Add existing list as a lookup column in User Profiles

Question

I'd like to extend my user profile properties in my SSP by adding a new property which would render as a dropdownlist via a lookup column. Is it possible to reference a sharepoint list using a lookupcolumn to assign as a User profile property? There would be no sync back to AD.

I know you can do this with normal columns in lists referencing other lists, but can this be done for the User Profiles.

My objective is to associate users with specific fowarding email addresses based on an assigned group (the new profile property). My idea is that The Group would be an SPList with a display name and the forwarding email address as value to lookup in the user profile.

Answer 1

Unfortunately you cannot create a "Lookup Column" that references a list. Since the User Profiles are stored in a separate system there is not mechanism to access the data.

You have the ability to import in the data (from a file) or you can manually populate the choices.

Answer 2

In addition to what Myke already mentioned, i would mention that you can create what is knowned as multivalued (marked with M) properties (one perfect example is the Skills property in SP 2010 user profiles).

What you can do is simulate the expected behaviour from a BCS Entity exposing one such property using a specific "separator".

Hope it helps, C. Marius

Answer 3

In People & Groups you can create custom columns to store extra data on your users. Your lookup column's list must exist in the top-level site of the collection.

Answer 4

Import data from a file is indeed the only possibility to provide a list of values which is not inserted manually