Long winded report - clarity sought!

[marckssg]

Hi,

I think I've pretty much answered my own question in that it can't be done, but been looking at this so long I may be missing something simple.

I working in Crystal v9 and my data sources are a range of SQL databases and excel spreadsheets. My hands are tied, there is no chance of amalgamating data sources so I have to work within these constraints.

Whilst to the end user the various sections of the report are related, the underlying data is not. To get around this I have added a number of sub reports.

However, having successfully completed the above the client now wants to see YTD figures as well as the current figures which are MTD.

The layout is something like this;

Report Header

Region Split, nice and simple North and South with 5 sections/subreports giving the required information, the common link here is the region name across all the subreports.

Group by sales person, exactly the same field headings and layout as the Report Header, common link across all reports now is sales person.

The new version of the report is being requested in the following format;

MTD
Region (North and South)

MTD
Sales Person

YTD
Region (North and South)

YTD

Sales Person

The client does not want to see the YTD Region displaying above the MTD Sales Person.

Any ideas?

I can't use subreports as I can't have subreports in subreports, I've thought about Variables, but can't off the top of my head come up with a workable solution given I'd be passing them from subreports that would have to fall in the correct order on the report.

At the risk of repeating myself, the data sources can't be accessed and as such I have no control over this aspect.

Appologies for the long winded post, I was trying to get all the information in. I suspect comprimises will have to be made with the order of the report, however the client really won't like this so thought I'd see if I was missing the blindingly obvious.

Regardless of if you have any suggestions, even if your still reading at this point I am very grateful!



Cheers

Marc

 

[Madawc]

Shared variables pass data from a subreport to the main report. Note that they're only available in the section below the section with the subreport.

Looking more widely, it should be possible to write an SQL Command (Stored Procedure) that can collect data from different SQL sources and put the details into a single file.

This would't work for Excel, as far as I know. But it should simplify processing.

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10

 

[marckssg]

Hi,

Madawc, thanks for the reply, I'd pretty much ruled out variables as I couldn't come up with a workable method of displaying the mtd and ytd figures given how they'd fall in the main report.

I have no access or control over the SQL data sources, so Stored Procedures, views etc etc are out of the question.

Current thoughts are going along producing two seperate reports and merging them into one pdf. Just depends if I can find something suitable that will both display the output as required and won't be to cumbersome for those left running it on a weekly basis.

Open to suggestions mind if I am missing the blindingly obvious, thinking of walking away from this one for a few days.

Cheers

Marc

 

[Madawc]

You can export Crystal data as Excel. Does that help?

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10

 

[marckssg]

Hi Madawc

No not really, its a management summary report, that needs to go to PDF and look "polished", not sure how exporting to Excel would help.

Think the merging the two files in PDF format is going to be the way forward, just need to find a smooth way of doing it from the many apps available.

Cheers

Marc