Advice on Report Distribution Required!!

[alexlc]

Hi,

This is more an advice query rather than a specific. I work for a fairly IT illiterate company,(some staff are still unsure about what the mouse is!!) but we need staff to get their own information out of the databases for management meetings etc, rather that rely on one or two members of staff to write reports for random requests.
Currently we are using an Access Database querying SQL databases for the generic reports & I have several Crystal 9 reports accessing Lotus Notes 6.5. Soon the SQL db will be replaced by Lotus.

We want staff still be able to get their own data, but from a set of pre-defined reports where they can enter their own parameters. I am looking for advice on the best way forward with this.

We have tried to get Crystal to use an ODBC connection on Citrix (we are mulit-site), but it won't allow us to refresh data here (client issues).

We are currently considering:
Crystal with Visual Studio.NET
Crystal Enterprise
Intelliprint & Intelliview - based in Notes

Does anyone out there work like this, use any of these options, or know if there are evaluation thing we can try, or have any other ideas. We may be trying to do this on a limited budget - the Boss think you press a button & everything appears like that!!
By the way, were in the UK if that makes any difference.

Thanks in advance

Alex

 

[Turkbear]

Hi,
Much variance here.
Crystal Enterprise ( Now Business Objects) is a 'top-of-the-line' method of web-based delievery of Crystal Reports and can do all that you need and then some. It is expensive, however.

Crystal and Visual Studio NET work well together and ,with suficient skill-sets on hand, can be coded to meet your needs in web app.

Ther are also 3rd party Crystal viewers that allow for user-passed parameters. Some are listed here:

http://www.kenhamady.com/bookmarks.html

To Paraphrase:"The Help you get is proportional to the Help you give.."