Newbie question regarding user designed reports

  • Thread starter Thread starter JimLad
  • Start date Start date
J

JimLad

Hi,

We have a requirement to allow users to design and run their own
reports (for data they have access to). It is not clear whether we
need to integrate this with our app or whether we can use a stand
alone app. I'm imagining we would set up some denormalised views or
something like that, but we also have a requirement for security on a
client by client basis (each table contains data for multiple
clients). I imagine they would build reports by combining one or more
denormalised views and dragging and dropping column names and
aggregates.

My question is - can you do this sort of things using Crystal Reports
for .NET and how complicated is it? Or can we use a separate reporting
app? Do we need a full version of crystal reports or something else?
Can anyone point me on the right road here? I would be very happy with
an out of the box solution that just need a bit of config.

Links to articles would be good too. Wish I hadn't turned down that
Business Objects course 5 years ago!

Cheers,

James
 
JimLad said:
Hi,

We have a requirement to allow users to design and run their own
reports (for data they have access to). It is not clear whether we
need to integrate this with our app or whether we can use a stand
alone app. I'm imagining we would set up some denormalised views or
something like that, but we also have a requirement for security on a
client by client basis (each table contains data for multiple
clients). I imagine they would build reports by combining one or more
denormalised views and dragging and dropping column names and
aggregates.

My question is - can you do this sort of things using Crystal Reports
for .NET and how complicated is it? Or can we use a separate reporting
app? Do we need a full version of crystal reports or something else?
Can anyone point me on the right road here? I would be very happy with
an out of the box solution that just need a bit of config.

Links to articles would be good too. Wish I hadn't turned down that
Business Objects course 5 years ago!

Cheers,

James
Click to expand...

I've seen crystal reports rolled out to power users on several occasions.
It never worked very well.
Users just don't "get" reporting in that way.

Business objects is rather more friendly but people still struggle.

I've used Access with some power users.
Connected to a sql server back end reporting database structured in a user
friendly manner.

Another option is excel output.
You can give them a screen allows selecting columns or just spit the lot out
via xslt.
Most power users know excel and are inordinately keen on excel output.
 
I've seen crystal reports rolled out to power users on several occasions.
It never worked very well.
Users just don't "get" reporting in that way.

Business objects is rather more friendly but people still struggle.

I've used Access with some power users.
Connected to a sql server back end reporting database structured in a user
friendly manner.

Another option is excel output.
You can give them a screen allows selecting columns or just spit the lot out
via xslt.
Most power users know excel and are inordinately keen on excel output.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Hi Andy,

Thanks for that.

We have about 500 parameterised custom reports on the system already
that cover most scenarios, and our current customers like them a lot.
Where that isn't sufficient, we have a denormalised data export to
Access. But it seems when we tender to clients, the managers want a
more flexible reporting system. Crystal report was owned by business
objects which has now been bought by SAP. Is Business Objects still a
separate app to Crystal Reports? I remember way back in the mists of
time there was a product that used Universes and users could build
their own reports within those universes. Can't remember what it was
though.

James
 
Hi Andy,

Thanks for that.

We have about 500 parameterised custom reports on the system already
that cover most scenarios, and our current customers like them a lot.
Where that isn't sufficient, we have a denormalised data export to
Access. But it seems when we tender to clients, the managers want a
more flexible reporting system. Crystal report was owned by business
objects which has now been bought by SAP. Is Business Objects still a
separate app to Crystal Reports? I remember way back in the mists of
time there was a product that used Universes and users could build
their own reports within those universes. Can't remember what it was
though.

James
Click to expand...
Business objects is a totally different product and I think still available
as SAP Business Objects.

Management always want more reports.
Means they can put off decisions until they get them.

I suppose your export to excel must be somewhat limited - because access
reporting is very flexible and very good.
Maybe the first thing to consider is exporting more data.

Is your database sql server?
Have you considered sql server reportbuilder?
 
Business objects is a totally different product and I think still available
as SAP Business Objects.

Management always want more reports.
Means they can put off decisions until they get them.

I suppose your export to excel must be somewhat limited - because access
reporting is very flexible and very good.
Maybe the first thing to consider is exporting more data.

Is your database sql server?
Have you considered sql server reportbuilder?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Yep, SQL Server based. 2000 at the mo, but 2005 by end of year (they
told me this when I joined 5 years ago!). I was once a SQL expert... :-
(
Reportbuilder sounds good. I will investigate.
Once reports are built, can they be shared?

Many thanks,

James
 
Yep, SQL Server based. 2000 at the mo, but 2005 by end of year (they
told me this when I joined 5 years ago!). I was once a SQL expert... :-
(
Reportbuilder sounds good. I will investigate.
Once reports are built, can they be shared?
Click to expand...

I think it creates the report definition on the client.
So you'd have to then allow the user to upload somewhere.
I would have thought you may as well go straight to sql 2008 and miss 2005
out.
 
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