BCS Meta Man
Core Features
CS Meta Man is a windows application that makes building Business Connectivity Services External Content Types simple. No need to write an code or XML, just simply connect BCS Meta Man to your data source, and drag and drop the Tables, Views, Stored Procedures that you want to work with.
Build External Content Types for Oracle, ODBC, WCF, Salesforce, Dynamics CRM, OData and Microsoft SQL without code.
Sharepoint Business Connectivity Services provides data integration including Business Data Columns, Search, User Profile Import, Business Data Web Parts, Office Integration, and External Lists.
Using the BCS Meta Man connectivity tool for simple drag and drop Sharepoint Business Connectivity Services
Connect to External Data Sources and generate the External Content Type.
Within this twelve minute video, we connect to OData and Microsoft SQL, build two Entities and set the Finder, Specific Finder, Creator, Updater and Deleter methods. Limit Filter, and custom actions can also be set within the tool.
Build Methods On Each External Content Type
Once you have chosen your external data source, drag the table to the design surface and begin to configure your external content type. Select your Finder, Specific Finder, ID Enumerator, Creator, Updater and Deleter methods, simply click generate, and you’re done!
Build Associations Using Drag And Drop
Associations enable you to show your external data using Business Data Lists and Business Data Related List web parts. Your data relationships can also be shown in profile pages and also BDC item picker dialog boxes.
For instance, simply drag the association between the two external content types.
In addition, create filters, methods and custom actions in just a few clicks.
Our Business Connectivity Services Knowledge
Lightning Tools co-founder and Office Apps and Services MVP Brett Lonsdale is the co-author of the Business Connectivity Services book by Microsoft Press. Our knowledge of BCS has helped us to shape BCS Meta Man to overcome many of the challenges with BCS connectivity out-of-the-box.
| Feature | BCS Meta Man | SharePoint Designer | Visual Studio SharePoint Tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connect to SQL without code |  | |  |
| Connect to Oracle without code | | | |
| Connect to ODBC Data Sources without Code | | | |
| Connect to WCF Service without Code | | | |
| Generate .NET Assembly External Content Type | | | |
| Build Associations Using Drag/Drop | | | |
| Build Filters without code | | | |
| Build Associated ECTs in one model | | | |
| Build Custom Actions without code | | | |