SAP Crystal Reporting

SAP Crystal Reports

SAP Crystal Reports was an early reporting software created in the 1980s. It was subsequently acquired by BusinessObjects and eventually joined the SAP portfolio when SAP acquired BusinessObjects. SAP has continued to develop the product and has released the latest version SAP Crystal Reports 2020.

SAP Crystal Reports

SAP Crystal Reports helps business users analyze data by creating richly formatted, multi-page reports from virtually any data source, delivered in more than a dozen formats. Such formats can be used to generate customer or partner facing assets such as custom invoices, billing statements, letters, sales and operations reports, and promotion campaigns with drag-and-drop interfaces.

While SAP Crystal Reports is marketed to small and medium-sized businesses, it can be an easy reporting tool for enterprises too.

SAP Crystal Reports Benefits

SAP Crystal Reports makes it easy for business users to create reports easily while also ensuring security and access rights. Some of the advantages it provides are:

Ability to easily analyze and report on business data by creating intuitive reports and dashboards with drag-and-drop simplicity
Security settings for reporting environments by defining user rights to access, view, refresh, export, or print reports
Insights to understand business and share the facts to provide ready-to-consume information, as reports and dashboards, to colleagues, suppliers, partners, and customers.

SAP Crystal Reports files are saved with extension “.rpt”

Reporting and analytics are fields where many vendors are coming up with innovations such as pre-built reports, automation, and intuitive user interfaces. Apart from SAP BusinessObjects, Qlik, Pyramid Analytics, and apexanalyticsalso provide rich reporting and analytics capabilities.

While such tools are a boon to business users, there is increasing recognition that what comes out of data depends on data quality. Hence, many SAP companies are embarking on data management projects ranging from master data governance, intelligent data cleansing, enabling data virtualization to analyze data rather than making static copies, etc. This also becomes critical when the security, access control, and compliance requirements come into play.

SAP Crystal Reports is a useful tool in the reporting portfolio for low value reports. However, the demands for analytics in today’s complex data volumes may be better met with more sophisticated solutions.

Troubleshoot the Three SAPSprint Root Error Categories for Server-Based Printing on Windows

Published: 29/October/2009

Reading time: 17 mins

A failed printout can delay or disrupt important meetings or cause you to miss deadlines. See how to avoid printer failures when using SAPSprint by analyzing the three most common types of errors. Also find answers to common SAPSprint issues in the SAPSprint FAQs. Key Concept Processing in SAPSprint involves generating print data via the...…
Navigate the Complexities of Currency Conversion for More Accurate Management Reporting

Published: 15/February/2009

Reading time: 97 mins

Since dealing with multiple currencies has become commonplace in a global economy, it’s no surprise that currency conversion is needed everywhere in global organizations that implement and run SAP software solutions. While currency conversion was mainly the purview of the ERP system in the past, ERP systems no longer carry that burden alone. Today’s managers...…
Uncover New Insight into Your Customers with mySAP CRM Analytics

Published: 15/August/2006

Reading time: 27 mins

Find out how mySAP CRM Analytics, a group of tools offered with mySAP CRM 2005 and SAP NetWeaver Business Intelligence to help you optimize your customer data. Learn about the mySAP CRM extraction mechanism and cross-application analysis tools you can use with your data. Then, explore the standard tool sets available, including customer analytics, product...…
Use SAP’s Enhanced BKPF Table for VAT Liability-Based Reporting

Published: 30/June/2011

Reading time: 8 mins

Learn how to prepare reports based on value-added tax (VAT) liability dates to comply with European legal requirements. Key Concept In the standard SAP system the value-added tax (VAT) reporting is based on the posting date. By using the document date as a selection criterion, you can report on a document date. However, for some...…
- SAP Accounting
SAP S/4HANA Finance: Understand the Different Options and Nuances of Enabling Parallel Accounting in New Asset Accounting

Published: 18/January/2017

Reading time: 24 mins

Learn about the configuration options available in SAP S/4HANA Finance to set up parallel accounting aligned to different accounting principles, especially when you are migrating from classic Asset Accounting (FI-AA), a parallel accounts approach, to the new FI-AA module. Key Concept The SAP S/4HANA Finance system provides a transparent, real-time, optimized IT solution for implementation...…
Use Excel Workbooks for Attractive, Easily Maintained Reporting Front Ends

Published: 01/October/2004

Reading time: 16 mins

Sometimes, the standard BW options for supplying your business with reporting tools just aren’t enough. Additional reporting power is available from Excel worksheets, which when used in conjunction with BW queries result in graphically impressive reporting front ends that are simple to maintain. Key Concept Solutions workbooks are Excel spreadsheets linked to BEx Analyzer queries...…
HR’s 5 Reporting Options in R/3: How Do You Choose?

Published: 15/April/2003

Reading time: 17 mins

Satisfying your company’s Human Resource reporting requirements is always a challenge, beginning with the assessment process through the selection of the right reporting strategy. Deciding which method is best begins with a proper assessment of the reporting tools available. Author and Executive SAP Consultant Danielle Larocca compares reporting tools available in your HR module: standard...…
New Features and Functions of SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.0 — for Administrators

Published: 14/July/2011

Reading time: 6 mins

Learn about some of the new capabilities of SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.0, including data connectivity options, multilingual dashboards, and auditing and monitoring capabilities. Additionally, discover the platform integration that allows for caching and performance improvements. Key Concept SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards 4.0 (formerly named Xcelsius) allows users to create compelling data visualizations. As part of the...…
Is Business Objects the Next ERP?

Published: 15/September/2008

Reading time: 7 mins

ManagementOver the past two decades, the ERP system has evolved from a collection of components into a platform for collaboration and innovation. Find out why Business Objects executives, speaking at the inaugural Business Objects Influencer Summit, say its platform is poised to undergo a similar transformation – and what it means for the SAP ERP...…
Get Smart: What You Need to Know About SAP and BusinessObjects BI Tools

Published: 01/January/2009

Reading time: 9 mins

Along with similar moves by Oracle and IBM, SAP’s acquisition of BusinessObjects has completely realigned the marketplace for business intelligence on an SAP ERP system. Find out why SAP made its move — and what the experts say you should be doing to prepare for the fallout. SAP’s $6.8 billion purchase of BusinessObjects last January...…