Contents
BCS is an umbrella term for a set of technologies that brings data from external systems into SharePoint Server 2010 and Office 2010. If you have worked previously with the Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Business Data Catalog, you might think of BCS as the evolution of the Business Data Catalog.
Defining ECTs is one of the primary activities in creating a BCS solution and can be performed in Microsoft SharePoint Designer 2010 (SPD) or Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 (VS2010). When completed, ECTs are stored in the External Content Type Catalog.
Can a BCS be created with no code?
While BCS solutions can be complex, they can also be created with no code. Using the tools found in SharePoint Designer (SPD) and SharePoint, you can easily create an External Content Type and External List. You can then edit this in SharePoint or Office clients.
Are there data challenges in SharePoint Office 2010?
In addition to the data challenges presented within SharePoint itself, there are challenges when integrating external data with Office 2010 documents. When sales people create a quote, for example, they often look up customer contact information in a CRM system, copy it to the clipboard, and then paste it into the document.
View the External List in your browser to see its current appearance. In SharePoint Designer 2010, on the the File menu, click Open Site. In the Open Site dialog box, type the name of the URL of the site that contains the External List, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1.
Can a BCS topic be covered in one chapter?
BCS is a broad and deep topic that cannot be completely covered in a single chapter. While this chapter provides significant technical information, readers interested in complete coverage should read the upcoming Professional Business Connectivity Services from Wiley in 2011.