OLEDB SharePoint Integration 

OLEDB compliant data sources 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 OLEDB Integration with 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 in the OLEDB data source: No programming, no additional tools.
• Connected data always up-to-date: The connected OLEDB 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 OLEDB 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 OLEDB 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

OLEDB Specific SharePoint List Configuration Settings

​In the SharePoint List Settings the data source must be configured as follows to connect to OLEDB sources via Layer2 Business Data List Connector.

Figure 1: Sample connection configuration to connect a SharePoint list to a Microsoft Access database via OLEDB and Layer2 Business Data List Connector.

​Please note the following specific settings.

• Make sure you've installed the 64-bit Version of the data source specific driver for OLEDB​.
• Follow the vendor instructions to setup and configure. See here for an example to setup an OLEDB data source.
• You can use a connection string like this to connect:
  Provider=myProvider; Data Source=myDataSource;
• Please find more details about OLEDB options at www.connectionstrings.com.
• You can make use of OLEDB 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).
• You can use the connection for uni- or bi-directional synchronization.
• No installation or changes are required at the ODBC data source or data destination.
• No programming required for setup a connection and sync.
• No need to open your local network for access from outside.

OLEDB Connection Details

​Provider:
.Net Framework Data Provider for OData

Connection string sample:
Provider=Microsoft.ACE.OLEDB.12.0; Data Source=myDataSource; Persist Security Info=False;

Select Statement sample:
select * from yourTable

OLEDB SharePoint Integration - Samples, Known Issues & Workarounds

OLEDB data integration with SharePoint via Layer2 Business Data LIst Connector has the following known issues and workarounds:

• You can connect SharePoint to Microsoft Active Directory via LDAP/OLEDB (one-way) as described here.
• You can connect SharePoint lists to Microsoft Access data queries two-way.
• In case of inserts during write-back of changes made in the SharePoint list to the external OLEDB data source please take care of the primary key. Database-side IDs (e.g. counters) will not work in this case.

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