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Crystal Reports
View on Wikipedia| Crystal Reports | |
|---|---|
| Developer | SAP |
| Operating system | Windows |
| Available in |
|
| Type | Reporting software |
| License | Trialware |
| Website | crystalreports |
Crystal Reports is a business intelligence application marketed to small- and medium-sized businesses by SAP.[1]
History
[edit]Terry Cunningham and the Cunningham Group originated the software in 1984.[2] Crystal Services Inc. marketed the product[3] (originally called "Quik Reports") when they could not find a suitable commercial report writer for an accounting software they developed add-on products for, which was ACCPAC Plus for DOS (later acquired by Sage).[4] After producing versions 1.0 through 3.0, Crystal Services was acquired by Seagate Technology in 1994.[5] Crystal Services was combined with Holistic Systems to form the Information Management Group of Seagate Software, which later rebranded as Crystal Decisions and produced versions 4.0 through 9.0. Crystal Decisions was acquired in December 2003 by BusinessObjects, which produced versions 10, 11 (XI) and version 12 (2008).
SAP acquired BusinessObjects on October 8, 2007, and released Crystal Reports 2011 (version 14) on May 3, 2011. The latest version released is Crystal Reports 2025 (14.4.x) on March 12, 2025.[citation needed]
The file extension for Crystal Reports' proprietary file format is .rpt. The design file can be saved without data, or with data for later viewing or sharing. Introduced with the release of Crystal Reports 2011 (version 14.0), the read-only .rptr file extension option allows for viewing, but cannot be modified once exported.[6]
Several other applications, including Microsoft Visual Studio versions 2003 through 2008, and Borland Delphi, at one time bundled an OEM version of Crystal Reports as a general purpose reporting tool.[7] Microsoft discontinued this practice and later released their own competing reporting tool, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS).[8][9]
Versions and editions
[edit]| Version | Release date[10] | Ownership | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crystal Services | ||
| 2 | 1992 | Crystal Services | |
| 3 | 1994 | Crystal Services | |
| 4 | 1995 | Crystal Decisions | |
| 5 | 1996 | Crystal Decisions | |
| 6 | 1997 | Crystal Decisions | |
| 7 | 1998 | Crystal Decisions | |
| 8 | 2000 | Crystal Decisions | D, P, S |
| 8.5 | 2001 | Crystal Decisions | A, D, P, S |
| 9 | 2002 | Crystal Decisions | A, D, P, S |
| 10 | 2003 | BusinessObjects | A, D, P, S |
| XI (11) | 2004 | Business Objects | D, P, S |
| XI R2 (11.5) | Nov 24, 2005 | Business Objects | D, P, S |
| 2008 (12) | Mar 31, 2008 | Business Objects | D |
| 2011 (14.0.x) | Aug 31, 2011 | SAP | D |
| 2013 (14.1.x) | Aug 29, 2013 | SAP SE | D |
| 2016 (14.2.x) | Mar 08, 2016 | SAP SE | D |
| 2020 (14.3.x) | June 13, 2020 | SAP SE | D |
| 2025 (14.4.x) | March 12, 2025 | SAP SE | D |
- A=Advanced Developer, D=Developer, P=Professional, S=Standard[6]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "SAP Crystal Solutions". SAP. Archived from the original on 2010-07-13. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
- ^ "Meet the Team". Indicee. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
As the founder of Vancouver-based Crystal Decisions in 1984, Cunningham grew the company over ten years into a global software business around its flagship product, Crystal Reports.
- ^ "Crystal Reports Links dBASE and Paradox Data". Data Based Advisor. Access My Library. September 1, 1992. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
Crystal Services says that they will address both the installation problem and the documentation omission in the new version. …Crystal Reports is being marketed by them and Borland International…
- ^ "ERP and Crystal Reports". Stephen Smith's Blog. 2012-01-21. Retrieved 2020-09-17.
- ^ "Seagate to Acquire Crystal Services". The Mercury News. News bank. 1994-05-11. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ^ a b "Crystal Reports Family of Offerings. Features by Edition Comparison Chart" (PDF). SAP. 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-08-17. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
- ^ Peck, George (2008). Crystal Reports 2008: The Complete Reference. McGraw-Hill Professional. p. 566. ISBN 978-0-07-159098-3. Retrieved 2009-07-09.
Not only was Crystal Reports bundled with earlier versions of Visual Basic…, but every Professional or higher version of VS.NET, up to and including Visual Studio 2008, includes an option to install Crystal Reports as well…
- ^ "Support for Crystal Reports for Visual Studio". Microsoft.com (knowledge base). Microsoft.
- ^ Turley, Paul; Silva, Thiago; Smith, Bryan C.; Withee, Ken (6 January 2011). Professional Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-118-05954-8.
- ^ Uher, Ludek (March 29, 2010). "Short History and Resources for Crystal Reports Software Developer Kits (SDK)". SAP. Archived from the original on 2016-11-22. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
Bibliography
[edit]- G. Taylor, Allen (June 3, 2008). Crystal Reports 2008 For Dummies (1st ed.). For Dummies. p. 396. ISBN 978-0-470-29077-4.
- Peck, George (June 19, 2008). Crystal Reports 2008: The Complete Reference (1st ed.). McGraw-Hill Osborne Media. p. 968. ISBN 978-0-07-159098-3.
- McCoy, Cate; Maric, Gord (2002). Mastering Crystal Reports 9 (1st ed.). Sybex. p. 639. ISBN 0-7821-4173-0. Archived from the original on 2010-11-25. Retrieved 2010-09-21.
