There are different categories of reporting tools. If you look at the financial reporting – you see such nice instruments as FRx or internal report writer of the financial application (ReportWriter in the case of Microsoft Great Plains). FRx has a link to Microsoft Great Plains or Solomon General Ledger (GL). Crystal Reports is rather universal reporting tool, which means that it doesn’t have special setup to be used for something specific, as in the case of financial reporting tools. Crystal Reports is the most flexible tool on the market and it has market recognition. Multiple software vendors offer Crystal Reports as the main reporting tool: Microsoft, Best Software, Oracle to name a few.

Sometimes developers try to use Crystal directly to pull data from multiple database platforms - we understand the need to give you additional tips to increase Crystal report flexibility. Also common case when Crystal report should pull data from multiple database platforms. Assuming that you are creating Crystal Reports on Windows platform - we recommend you to use Microsoft SQL Server as a database access tool.

1. Use Crystal when you have your query tuned – regardless how good Crystal Reports is - it is reporting tool - not querying environment. Tune your query first and be sure that you are pulling the right data.

2. Use SQL Server Linked Servers. Use professional tool, such as Microsoft SQL Server, where you can create linked servers to Oracle, Ctree, Btrieve, MS Access, Unidata, DB2, filePro, Fox Pro, FileMaker Pro and other platforms.

4. Create Stored Procedures - when you need parameters to be transferred to the SQL statement - you need stored procedure. You need stored proc if temp tables are required to do intermediate job in your SQL query.

5. Report Flexibility – when you have report based on the SQL view or stored proc - if you need to modify the data query - you don't have to change the report - you change your SQL view/ stored procedure.

6. Create SQL Query to probe the data – again - we always recommend tuning your query and see that you are getting adequate results – in any case – Crystal Report is just a nice tool to show the results of your query.

Happy customizing, querying and designing! if you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-630-961-5918 or 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

About The Author

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com )– USA nationwide Microsoft Great Plains, Microsoft CRM, Microsoft RMS customization company, serving clients in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Boston, New York, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Minneapolis, Seattle, Canada, UK, Australia, Germany, Russia, Brazil and having locations in multiple states and internationally, he is Great Plains Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.