Push BCM contacts to public folders

[Steve Jensen]

I would like to create an add-on to do a 1-way synchronization from BCM 2007
to a public folder in Exchange 2003, preferably on an automatic schedule, so
that BCM users can access and synchronize PDA's when operating remotely.

Is this something that can be done in Outlook, or does this need to be a
server-side service? As BCM is in a SQL database, not Exchange, I am not at
all sure how to approach the project.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

It could be done in an Outlook addin but of course Outlook would have to be
running on each client where you want the update to be performed. In the
case of synching to a public folder that would most likely require only 1
Outlook client running that has access to the MSDE database that has the BCM
data.

The addin could connect to the database using the typical ADO or other
methods depending on what language you're planning to use and then do it's
thing on the public folder. Of course that Outlook/Windows logon would need
adequate permissions on the public folder for read/write/create and on the
database for read.

 

[Steve Jensen]

Thanks, Ken
Does it matter whether BCM is in SQL Express or SQL Standard? Also,
assuming you have the add-on to do this, how do you schedule it to run
automatically at given intervals?

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

Accessing SQL Server is the same whether it's the desktop version (Express
or MSDE) or the server enterprise version.

You can use a timer that fires at intervals and check the system time in the
timer event and run the synch at a specified time, or at specified
intervals, or you can use any other method of scheduling that you want.