Crystal Reports XI vs. SQL Server Reporting Services

[OrionStar]

Just curious if anyone has experience in using Crystal Reports XI or other recent versions and how you would rate this program against SQL Reporting Services?

Can they BOTH do the same things just in different ways? I'm finding CR XI to be VERY POWERFUL and able to produce many advanced reports. The formatting is what I'm finding exceptional.

You comments are greatly appreciated.



Thanks:

MV

"What would you attempt to do... if you knew ... you could not fail?

 

[Skittle]

I have recently started working with SQL Server and Crystal Reports. I didn't know SQL Server 2000 had much of a reporting suite.

I'd use Crystal Reports. It's so easy to use you can't go wrong.



Dazed and confused
(N+, MCAD)

 

[OrionStar]

That has been my experience with CR. I began using in 1999 I've found that once you get to understand the overall functionality of the program it is very easy to pull data from many different data sources.

I'm now starting to get involved with SQL Server Reporting Services and just wondering what are the main differences? So far all I can tell is the SQL is far more detailed in the coding. You must know and understand how literal the literal SQL language is coded. So this I'm looking forward to learning more about, mainly because I can use this coding in CR.

Thank you for your input.

Thanks:

MV

"What would you attempt to do... if you knew ... you could not fail?

 

[tektipdjango]

the best is to use SQL server to make the queries and CR for the design of the Printing.
In fact CR is not efficient if you have subqueries. In CR they are treated by subreports but they are very inefficient as they need a dialog with SQLServer to get each row.
For instance essuming you have 3 tables
item (num, desc)
stock on hand (num qty location)
orders (num orderType date qty)
If you want a report with
num totalStock and the detailed orders of a certain type before a certain date

best is to make a query in sQL which is treated by CR

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[highlight]Django[/highlight]
bug exterminator
tips'n tricks addict​

 

[OrionStar]

So then, you are using CR to run the report. Do you mean use SQL to "TEST" the query? Then us CR to run the final?

I think that CR can do just about anything SQL can right, just differently?

Thanks
M

Thanks:

MV

"What would you attempt to do... if you knew ... you could not fail?

 

[TheBlondOne]

My thoughts personnaly at the moment are that CR pretty much blows RS away. RS has got a long way to go to catch up with CR in terms of functionality, appearance and the overall developement of reports.

RS and CR have both got positive points and negative points. The main positive for RS is that

1 its free
2 there are no licensing issues like you get with CR.

The licensing issue is one of CR's biggest downfalls as there are pages and pages of conditions in which you can and can not distribute reports legally.

I've been using RS for a while now and it is good but if your prepared to spend a bit more time learning then I would definately go down the CR route.

Once you get to grips with CR you can create reports far superior than what you could with RS and CR reports are visually more attractive, and lets face it thats generally what the customer/client is looking for in a report, something that is visually appealing and easy to navigate around.

Thanks

~Steve

 

[TheBlondOne]

Apologies about me saying that its free when its not had a blond moment. It is cheaper though.

)

 

[TheBlondOne]

Here are a few links on the differences.

These are from JayKusch's FAQs in Reporting Solutions

http://baadd.org/uploads/SQL Reporting Services vs Crystal Reports comparative analysis.pdf

http://www.crystalreportsbook.com/SSRSandCR_ExecSummary.asp

http://www.kenhamady.com/ssrscomp.pdf

 

[OrionStar]

EXCELLENT LINKS....PERFECT...

Thank you for the comparison info.



Thanks:

MV

"What would you attempt to do... if you knew ... you could not fail?