Design, manage, and deliver reports for extreme business insight

Crystal Reports Developer Edition

You can order this product Crystal Reports Developer Edition directly at the vendor now (list of items)

Crystal Reports XI

Design, manage, and deliver reports for extreme business insight. A ccess your data, format it, and deliver it as information inside and outside your organization.

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Features

Data access
Access almost any kind of data with more than 35 data drivers, custom data access, and tight control over database connectivity.

• More than 35 data drivers
  Access virtually any data with native, ODBC, OLE DB, and JDBC connectivity to relational, OLAP, XML, legacy, and enterprise data sources, including Oracle, IBM DB2, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server, and Informix. In Crystal Reports XI, XML, JDBC, IBM DB2, and Exchange data drivers have been updated to give you an incredible range of data access options.
• Custom data
  Access user-defined (in-memory) application data by connecting to JavaBeans, ADO.NET, and COM Data Providers.
• Tight control over database connectivity
  Write your own SQL commands or use the proven query generation capabilities of Crystal Reports for flexible control over database connectivity.
• Multi-data source access
  Connect to a unique data source or combine multiple data sources in one report.
• XML support
  Integrate Crystal Reports with your B2B or B2C applications via XML data access or export.
• Unicode support
  Use unicode strings to display data stored in almost any language and present multiple languages in a single report.

Formatting and design
Design professional-looking, interactive reports using features like the visual report designer and dynamic prompts.

• Dynamic and cascading prompts
  Base report prompts on dynamic values. You will no longer need to maintain static prompt value lists within individual reports because you can reuse existing prompts stored in the repository.
• Dependency checker
  Use the dependency checker to instantly find broken links, formula errors, and dependency issues before reports are published and distributed.
• Dynamic image location
  Pictures and graphics can be placed in a report through a link in the database so that you no longer need to store images within the database.
• Hierarchical grouping
  Users can create their reports in a hierarchical rather than just a relational manner. This provides a better fit for organizational charts and summary reports.
• Visual report designer
  Quickly design interactive reports using an intuitive, drag-and-drop interface and object-oriented explorers.
• Experts and wizards
  Use optional experts and wizards to simplify common reporting tasks such as connecting to a data source, selecting, grouping, sorting, and summarizing data.
• Any report type
  Create virtually any report you need including cross-tab, conditional, top N/bottom N, summary/drill-down, form, mailing label, OLAP, and subreport.
• Charting and mapping
  Increase the graphical impact of your reports by choosing from a wide variety of map and chart types, including bar/3D bar, pie/doughnut, line, gantt, gauge, funnel, XY scatter, ranged map, dot density map, and more.
• Drag-and-drop charting and cross tabs
  For intelligent charting where Crystal Reports will select the best chart style based upon the data in your report. Chart design is faster and easier because charts will be automatically updated when new variables are added.
• Reusable report objects
  Expedite the report design process by storing key report objects - including text objects, SQL commands, bitmaps, and custom functions (formulas) - in a central managed library for sharing, reuse, and single-point updating across multiple reports.
• Customizable templates
  Spend less time formatting individual reports. Design and apply customized templates that specify standards in formatting and logic - including data access operations - to ensure design consistency across reports. You can even use existing reports as templates.
• Powerful formula language
  Use the extensive formula language in Crystal Reports with over 160 built-in and user-defined functions and operators to tightly control report formatting, complex logic, and data selection. A call-stack makes debugging data-level errors easy. A formula extractor and formula workshop are also included.
• Custom functions
  Eliminate redundant formula creation. Extract business logic from formulas to create custom functions so you can use them across multiple reports.
• Asymmetric reporting
  Provide a customized view of OLAP grids. With asymmetric reporting, you can hide specific dimensions of data so that end users only see relevant and valuable data.
• Access and Excel add-ins
  Use an intuitive wizard to easily design a Crystal report from within Microsoft Access or Excel.
• Workbench and Repository Explorer
  Users can easily browse, build, and publish object packages so they can schedule, manage, and secure a group of reports together rather than one report at a time. With the Workbench, users can keep projects organized by grouping reports according to preference. The Repository Explorer simplifies navigation within the BusinessObjects Enterprise system.
• Designer improvements
  Designing reports is easier with the start page that appears each time you open Crystal Reports. The updated visual report designer allows you to point and click so you can create reports without the need for intensive coding.
• Report Design Zone
  A resource-rich site for your report creation and design projects. Filled with a changing supply of demos, white papers, tips, and tricks, it's an invaluable resource for users and developers evaluating Crystal Reports.

Report viewing and interaction
Make it easy for your end users to view and work with their reports by customizing them to match their needs.

