Business Data Catalog, a new feature introduced in Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, provides an easy way to integrate business data from back-end server applications, such as SAP or Siebel, within Office SharePoint Server 2007 without writing any code.

Thats the Microsoft definition of the BDC (Business Data Catalog). WOWIE! That means you can interface any Line of Business application currently existing in your organisation with SharePoints, BDC – without coding! (for guys like me!)

It is a shared service (found in the SSP – Shared Services Provider) and it enables Office SharePoint Server 2007 to surface business data from back-end server applications without any coding. Business Data Catalog bridges the gap between the portal site and your business applications and enables you to bring in key data from various business applications to Office SharePoint Server 2007 lists, Web Parts, search, user profiles, and custom applications.

Has this got your mind thinking? Are you thinking of reports? dashboards? data manipulation and display, archiving, external read only interfacing of limited business data – eg. Suppliers/Distributors? I am sure this has got you thinking..