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Integrating SharePoint data with line‑of‑business systems: a practical guide to a unified SQL Server repository
Why robust integration between LOB systems matters Line‑of‑business (LOB) systems are the specialised applications organisations use to run core functions such as CRM, finance, inventory and project management. Organisations rarely build these systems in‑house any more; they rely on third‑party products because those products are maintained by dedicated teams and offer deep, specialised capability. That
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Single Source of Truth: How to Build Reliable Reporting from SharePoint Data
What a single source of truth means for SharePoint data A single source of truth (SSOT) is a canonical data repository that provides a consistent, authoritative view of information for reporting and decision making. In the context of SharePoint this usually means creating a separate, queryable store that faithfully represents important list content and document
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Exporting SharePoint data to SQL Server: options, trade‑offs and when to choose each approach
Introduction Many organisations use Microsoft SharePoint to capture and manage business data in lists and document libraries. SharePoint is convenient for collaboration but its native storage model is not relational: list items and documents are stored in a way that makes cross‑list reporting and integration with line‑of‑business systems cumbersome. A common solution is to export
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Popular BI and reporting tools — strengths, weaknesses and using them with live SharePoint data
Introduction Business intelligence (BI) refers to technologies, practices and tools that transform raw data into meaningful insights for decision making. A reporting tool is a software application designed to present data in tables, charts and formatted documents for operational or strategic use. Organisations choose different BI and reporting products depending on requirements such as real‑time
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Why DirectQuery is often the better choice for Power BI reports
Introduction Power BI offers two primary ways to get data into reports: Import mode and DirectQuery. Import mode copies data into the Power BI dataset, while DirectQuery leaves the data in the source and issues queries at report runtime. Both approaches have valid uses, but DirectQuery provides substantial advantages for many real‑world scenarios where data
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Why SQList is a secure choice for SharePoint–SQL replication
Introduction SQList is an on-premises application from AxioWorks that combines a Windows Desktop application with a Windows Service to replicate and integrate data between SharePoint and SQL Server. Its architecture and deployment model are deliberately simple, which reduces the attack surface and makes it straightforward to secure within an organisation’s existing infrastructure. Why SharePoint–SQL replication
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Why use SQList: practical advantages of bringing SharePoint list data into SQL Server
What SQList does SQList from AxioWorks is a purpose-built solution that synchronises SharePoint list data with a SQL Server database. By creating a reliable, queryable representation of list content in SQL, SQList removes many of the limits and performance constraints that can hinder reporting, integration and large-scale data workflows on SharePoint. This approach is particularly
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Making on‑premises data work harder: three practical integration scenarios for SMEs
Introduction Many small and medium-sized enterprises appreciate the strategic advantages of cloud platforms, yet financial, regulatory or functional constraints often mean migration cannot happen immediately. Organisations with existing on-premises infrastructure still have valuable systems—accounting, collaboration, email and line-of-business applications—that generate important data. Bringing that data together into a single, queryable SQL Server database turns dispersed
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The quiet power of writing tools: a personal reflection on content in the modern era
By Francesco Marcolini, AxioWorks CEO Rethinking content creation in the modern era People say that using automated writing tools to generate content is not good. Why? I actually think it is a good thing, and those who argue otherwise are often concerned about job security. Automated writing tools have become surprisingly capable at producing coherent,
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Migrating from InfoPath — Why Now Is the Time to Switch to Form Migrator
For many organisations, Microsoft InfoPath has long been the backbone for building and deploying forms within SharePoint. But with InfoPath officially deprecated, continuing to rely on it poses growing risks. This article explains why migrating sooner rather than later is essential, what is at stake, and how Form Migrator helps organisations move safely to modern
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