How to Use Crystal Reports
Crystal Reports is a leading brand of reporting software. It's developed and marketed by Business Objects, Inc. With this software, you can create reports pulling in data from a wide variety of data sources. It provides a rich set of tools that you can use to design and present reports in such a way that is both meaningful and actionable.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Challenging
Instructions
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Obtain a standalone version of Crystal Reports, either directly from Business Objects, Inc. Website or from one of its authorized resellers. Before purchasing, ensure that your computer meets or exceeds the minimum system requirements for installing the software. You can either download the software or order a copy on a CD.
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2
Install Crystal Reports, open the user's guide and read through the "Quick Start" section. This section describes the basic concepts of Crystal Reports, the process of connecting and retrieving data from a data source, the various ways to present the data and how to print reports. Walk through the sample exercise in the "Quick Start" guide, and create the sample report as you read the guide. You should actually use the software to learn it effectively.
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Open and study the sample reports included with the software. These reports cover a broad spectrum of the functionalities of the software, and studying these will expose you to the power of Crystal Reports.
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Visit the community dedicated to Crystal Reports on the Business Objects website. That will have additional resources like white papers. The best place to have any questions answered is the discussion forum. Before asking a question, search the forum for earlier discussions on the topic. You will be surprised to see how many questions are repeated often, as new users make their initial forays into Crystal Reports.
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Master the basic concepts of Crystal Reports on your own through a trial-and-error process. However, if you prefer professional training, you can register for one of the online courses offered through Business Objects. You can also find instructor led training classes in your local community college or university extension locations. Sometime these trainings can be relatively expensive. If you are required to learn how to use Crystal Reports as part of your job, check out your company's tuition reimbursement plan.
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Subscribe to the Crystal Reports newsgroup to stay on top of new features and tips and tricks for solving various report generation problems that you may encounter from time to time.
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Tips & Warnings
Crystal Reports is a mature product capable of generating sophisticated reports. To leverage the power of the software, you should constantly educate yourself with more advanced features via online courses or instructor-led training sessions.
