
Infopath is still more than viable option if you are running Sharepoint Foundation.

You simply will not have ability to run browser-enabled Infopath Forms through Sharepoint Infopath Forms Services. This does not imply that you wouldn't be able to publish Infopath forms or launch them from Sharepoint in browser.
They will be simply lunched in locally installed in each client Infopath instead of in browser on the basis of Enterprise Sharepoint Infopath Foems Services.

You would just confine to having every client to have Infopath installed locally and using Internet Explorer for Infopath forms.

But client forms are more rich than browser-enabled forms and permit custom code (that is not available for browser-enabled Infopath forms), et.c, etc.