External links
[edit]Crystal Reports
View on GrokipediaHistory
Origins and Early Development
Crystal Reports originated in the mid-1980s within the Cunningham Group, a family-run investment and software development firm based in Vancouver, Canada. Terry Cunningham, the founder of Crystal Services Inc., initiated the project to address the shortcomings of existing reporting tools, particularly for generating custom reports from accounting databases. The software began as a DOS-based add-on called "Quik Reports" for the ACCPAC Plus accounting system around 1988, developed internally to overcome limitations in commercial report writers like those offered by Borland.[6][7][8] In 1991, Crystal Services released version 1.0 of Crystal Reports as a standalone Windows application, marking its debut as a dedicated business intelligence reporting tool. This initial version supported key database formats including dBASE and Paradox, enabling users to extract and format data from flat-file and relational sources, while also incorporating early ODBC connectivity to facilitate integration with a wider range of databases. To democratize report creation for non-technical users, the software introduced intuitive report wizards that streamlined the process of selecting data fields, grouping records, and applying basic formatting. These features emphasized pixel-perfect output, allowing precise control over layout and presentation even in the constrained environment of early Windows platforms.[9][10][3] Throughout the 1990s, Crystal Reports evolved under Crystal Services' independent development, with iterative releases enhancing usability and functionality. Version 2.0, launched in 1992, deepened Windows integration by improving graphical user interfaces and adding advanced formatting options for more sophisticated report designs. Subsequent versions, such as 3.0 in 1994 and up to 7.0 in 1998, refined core capabilities like data connectivity and performance optimization, while maintaining a focus on accessible, high-fidelity reporting without requiring programming expertise. Mark Cunningham, Terry's brother and a co-founder, played a pivotal role in the technical development during this foundational period.[11][2][12]Acquisitions and Corporate Evolution
In 1994, Seagate Technology acquired Crystal Services Inc., the original developer of Crystal Reports, for an undisclosed amount, integrating it into its software division and rebranding the product as Seagate Crystal Reports.[7] This acquisition allowed Seagate to expand the tool's capabilities, culminating in the release of version 8.0 in 2000, which introduced improved multi-platform support for enhanced compatibility across various operating systems and databases.[13] By 1999, Seagate restructured its software operations, forming Crystal Decisions Inc. in November as a separate entity focused on business intelligence products, including Crystal Reports, by spinning off the Information Management Group from its broader software holdings.[14] Under Crystal Decisions' independent leadership, the product evolved to meet emerging web-based needs, with version 9.0 released in 2003 featuring enhanced web reporting functionalities that enabled dynamic report delivery over the internet.[11] In December 2003, Business Objects acquired Crystal Decisions for approximately $820 million in a cash-and-stock deal, merging it into its business intelligence platform to strengthen reporting capabilities.[15] This integration facilitated version 10's release later that year, incorporating universe-based querying to leverage Business Objects' semantic layer for more efficient data access and analysis within enterprise environments.[11] SAP AG announced its acquisition of Business Objects in October 2007 for $6.8 billion (€4.8 billion), completing the deal in 2008 and bringing Crystal Reports fully into the SAP ecosystem and accelerating its alignment with enterprise resource planning systems.[16] The acquisition led to version 2008 (v12), which deepened integration with SAP ERP solutions for seamless data connectivity and reporting on operational metrics. A key milestone was the release of Crystal Reports 2011 (v14) on May 3, 2011, further embedding advanced analytics features tailored to SAP's customer base.[17] Following the 2007 acquisition, Crystal Reports' development under SAP shifted toward cloud-based deployment and broader analytics integration, emphasizing scalability in hybrid environments.[18]Core Features
Report Design and Formatting
Crystal Reports provides a robust design interface for creating structured reports through a drag-and-drop methodology within the Crystal Reports Designer application or when embedded in integrated development environments such as Visual Studio. Users can position database fields, text objects, and other elements into predefined report sections, including the Report Header for introductory content, Page Header for repeating top elements, Details for row-level data, Report Footer for summaries, and Page Footer for bottom elements like page numbers. This sectional layout allows for precise organization of content drawn from connected data sources.[19] Formatting options in Crystal Reports enable extensive customization to enhance readability and presentation. Conditional formatting applies rules-based styling, such as changing font colors or hiding elements based on data values, configured via the Format Editor using Crystal syntax formulas like if-then-else logic.[20] Parameter fields allow dynamic user input at runtime, prompting for values that filter or populate report elements without altering the underlying design.[21] Subreports facilitate nested data presentation by embedding one report within another, with options to link parameters or refresh data independently, supporting complex hierarchical layouts.[22] Additionally, cascading style sheets can be applied to maintain consistent styling across multiple reports or sections.[23] The Report Creation Wizard streamlines initial setup by guiding users through data selection, grouping, and basic layout in a step-by-step process, ideal for rapid prototyping.[24] For advanced customization, the Formula Editor supports the creation of calculated fields using either Crystal syntax or Basic syntax, enabling expressions such asIf {Sales} > 10000 Then "High" Else "Low" to derive new data points directly in the report design.[25]
A hallmark of Crystal Reports is its pixel-perfect rendering, which ensures that the designed layout maintains exact positioning and formatting fidelity across print, PDF, and digital viewer outputs, distinguishing it from more adaptive reporting tools that prioritize responsiveness over precision.[26] This capability is particularly valuable for financial statements or legal documents requiring unchanging visual structure.[27]
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