Comparing Crystal reports to MS SQL Reporting

[jack91]

Hi,

If this is the wrong section to post this please move this and let me know where you moved this thread.

I have not used MS SQL reporting before. Would someone familiar with both crystal reports and this give some advise on which is better on what aspects and why. --

or if you can point to a url where I can find this I would really appreciate it.

I am google searching this as i write this thread.

Thanks
Jjk

 

[RiverGuy]

I've used both, although haven't used Crystal much in the past two years. Here's a comparison I found:

http://www.devx.com/codemag/Article/36397/1954?pf=true

I would sum up my personal thoughts as follows:
Historically, a lot of people use Crystal Reports as a stand-alone reporting solution. SSRS is typically deployed to a report server. Yes, I know some do use Crystal Enterprise, although I've never seen it in heavy production use. That being said, I would compare SSRS more to Business Objects Web Intelligence than Crystal Reports.

 

[satinsilhouette]

SRSS was put together as solution to try to edge out Crystal reports.

I have used Crystal Reports for over 12 years, Business Objects (universe, webi, deski) for over 6 years.

I have been using SRSS this year.

I am spoiled, I will admit. I like Crystal. It's flexible. I find SRSS clunky in a lot of respects.

But I have been writing some incredibly complex reports recently in SRSS and like a few of the features. I can add in as many datasets without it barking too much. Adding additional datasets to Crystal usually makes it bark (would be considered more than one datasource).

Other times though, it is really clunky and hard to deal with. Hate that everytime I work in layout mode, it drops the data I just went after to verify. The report has to run again.

If you are deciding on a reporting solution, take care in choosing. SRSS is basically free. Crystal is not. Etc., Etc.

Thanks so much!
satinsilhouette

 

[bburnell]

I prefer CR over SSRS, but my boss is sold on SSRS, so here I am. One thing I do like about SSRS is that the reporting software and report server come with SQL with no extra cost. As a comparison, you'd have to buy CR and CR Enterprise separately each time. Also, when I went to the SQL 2008 unvailing, they said a new version of SQL will come out every two years from now on.
Hope that helps!
Brett

--------------------------
Web/.net Programmer & DBA
Central PA