SAP Crystal Reports Reviews

The fact that I can write my own SQL command to pull data for a report. You can just select tables and join them together and get a report, but there are times when you need to do something more complex than just a simple query. I have used this to do things such as getting just the most recent records in a set of data, all of the procedures for a patient where the patient had a specific procedure, pivoting data so that I don’t have to use a cross-tab, and much more. At this point, if a report is going to use more than two tables, I’ll generally write the SQL for it so that I can tune it to make it run faster. I’ve written a blog about the best practices for working with commands, which can be found here: http://scn.sap.com/community/crystal-reports/blog/2015/04/01/best-practices-when-using-commands-with-crystal-reports.

Also, the ability to export reports to a variety of formats, even though there are limited options for formatting that output.

Not my specific organization, as I am a consultant. However, for many of my clients this is the de-facto reporting tool for operational data. Especially because it can either be integrated into an application using either the .NET or Java SDK, or reports can be published to Crystal Reports Server (an economical version of SAP Business Objects that just runs Crystal reports.) There are also many third-party tools available for working with Crystal Reports.

There are very few options for formatting reports that are exported to Excel or PDF formats.

The “Report Definition” export doesn’t contain all of the information about a report. The only way to get all of the configuration of a report is to write a program using one of the SDKs or to purchase a third-party tool.

SAP Crystal Reports for Enterprise, which is the new version of Crystal Reports that is optimized for working with HANA, BEx queries, and other things specific to SAP’s other products definitely lags behind “classic” Crystal Reports in terms of features – especially when it comes to formatting objects.

I've used it for 19 years – since version 4.5. When I first started with it, I was also using its Delphi VCL component, and now I use the SAP Crystal for Visual Studio .NET component as well as the SAP Crystal for Eclipse Java components.

There were no issues with the deployment.

We haven't faced any issues.

I have not had any issues with deployment or stability. However, with SDK there are limitations on the number of open reports (3) and the usage of sub-reports (no more than 99 visible instances of a sub-report within a single run of a report). The options for scaling up from that are to purchase SAP Crystal Reports Server or SAP Business Objects, both of which can be expensive for smaller companies.

For companies that just have SAP Crystal Reports without one of the SAP server products that come with annual maintenance, about 3/10. Since SAP purchased the product, they have not spent much time focusing on companies that just own Crystal Reports, choosing to focus instead on the large companies that are running other, larger SAP products. However, there is a very good online community available at http://scn.sap.com/community/crystal-reports. There are several SAP support folks who answer questions there along with several other folks (like me) who are experts in the software. This is the “go-to” place for support and we’ll try to answer questions so that users can avoid having to pay to open a case with SAP.

I have used several reporting tools, including Web Intelligence which comes with SAP Business Objects. Each has its own place in the grand scheme of deploying a Business Intelligence solution. Crystal Reports is the tool for “picture perfect” reports, like form letters, or for very complex requirements. It is also a moderately priced tool that is good for smaller companies or for companies producing software that requires some reporting capabilities.

As a desktop tool, it’s very easy to install. The one thing that can be a “gotcha” is that you have to be logged in as a user that has Administrator credentials on the workstation because the install updates registry settings and adds a couple of files to subfolders under C:\Windows.

For implementing just SAP Crystal Reports, there’s no need for a vendor team. However, it’s very helpful to get some training on how to use the software. For the server products, like SAP Crystal Reports Server, it can be helpful to have an SAP Partner assist with configuration and training.

The tool can be incredibly powerful and flexible for generating reports. However, there is a somewhat steep learning curve to get beyond writing “basic” reports.

The ability to connect to IDAPI files. I have to use Paradox (Borland) as my database and this version of Crystal Reports is the latest one that still works with IDAPI files. I also rely heavily on the ability to run the reports in the viewer.

The reports can be viewed within our custom software product using the CR Viewer and can additionally be exported to various formats, such as Excel, for further processing. This gives the users the ability to do additional data processing in various ways without having to run a separate report for each variation.

I would like to be able to summarize formulas.

I've been using it in total for thirteen years. This version for five years, and previous ones for eight years.

This product basically works right out of the box. Except for an upgrade to SP3, we have not had any problems.

We've experienced no issues with performance.

It's been able to scale for our needs.

I haven’t used the customer service or technical support options other than searching for documentation on syntax. Searching for help on syntax has been successful. There is a lot of information on the internet for Crystal Reports.

I have used other versions in another workplace. At my current workplace, Crystal Reports 8 was previously used. This version was selected because of its ability to work with the IDAPI files.

The setup is very straightforward. We experienced no difficulty installing the product on our systems.

Our in-house technicians installed the product.

It is an excellent product. Having used other report writers, the only one that comes close is the one in MS Access but that is not a stand-alone product and can only be used with MS Access. Crystal Reports has a great deal of flexibility in how you display your company data. The designer has the ability to create formulas or conditions for almost every feature of the report including suppression and formatting.

In my experience, the strongest feature of Crystal Reports is in developing automated business intelligence reports which convert raw data into actionable business intelligence.

