Crystal Reports - User feedback required

[los_design]

Hi Guys

A client of ours has requested info/user benefits of the crystal reports suite. We have limited knowledge of this product.

Any guys in the community using it, pro's and cons of using it? Which version they would benefit from the most?

The client store will have 30k items and is B2C on business V8.5.whatevers next.....

Thanks in advance.
Daren

[leehack]

Any guys in the community using it, pro's and cons of using it? Which version they would benefit from the most?

The client store will have 30k items and is B2C on business V8.5.whatevers next.....

Thanks in advance.
Daren

30k items? you're kidding right? Brave bar steward to even try!

I used to use Crystal Reports about 6/7 years ago, before Seagate bought it (presume they still own it) and even at that time it was a great product. It took a bit of getting used to and there were a number of little tricks you could employ, but overall it was an immensely powerful tool.

I use to create reports that i never thought could be possible. I used it daily for about 18 months and have nothing but fond memories. The standard of 7 years ago woudl stand up in todays marketplace IMO and i can only presume it has improved even more.

The best reporting tool i have ever used bar none. Scheduled reports ahhh. turn up late for work and it doesnt matter theyre all done anyway, not that anyone knew lol.

[los_design]

30k items? you're kidding right? Brave bar steward to even try!

Afraid not Lee, and he ranks number 3 in our client product table....I just love running through Actinic Local Treacle when we update those stores.....

Ta for the feedback, any specific version that is compatible with our good friend Actinic or are they all Kosher

[leehack]

Afraid not Lee, and he ranks number 3 in our client product table....I just love running through Actinic Local Treacle when we update those stores.....

Ta for the feedback, any specific version that is compatible with our good friend Actinic or are they all Kosher

4 or 5k is the max where i can ensure i don't lose the plot. Are these running on Access or you SQL'd? 30k product catalogue must be the biggest nightmare one could ever hope to come across. Id have to convince em to go multisite and split it out just for my own sanity lol.

As for versions, Jan is prob your best to answer on that tbh, i can't even recall how the version numbers were structured. Im sure Jan uses it regularly at the moment, im sure she will fill you in.

[pinbrook]

Yep Jan's your man.

I used it daily (1997-98) when it was CR v5. I got the reports out I was asked for...

I even used it abit with actinic v3 and 4.

[los_design]

Cheers guys....

[george]

Yep Jan's your man.

Did I really read that?

[Jan]

I've been an honary man for years George, some people seem to have problems with non-male programmers, I've even had telephone conversations were people refused to speak to me and insist on speaking to 'Yan'.

You need to buy crystal reports 8.5, I find it fairly easy to use but it's a bit odd. There is no trial version of it.

It's usually cheaper to get someone else to do the work (8.5 costs around £300 - £500). Duncan Rounding offers a customised report writing service, as do we (temporarily suspended though ATM due to having too much work to do).

Regards,

[fuzzie bear]

I programmed in Crystal Reports and Visual Basic for 8 years before getting into running an actinic site.

Have to say if you get to know the product you can do absolutely amazing things with it...

I currently use it now to run off reports such as Average Orders per day, comparisons as to what kind of business we did the previous year. Count of customers that are regular purchasers - without the use of customer accounts.

The only thing is with actinic - the more complicated the report, the longer the report takes to run - sometimes running into hours, even with the reports optimised. If your running off SQL servers, the running time is cut back dramatically.

I worked on a project about 3 years ago on comparing reporting tools and between myself and a collegue - crystal is the best reporting tool on the market for quickness to learn and ease of use. There are reporting tools out there that are much more complex and can do more things - but then will complex comes lots and lots of learning....

[los_design]

Thanks guys

Just to confirm before we meet up with our client tomorrow, CR version 8.5 is the only one compatible with Actinic v8.5+?

Thanks again Yan and guys.

[Duncan Rounding]

Yes 8.5 only.

[los_design]

Thanks guys

One last poker if I may.

I have just been informed that they own Line 50 Accountant + V12 and this has a custom report builder.

I surely would be able to 'get under the bonnet' using this rather than buy a new piece of kit? (due to the link with act and sage in this instance?)

Regards
Daren

[Duncan Rounding]

It all depends what reports they are after and how they intend to manage the store accounts and products etc.

If they are intending to link to Sage and they want specfic account type reporting then that may be the best route - depends what they want to report.

I would talk it over with them first and determine what they are expecting to achieve.

[los_design]

Cheers Duncan

Got that on my brief sheet as the initial statement was a little vague. We use L50 V12 and it serves us well but we have nowhere near the number of lines that they have in the store nor do we require as many KPI's

Thanks for the info.

[Jan]

Yes definately only 8.5 will work.

Regards,