Layer2 Business Data List Connector for SharePoint -

The Layer2 Business Data List Connector for SharePoint solves many issues that still exist with the SharePoint out-of-the-box external data integration. It makes it as easy as possible to connect native SharePoint lists to almost any external data sources

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Description

The Layer2 Business Data List Connector for SharePoint solves many issues that still exist with the SharePoint out-of-the-box external data integration. It makes it as easy as possible to connect native SharePoint lists to almost any external data sources, codeless and bi-directional. All native SharePoint list features are available for the connected lists, including search, managed metadata, offline and mobile access, change notifications and workflows.

Layer2 Business Data List Connector for SharePoint - Overview

Please take a look at our product video to see how easy it is, to connect external data sources to SharePoint:

The fast, easy and complete integration of external data sources is a common requirement in the use of Microsoft SharePoint technology. Solutions, such as the Business Data Catalog (BDC) for SharePoint 2007 or the Business Connectivity Services (BCS) for SharePoint 2010/2013, are often complex at the facility, require additional tools or programming, have serious limitations or are available for certain SharePoint editions only. The Layer2 Business Data List Connector for SharePoint completely solves those issues.

The connector offers a SharePoint "External List" by connecting a 100% NATIVE SharePoint lists (no SharePoint Web Parts, no BCS - native contacts, news, tasks, events or custom lists) to almost any external data source in just minutes directly in the list settings. The desired data can be populated to the list and presented without any restrictions, with the full functionality of common native SharePoint lists.

Slideshare: Business Data List Connector

Fig: To see the product presentation full-screen please click this image. In case of technical issues using Slideshare just download the presentation file here.

Whether you are an end customer, systems integrator or service provider, with the Layer2 BDLC you can dramatically reduce project costs, simplify your SharePoint architecture, improve SharePoint reliability, productivity and end user acceptance.

SharePoint Business Data List Connector - Availability

The SharePoint Business Data List Connector is available for Microsoft SharePoint Server 2007, 2010 and 2013 as well for the free Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 / Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 / 2013. To take your data to the SharePoint Cloud (e.g. SharePoint Online, Office 365 or any other externally hosted sandbox) please evaluate the Layer2 Cloud Connector for SharePoint and Office 365 product with similar features - but different architecture.

SharePoint Business Data List Connector - How does it work?

The SharePoint Business Data List Connector (BDLC) provides the complete read-only or optionally write-back (CRUD) features of any native SharePoint 2007/2010/2013 list for almost any external LOB data sources in just a few simple steps:

Fig.: Simply click "Connect to external data source" in the General List Settings to synchronize any native SharePoint list with almost any external data source automatically.

Create a native list of any type to host the data and simply click "Connect to external data source" in the list settings dialog.
In the BDLC settings dialog choose from the installed connection providers and enter the appropriate connection string (e.g. OLEDB, ODBC, .NET, OData or custom) and validate it. Please note that you can hide security relevant settings in the SharePoint secure store later on.
To select the desired data, please enter a query statement as supported by your external data source and validate it. Check the result in preview mode and enter the primary key(s) - some unique columns - to safely update changed SharePoint list items only.
Create the SharePoint list structure by adding required columns automatically, check the field / column mapping and update the list first time using the command buttons with one click. If a primary key is available, only modified data is updated in the list later on with high performance (background batch update via timer job).
You can optionally activate write-back to external data source (CRUD: Create, Update, Delete features), if supported by the driver, access rights and query.
You can use update on-demand via list action menu / ribbon button, URL, or API - or you can simply activate the background update to run a scheduled timer job for this.

SharePoint external data integration setup

Fig.: Sample configuration of the SharePoint Business Data List Connector to expose the SQL Server categories table of the Northwind demo database as a native SharePoint list. No other settings required to connect and keep current.

Fig. With BDLC native SharePoint lists can be connected directly to almost any external data source. Write-Back is supported for most databases via .NET Provider or ODBC/OLEDB/OData.