Learn New Technologies 4everyone

Crystal Reports: Advanced

Crystal Reports is one of the most popular report writing applications available today. Its ability to create complex reports from a variety of data connections (including Microsoft, Oracle, and Business Objects) is highly acclaimed. In this VTC course, expert instructor Lauri Matson walks you through the power of Crystal Reports, exploring its features and showing you how to simplify the complexities. Anyone involved in creating reports from stored data will benefit from this course. You'll become be a master of design, formulas, parameters, and more. You will learn how to create advanced reports, analyze databases and table relationships, write formulas and functions, enhance your reports with charts and graphs, and much, much more. Experience with databases and spreadsheet programs is assumed, prior knowledge of Crystal Reports is recommended. To begin learning today, simply click on the movie links.

Introduction

Welcome
Work Files

Review of the Basics

Planning a Report
Inserting Fields
The Screen Layout
Hints for Formatting
Grids and Guidelines
Reviewing the Menus

Advanced Database Concepts

Connection Types
Using the Database Expert
Database Verification
Verification Options in Crystal
Relationships and Joins
Types of Joins
Mapping Database Fields

Viewing Your Data

Views and Queries
Options and Your Data
Expressions vs. Commands

Working with SQL

SQL Command Select
Combing Multiple Tables
SQL Order By / Where / Alias

Refresher of Formulas

The Basics
Editing Formulas
Referencing Fields

Formula Syntax

Basic vs Crystal Syntax
Syntax Continued
Variable Example
Using Help for Syntax
Placement of Formulas

More Formulas

Select Expression
Dates and Formats
Extracting from a Field
Extraction Example
Commonly Used Formulas

SQL

SQL Expressions
Expression Use of Select
SQL Command Example
Commonly Used Expressions

Running Totals

Review of Running Totals
Groups and Totals
Manual Totals
Conditional Totals
Reset in Formula

Custom Functions

Understanding Custom Functions
Creating a Function
Properties
More Examples

Performance

Indexing
Indexing Continued
Strategies for Performance
Performance Continued
Optimizing for the Web

Design and Creation

Planning your Report
Data Implications
Adventureworks Schematics

Refresher on Cross-Tab Reports

Using a Cross-Tab
Formatting Cross-Tab by Design
Formatting in Preview
Cross-Tab Design
Cross-Tab Vocabulary
Cross-Tab Example

Subreports

Inserting Subreports
Formatting
Subreports as Charts
OnDemand and Unrelated Reports

Time and Variables

Date and Time in Fields
Date Format to Text
Working with Hours

Groups

Reviewing Groups
Grouping on a Formula Field
Grouping Hierarchically
Working with Multiple Sections

Parameters

Reviewing the Basic Parameter
Using Multiple Values
Using SQL Commands
Dynamic Values
Parameters and Conditional Formats

Charts

Preparing a Report
Using the Wizard
Formatting
Selecting a Chart Type
Trendlines
Conditional Formatting
Charts in a Group Header

Mapping

Creating a Map
Formatting a Map
Mapping Groups
Groups Continued

Other Tips and Tricks

Mailing Labels
Working with Form Letters
Creating Alerts
Working with Alerts
Adding Tool Tips
Conditional Formatting
Alternate Row Formatting

Conclusion

The Viewer
Dashboards and Excelsius
Remember the Help Menu
Wrap Up

Credits

About the Author