Integration of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 as an External Content Type in SharePoint 2013

Open your SharePoint site in SharePoint Designer. Click on External Data Type. You will get the following message if the Business Data Connectivity (BDC) Service is not started on the SharePoint Farm.

SharePoint

Create a BDC Service, start it and again open the site in SharePoint designer.

BDC Service

Click on External Content Type (ECT) and choose to create a new ECT.

External Content Type

Provide a Name, Display Name, select the Item Type as Generic List and click on External System.

Item Type

You need to create a Data Connection. Click on Add Connection and choose SQL Server from the Data Source Type Selection drop down.

drop down

You will be asked the SQL Server name and authentication information.

connect with user

Specify these and click OK. I am choosing Connect with User's identity, but an ideal way is to create a Secure Store Application ID in SharePoint and use it for this connection. If all goes well, you should be able to connect to CRM Tables, Views and Routines.
Views and Routines

The ideal way is to use Views for the read operation since we don't want to directly use data from the tables. For this demo purpose I am choosing a view related to Contacts. Here is a reason why FilteredViews should be used.

FilteredViews

Follow the procedure to create this operation. First provide a name.

First give a name

Add Filter.

Add Filter

Choose the Columns.

Chose Columns

You can get an error as in the following if the threshold limit is exceeded.

exceeds

So select only columns that are really required.

really require

Click on Finish.

Similarly create a Read Item Operation.

Item Operation

Our ECT to CRM data is ready. Now we can test in designer if we can create a External List.
Click on “Create Lists and Forms” and enter the details.

Create Lists and Forms

Click OK. If all goes well, you will see the List created under Lists and Libraries.

Lists and Libraries

You will see the same in your SharePoint Site -> Site Contents.

Site Contents

You can now use this CRM Account Data in SharePoint depending on your business needs.

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