crystal reports vs webi 2011-10-10

[ A Comparison of Enterprise Reporting Tools (SAP Crystal Reports and SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence)

Adam GetzManager, Business Intelligence & Reporting

TMA Resources

Real Experience. Real Advantage.

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About TMA Resources

� Software and Professional Services

� TMA Resources provides solutions to member-centric organizations

� National Headquarters in Vienna, VA (Washington DC Area)

� Midwest Office in Rosemont, IL (Chicago Area)

� Named #288 on the 2010 Software 500 listing

� Clients include many of the most prestigious professional societies, trade associations, labor unions, and other member-centric organizations


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What is Business Intelligence?

• Operational ReportsDisplays data with rich presentation and within a structured layout (i.e. rows and columns).

Primary Tool: Crystal Reports

• Query and AnalysisInteractive methods to query data, present data in an ad-hoc manner, and to find information on an as-needed basis.

Primary Tools: Web Intelligence

• Dashboard ManagementGraphical interfaces and real-time methods to provide guided analysis and to intuitively monitor organizational metrics.

Primary Tool: Dashboards (formerly Xcelsius)

Business Intelligence is focused on reporting and analysis of data residing in either enterprise data warehouses (EDW) and/or data marts.

Crystal Reports

Web Intelligence

Dashboards (formerly Xcelsius)


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Crystal Reports vs Web Intelligence (WebI)

� Crystal Reports 4.0 can access data directly from a data source or through a Universe

� Web Intelligence 4.0 must access data through a Universe


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Crystal Reports

� Perfect solution for canned or published reports

� Create high-fidelity, pixel-perfect reports

� Access almost any data source

� End users view, print, and export reports

� Multiple deployment options:

– Crystal Reports Designer: Client developer tool (Most Common)

– Crystal Report Server: Web-based environment for organization-wide use

Crystal Reports: Operational Reporting ToolCrystal Reports: Operational Reporting Tool

Crystal Reports

Designer

Crystal Reports

Preview


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Crystal Reports - Features

� Report Templates

� Design Wizards

� Experts

– Formatting

– Grouping / Sorting

– Section

– Data Access

Intuitive Report DevelopmentIntuitive Report DevelopmentTemplate Expert

Group Sort Expert


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� Advanced / Hierarchical Grouping

� Running Totals

� Parameters

� Alerting

� Guided Navigation

� Sorting Controls

� Hyperlinks

� Drill-Downs

Numerous Methods for

Report Viewing and Interaction

Numerous Methods for

Report Viewing and Interaction

Hierarchical Grouping


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� Relational Databases − Oracle − IBM DB2

− Sybase − MS SQL Server

− MySQL − MS Access

− Informix

� Common Business Applications − ACT! − Salesforce.com

� Spreadsheets − MS Excel − Lotus 1-2-3

� Groupware / Email− Exchange − Lotus Notes

� Text files, XML files, and OS Event Logs

� ODBC, OLE DB, and JDBC Sources

� Web Services

� Business Objects Universes and Repositories

Data Access to Most Common Data SourcesData Access to Most Common Data Sources

Crystal Reports provides a long

list of available data sources

In addition report authors can write their own SQL commands.


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Crystal Reports – Developer Features

� 240 Functions that Control…

− Calculations: Median, Mode,

Standard Deviation, etc.

− Reporting Formatting

− Complex Logic

� Custom Functions

� Formula Expert

Powerful Formula Language and Custom Code EnvironmentPowerful Formula Language and Custom Code Environment

Developers can Program

Using Either Basic or

Crystal Syntax

Through Code,

Developers can Control

Formatting, Selection,

Calculations, and Logic

� Crystal or Basic syntax (very similar to Visual Basic)


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Crystal Reports – Developer Features

� Interface Solution Deployment Kits (SDKs):

− J2EE − .Net − COM

� Integration of Reports

− Web Applications − Client / Server Apps

− Portals

� Embedded Reporting Components

� Custom Add-ins

− Create custom add-in modules

− Shows up under Add-ins menu in Crystal Reports

− Implement custom workflows

� User Function Libraries (UFL)

− Extend function library of Crystal Reports

− Call external executable (exe’s) from inside the report

− Integrated Development Environments (IDE)

− MS Visual Studio − BEA WebLogic Workshop

− Borland JBuilder − Borland C# Builder

Advanced Programming CapabilitiesAdvanced Programming Capabilities

Develop and Integrate Custom Add-Ins

• Advanced Charting

• Report Distribution

• Web Publishing

• Version Control

• Custom Workflow


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WebIntelligence (WebI)

� No Installation Necessary for WebI

� Leveraged through Internet Browser

� Users ask business questions

� Users develop reports / charts / ad-hoc queries

� Ability to drill-down, drill-up, drill-through

� Filter and prompt data

� Intuitive to end-users

� Data source must be a Universe!

