Freeze results for future reports - Crystal XI

[ReillyC]

In some reports I need to 'freeze' the data by the each quarter and then use the frozen results in future reports. Can this be done in Crystal automatically?

Thanks
R

 

[IdoMillet]

You can export the data to an ODBC DSN. The problem is that Crystal's ODBC exports are limited to creating a NEW table - you can't append to an existing table. You have 2 main options:

1. Manually copy and paste the data from the new table to an "accumulating" table. Since this is a quarterly process in your case, that sounds like a reasonable approach.

2. If you need to automate the process, have a look at the 3rd-party Report Managers listed at:

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

At least one of these tools has the ability to append Crystal ODBC exports to an existing table. That functionality was designed to support exactly this type of data "snapshots".

Cheers,
- Ido

Visual CUT & DataLink Viewer:
view, e-mail, export, burst, distribute, and schedule Crystal Reports.

http://www.MilletSoftware.com

 

[ReillyC]

Unforuntely, purchasing a third party report manager is out of the question right now. We just purchase Crystal Enterprise.

Thanks

 

[ReillyC]

Hi
In an older thread "thread767-984784" a programmer (Madawc) mentioned that the Crystal database has a 'Date Stamp' that shows the date when it was copied from the mainframe. Can anyone tell where I can find this date stamp?

Thanks

R

 

[ReillyC]

Can anything be done with using Crystal Server? We have that but have yet to deply it?

 

[IdoMillet]

Any export can include a formula that uses currentdate to return the current date.

hth,
- Ido

Visual CUT & DataLink Viewer:
view, e-mail, export, burst, distribute, and schedule Crystal Reports.

http://www.MilletSoftware.com

 

[ReillyC]

Thank you for your help but I'm still unclear on how to proceed.
Are you suggesting I export the results to an outside source like excel.

I actually want to specify the date when the data was copied from the mainframe in the CRXI.
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
TV 32 46 65 72
DVD 12 15 19 21
VCR 5 6 15 23

Quarter 1 data would reflect only the data copied from the mainframe at the end of the 1st quarter
Quarter 2 data would reflect only the data copied from the mainframe at the end of the 2nd quarter
Quarter 3 data would reflect only the data copied from the mainframe at the end of the 3rd quarter
Quarter 4 data would reflect only the data copied from the mainframe at the end of the 4th quarter

Thanks
R

 

[IdoMillet]

Designing the data set that way is a bad idea.
Instead, each time you export, you should get a new record:

Product Year Quarter Amount
TV 2005 1 32

From this, you can always generate a Crystal report to present the data in any way you want (including a CrossTab displaying the data as you describe it above).

hth,
- Ido

Visual CUT & DataLink Viewer:
view, e-mail, export, burst, distribute, and schedule Crystal Reports.

http://www.MilletSoftware.com

 

[Madawc]

A programmer (Madawc) mentioned that the Crystal database has a 'Date Stamp' that shows the date when it was copied from the mainframe. Can anyone tell where I can find this date stamp?

That's just how our database is created, an SQL matter rather than Crystal. It's not my area, but I assume that it's just another field called 'Date Stamp', and gets the current date written to it when the data is taken from the mainframe and written to the data warehouse.

The advantage of this system is that you can check the same account as it was yesterday, the day before, last week etc. Useful if a customer reports a problem and the cause is not obvious. But this is part of database design.

As IdoMillet said, you can include the current date within a Crystal report, and also have it when you export the data for some other use. I do it as a matter of routine, even when there is no immediate need.


Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK). Using Windows XP & Crystal 10