SharePoint Business Data Catalog (BDC) vs ... - Layer 2 GmbH

9/15/2009 

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What is the SharePoint Business Data List Connector? 

The SharePoint Business Data List Connector (BDLC) connects custom SharePoint lists (no 

Web Parts) directly with almost any external business data, simply in the list settings dialog 

with 3 steps only. All SharePoint list features are available as usual, e.g. alerts and 

workflows, to take business actions in SharePoint, if external data records are changed. 

Custom SharePoint List (No Web Part) 

Fast batch update in background 

(changed data only) 

BDLC 

Layer 2 GmbH | Eiffestr. 664b | 20537 Hamburg 

Tel.: +49 40 28 41 12 30 | sales@layer2.de | www.layer2.de/en/ 

LOB 

External LOB data, e.g. 

- databases (e.g. SQL Server, Oracle) 

- office data (e.g. Excel, Access) 

- text files (e.g. csv) and more 

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SharePoint BDLC – Why we made it? 

Existing solutions such as the Business Data Catalog (BDC, MOSS 2007) or the 

Business Connectivity Services (BCS, SharePoint 2010) are not available for all 

SharePoint editions or for the Windows SharePoint Services (WSS). The BDLC works 

with all SharePoint editions and WSS. 

BDC and BCS are not easy to configure. Tools, XML, customizing is required. The BDLC 

is easily configured in the list settings with 3 inputs only. Every admin can do it. 

Existing solutions use Web Parts to display the data – not lists. That causes limitations 

compared to real SharePoint lists. With the BDLC all list features can be used, e.g. 

views, grouping, alerts, workflow. No problems with search at all. 

SharePoint users are very familiar with lists. Lists are the common way to work with 

data in SharePoint. 

With the BDLC list alerts and workflows can be used, to start business actions in 

SharePoint, if external data records are changed. 

15.09.2009 Layer2 – The SharePoint Experts from Hamburg (Germany) – www.layer2.de/en/ 

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SharePoint BDLC – Activation: How does it work? 

Install the BDLC 

Activate the BDLC 

Feature for the 

Site Collection 

9/15/2009 Layer2 – The SharePoint Experts from Hamburg (Germany) – www.layer2.de/en/ 

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SharePoint BDLC List Creation – How does it work? 

Goto Site Actions 

Chose Create 

Select Business Data List 

Connector in Custom Lists 


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SharePoint BDLC List Settings – How does it work? 

Goto List Settings 

Chose Business Data List 

Connector Settings in 

Custom Settings 


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SharePoint BDLC List Settings – How does it work? 

Enter the Connection 

String and validate it 

Enter the select string and 

validate it 

Enter the primary key(s) 

(if any) 

Create the list structure 

with one click 

Update the data with one 

click 


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SharePoint BDLC Connection String – How does it work? 

Connection strings are 

available for virtually any 

external data sources, e.g. 

Databases like Microsoft 

SQL Server, Oracle, 

MySQL, Informix, DB2 etc. 

Microsoft Office data like 

Excel, Access etc. 

Text data files. 

Connection strings are 

available for external 

SharePoint lists too... 

See FAQs to find your 

connection string 


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SharePoint BDLC Select Statement – How does it work? 

Select statements are 

available for virtually any 

external data sources, e.g. 

Databases like Microsoft 

SQL Server, Oracle, 

MySQL, Informix, DB2 etc. 

Microsoft Office data like 

Excel, Access etc. 

Text data files. 

Select Statements are 

available for external 

SharePoint lists too... 

See FAQs to find your 

select statement 


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SharePoint BDLC Primary Key(s) – How does it work? 

In most cases your 

external data would have 

one or more primary 

key(s). 

If a primary key is 

available, then the 

advanced update features 

can be used. 

For more information 

about possible primary 

keys / field names please 

take a look into your 

result set using the 

Preview button. 


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SharePoint BDLC List Structure – How does it work? 

To create the list structure 

required to display your 

external data, please 

press "Create”. 

The fields of the result set 

of the given select 

statement are mapped to 

common SharePoint list 

fields automatically. 

You can rename the fields 

afterwards manually or 

you can change field types 

as usual in SharePoint 


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SharePoint BDLC Data Update – How does it work? 

To update the data in your 

SharePoint list with your 

external data, please 

press "Update”. 

If valid primary key(s) are 

given, modified data is 

updated only. 

Updates can be done 

automatically in 

background (see next 

silde). 


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SharePoint BDLC Background Update – How does it work? 

You can optionally enable 

background updates. 

The updates are done 

automatically, one time 

per hour by default. 

You can modify this 

interval later on. 

If primary key(s) are given, 

updates can be done very 

fast. 

Modified data is 

transferred only with 

batch updates using a 

timer job 


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Hamburg 

GERMANY 

Nuremberg 

Layer2 is a specialist for creating custom components and solutions 

for Microsoft SharePoint Products and Technologies. 

1991: Formation as “Cords und Jacobi, 

EDV-Beratung und IT-Dienstleistungen” 

in Hamburg / Germany 

2001: Renamed to Layer2 GmbH 

2003: Focusing on Microsoft technologies, particularly .NET and 

SharePoint 

2007: Market entry Austria and Switzerland 

2008: Microsoft Certified Partner 

2009: Microsoft Gold Certified Partner 

About Layer2 


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What are you waiting for? www.layer2.de 

You can download an evaluation version of the SharePoint Business Data List 

Connector (BDLC) today at: 

http://www.layer2.de/en/products/Pages/SharePoint-Business-Data-List- 

Connector.aspx 

See FAQs or contact sales@layer2.de for more information. Please note, that there 

are more SharePoint features and web parts available on www.layer2.de/en/. 

Download 

9/15/2009 Layer 2 GmbH | Eiffestr. 664b | 20537 Hamburg | www.layer2.de/en/ | Sales@layer2de 14 

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SharePoint Business Data Catalog (BDC) vs ... - Layer 2 GmbH

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