InfoPath form approval custom workflow

Question

sorry if this is a noob question, but I have to start somewhere!

I'm working with Sharepoint 2007. I have a custom content type, Room Booking Event. When one is created, I want to start a workflow where the following happens:

• Using email, I want to send the details of the room booking (fields in the list), to an approver
• Ideally, I want the approver to be able to approve the booking right there in Outlook (using an InfoPath form?)
• If thats not possible, I could include a link to the content approval page

I'm really not sure where to start here. I have had a look at the OOTB approval workflow, but it's a bit crappy - there doesn't seem to be a way to send the event details in the email that is sent to the approver, it's just a nasty generic email. Unless I'm mistaken?

I'm fumbling around Sharepoint Designer 2007, but I can't figure out how to email an InfoPath form with the event details and an 'apprve/reject' button.

Grateful for any advice. Thanks!

Answer 1

You would want to promote the details to columns within your library so that the data can easily be used, then you can put these columns of information within the email to your "approver". The user would then be given a link to a view of the form that will allow them to approve or deny the request.

Another thing you can do is look on codeplex, there is a project out there that will extend the SPD2007 workflow capabilities to look up data within the form itself if you haven't promoted the columns. However, I find that promoting the columns prevents you from having to install 3rd party software on any production systems.