The BDLC directly connects real SharePoint lists with external LOB data, e.g. in databases like SQL Server, Oracle, DB2, MySQL, Informix, Excel, Access, Text-Files etc. and allows to define notifications and workflows to take business actions, if external business data records are changed.
The BDLC provides the COMPLETE read-only features of a common SharePoint list (views, sorting, grouping, filtering) for almost any external data source with 3 simple inputs in the list settings only:
- Enter the connection string for your external data source.
- Enter a select statement that is supported by your external data source.
- Enter primary key(s), to make use of advanced features (fast batch update in background, modified data only).
Then you can create the SharePoint list structure based on your selected result set with one click only and update the data items. If a primary key is available, modified data is updated only in the list with very high performance (background batch update). So you can enable workflow or change notifications per RSS or email to take business actions, if your external LOB data records are changed.
The SharePoint Business Data List Connector comes with an robust installer and is available for Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 (MOSS, all editions) and also for the free Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 (WSS).
