Procore–SharePoint Connector for Two-Way Document Synchronization
About Our Client
Our Client provides software consulting and development services tailored to companies in such industries as manufacturing, construction, and real estate. The Client works with commercial software that helps manage, optimize, and digitally support business processes of its target companies. Microsoft technologies are particularly in focus.
Document Management Process Siloed between Two Systems
Construction companies often use two systems to work with documents: Procore, a construction management system, and SharePoint, a dedicated document management system. A typical situation is that users with access rights to Procore can’t see and work with documents stored in SharePoint, and vice versa. To optimize the document management process, companies have to integrate the two systems.
To help its customers set up the integration fast and with the least possible effort, the Client decided to create a Procore–SharePoint connector. Once installed, it would enable two-way synchronization of documents, now managed separately in Procore and SharePoint.
Not having SharePoint developers in-house, the Client teamed up with ScienceSoft, a provider of high-quality SharePoint development services, to realize the idea.
Development of a Secure and Reliable Procore–SharePoint Connector
For the project, ScienceSoft assigned two SharePoint developers (of lead and senior expertise levels), one senior DevOps engineer, and one senior QA engineer.
The team started by analyzing the input and output capabilities of Procore and SharePoint API functions. They created a data connection application and set up necessary triggers (e.g., document creation) and actions (e.g., automated creation of a duplicate document in the second system).
Challenging moments that we successfully coped with were:
- Supporting API throttling. We identified and configured the maximum number of API calls Procore and Sharepoint can initiate in a given amount of time.
- Establishing two-way file synchronization in near real time. Each action performed with a document in one system (creation, editing, deletion) is mirrored in the second system.
- Setting up rules for resolving document version collision to let users edit one document simultaneously in both systems.
- Implementing multi-tenant OAuth to enable correct and secure authentication of end users.
ScienceSoft’s team has also created the knowledge base and comprehensive documentation to ensure that end clients will get full information on how to install, use, manage, and deactivate the connector.
Procore–SharePoint Connector Is Successfully Launched
End clients used to hire developers and perform custom integration of Procore and SharePoint systems if they wanted to improve their document management process. Now, they use an easy-to-install and convenient connector that enables two-way synchronization of document changes.
Technologies and Tools
Procore, SharePoint, .NET Core, SharePoint client-side object model, REST API, Microsoft Azure.
