What Is Crystal Reports? Working, Examples, and Uses

Crystal Reports is defined as a business intelligence (BI) tool that creates custom reports and dashboards by capturing data from multiple data sources.
The application helps create a data reporting environment contextualized to specific business needs.
This article details the working, examples, and key uses of Crystal Reports.

What Is Crystal Reports?
How Do Crystal Reports Work?
Examples of Crystal Reports
Uses of Crystal Reports

What Is Crystal Reports?

Crystal Reports is a business intelligence (BI) tool that creates custom reports and dashboards by capturing data from multiple sources. The application helps create a data reporting environment contextualized to specific business needs. The tool offers features such as data access, report design, report formatting, report viewing, and application integration.

The Crystal Reports software emerged back in 1991. It was created by Terry Cunningham and his team. In 1994, it was acquired by Seagate Technology and eventually by BusinessObjects in 2003. Later, in 2004, the 11th version of the platform was released. In October 2007, SAP acquired BusinessObjects, an enterprise software company specializing in BI.

Post-acquisition by SAP, the platform released its versions 14.0, 14.1, and 14.2 in 2011, 2013, and 2016, respectively, and from there on, it grew in popularity. According to a 2023 report by 6sense, Crystal Reports is the most used BI and analytics tool, with a global market share of 74.10%. This is followed by Teradata with 17.08%, IBM SPSS Statistics with 6.46%, and SAS/OR with 0.59% market share. Moreover, the report cites that 55.85% of SAP Crystal Reports customers are from the United States, 6.66% from the United Kingdom, and 5.18% from Canada.

Crystal Reports acts as a data visualization tool that communicates information in the form of graphs, charts, and so on to help users make sense of data and identify key relationships between data that may be otherwise hidden. It provides users with options such as formulas, cross-tabs, sub-reports, and conditional formatting methods that further help in data analysis.

Crystal Reports can be published in Windows applications such as MS Excel, emails, and over the web. Moreover, web and application developers can integrate Crystal Reports into Microsoft Office applications by employing Java and .Net functionalities.

Key features of Crystal Reports

The fundamental objective of Crystal Reports is to be able to pull data from various sources such as Extensible Markup Language (XML), MySQL, SQL Server, and Oracle and present it in an organized manner. It allows teams to visualize, design, and deliver reports through web apps or embed them within enterprise applications.

Let’s understand some of the key features of Crystal Reports.

Dynamic and actionable design solution: Designers handling Crystal Reports have complete control of the report layout and design, which allows them to customize and format their reports in ways that best suit their business. It allows businesses to create interactive and professional reports using custom parameters that filter and present data to relevant stakeholders. Moreover, it allows organizations to create visually appealing reports that contain tables, charts, graphics, and formulas.
Data connectivity: The tool supports data connectivity to virtually any data sources such as relational databases, spreadsheets, and flat files; for example, Oracle, Sybase, or even Outlook’s file system data.
Grouping and sorting: Crystal Reports allows users to group and sort data by fields. This helps create subtotal and grand total summaries.
Exporting: Crystal Reports can be exported to various file formats such as PDF, Excel, Word, and HTML.
Adaptability: Platform adaptability is the real USP of Crystal Reports. Customized reports run in sync over the preexisting business model. The reports show support for multilingual reporting modules wherein users have 24 languages. Moreover, these reports are adaptable to different layouts and formats, such as invoices, statements, marketing collaterals, etc.
Low initial investment: Crystal Reports as a BI tool comes at a fixed price. This is useful for companies that intend to grow their operations since they do not have to incur additional expenses for scaling their BI platform. The full product â€˜SAP Crystal Reports 2020′ can be availed at $495 per user. Moreover, the upgrade can be bought at just $295 per user if you have the older version of Crystal Reports.
Portability: Crystal Reports is often a part of the office setting. The output of these reports can be accessed on mobile devices. Mobile interactivity allows this BI tool to be easily accessible to business stakeholders and strategic partners.

See More: What Is Data Fabric? Definition, Architecture, and Best Practices

How Do Crystal Reports Work?

Crystal Reports plays a pivotal role in the decision-making process of a company. These reports are generated through a series of steps.

