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Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 comes with 25 sample forms that offer the following benefits:

Ready-to-use forms   Predesigned business forms such as expense reports, invoices, and status reports can be used "as is" or customized in design mode (design mode: The InfoPath design environment in which you can create or modify a form template.) to suit your needs. You can use the Fill Out a Form dialog box that appears whenever you open InfoPath to quickly find sample forms.

Feature examples   The sample forms show useful InfoPath features in action—for example, the Asset Tracking sample form illustrates how views (view: A form-specific display setting that can be saved with a form template and applied to form data when the form is being filled out. Users can switch between views to choose the amount of data shown in the form.) can be used to present similar information in different ways. Similarly, the Vendor Information sample form includes a custom task pane (custom task pane: An .html file whose content is displayed in a window next to a form. Custom task panes can provide form-specific commands and Help content.), which shows how adding form-specific commands and content in a task pane can help make a form easier to use. These are only two examples of useful features. You can browse through the sample forms to find many more.

Control examples   You can refer to the sample forms to learn more about working with controls (control: A graphical user interface object, such as a text box, check box, scroll bar, or command button, that lets users control the program. You use controls to display data or choices, perform an action, or make the user interface easier to read.). For example, you can open the Expense Report sample form in design mode to better understand how a repeating table (repeating table: A control on a form that contains other controls in a table format and that repeats as needed. Users can insert multiple rows when filling out the form.) works. You can view the table's properties, see what types of controls are used in it, as well as see which fields (field: An element or attribute in the data source that can contain data. If the field is an element, it can contain attribute fields. Fields store the data that is entered into controls.) or groups (group: An element in the data source that can contain fields and other groups. Controls that contain other controls, such as repeating tables and sections, are bound to groups.) the controls are bound to. This can help you think of ways that controls can be used in your own forms.

Customizing sample forms

Although a sample form can be used as is, you can also customize it in design mode. This is useful if you like a particular form but it doesn't quite meet your needs, or if you want the sample form to more closely match your company's corporate style. For example, you might add a control, change data validation (data validation: The process of testing the accuracy of data; a set of rules you can apply to a control to specify the type and range of data that users can enter.) rules, change the default font or color scheme, or add a company logo. For more information about customizing sample forms, see Customize a sample form.

Sample forms for advanced users

If you're an advanced form designer, or if you simply want to improve your technical skills, you may find it useful to review the four developer sample forms that are included with InfoPath. Unlike the sample forms mentioned earlier, these forms are intended solely as a teaching tool for helping designers learn more advanced form-design concepts. For example, you can review the User Interface sample form to learn about customizing menus, toolbars, task panes, and other parts of the form's user interface. For more information about opening developer sample forms, see Open a sample form.

Visit the Office Developer Center on the Microsoft Developer Network Web site for the latest information about programming with InfoPath, including product news, technical articles, downloads, and samples.

Note  The information in this topic may not apply if you are working with a form designed using Microsoft Office InfoPath 2003 without the service pack installed.