In 2000 when I joined a manufacturing firm, most of the accounting data was exported into spreadsheets, consequently extensive time was spent on preparing reports and making timely decisions. In 2002, I initiated utilization of the MS Access Reporting tool by importing Excel files into Access. I created reports about all accounts including customers, suppliers, employees and entities related to the business. I soon realized that MS Access reporting is a good start, but it became hard to integrate data from variety of sources, in addition to an additional step of importing data into MS Access. On further research, I found Crystal Reports to address the issue of data integration, and hence utilized Crystal Reports 8-9. I found Crystal Reports to be an excellent dedicated reporting tool, and I invested time in taking advanced training.

I would like to have horizontal paging like crosstabs.

I have been using Crystal Reports for the last 12 Years.

There were no issues with the deployment.

This is a mature product and so I have not came across any major stability issues.

It's been able to scale for our needs.

Previously, I used MS Excel, then Access before moving on to Crystal Reports.

It was fairly straightforward.

We performed an in-house implementation and this should be fine for all cases.

I found Crystal Reports to address the issue of data integration, and hence utilized Crystal Reports 2013. Crystal Reports is an excellent dedicated reporting tool, and I invested time into advanced training. I would say Crystal Reports is great tool, and has been in the business intelligence arena for a while. Hence, it's an excellent choice.

I like that Crystal Reports can easily connect to a multitude of datasource types, handling all with aplomb. It has a feature-rich toolset that allows me to shape and present the data to suit any report requirement thrown my way. Enterprise is simply the best report delivery product on the market.

I single handedly manage delivery of over 3,000 reports per month, a figure that would be unattainable without such a robust and dependable product.

I would like to see improvement in charts and metadata extraction. Reporting against the actual MDB database is cumbersome at best.

I've been using it for over 10 years.

I had minor issues with deployment, but the support was tremendous.

It’s an extremely stable platform. My reports run at around 99.94% on schedule yearly.

We've had no issues scaling it for our needs.

As I mentioned above, the support is very, very good, especially so when working directly with the service reps. The website is a little cluttered and difficult to navigate, but I’ve found a lot of help through sites such as ITCentralStation.com and other online communities.

I started out with Crystal Reports and Enterprise. I have used a few others in a limited capacity since then, but was disappointed in all.

The architecture/setup was handled by someone before me, so I can’t speak firsthand to any difficulties. However, from my conversations with that individual, there were no serious hang ups or difficulties with the initial setup.

I believe we did use a vendor team, and once again, not having first hand knowledge, I can’t really speak to this.

Buy it! I’ve seen the alternatives and they pale in comparison. There are third-party add-ins that have helped, but nothing else comes close out-of-the-box.

• You can write very complex formulas
• Field conditional formatting
• Subreports
• Specific formatting for report sections (headers, footers, etc.)
• Crosstab reports
• Coders can write their own custom SQL statement

Users have learned to write their own reports, reducing the load on our IT department.

• Easier to use crosstab interface so beginners create reports faster
• Allow for customization of crosstab row/column labels
• Installation takes more than 15 minutes on our workstations

I've been using it for seven years.

There have been no issues with the deployment.

There have been no issues with the stability.

We have had no issues scaling it for our needs.

I have never contacted tech support for help.

This product was recommended by our banking system vendor.

The setup is pretty straightforward. You can install all options to make it easier.

We installed it using our IT team. I would recommend scripting for a large deployment because it takes about 15 minutes per workstation to install.

Saberlogic Logicity provides free Crystal Viewer software. Users who only need to run reports can use this free of charge, so you can save on license costs.

• Document views or report models to make it easy for users to choose their data sources.
• Point novice users to the crosstab report. It is fairly easy to use.
• For moderate to heavy users, you should send them for training.
• Users with programming or scripting skills can create really complex reports.
• Saberlogic Logicity provides free Crystal Viewer software. Users who only need to run reports can use this free of charge, so you can save license costs.

• Version 2008 – SQL & report scheduling
• Version 2013 – XLSX workbooks

It quickly delivers consumer-focused prototypes and delivers results and code to R&D.

• It needs better graphical visualizations.
• It needs a better Crystal Viewer.

I've been using it for about 16 yers

Often at the end of a heavy Crystal Reports/Excel day, both Crystal Reports and Excel will crash with various memory issues. Crystal Reports sometimes has problems emailing and you get a MAPI error. You will get “corrupt” reports after running successfully for a couple of years, and then have to recreate. Sometimes, for no known detectable reason, 2008 will just “vanish” and I will have to restart it.

I am the only person using it, so I haven't had to scale.

For installing, upgrading and billing issues, support is great. But for “how do you do this” type of questions, Ken Hamady on LinkedIn is wonderful.

We have a product built on the Business Objects environment and also offer Crystal Reports instructions to connect to another product via JDBC. In-house analytics is primarily Microstrategy with Tableau scattered about.

I use Crystal Reports because Business Objects, MicroStrategy, and Tableau are too limiting for me. I analyze data and processes using real-time data.

