No Code SharePoint BCS solutions with Workspace 2010 & Outlook 2010 & SPD 2010

Synopsis:

I have not done a blog in a while on SharePoint Business Connectivity Services (BCS) and as I prepare for my next SharePoint Saturday (Arabia), which will go into BCS from a SPD 2010 perspective I wanted to add some additional tid-bits on SharePoint workspace for people unfamiliar with it or its predecessor Microsoft Groove.

 

Below you will see screen shots for how to set up SharePoint Workspace 2010 (formerly Groove), and the integration to SharePoint Server 2010; further, I will demonstrate how you offline List/Libraries with both Workspace and Outlook to a SQL Server LOB system.

Above:  To create a new SharePoint Workspace link, you click “New”

Above:  There are a few options available to you here, in our example we will be doing a copy of SharePoint sites (offlining) to our local environment so we choose SharePoint Workspace

Above:  Enter the site that you are interested in Off-lining to Workspace

Above:  If you click “Configure” button you get the screen above which allows you to see exactly what is coming down to your Workspace… I haven’t played with modifying the default settings

Above:  Once you click “Ok”, you will have various site list and libraries that will sync up to your SharePoint Workspace; notice that the Site Pages are not supported.

Above:  Just as in Microsoft Outlook, as you connect to BCS External Content Types, you have to install a VSTO file on your local client (laptop/desktop) and this now will use BCSSync.exe to direct sync between your Rich Client and the LOB System.

Above:  this is the installation of the VSTO file

Above:  The VSTO file is successfully installed.

Above:  Same for additional list and libraries

Above:  ditto

Above:  ditto

Above:  When competed you see a check box to denote success and any warnings and errors.

Above:  Notice in the External List called “Store Sales” you have both a data view and individual view for the list. You are able to add, edit, and delete items in SharePoint workspace that will sync with SharePoint and the LOB system

Above:  As an example let us look at Elin Woods profile here, but we have renamed it Tiger for now…

Above:  We note that in the SharePoint browser UX we see the same thing as in Worspace

Above:  We make the edit to change the first name back to Elin…

Above:  We commit the change to the Workspace

Above:  We verify that the change is made as seen above….

Above:  Next we will connect Outlook to the same External List. To to this we will click on the “Connect to Outlook” icon in the SharePoint browser UX

Above:  When you do that, you will see the VSTO fill being installed on your local client

Above:  Once complete you now have access to the List in MS Outlook.

Above:  Verification phase… we are in SQL Management Studio looking at the LOB System

Above:  Next we will make a change to Fabian Williams Name

Above:  Save our Changes

Above:  Verify it in the Browser UX

Above:  Verify it in SharePoint Workspace

Above:  Verify it in the LOB System