Report Distribution - Dynamic Send To List

[baycolor]

Hi,

I'm using Crystal Reports XI Developer and Crystal Reports XI Enterprise against a Teradata database.

I need to be able to email the output from a Crystal Report (Excel format or PDF - doesn't matter) to a list of people. The report needs to be emailed out daily but the list of recipients can be different everyday.

I can publish the report to CR Enterprise but the “To” list is hard coded. And republishing the report everyday is not an option.

I’m thinking of…

1a)
Write a web application that will run a CR report (and create an Excel or PDF) and email the output to a list of email addresses that are maintained in a .txt file (easy for a business person to maintain). I have no idea how involved or difficult this would be – I have no web programming experience.

1b)
A twist on option 1a would be to not use a .txt file but have some additional web screens that allow business persons to maintain the list of email addresses via a web page (probably better as they wouldn’t have to type in addresses).

2)
Approach someone that maintains our email system(s) and find out about setting up a distribution list – don’t know how easy or hard it would be for a business person to maintain this.

Comments on the best way to handle this, the level of difficulty and examples or direction to examples would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Not sure what you mean by:

I can publish the report to CR Enterprise but the “To” list is hard coded

( Do you mean Business Objects Enterprise XI, by the way, or Crystal Report Server XI?)

If you schedule the report you should be able to set the destination to SMTP and specify either a default setting or specific Email addresses...( At least in BOE XI, not sure about CR Server XI's capabilities)






To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[baycolor]

Hope this helps.

When I bought Crystal Reports from Business Objects I received:
One CD labeled Crystal Reports XI which installed Crystal Reports XI Developer. Installed this on my PC.
One CD labeled Crystal Reports XI Server. Installed this on our Windows 2000 server.

I believe these products have been renamed by Business Objects to be Business Objects XI and Business Objects XI Server

What I mean by I can publish the report to CR Enterprise but the “To” list is hard coded is that when I publish a developed report to the server version of the product (for automated running and distribution via email) I can setup an instance to email a static list of people that I type in email addresses for. And that's who the report will be sent to each day. My issue is that my email list is dynamic and changes everyday.

Thanks

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
To handle that, you could maybe set up a distribution list on your Mail Host and modify it as needed..The Report would go to whomever is on the list when run..

If it truly changes every day, then a scheduled report may not be the way to handle it..Run it manually when needed or see if any 3rd party programs ( like those listed on these sites:

http://www.kenhamady.com/bookmarks.html

or

http://www.apos.com

will allow for dynamic Mail lists..





To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."

 

[IdoMillet]

Is the email list dependent on information in the report? It would help if you provide more detail about where the dynamic email list resides.

- Ido

Visual CUT & DataLink Viewer:
view, e-mail, export, burst, distribute, and schedule Crystal Reports.

http://www.MilletSoftware.com

 

[baycolor]

I can envision both of the following situations...

1)
A report needs to be distributed and the To list changes daily but only one or two email addreses are added or removed. Emails are maintained in a .txt file.

2)
Database table holds area of interest selection information for different employees. They use a web application and check or uncheck checkboxes that indicate areas of interest. A report is created and sent to those that have interest in that report area. Email address for each person is available in the database.

Thanks

 

[IdoMillet]

There are indeed several 3rd-party "Report managers" and even "UFLs" that provide this functionality. As suggested by Turkbear, give the following url a closer look:

http://www.kenhamady.com/bookmarks.html

- Ido

Visual CUT & DataLink Viewer:
view, e-mail, export, burst, distribute, and schedule Crystal Reports.

http://www.MilletSoftware.com

 

[baycolor]

Thanks everyone for your help.