WebI: Web-Based Query & AnalysisWebI: Web-Based Query & AnalysisWeb URL

New Web Intelligence Document


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Web Intelligence - Rich Client

� Same Functionality as Web Intelligence

− Users develop reports / charts / queries

− Users ask business questions of data

− Ability to drill-down, drill-up, drill-through

− Filter and prompt data

− Intuitive to end-users

� Client Installation on Desktop

− Installed from Infoview Portal

� Off-line Access of Data

� Access to Universes and Excel Files

WEBI Rich Client: Off-line Query & AnalysisWEBI Rich Client: Off-line Query & AnalysisWebI Rich Client –Full Client InstallationOff-line Logon

Same Reporting Interface as WEBI


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BusinessObjects Universe

Universe: Semantic Middleware Layer / MetadataUniverse: Semantic Middleware Layer / Metadata

� Business Representation of a Database

– Resides between a database and reports/queries

– Provides an interface to create ad-hoc queries

� Foundation of Web Intelligence (WebI) Reports

� Optional Data Source for Crystal Reports

Universe -

Translates

Databases into

Business Terms


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WebIntelligence - Designer

Self Service Reporting – Ad Hoc Query CreationSelf Service Reporting – Ad Hoc Query Creation

� Generates Answers to Business Questions

� Ideal for Business Users and Analysts

� Intuitive Drag & Drop Interface

Run Query to

View Results

Web Intelligence Designer–

Drag & Drop Data Fields and

Filters to Document


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WebIntelligence - Features

Highly-Interactive Charts and DataHighly-Interactive Charts and Data

� Convert Data into Charts and Graphs

� View Data Graphically or in a Table

Data Displayed in a Table

Data Displayed in a Chart


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Flexible Design of DocumentsFlexible Design of Documents

� Flexible Design & Layout Options

� Free Form Placements

� Report Users Have Power to …

− Format Documents

− Change Tables & Charts

− Add a Filter, Sort, Order, Swap Axis, etc

Add a Filter


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Drilling ResultsDrilling Results

� Analyze the Detailed Data behind the Displayed Results

� Performing On-Report Analysis

� Types of Drilling

− Drill-Down

− Drill-Up

− Drill-Through

Drill Results to a Lower

Level of Detail


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Crystal Reports

� Ideal Tool for:

– Complex, highly-formatted report design

– Creating canned report templates

– High volume report distribution (publications)

– Tight web / application / portal integration

– Offline/online report viewing

� Less than Ideal for:

– Out-of-the-box web-based report design

– Ad-hoc query & analysis

– Self-service reporting

When to Use Crystal Reports?When to Use Crystal Reports?


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Web Intelligence (WebI)

� Ideal Tool for:

– Web-based report design

– Ad-hoc query & analysis

– Offline/online report viewing

– Answers unpredictable questions

– Providing access to novice/casual users

� Less than Ideal for:

– Highly-formatted reports

– High volume report distribution (publications)

– Tight web / application / portal integration

When to Use Web Intelligence?When to Use Web Intelligence?


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Crystal vs. WebI Product Comparison

Crystal ReportsBusiness Objects

Web Intelligence

Primary Function Operational Reporting Query & Analysis

Report Author IT, Developer Business User, Data Analyst

Report Consumer Information Consumers Information Analysts

Report Design Tool Wim32 Desktop ClientWeb-Based

Desktop Rich Client

Formatting Precise, Pixel Perfect Formatting Basic Formatting

Data AccessDirect to Data Source

UniverseUniverse Only

Typical Use(s)

• Operational reporting

• Pre-built report templates

• High-volume publishing

• Predictable questions

• Ad-hoc query & analysis

• Self-serve reporting

• Unpredictable questions


[ Questions


[ Contact Information

Adam GetzManager, Business Intelligence & Reporting

TMA Resources

Office: 703-564-5333

E-mail: [email protected]

Check out www.bi-insider.com


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