Samanage and SharePoint Integration 

Samanage and SharePoint on-premise can be integrated and synchronized codeless using the Layer2 Business Data List Connector.

Samanage is an IT service desk and asset management provider from North Carolina. Their product Samanage IT Service Desk (delivered as SaaS) is a user-friendly help desk solution for Data Integration. Using Samanage and SharePoint via Layer2 Cloud Connector has the following features and benefits:

In case you are looking for Online data integration, you will find the right tool here.

Benefits of Samanage Data 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 in the ODBC data source required: No programming, no additional tools.
• Connected list data always up-to-date: The connected ODBC data query 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 the SharePoint list to the external ODBC 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 ODBC 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 in one central place. Users are working with the SharePoint lists as an external data cache with highest security and performance. Large data sources can be synchronized.
• 100+ more external systems supported: Layer2 Data Providers included (e.g. for external SharePoint or Office 365, Exchange, Dynamics ERP/CRM, 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 custom ERP/CRM, Facebook or Twitter. See here for supported systems and applications.

Samanage Specific SharePoint List Configuration Settings

​In the SharePoint General List Settings click "Connect to external data source".  

Figure 1: Example connection configuration to connect a native SharePoint list to a Samanage data entity via Layer2 Business Data List Connector.

Please note the following specific settings.

• Please select the Layer2 Data Provider for XML from the list of data providers. The provider is part of the Layer2 Business Data List Connector solution and should be already installed, depending on installation options selected. You can also install separately if required.
• You can use a connection string like this to connect: Url=https://api.samanage.com/solutions.xml?state=Approved; Authentication=Windows; user=myuser@crewenergy.com; password=mypassword
  
• See Samanage API documentation for the data entity names and views exposed via XML.

• You can make use of all XML XPath queries your data provider supports.
• The primary key must be set manually. The Samanage ID is always a great choice.
• 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).
• Bi-directional synchronization is not supported yet, just one-way sync from Samanage to other data sources.
• No installation or changes are required at the 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.

Samanage Data Connection Details

​Provider:
Layer2 Data Provider for XML

Connection string sample:
Url=https://myDomain.samanage.com/solutions.xml?state=Approved;Authentication=Windows;user=myUser@myDomain.com;password=myPassword;

Select Statement sample:
SELECT id, name, description FROM solutions/solution

SharePoint Integration via Samanage - Limitations, Known Issues and Workarounds

Bi-directional synchronization is not supported yet, just one-way sync from Samanage to other data sources.

Please contact sales@layer2solutions.com for help.

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