Walkthrough: Create a simple BCS connection with SharePoint Designer 2010

First: You need a SharePoint 2010 platform. You can use Foundation because BCS = Business Connectivity Services – former BDC = Business Data Catalog in SharePoint 2007 – included in this “free” edition.

Second: You need a database for the walkthrough. You can use Microsoft’s sample database “AdventureWorks”. You can download them here: http://msftdbprodsamples.codeplex.com – I’ll use the database “AdventureWorksLT2008R2”: This is the lite version of the sample database.

Third: The BCS Application of SharePoint 2010 must be configured. – Create this application in the Central Administration –> Manage Service Applications

Fourth: You need a Site Collection. – In my sample it’s “http://sharepoint.local”

1. Open SharePoint Designer 2010 (“SPD”)

Open the site collection.

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2. Click “External Content Types” in the Site Objects Navigation.

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3. Click “External Content Type” in the Group “New” on the Ribbon.

In the “External Content Type Information” group click the text message “New external content type” beside the label “Name”. 

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Enter “AdventureWorks SalesOrderDetails”.

After that the same text will appear beside “Display Name”.

4. Click on the text message beside “External System”:

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5. Click “Add Connection”

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Select “SQL Server” in the drop down “Data Source Type” in the dialog.

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On the next dialog enter the Database Server Name, Database Name and the Name of the new connection. Select “Connect with User’s Identity”.

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6. Now the Data Source Explorer view is filled:

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Scroll down and select the table “SalesOrderDetails” in the tree view.

Right click on “SalesOrderDetails”. Click on “Create All Operations”.

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7. You get this dialog.

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Click “Next”.

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Click “Finish”.

8. Click “Save” or Ctrl+S.

9. After the upload click on “Create Lists & Form”.

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Now the list will be created:

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10. Open the browser and navigate to the site collection. You’ll see the previously created list:

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11. Open the list view.

12. You may get the error “Access denied by Business Data Connectivity”.

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13. Then open “Central Administration” –> Manage Service Application –> Business Connectivity Service Application

Select the BCS application. Open the context menu. Click “Set Permissions”.

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On the next dialog add all users that should have access to the BCS app and it’s lists.

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Click “OK”.

14. Try to open the list on the site collection.

15. You may get the error message “Login failed for user NT AUTHORITYIUSR”.

This means: IUSR account has no rights to access the AdventureWorks database.

Open SQL Server Management Studio. Open “Security” –> “Logins” (at server level).

Add “NT AUTHORITYIUSR” as new login.

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On the “User Mapping” tab change the security settings:

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Click “OK”.

 

16. Open the list again.

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Now it works (for me).

10 thoughts on “Walkthrough: Create a simple BCS connection with SharePoint Designer 2010

  1. hi.. aftr a long search i reach ur page.. its really very useful and solved my prblm.. thank u so much.. 🙂 it works for me also.. 🙂 🙂

  2. Pingback: Integrating a custom processor in FAST pipeline – part 1 of 2 | Johnny's SharePoint & Fast Fun Land

  3. Pingback: BCS Example: Take advantage of external data columns in existing BrightWork lists | Manage Projects on SharePoint

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