Implementing Parameters for Dynamic Reporting | Part I. Crystal Reports Design

Table of contents:

Introduction

Introduction

A common goal of report design is providing a single report that can service very specific reporting requirements and also accommodate a large audience of business users. Parameter fields enable you to satisfy this requirement and provide three primary benefits:

An additional level of interactivity for business users when viewing reports. A sales report can prompt a business user for her specific district or territory.
Ability to segment reports in many different ways to reduce the number of reports necessary to service the demands of the business users. A sales report can be segmented by district to service the needs of all district-level business users with one report.
Greater control over the report query for administrators by filtering the report results to include only the selected parameter value(s). A sales report can be filtered to include only data for the appropriate district. This also includes the capability to constrain the report query to avoid including excess or sensitive data.

In this chapter, you take a closer look at using parameters in your reports, as well as how parameter fields can be created and implemented. Like many of the Crystal Reports application features, working with report parameters is very logical but understanding the underlying mechanics facilitates the creation of effective reports.

This chapter covers the following topics:

Understanding the value of parameters
Creating and implementing parameter fields
Using parameters with record selections

Part I. Crystal Reports Design

Creating and Designing Basic Reports

Selecting and Grouping Data

Filtering, Sorting, and Summarizing Data

Understanding and Implementing Formulas

Implementing Parameters for Dynamic Reporting

Implementing Parameters for Dynamic Reporting
Introduction
Understanding the Value of Parameters
Creating and Implementing Parameters Fields
Using Parameters with Record Selections

Part II. Formatting Crystal Reports

Fundamentals of Report Formatting

Working with Report Sections

Visualizing Your Data with Charts and Maps

Custom Formatting Techniques

Part III. Advanced Crystal Reports Design

Using Cross-Tabs for Summarized Reporting

Using Record Selections and Alerts for Interactive Reporting

Using Subreports and Multi-Pass Reporting

Using Formulas and Custom Functions

Designing Effective Report Templates

Additional Data Sources for Crystal Reports

Multidimensional Reporting Against OLAP Data with Crystal Reports

Part IV. Enterprise Report Design Analytic, Web-based, and Excel Report Design

Introduction to Crystal Repository

Crystal Reports Semantic Layer Business Views

Creating Crystal Analysis Reports

Advanced Crystal Analysis Report Design

Ad-Hoc Application and Excel Plug-in for Ad-Hoc and Analytic Reporting

Part V. Web Report Distribution Using Crystal Enterprise

Introduction to Crystal Enterprise

Using Crystal Enterprise with Web Desktop

Crystal Enterprise Architecture

Planning Considerations When Deploying Crystal Enterprise

Deploying Crystal Enterprise in a Complex Network Environment

Administering and Configuring Crystal Enterprise

Part VI. Customized Report Distribution Using Crystal Reports Components

Java Reporting Components

Crystal Reports .NET Components

COM Reporting Components

Part VII. Customized Report Distribution Using Crystal Enterprise Embedded Edition

Part VII. Customized Report Distribution Using Crystal Enterprise Embedded Edition

Introduction to Crystal Enterprise Embedded Edition

Crystal Enterprise Viewing Reports

Crystal Enterprise Embedded Report Modification and Creation

Part VIII. Customized Report Distribution Using Crystal Enterprise Professional

Part VIII. Customized Report Distribution Using Crystal Enterprise Professional

Introduction to the Crystal Enterprise Professional Object Model

Creating Enterprise Reports Applications with Crystal Enterprise Part I

Creating Enterprise Reporting Applications with Crystal Enterprise Part II

Appendix A. Using Sql Queries In Crystal Reports

Appendix A. Using Sql Queries In Crystal Reports

Creating Enterprise Reporting Applications with Crystal Enterprise Part II