BCS Integration - K2 and SharePoint 2010 BCS

K2 SmartObjects are focused on surfacing line-of-business data into process design while Business Connectivity Services is focused on surfacing line-of-business data into SharePoint. K2 and BCS are complementary technologies solving two different problems. K2 utilizes BCS to surface K2 data in SharePoint and to build SharePoint-based applications as well as ensuring that BCS data is available to K2 SmartObjects and process design.

Fig. 1. K2 and SharePoint 2010 BCS

K2 enhances SharePoint 2010 BCS

K2 enhances SharePoint 2010 BCS with full bi-directional support. All SmartObjects created in K2 can be exposed via External Content Types and External Lists. Additionally, all External Lists in BCS can be accessed in K2 process designs and as SmartObjects.

K2 enhances SharePoint 2010 BCS by:

Providing K2 SmartObject data to BCS via K2 SmartObject Services the WCF endpoints for SmartObjects
Providing a no code graphical designer to build composite SmartObjects (aggregated entities) with support for:
- multiple Service Objects (LOBs)
- composite properties
- composite methods
- method execution order and transaction support
- record (item) level security
- versioning
- auditing
- two-way associations
- multiple designers: K2 Studio and Visual Studio
Consuming data from BCS via
- External Lists support in process design for all list item wizards (Create, Edit, Delete, Copy and Get Item Reference) and list context browsers
- External Lists as K2 SmartObjects for additional access points
Providing access to composite SmartObjects via numerous open APIs, such as .NET, ADO.NET, WS/WCF, REST (XML, ATOM, JSON). These open APIs are available with no code for any External List configured as a SmartObject.