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Creating User Interfaces

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This content is no longer actively maintained. It is provided as is, for anyone who may still be using these technologies, with no warranties or claims of accuracy with regard to the most recent product version or service release.

To make it possible for users to work with data in your workflow application, you must provide a user interface. You create the user interface with a separate program, not with the Workflow Designer. Although you can use any type of user interface that has read/write capabilities on a Microsoft® SQL Server™ database, the topics in this section deal with how to use the data access pages in Microsoft® Access to create a Web-based user interface.

You can explore an example of a user interface by creating an instance of the Issue Tracking sample template supplied with Microsoft® Office XP Developer.

To create a Web-based user interface for a workflow application

  1. Create an Access Data Project. For details, see Using Access to Create SQL Server Databases.
  2. Create your workflow application. The Workflow Designer prompts you for a Web site address when you register your database.
  3. Create the data access pages required to display your data. Typically, a summary view of all workflow items are contained on one page, while a second page makes it possible for you to view and edit detail information for a selected item. The Issue Tracking sample provides an example.
  4. Add the necessary database fields to each data access page, and format the user interface as desired.
  5. Add the Office Developer Workflow Toolbar control to your pages.
  6. Save the data access pages to the Web site address you specified when you registered the database.
  7. Create Web pages that provide help to users.

See Also

Developing a User Interface for SQL Server | User Interface Considerations | Help Files in Workflow Applications | User Information for Workflow Applications | Creating Webs Using FrontPage | Creating Data Access Pages | Using the Office Developer Workflow Toolbar Control | Adding the Workflow Toolbar Control to Data Access Pages | Adding Script to Data Access Pages