Subject: SAP-Crystal-Reports
Title: Using Export Options for Interactive Reports
SAP Crystal Reports is a powerful reporting tool designed to create richly formatted, interactive reports that enable users to analyze and share data effectively. One of the key features that enhances report usability and collaboration is the ability to export reports into various formats. Leveraging export options allows report consumers to interact with report data outside the Crystal Reports environment, using tools they are familiar with.
This article explores the different export options available in Crystal Reports for interactive reports and provides best practices for maximizing their effectiveness in SAP environments.
Exporting reports is essential when:
- Sharing reports with users who do not have Crystal Reports installed.
- Integrating report data into other applications or workflows.
- Enabling offline access to reports.
- Supporting further data analysis in familiar tools like Excel or PDF viewers.
Crystal Reports supports multiple export formats, each with unique benefits and interaction capabilities.
- Purpose: Distributes fixed-layout, printer-friendly reports.
- Interactivity: Supports hyperlinks, bookmarks, and search.
- Use Case: Official report distribution, archiving, and printing.
- Purpose: Exports data for further manipulation and analysis.
- Interactivity: Users can filter, sort, and apply formulas.
- Use Case: Data extraction for finance, sales analysis, and ad hoc reporting.
- Purpose: Simple text format for data interchange.
- Interactivity: Can be imported into spreadsheets or databases.
- Use Case: Data migration, integration with other tools, lightweight export.
- Purpose: Export reports for editing in Microsoft Word.
- Interactivity: Allows text edits and formatting changes.
- Use Case: Creating narrative reports or combining with other documents.
- Purpose: Export reports as web pages.
- Interactivity: Supports hyperlinks and some formatting.
- Use Case: Web publishing or embedding reports in portals.
- Purpose: Editable document format.
- Interactivity: Supports basic formatting and editing.
- Use Case: Reports requiring user edits without complex layout needs.
- For static reports, PDF is ideal.
- For data analysis, Excel or CSV provides maximum flexibility.
- For editable reports, consider Word or RTF.
- Avoid complex formatting that doesn’t translate well in Excel or CSV.
- Use simple tables for data intended for spreadsheet export.
- Test reports in target export formats to ensure readability.
- Use “Export Options” dialog to control layout, page size, and data handling.
- For Excel exports, choose between exporting as formatted reports or data-only for analysis.
- For PDFs, set compression and image quality for balance between size and clarity.
¶ 4. Preserve Parameter Prompts and Filters
- Ensure parameter-driven filters are applied before export.
- This guarantees exported data matches user-selected criteria.
- Use Crystal Reports scheduling tools (e.g., SAP BusinessObjects) to automate export delivery.
- Configure export destinations such as email, file shares, or FTP.
While exported reports lose some native Crystal Reports interactivity, you can:
- Use Excel’s pivot tables and filters to enable interactive data exploration.
- Enable PDF bookmarks and hyperlinks for easier navigation.
- Convert exported HTML to integrate reports into interactive web dashboards.
| Export Format |
Interactivity Level |
Best Use Case |
| PDF |
High (fixed layout) |
Distribution, printing |
| Excel |
High (data manipulation) |
Financial analysis, ad hoc queries |
| CSV |
Medium (data-only) |
Data integration, migrations |
| Word / RTF |
Medium (editable text) |
Editable reports, narratives |
| HTML |
Medium (web integration) |
Web publishing, portals |
Using export options effectively in SAP Crystal Reports significantly enhances the value and accessibility of interactive reports. By selecting the appropriate export format and optimizing report design, organizations can empower users with flexible, user-friendly data outputs that suit diverse business needs. Whether sharing fixed reports via PDF or enabling deep data analysis through Excel, mastering export capabilities is key to maximizing Crystal Reports’ impact.