• HTML Preview
  Report authors can publish perfect reports by previewing how reports will look before they are published to the web.
• Report Export Configuration
  Save report export configuration with a report so that end users forgo the time and trouble of reconfiguring the export each time the report is run.
• RTF Export Format
  For report export editing and optimized accuracy and forms processing. The end user is now able to enhance and expand a report in standard work processing applications.
• N Value for Top N Style Reports
  Parameterized control for N value for top N style reports means that a single report will meet the needs of multiple users. This will reduce the total number of reports that are created and supported. # Multiple export formats. Provide end users with reports in the format they prefer. Export reports to popular formats, including Excel, PDF, XML, HTML, RTF, and more.
• Customizable report viewers
  Choose from a variety of server-side and thin-client report viewer controls, including DHTML page (WebForms) viewer, .NET WinForms viewer, Java viewer, ActiveX, and Report Part viewer (mobile viewer), to render reports into various output formats without additional coding. End user report interactivity options - including page forward/back, drill up/down, export, and print - are automatically included and can be customized based on your requirements.
• Parameters
  Let users view the same data in different ways without creating multiple reports. End users can select predefined parameters in a single report to receive a subset of customized data.
• Alerting
  Highlight specific information for your end users with report alerts - user-defined messages that appear when certain conditions are met by the data in a report.
• Guided navigation
  Define specific navigation paths between report objects within the same or different reports for easier end user navigation.
• Hyperlinks
  Use hyperlinks to turn reports into interactive web documents that connect to related information, including web sites and other reports.
• Drill-down
  Without additional coding, create reports that allow end users to drill down on relational and OLAP data to uncover details that might otherwise go unnoticed.
• Report parts
  Repurpose existing reports for use with wireless devices and corporate portals. Provide end users with access to charts, summary tables, specific records, and other key report information via portals, WML phones, RIM Blackberry, and Compaq iPAQ devices.
• Support for Microsoft Office XP Smart Tags
  Insert key report objects - including charts and tables - into Microsoft Outlook, Word, or Excel for instant viewing and refreshing from within an Office document.

Application integration
Use Crystal Reports to add report viewing, creation, and modification capabilities your applications.

• Interface SDKs
  Use the comprehensive interface SDKs in Crystal Reports within J2EE, .NET, and COM applications for flexible control over how end users interact with reports. Choose from a variety of report viewing, creation, and modification APIs to implement a range of interactivity capabilities - from static report processing/viewing to complex runtime report creation/modification.
• Reporting components
  Embed the powerful Java, .NET, and COM reporting components in Crystal Reports within your application for powerful report processing and rendering.
• Custom tag library
  Reduce the amount of coding required to embed report templates into JSP pages. Using custom JSP tags, you can now easily add a customized viewer to your web applications, dramatically reducing the amount of code required.
• Customizable report viewers
  Choose from a variety of server-side and thin-client report viewer controls, including a Java viewer, DHTML (WebForms) Viewer, WinForms Viewer, ActiveX, and Report Part Viewer (mobile viewer), to render reports into various output formats without additional coding. End user report interactivity options - including page forward/back, drill up/down, export, and print - are automatically included. Plus, you can customize and implement most viewer options based on your requirements.
• IDE integration
  Use a custom bundled edition of Crystal Reports from within leading Java and .NET IDEs for report integration from within a familiar environment. You can currently access Crystal Reports technology from within Microsoft Visual Studio .NET, BEA WebLogic Workshop, Borland JBuilder, and Borland C#Builder. Upgrade from these bundles to Crystal Reports 10 for additional functionality and scalability.
• Visual control library
  Integrate reports into Delphi and C++Builder applications using the Crystal Reports Visual Control Library (VCL).
• Royalty-free runtime
  Integrate hundreds of royalty-free runtime properties, methods, and events into thick-client applications for deployment at no extra cost.
• Developer Zone
  Quickly overcome common reporting roadblocks by joining the Developer Zone, our exclusive community for developers. Access sample applications, download white papers, and review useful tips and tricks to get the most out of Crystal Reports.

Security, support, and maintenance
Crystal Reports can work within your existing security infrastructure and with other Business Objects tools.

• Patch installation
  All Crystal Reports customers will have the most up-to-date version because they will automatically receive the latest hot fixes and service packs.
• Single sign-on
  Reports can be integrated into an existing security infrastructure so users only have to sign on once.
• Business Objects universes
  Support for Business Objects universes (the semantic layer for BusinessObjects business intelligence tools like Web Intelligence) includes universe view time security and union queries.
• Complete integration with BusinessObjects Enterprise architecture
  Enjoy seamless continuity between all of the applications within your business intelligence technology suite. Scalability is easier when everything is integrated.

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