SAP Crystal Reports Fundamentals

Data Visualization
In this module, we're going to go over data visualization inside Crystal Reports. This means charts, graphs, gauges, etc. There is something to be said for taking raw data and turning it into a visual or a picture. It makes a point rapidly, it can be very, very clear, when done appropriately, of course, and I think it's an important part of any type of basic reporting. A lot of people don't have the time to delve into the data, like an analyst or a developer would have to do, so sometimes these charts and graphs can draw attention, and then serve as a starting point to kind of dive into things. And that's the point of this module. So we're going to get into the Chart Experts and talk about the different options available, such as Bar, Line, Chart, Scatter, Gauge, etc. And then we're going to get into groups and how they affect charts. And then, of course, we talk about your formatting options, color, background, neat little things you can do to make your chart stand out in a report, as well as your export options. By the end of this module, you should be able to visualize any data that you have inside your report. You should be able to configure your x or y-axis so that it fits the data. You should be able to format your chart and be aware of all the options that you have. You'll be able to use your chart in groups and definitely export your chart, and some best practices, some tips along the way.

Formulas via Crystal Syntax
In this module, we're going to get into formulas using Crystal Report's very own syntax. Formulas are actually very, very powerful tools within Crystal. They have the ability to take data, at the granular level or summary levels, and change them, for analysis purposes, for correction, for virtually anything that you can imagine to code. Keep in mind, you're not changing the underlying data, just the instructions and how it should appear. So we're going to get into Crystal syntax. We're going to go over some very useful formulas, formulas as fields, formulas as filters, and kind of guidance in use. These are very powerful, but it's easy to kind of make things too complicated when you're first starting out. So the module objectives would be the ability to use IF. . . THEN syntax. It's kind of like a case statement where you can evaluate conditions and then respond appropriately. You should be able to convert dates, numbers, and text easily. You can create datasource-independent fields, user formulas to manage groups, display NULL with user-friendly text, and utilize special formula fields in your code.

Export Options in Crystal
In this module, well, it's all about exporting, and the options that you have inside of Crystal. It was once said, "if we have data, let's look at data. If all we have are opinions, let's go with mine", so said the former Netscape CEO, Jim Barksdale. For our course, however, we could paraphrase it, if we have data, let's export data, otherwise, let's just make it up as we go along. We have lots of options to export in Crystal, but we're going to go over some of the basic ones. This includes Excel, which I'd say 90% of the reports end up into anyway, PDF, HTML, and some best practices involving these. This module, we're hoping to cover the following. You're going to learn about the most common export formats, learn how to choose the best option for your report, export to Excel cleanly, and well, some limitations that come with these.