Here’s a brief overview of how Crystal Reports works.

How Crystal Reports Work

1. Data source connection

The first step of creating a report is establishing a data source connection. This involves connecting to data sources such as databases (MS SQL Server or SAP HANA), spreadsheets, and even web services. Once the connection is set up, data collection begins, which includes transaction details, production records, sales point addresses, financial information, weblogs, and so on.

2. Report design

Once the data source connection is established, the report design process begins. A user has the option to choose from a variety of templates to create a custom design by using the report designer interface.

3. Data manipulation

Upon finalizing the report’s design, the reports are populated with data. Here, various sets of tools are used to manipulate data, which includes sorting, filtering, and grouping. Users can apply formulas, perform calculations, and add summaries to their reports to create meaningful insights others can view.

4. Report generation

The user can generate the report in the desired format after finalizing the data. This can be a Word, Excel, HTML file, or any other format.

5. Report distribution

Lastly, the generated Crystal Reports are distributed in various ways, such as emails, prints, and web-based portals. Moreover, delivering these reports can also be automated by scheduling the time slots for specific participants.

Once distributed, Crystal Reports can be securely accessed by multiple users within an organization. It allows them to analyze facts, visualize the trends and patterns in data, and rank and filter data to further perform an in-depth analysis of specific areas.

Crystal Reports can further be used to create pixel-perfect reports, which give you granular control over the reports where you can manage every component up to an individual pixel. Such reports tend to give a business overview through charts and tables. Thus, pixel-perfect reports can be shared with investors and other stakeholders.

One advantage of such reports is that these documents can be used as templates, and every time the data source gets updated, the document will reflect the changes with a single click or in an automated manner. These documents can be simply refreshed, and the changes can be viewed instantly.

See More: What Is Enterprise Data Management (EDM)? Definition, Importance, and Best Practices

Examples of Crystal Reports

Several companies, such as General Motors, HCL Technologies, and NetSuite Inc., already use Crystal Reports. While these reports can be employed across verticals in organizations, we’ll look at some of the most prominent areas where Crystal Reports are effective.

1. Sales reports

Crystal Reports can be used to generate sales reports to provide an overview of sales performance for a particular period. These reports can cover details such as sales by product, sales by geography, sales by customer, sales by salesperson, and sales by representative groups.

2. Inventory reports

Crystal Reports can also be used to generate inventory reports to give you an idea of the current stock levels of different products available in the warehouse. These reports can include inventory information such as product descriptions, quantities in stock, quantities sold, and quantities ordered.

3. Financial reports

This BI tool can be handy in generating financial reports such as balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. These reports can highlight an organization’s financial performance over a specified period. It would further help stakeholders in making strategic decisions to improve business output.

4. Employee reports

Crystal Reports can be used to generate employee reports that record staff details such as performance, projects completed, attendance, and other HR-related information. These reports can help managers make informed decisions on performance evaluations, promotions, and appraisals.

5. Customer reports

The platform can also be used to generate customer reports that offer insights into demographics, buying patterns, preferences, and so on. Such reports can help businesses strategize their targeted marketing approaches, optimize marketing campaigns, and subsequently improve customer satisfaction.

6. Project reports

Crystal Reports can be used to generate project reports that detail project status, timelines, and allocated budgets. Such reports would aid project managers in making informed decisions on resource allocation and support project planning.

7. Pre-printed forms

Crystal Reports can copy and replicate the layout and format of pre-printed forms. For instance, pre-printed forms can include tax forms, legal documents, bank certificates, payroll sheets, etc. If all such reports can be printed on a page or appear in a PDF document, Crystal Reports, in all probability, can replicate the form and populate the data from your data source.

While these are some examples of Crystal Reports, this BI application can be used to generate a wide range of other reports based on different business needs.

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Uses of Crystal Reports

Crystal Reports is widely used across industries for data analysis, reporting, and decision-making. Let’s look at some of the uses in more detail.

Crystal Reports Uses

1. Data analysis

Data analysis is central to Crystal Reports. Users can extract, transform and analyze data collected from different data repositories. Rich graphic tools can be used to scrutinize data from charts, graphs, and summaries. Such data can give insights into the business practices employed by companies. The data can further be used to tweak or coarse correct business plans to boost prospects.

