Take the Lead If they have SQL Server already, build a mini datawarehouse that you populate Daily, and then set up the new Report Services of SQL Server which is a free add on to SQL Server 2000. In somes ways it has some better features than Crystal reports. It gives your system a fresh face for little work and will keep the MV system in the organisation.
Crystal Reports is a good tool, but when it comes to complex reports, I can quicker write a Basic Program to achieve the result than a good Crystal Reports programmer will achieve the results. The big thing for you is the user just wants to feel in control of data access and this can be achieved in a number of ways even if it is a perception. Regards David Jordan -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Mark Johnson Sent: Saturday, 17 April 2004 4:51 AM To: U2 Users Discussion List Subject: Crystal Reports One of my clients wants to connect Crystal Reports to their UD database to apparently give greater access to the data that they sometimes deem as hidden and only accessable through me. This client converted to Great Plains 6 weeks ago (SQL based) and their CR experts were struggling with duplicating some of the more mundane reports that already exist in UD. A monthly sales tax summary (by jurisdiction) took the GP guy 3 days futzing with CR using GP's data. How much trouble are they going to get in trying to use MV'd data from the UD system (ODBC) if they have so much trouble with more 'normalized' data. Everyone seems to think that CR is a magic pill and once attached to a SQL database, the sophisticated reports simply roll off. I'm trying to strongly propose a data warehouse concept whereby the day's sales data gets exported and updated into their prior application for the sake of the multitude of existing, proven reports in MV. If these guys took 3 days for a simple tax report, how can CR fabricate temporary tables for the sake of these consolidated sophisticated MV reports? I'm just interested in hearing of some experiences. This client is too stubborn to go back from GP and may even disregard their entire MV system completely. I really have nothing to lose if I insult them. Thanks in advance. -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users -- u2-users mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.oliver.com/mailman/listinfo/u2-users
