Why Embed Crystal Reports In Your Own Software Package?

Crystal Reports has been around for a long time. It is a package dedicated solely to reporting with no other goals. What some people do not realise is that as well as being a stand-alone reporting product, it can also be embedded into other software packages. It can be embedded into Web, desktop, .NET and Java application, thus providing an instant and simple way to cover the reporting requirements of many different kinds of software.

When considering the reporting needs of software packages that are built in house, this can be a daunting part of the package. Most software that contains some kind of database will require a reporting tool. The problem with creating this yourself is that reporting is often seen as simple. This cannot be further from the truth. While it is true that some people require only basic reports, many reporting consultants require in-depth, extremely detailed and often complex reporting solution. A software package that works on the database level can often fall short when it comes to the reporting level.

When examining the reporting side of a software package, there is first the research along with the design, creation and testing to consider. It is inevitable that there will be constant new requirements and tweaking that the customers will require. All of this should be completed by developers who are familiar with reporting requirements and software since it is an expert field in itself. Using in house reporting software as an add-on without fully completing the process can lead to a lot of aggravation when client's full reporting requirements become apparent later on and must be met. This can even lead to the loss of clients that move on to software which does more fully look after their reporting requirements.

Crystal reports is a solution dedicated solely to reporting and can be as complex or as simple as required. Instead of tacking on a half-baked reporting package that does not meet requirements, developers can embed Crystal Reports within the in-house software. This means that they instantly cover the detailed reporting needs, without having to invest thousands of pounds and man hours in attempting to re-invent the wheel. Since it has been around for a long time and had many man hours spent on honing it, it is already a complete solution. Any future development will be carried out by Crystal Reports own developers and upgrades can simply be plugged in as and when they come out and delivered with your own release.

One major benefit of having Crystal Reports as your reporting solution is that it is so commonly used by reporting specialists across the globe. Most reporting consultants will have used it at some point in their careers and the familiarity will be an advantage in the workplace. There are many training courses and literature on it for those who are not. Even people who have not done any reporting are likely to have heard of it. Teams who create reports will have no trouble finding a new team member with Crystal Reports on their Curriculum Vitae or accessing a training course to enable them to learn it.

It is possible to find out the reporting requirements of the client and pre-create a batch of reports for them to use on the software. This will mean that the client has the benefits of the package without having to create the reports themselves. Instead the software you give them could come with a whole bunch of reports that meet their reporting needs, while still giving you the freedom to use the existing software to create them.