Crystal Reports Solutions: Report Customization Issues

It seems you just can't win. Everyone you send a Crystal Report to wants the report customized a different way. They want different colors, different printing parameters, or any of dozens of settings changed. But you are sending compiled reports, and you do all of these things because many are mutually exclusive.

There are three ways to solve this problem:

1. Tell everybody they get what they get. Yeah, that's going to make you popular. And you'll definitely want people to remember your "attitude" when the managers are compiling their list of people to lay off.

2. Get everybody a Crystal Enterprise seat. Your beancounters have told you they'll do that when pigs can fly. We briefly experimented with gluing wings on pigs--too messy. We found a much better approach in #3, below:

3. Use a Window-based Crystal Reports Viewer with user-settable parameters. Now there's a thought. Make it self-serve. If Mary prefers light blue text on a dark blue background and Fred is the only one who likes certain kinds of information bolded, then let them have at it.

So, how does the a Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer work? Simply install this software on the client machine, and then distribute your reports in the rpt format. Now you are relieved from the countless petty squabbles that used to drive you nuts.

This has a huge performance benefit, as well. With compiled reports, the Report Designer has to complete the compiled report process for each report.  While this takes only 5 minutes or so for one report, some applications can have hundred or even thousands of reports. The compile process may need to be repeated for each version of the report. Can you say, "Humongous resource drain?"

Windows-based cView works with the existing rpt file, so no additional processing of the report is needed. Your 2,000 reports are all available immediately for Windows-based cView to process. Can you say, "Humongous cost-saver?"

And now the person who formerly was unable to view a Crystal Report in rpt format is now able to do so. This means an end to the cost and complaints of compiled reports.  But, the benefits don't stop there. A Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer provides several other important benefits. Using a Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer, you can:

• Eliminate "we can't read it" as an excuse for generating islands of information in parallel with the reporting system.

• Provide decision-makers with timely reports that contain up-to-date information.

• Add new users without a major capital investment (or, actually, being turned down for one--you know the drill).

• Add new report recipients with less impact from cost per seat ROI issues.

• Accommodate "casual users" of reports.

• Use the native functionality of Crystal Reports, and distribute your Crystal Reports in the rpt format.

• Give report recipients the option of exporting to other formats.

• Eliminate the pre-distribution delay that results from changing reports to a static format (e.g., PDF), just so people who lack a Crystal Reports license can read them.

• Ensure everyone who receives a report can process it against live data (as needed)--rather than get an "island of information" report based on yesterday's news.

• Overcome budgetary constraints that would otherwise prevent important information from arriving on the desktops of key people.

• Conduct training classes, without buying a non-transferable seat.

• Share reports in one-time or occasional meetings, without pre-conversion from the rpt format. This eliminates the problem of "sealing in" the data. You are spared the sometimes costly problem of creating an "island of information" or "information silo" problem.

• Set parameters in the report, so users can see the data they want and so that you do not have to maintain separate reports with different data selections.

• Give users the option of a “One-Click” icon on their desktop to run a favorite report. This is a favorite with non-IT people.

• Easily restrict confidential reports to specific users.

• Provide a quick “turn-key” installation on each desktop, rather than dedicating a Web server to an intranet

• Avoid the cost and time administering a Web server for an intranet.

Those are some powerful advantages. Isn't it about time you looked into a Crystal Reports Viewer? Of course it is. At this point, you are probably "sold" on the need for a Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer. But now you are faced with the task of evaluating the various Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewers on the market and deciding which one to buy.

Of course, we are going to recommend our own Crystal Reports Viewer and not one sold by our competitors. But there is more behind that recommendation than simply wanting to be your source for a Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer. We also have a track record of continual development, giving you a full-featured product to fill your needs efficiently.

So, what are the choices? First of all, if you are running Crystal Enterprise you already have viewing ability--provided you have bought the number of seats you need. This approach gives you Web-based reports distribution and may be ideal if your company strategy includes the cost of a dedicated Web server running your intranet. We encourage you to evaluate this option before deciding on a Windows-based solution, especially if viewing reports via the browser does not raise data privacy issues.

If you've already seen your financial request go down in flames, then the Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer is probably in your future. Unless you want to continue to answer those complaints and look bad....

Whether you run Crystal Enterprise or not, you can benefit from a Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer:

• Some users prefer a “One-Click” icon on their desktop to run a favorite report.

• Some reports are so confidential that restricting them to specific users may be easier with a Crystal Reports Viewer on their desktop.

• Some smaller environments may just need the quick installation on each desktop rather than dedicating a web server to an intranet.

• Some cost-conscious environments may decide the administration and cost of a Web server for an intranet is not justified and prefer the low-cost Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer just on the desktops of users who need it.

Our offering to you is Windows-based cView. We offer this in volume discount licensing configurations. We even let you try it out for 30 days with a free trial version!

So, now you know about Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewers. If you want to solve the rpt viewing problem, then a Windows-based Crystal Reports Viewer is for you. All we ask is that you insist on quality--insist on cView.

Download your evaluation copy, today.

For more information on cView, or to start solving your problems today, click here.

This article is copyrighted by Crystalkeen, Mindconnection, and Chelsea Technologies Ltd. It may be freely copied and distributed as long as the original copyright is displayed and no modifications are made to this material. Extracts are permitted. The names Crystal Reports and Seagate Info are trademarks owned by Business Objects.