Crystal Reports 2008 For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

A report is only useful if those who receive it understand what it means. Knowing how to use Crystal Reports gives you the edge in producing reports from your database that really are crystal clear.

Crystal Reports 2008 For Dummies is a quick and easy guide to get you going with the latest version of this bestselling report-writing software. In fact, it?s so popular that previous editions have made it a bestseller too. Crystal Reports 2008 For Dummies gives you just what you should know to produce the reports you?ll need most often, including how to: Pull specific information from your database, sort and group it, and find the details you need Use dynamic or cascading prompts Troubleshoot and print reports and save time with templates View reports on your LAN Write formulas to retrieve specific information Create and update OLAP reports Format reports, control page breaks, and even add graphics or Flash files Enhance your reports with charts and maps Use Crystal Reports in the enterprise

There?s also a companion Web site with sample reports from the book and links to sites with more related information. With Crystal Reports 2008 For Dummies by your side, you?ll soon be able to create reports from simple to spectacular, whenever the need arises.

User review
You get what you expect
This book is exactly what you would expect in a `,,.for Dummies` book. It covers the basics of the topic in an accessible and intelligible way, covering all the basics and getting you on your way to designing simple but usable reports. It doesn't offer much intermediate information, and literally nothing advanced, but then again you aren't buying a `,,.for Dummies` book for that type of stuff. The coverage is adequate, though the section on integrating Crystal Reports with other applications is so simple it's not really useful. However, the flow is very easy to follow, the process is completely documented, and the text is written in an enjoyable and semi-funny style.

One thing I will say is that there is not much different between this edition and the `Crystal Reports XI for Dummies` edition of a few years back. This edition has been updated, but the changes in the fundamentals of the program are so minor that for this basic coverage they're nearly non-existent.

User review
Dummies comes thru again
As with all books in this series, well at least were they relate to computers, it gives you a good introduction. It won't make you an expert overnight, but it will give you a lot more than the basics. It can also be used as a reference when you come into a new requirement. If you have never used a report writer before, it will not make you an expert overnight, but it will at least get you started.