Understand the Content Types sync engine

The Content Types sync engine connects Brief Connect record configuration to SharePoint.

For the wider relationship between field configuration, term sets, and stored record values, see Understanding managed metadata in Brief Connect.

Each Brief Connect Record Type maps to one SharePoint Content Type. Each Record Field maps to one SharePoint site column.

Configuration process

The process has two stages:

1. Configuration change: An administrator changes the RecordTypes and RecordFields tables.
2. Sync: The sync engine applies the configuration to the SharePoint content types and site columns.

The sync engine also maps site columns to the SharePoint search schema. This map supports sorting and filtering on the dashboard.

Sync functions

The Brief Connect web API contains a /ContentTypes endpoint. When this endpoint receives a successful POST request, the sync reads Azure Table Storage.

The sync does these actions:

• New record types: The sync creates SharePoint content types.
• Changed record types: The sync updates existing SharePoint content types.
• New record fields: The sync creates SharePoint site columns. It adds each site column to the content type named by PartitionKey.
  • For a managed metadata field, DataSourceName contains the term-set name.
  • The sync finds this term set. It connects the taxonomy site column to the term-store and term-set IDs.
  • The environment configuration can permit the sync to create a missing term set.
  • If the sync cannot find or create the term set, it records an error for the field.
  • The sync also maps the site column to a SharePoint search property.
• Changed record fields: The sync updates existing site columns. It also updates term-set maps and SharePoint search-property names.

The sync engine connects fields to term sets. It does not deploy individual terms. It does not change labels on existing records.

Use the Office Resources term change process to manage term values.