Easily Distributing Reports without full product 1

[Spirit]

Hi,

I am new to Crystal 8.5/9 - I haven't used it since version 6 - and I now need to distribute reports to my users without giving them access to the editing side of thing. I can't install the full product on everyones PC as this is far too costly.

My ideal solution would be to create a folder on a network server which holds all the reports I can then control the reports via NTFS permissions. And when someone wnats a report they just need to enter the selection criteria and the report will be available to them.

Any idea's..... I have both Crystal Reports Pro 8.5 and Crystal Reports Developer 9.

Thanks,

Iain

 

[JEX]

Hi there,

You have 2 very easy options, depending on which version you want to stick with:

1. v9 - you should also have a Report Application Server CD (came with CR9 Dev). You can install this on a machine with IIS. This will allow you to then save all your reports in a folder on the server. Your users can then access those reports and respond to parameters, via their web browser - zero client. For more information check out the docos on the CD. To do this, your reports should be designed using the CR9. 3 active user license by default - which means 3 users can be processing reports at any one time.

2. v8.5 - you should also have received a CD with Crystal Enterprise Standard. You can install this on a web server (similar to above). You can then save your reports in a central repository that is part of CE. You can have sub folders here too. Users then just need a browser to view reports and responde to parameters. In addition, you can schedule these reports to run at predefined times - saves hitting the database whenever a user requests to view a report. You have a 5 concurrent access license by default with this method. For more information check out the docs on CD.

For more information on either of these - good place to start would be the Crystal Decisions site.

Hope this helps.

cheers...J

 

[Spirit]

J,

Thanks very very much I have being running around like a headless chicken trying to find this out (we're rolling out a new ERP system and everyone forgot about the reports!!) so muggins here has got the job to write the reports by tommorow morning - when we go live......

Thanks again iain