The last install was a few years ago, and if I don’t remember much about the upgrade (to a new laptop), then the upgrade is pretty much straightforward.

I haven't evaluated any other solution, and I have no intention of switching.

It's the most reasonable solution available. If you are looking for a SQL-only product, then this one is not it – go look at SQL Analyzer, or Squirrel. If you want a full package of collecting, analyzing and presenting, then this is the package for you. However, you do need to have a programming angle to really understand the capabilities and power.

The most valuable features for us are its ability to provide reports on what's going on in the database and to schedule reports for end users.

It's made data more accessible to our end users in a couple of ways. First, with the ability to schedule reports, end users no longer need to run reports on demand. They're run and made available at pre-scheduled times. Second, the data is readily available to end users, as opposed to having to run queries for them.

I'd like an easier way for end users or an AD group to subscribe to reports that can be received as attachments to emails.

I've been using it for twenty years.

The configuration is cumbersome and not really clear. It would be nicer for it to be easier to configure across multiple servers.

There have been no issues with the stability.

We have had no issues scaling it.

Customer support is spotty at best, and when they do get involved it has to be according to the support person's schedule. They contact you and if you are busy, it is hard for them to understand that as a customer you would like pre-notification and the ability to set some time aside.

We have always used Crystal Reports. We have enhanced our reporting by using Tableau as well for dashboards.

The initial setup is complex. They need to have clearer instructions on how to configure servers for the best performance.

We did an in-house upgrade of two systems into one. There was no vendor support onsite.

Test your installation prior to upgrading to a production environment.

• Rapid report development, since the design interface makes coding easier.
• We can extend it to complicated reports with interactive charts and enhance the understanding of business models.
• Exposes a report object model that can interact with other controls on the ASP.NET Web form.
• It can be programmed to export the reports into widely used formats such as PDF, Word, Excel, HTML, and RTF.

We are using it for pixel perfect reporting, and that is why it is better than other reporting tools.

It needs better integration with Hadoop as well as enhancements for more analytical usage.

Also, a secured end user cannot modify data if the report is generated via Crystal Reports. It can only be done if the data is in HTML format.

We have had no issues with the deployment.

We have had no issues with its stability.

There have been no issues scaling it for our needs.

Analyze it first as to whether it is a good fit for your needs. There are other good products available for analytical needs, which Crystal Reports doesn't yet provide.

What I like about it is that it's easy to use and it provides good connectivity to various databases.

We use it for all of our operational and tabular reports.

The visualization needs work as the look is not very appealing. The UI definitely needs some updating.

Also, SAP charges an annual maintenance fee. Be careful, too, with the license model. I'd suggest that because Crystal Reports is for tabular reports, use another product for true BI.

I've used it for 10 years.

There have been no issues with the deployment.

Some reports take a while to be generated.

We've had no issues scaling it.

In my experience, the level of technical support is not good. They are, however, able to resolve issues in a timely fashion.

The initial setup was easy and straightforward.

Some reports come out-of-the-box within our applications and we built some others. So you could say that implementation was a combination of SAP's product as well as our in-house team's efforts.

Be careful with the annual maintenance fee, and get CPU based report access. Be careful with the license model. This product is for tabular reports, but for true BI reporting, use another product.

We are retiring Crystal Reports soon, and it will be replaced by IBI WebFOCUS and SQL Server Reporting Services.

The ability to set parameters, especially the cascading parameters, is the most valuable features for us.

We provide solutions to other organizations, so invariably the end reports save our clients time and, of course, money.

The example that comes to mind was where a medical client had a monthly utilization report that took 14 days to complete manually as it involved using MS Access and Excel. After the report was created in Crystal Reports, it took less than 30 seconds to run and it also highlighted data entry errors that could be fixed more efficiently, so a suite of error/exception reports had to be created also.

The linking feature between tables has always been a bit buggy, which is not good because it is really the core of ensuring that the returned data is correct. If one tries to enforce the links created as per the underlying data source, invariably it falls over and results in an error message.

The cascade parameters limit of 1000 records, which although can be increased via the registry, if you have admin rights, can result in report performance issues. Isn't there a better way of doing this?

Being able to have formulas that make up the description for value parameters, potentially on the fly, and then being able to display the parameter value and/or description selected by the user on the report, would be great also

I actually wrote a blog post of the things I wished Crystal Reports could do here: http://maximumimpactsolutions.co.uk/blog/comments.asp?bd=110. Some of the things may have ready been implemented.

I've been using it for four years.

We have had no issues with deployment.

There have been no issues with the stability.

We have had no issues scaling it.

I've never needed to use customer service/technical support.

I've been using this since v7.

It's straightforward.

Implemented it in-house, and there was nothing complex about it.

Our ROI on Crystal Reports is well over 1000%, as we offer both training and consultancy solutions to our clients.

Crystal Reports is a great little reporting tool for a myriad of data sources that provides the user a nice user-friendly GUI, which means that your report creation can be achieved quickly.