Advance your Crystal Reports skills beyond the basics to create sophisticated reports and data sources. In this advanced course, you will harness the full power of Crystal Reports to design complex reports exactly as you envision them, leveraging advanced features that enhance both functionality and performance.
Building on your existing Crystal Reports knowledge, this course dives deep into advanced tools and methodologies. You will discover how to construct subreports, cross-tabs, and specialized running totals that transform raw data into meaningful business intelligence. Through SQL query techniques, you will optimize report performance and overcome challenges associated with large or unfamiliar databases. By mastering these tools, your reports will execute faster, retrieve data more efficiently, and deliver the customized insights your business requires.
Software Version Information:
This course uses Crystal Reports 2016 software. The differences between the 2016, 2013, and 2011 versions are minimal. Our instructors have extensive experience with all three versions and will clearly highlight any interface changes. Participants using any of these three versions will have no difficulty learning in the Crystal Reports 2016 environment.
Course Objectives:
Upon completing this course, you will develop proficiency in the following areas:
- Create automatic and manual running totals for comprehensive data summaries
- Design and format cross-tab reports for multi-dimensional data analysis
- Integrate subreports to expand report capability and complexity
- Implement drill-down functionality for interactive report navigation
- Apply SQL statements in report processing for advanced data retrieval
- Construct complex formulas incorporating loops and conditional logic
- Incorporate charts to visualize multiple data series effectively
- Enhance overall report functionality and user experience
Target Student:
This course is designed for professionals who can create basic list and group reports and need to advance to creating reports that include subreports, cross-tabs, advanced formulas, and multi-series charts. Participants may also wish to develop tools that enable others to create reports independently. Prior programming or SQL experience is helpful but not required.
Prerequisites:
Familiarity with programming and/or SQL is recommended for optimal learning. You may also benefit from completing the following Logical Operations course: Crystal Reports 2016: Part 1.
Detailed Course Content:
Lesson 1: Creating Running Totals
- Create and customize running total fields
- Modify existing running total fields for different calculations
- Develop manual running totals for specialized reporting needs
Lesson 2: Working with Cross-Tabs
- Create cross-tab reports for multi-dimensional analysis
- Apply formatting techniques to enhance cross-tab appearance
- Incorporate grouping within cross-tab structures
Lesson 3: Adding Subreports
- Insert and embed subreports within primary reports
- Edit and customize subreport content and behavior
- Share variables between main reports and subreports
Lesson 4: Creating Drill-Downs in a Report
- Build drill-down functionality for interactive data exploration
- Create appropriate headings and labels for drill-down data sections
Lesson 5: Using SQL Statements in Report Processing
- Create reports using SQL queries for direct database access
- Summarize and aggregate report data using SQL functions
- Construct joins using SQL for multi-table queries
- Develop subqueries for advanced filtering and analysis
- Create SQL expression fields for calculated values
Lesson 6: Creating Complex Formulas
- Work with loops for iterative processing
- Work with arrays for managing collections of data
Lesson 7: Adding Charts to Reports
- Create standard charts for data visualization
- Develop charts with drill-down capability for deeper analysis
- Build Top N charts to highlight leading values
- Design cross-tab charts for dimensional data
- Create specialized charts for grouped data presentation
- Apply formatting techniques to enhance chart appearance
- Build and apply custom chart templates
Lesson 8: Enhancing Report Functionality
- Organize data based on hierarchical structures
- Create dynamic images that respond to data changes
- Implement report alerts for data-driven notifications
- Generate geographic maps for location-based visualization
Note: This is a high-volume class. Sign up early to secure your spot.
