COURSE 9000 | 2-DAY SESSION
Leveraging Crystal Reports XI

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Course Outline

I. Learn the basics of creating a report from scratch

Understanding the basics of creating a new report is the starting point for all new report developers. This lesson steps the student through the fundamental skills needed to begin a new report.

A. Starting the Crystal Reports Program
B. Starting a New Report
C. Choosing a Data Source
D. The Main Components of the Design Window
E. Exploring the Toolbars
F. Managing Resources with Explorers
G. Placing Fields on the Report
H. Selecting and Sizing Objects
I. Browsing Field Data
J. Moving and Aligning Objects
K. Using Guides and Guidelines to Move and Align Objects
L. Creating Text Objects
M. Saving the Report
N. Auto-saving the Report
O. Previewing the Report
P. Refreshing the Data
Q. Getting Help
R. Challenge Exercise - Creating a Basic Report

II. Discover the powerful formatting features found in Crystal Reports

The formatting features in Crystal Reports is full-featured with many available options. This section covers a large majority of those options.

A. Quick Formatting with the Template Expert
B. Using the Format Painter
C. Formatting Objects
D. Inserting Lines and Boxes
E. Drawing a Line
F. Drawing a Box
G. Inserting Graphics
H. Working with the Page Commands
I. Changing Page Orientation
J. Changing Margins
K. Working with Text Objects
L. Adding Fields into a Text Object
M. Formatting Part or All of an Object
N. Inserting Special Fields

III. Understand how to create complex database filters with the Select Expert

Databases store large amounts of data and it is vital a report only select the data needed. This section explores the Select Expert tool provided in Crystal Reports.

A. Filtering Data with the Select Expert
B. Selecting Records with Multiple Criteria
C. Viewing and Editing the Select Formula
D. Case Sensitive vs. Case Insensitive
E. Record Selection Formula Templates
F. Challenge Exercise - Selecting Specific Records
G. Challenge Exercise - Selecting a Range of Values

IV. Create multiple report groupings to best organize and subtotal data

Reports can contain potentially hundreds of thousands of records, making it necessary to organize or group the information in a logical fashion. The grouping features found in Crystal Reports are some of its most powerful.

A. When and Why to Group Records
B. Creating a Group
C. Group and Sort Direction
D. Customize Group Name Field
E. Modifying Groups
F. Creating Multiple Groups in a Report
G. Using the Group Tree to Navigate the Report
H. Reordering Groups
I. Summarizing Groups
J. Additional Summary Options
K. Grouping Data in Date/Time Intervals
L. Calculating Percentages
M. Ordering Groups Based on Their Subtotals Using the Group Sort Expert
N. Challenge Exercise - Grouping, Sorting, Summarizing
O. Challenge Exercise - Calculating Percentages

V.Get complex record sets by joining multiple tables

Linking multiple tables is one of the most misunderstood aspects of report writing for new developers. This section steps the beginner student through the logic and options with no expectation of the student having a previous understanding.

A. Understanding Tables, Records, and Fields
B. Learning About Linking
C. Adding Multiple Tables to a Report
D. Challenge Exercise - Using the Database Expert to Link Tables

VI. Modify data through the use of formulas without being a programmer

The formula building features in Crystal Reports provides the developer the ability to manipulate raw data into something meaningful and useful. The student will learn how to work with number, date and text formulas.

A.Understanding Crystal Formula Syntax without Being a Programmer
B. About the Formula Workshop
C. Using the Formula Workshop
D. Using the Formula Editor
E. The Formula Editor Toolbar
F. Performing Simple Number Calculations
G. Manipulating Dates with Formulas
H. Creating Boolean (True/False) Formulas
I. Creating String Formulas
J. Using Bookmarks to Navigate Through Formulas
K. Challenge Exercise - Creating String Formulas
L. Challenge Exercise - Doing Calculations
M. Challenge Exercise - Subtracting Dates
N. Challenge Exercise - Using Nested If Statements

VII. Apply your knowledge of formula building to create conditional formatting rules for displaying data

Crystal Reports offers the ability to conditionally format report objects based on the results of a formula. An example would be: "When a column value is below x make the value's font red, otherwise make the font black".

A. The Highlighting Expert
B. Setting Highlighting Priorities
C. Formatting Sections
D. Formatting Sections Conditionally
E. Conditionally Formatting Fields
F. Challenge Exercise - Section Formatting and Conditional Formatting

VIII. Display data graphically using charts and graphs

Charts and graphs provide an excellent way to display subtotaled data for quick views of information. This section covers not only creating and formatting graphs and charts, but also how to set up summary style reports with drill-down capabilities.

A. Creating a Summary Report
B. Applying the Drill-down Feature
C. Applying the DrillDownGroupLevel function
D. Producing Charts
E. Editing Charts
F. Formatting Charts
G. Using the General Chart Options
H. Modifying Individual Objects in the Chart
I. Using Auto-Arrange Chart
J. Applying Chart Templates
K. Challenge Exercise - Creating a Summary Report
L. Challenge Exercise - Charting

IX. Use running totals as a method for calculating data in the order it is displayed in the report

The running totals feature allows the designer to move beyond standard subtotals by summarizing data as it flows down the page physically. This recent feature provides an additional option to summarize after the data is grouped and sorted.

A. Understanding Running Totals
B. Creating Running Totals for a List of Numbers
C. Conditional Running Totals
D. Challenge Exercise - Creating Running Totals
E. Challenge Exercise - Creating a Conditional Running Total

X. Make use of parameters to enhance the end-user experience of modify report criteria at runtime

Parameters act as a tool for prompting end-users to provide information needed by a report before it can process. This feature is an excellent way to enable untrained users to run reports easily. Parameters can be used to define date ranges, number comparisons or record selection criteria.

A. Parameter Field Considerations
B. Creating a Parameter Field
C. Using a Parameter to Select Records
D. Using a Parameter Field
E. Creating a Dynamic Value List for Parameter Values
F. Importing a Pick List
G. Adding Parameter Values to Text Objects
H. Allowing Multiple Values in Parameters
I. Using Multiple Parameter Fields in Reports
J. Specifying and Limiting a Range for a Parameter
K. Using Parameters in Conditional Formatting
L. Using an Edit Mask to Limit String Parameters
M. Sorting with a Parameter
N. Using a parameter to set N in a Top N Report
O. Cascading Parameters
P. Challenge Exercise - Using Parameters

XI. Work with cross-tab reports for complex reports designed to emulate the pivot table features found in Microsoft Excel

Cross-tab reports offer a way to group data vertically and horizontally on a page. The feature contains many powerful formatting charting options.

A. Understanding How Cross-Tabs Affect Your Data
B. Creating a Cross-Tab Report
C. Creating a Cross-Tab with Multiple Rows or Columns
D. Applying a Formatting Style to the Cross-Tab
E. Customizing the Cross-Tab Format
F. Changing Background Colors
G. Formatting Individual Cells
H. Changing the Summary Operation
I. Suppressing Rows, Columns or Totals
J. Repeating Row Heading for Multi-Page Cross-Tabs
K. Using Alias Names for Column and Row Headings
L. Charting Cross-Tabs
M. Challenge Exercise - Cross-Tab Reports