2. Reporting

Crystal Reports is primarily used to create reports that can streamline business operations. Custom and personalized reports can be created to meet specific business needs; for example, reports tailored to the finance department, sales department, PMO, and others. Reports can be customized using filters to reveal only the relevant data. Moreover, reports can be exported in formats like PDF, Excel, and Word.

3. Customization

Crystal Reports provides a wide range of customization options that allow users to create reports that meet their specific needs and preferences. These customization options include both design and functionality features that can be used to modify the look and behavior of a report.

Some of the key customization options in Crystal Reports include:

Report design: Crystal Reports provides a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) design interface that allows users to create visually appealing reports. Users can customize the report layout, font styles, colors, and other design elements to create reports that match their brand or style preferences.
Report formatting: Crystal Reports allows users to customize the formatting of report data, including grouping, sorting, and applying conditional formatting to highlight important data. Users can also customize report headers and footers, page numbering, and other formatting elements.
Report parameters: The tool allows users to define report parameters, which can then be used to filter, sort, or group data. Users can personalize these parameters to meet their specific needs and preferences.
Report functions: Crystal Reports provides a wide range of functions that can be used to perform calculations, aggregate data, and manipulate data.
Custom scripts: Crystal Reports also allows users to create custom scripts using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). These scripts can be used to automate report generation, perform complex calculations, and customize report action.

4. Integration

Crystal Reports supports several integration features that enable reports to be combined with other software applications and platforms. Such integration allows enterprises to incorporate Crystal Reports into their existing workflows and business processes.

Some of the key integration features of Crystal Reports are:

Data source integration: Crystal Reports can be integrated with various data sources, including databases, XML files, and web services. This allows organizations to receive data from multiple sources and create comprehensive reports.
Application integration: The platform can be integrated with various software applications, including enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, customer relationship management (CRM) systems, and other BI tools.
API integration: Crystal Reports has a complete set of application programming interfaces APIs that allow developers to integrate it with custom software applications. This allows companies to build custom reporting solutions that can be integrated seamlessly with existing software systems.
Export integration: Crystal Reports can export reports to various file formats, including PDF, Excel, and HTML. This allows organizations to easily share reports with others and incorporate them into other documents and applications.
Web integration: This BI tool can be integrated with web applications, allowing reports to be accessed and viewed through a web browser. This makes it easy for users to access reports from any device with an internet connection.

5. Security

The security features of Crystal Reports are designed to help protect sensitive data and ensure that only authorized users can access it.

Some of the key security features of Crystal Reports include:

System authentication: Crystal Reports supports several authentication methods, including Windows authentication and database authentication. This allows administrators to control who can access reports and data sources.
Data source security: Crystal Reports allows administrators to set permissions for data sources, including databases, to keep a check on who can access sensitive data. This ensures that only authorized users can view and manipulate data.
Report security: The tool allows administrators to set permissions on individual reports so only authorized personnel can view or modify them. This prevents unauthorized users from accessing or fiddling with reports that contain sensitive data.
Encryption: Crystal Reports supports encrypting data at rest and in transit. This adds an extra layer of security to confidential data.
Password protection: Crystal Reports allows users to set passwords for reports and data sources, ensuring only authorized users can view them.
Audit trail: Crystal Reports provides an audit trail of the report and data source access. This implies that administrators can track who has accessed what data and when. This helps identify potential security breaches and enforce compliance with data security policies.

6. Ease of use

Crystal Reports is designed to be user-friendly and comes with a range of features that are easy to use, even for non-technical staff. It has an intuitive interface that allows users to quickly create reports simply by dragging and dropping data elements into report templates.

See More: What Is a Data Catalog? Definition, Examples, and Best Practices

Takeaway

Crystal Reports is a dynamic business intelligence tool that allows users to analyze data, create custom reports, customize/personalize layouts, integrate it with other applications, and protect sensitive data. It is a powerful platform that can be used in most industry verticals, such as finance, healthcare, insurance, transportation, retail, and manufacturing, to gain valuable insights into business operations and make informed decisions based on data.

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