IBM Lotus Notes Domino and SharePoint Integration

Lotus Notes & IBM Domino data can be integrated codeless with native SharePoint lists using the Layer2 Business Data List Connector. Please take a look here for more supported systems and applications.​​​ In case you are looking for Online data integration, you will find the right tool here.

Benefits of IBM Lotus Notes Domino Integration in SharePoint

• Very easy to setup in a few minutes: Create a SharePoint list, click "Connect to external data source" in the list settings, select the data provider, enter connection settings and data query as shown below. That's it.
• No changes or installation in Notes or Domino: No programming, no changes in the external data source, no additional tools. Users are working with current data in native SharePoint lists.
• Connected data always up-to-date: The connected Notes or Domino data updates automatically in background (via SharePoint Timer Job), or alternatively, on-demand (Action Menu / Ribbon Button, URL, via workflow, API).
• One-way and optional two-way connection: You can write-back the changes made in SharePoint to the external Notes or Domino data source automatically with full CRUD (Create / Update / Delete) functionality. The SharePoint list can act as a full-featured front-end for external systems.
• Well-known BCS "external list" issues and limitations are completely solved: ALL list features are to you. Views, sorting and grouping, filters, calculated fields, search, managed metadata. Lookups, additional columns and attachments can be created as normal. All kind of lists can be used, e.g. contacts, tasks, calendar, or custom lists. You can take external data offline via Outlook.
• Workflows and notifications on external data change: List workflows and change notifications per RSS or email can be used to take business actions in SharePoint, when external Notes or Domino data records are changed.
• Application logging, reporting, and notifications: A SharePoint list is used to store settings and log information. SharePoint item versioning and workflows can be used to manage reporting and notifications. Direct notification per email in case of errors is supported as well.
• Highest Security, best performance, easy to maintain: SharePoint Secure Store can be used to store security relevant configuration information safely in one central place. Users are working with the SharePoint lists as an external data cache with highest security and performance.
• 100+ external systems supported: Layer2 Data Providers included (e.g. for SharePoint/Office 365, Exchange, Dynamics, OData, XML/RSS, SOAP), vendor specific data providers can be used (e.g. SQL Server Oracle, mySQL etc.), 3rd party data providers also supported, e.g. for ERP/CRMs, Facebook or Twitter. See here for supported systems and applications.

IBM Lotus Notes Domino Specific SharePoint Configuration Settings

​In the Layer2 Business Data List Connector the data source must be configured as follows to connect:

Figure 1: Sample connection configuration to connect to Lotus Notes or IBM Domino via Layer2

​Please note the following specific settings.  

• Select the ODBC Data Provider to connect. The provider is part of the Windows Operating System and should be already installed.
• You need the Lotus Notes / Domino ODBC driver installed (64-bit version).
• Follow the vendor instructions to setup and configure. See here for an example to setup an ODBC data source.
• Use a System DSN (not User or File DSN) to setup your connection and to refer to in the connection string. Verify your setup directly in the ODBC Connection Manager, if supported.
• You can use a connection string like this to connect:
  Drive=Lotus Notes SQL (*.nsf);Database=C:\myDataSource.nsf
  Please find more details about ODBC options at www.connectionstrings.com.
• You can make use of ODBC to query your data as supported by the data provider and source system. For any specification of query language supported see vendor documentation.
• You can map your data fields to specific external source fields in the Layer2 Business Data List Connector. Please take care about data types (simple type conversions are supported).
• Please enter an appropriate primary key (column with unique values), depending on query (see data preview for this).
• No installation or changes are required at the ODBC data source or data destination.
• No programming required for setup a connection and sync.

IBM Lotus Notes Domino SharePoint Connection Details

​Provider:
.Net Framework Data Provider for ODBC

Connection string sample:
Drive=Lotus Notes SQL (*.nsf);Database=C:\myDataSource.nsf

Select Statement sample:
select * from yourTable

IBM Lotus Notes Domino SharePoint Known Issues & Workarounds

The Integration of Lotus Notes / IBM Domino data with SharePoint has the following known issues and workarounds:

• You can generally use the connection for uni- or bi-directional synchronization. In case of inserts (full CRUD) via external systems please take care of the primary key. database-side IDs will not work in his case.

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