Meehan joe crystal reports 2010

Crystal Reports: Your New Best Friend?
Joe Meehan

Joe Meehan : Crystal Reports | Page #2
Things about the next 75 minutes…
Hashtag #bbcrystal - #bbcon

What IS Crystal Reports?
 A Report Writing program – Contains No Data
 Mail Merge on Steroids
 Does your organization have Crystal Reports?
 Most reports in Raiser’s Edge use Crystal Reports
Does Word save you $? Raise $ for you?
Does Excel save you $? Raise $ for you?
ROI with Crystal Reports: Is your time worth $?
What is your ROI?

When to use Crystal Reports?
 You keep exporting to
Microsoft Excel and
having to re-format the
report each time
 Especially when you’ve
done 30 minutes of
formatting only to find
out… there’s a problem
with your data?!?

Why use Crystal Reports?
 1,000,000 reports in Raiser’s Edge; no report that is “just right” listed.
 Fields you don’t need or want… appear on reports.
 Fields that you DO need or want… aren’t available.

I’ve always wanted a custom report that can…
 Format consistency across departments
 Insert graphics (logos, pictures, links)
 Save your reports as CUSTOM REPORT
 Run CUSTOM REPORTS with 1-click
 Export it as a ADOBE PDF document

Where to start? Query, of course
Query: WHO
Export: WHAT
Crystal: WOW
Create Query

Create a New Export
Use Blackbaud Report Writer Database (MDB) Format

New Export - Select Query – Select Report Fields
Select which query to base your Export on
Select the fields you need for your Report
Create Control Report to help map fields

Exporting the Data File
Save the Data File

Export Control Report – Your Roadmap to the Report
Field = Raiser’s Edge
Header = Crystal Report
Helpful to match
fields when creating
report layout

Attaching the export data file to a Crystal Report
If you are using Crystal 11
1. Select Blank Report
2. Select the "+" next to Create New
Connection.
3. Select the "+" next to Database Files.
4. Browse out and select appropriate data
file.
5. Highlight all of the tables and add them all
to the "Selected Tables" column on right.
6. Select the "Links" tab.
7. Double click on each link/line between the
tables and change the Join Type from
Inner Join to Left Outer Join.
8. After changing all of the links to Left Outer
Join select the OK button on the
Database Expert dialog box.
If you are using Crystal 8.5
1. Select Blank Report.
2. Select "+" next to Database Files.
3. Double Click on Find Database File.
4. Browse out and select appropriate data
file.
5. Using the Shift key highlight all of the
tables in data file and then select the
"Add" and then the "Close" button.
6. Select the "Tables..." button.
7. Move any tables from Invisible Tables
box to Visible Tables box and select OK.
8. Select OK on the Visual Linking Expert
dialog box.

Standard Report Creation Wizard (Crystal XI)
 The Data Exports
out as 1 file
(data.mdb)
 But in several
different tables
 Your job is to make
sure you have it
“linked” correctly.
 Not much harder
than Mail Merge in
Word

Choosing the fields to display
•Click on the “+” to expand
the table to see the fields
•This is where the Export
Control Sheet can be helpful
•You only need to bring over
fields you want to display

Simple Preview of Crystal Reports with 3 fields Data

Breakdown of Each Section of Crystal Reports
 Report Header (appears once at top of report)
 Page Header (appears at top of each page)
 Details (THE DATA!!!)
 Report Footer (appears once at the end of the report)
 Page Footer (appears at bottom of each page)
 You can add multiple instances of each section
Add a second or third instance of the Details section
 You can Suppress sections to not display altogether

Insert Special Fields into the Report
 Page N of M
 Print Date/Time
 File Path and Name
 Data Date and Time
 Drag and Drop Fields into Headers / Footer

Insert Text Object & Formatting Fields
Add a Text Object to Label you Fields, Report Name & Column Headers
Format Text: Bold, Color, Underline, Italic, Currency, Font Size, Font, Insert Graphics
Similar Toolbar to Microsoft Office Products

Your Secret Weapon – Right Click on a Field
Right Click on Any Field
Format Editor
• Suppress fields
• Suppress if Duplicated
• Add Borders
• Make a field a hyperlink
(URL, MailTo:)
• Write formulas for each
field
(ex. If Gift Amount > $100,
change to RED font)

Let the fields of data work for you
 Any field can be sized to a specific length
 Remember that at times fields can overlap each other
 You can create a text box to combine fields
Example: [Organization_Name] (space)(-)(space) [Name]
Microsoft – Bill Gates
 Use the CAN GROW feature on any field
 No more reports where the field cuts off the end of the information
Example:
The Brad Pit
The Brad Pitt & Joe Meehan New Orleans Beverage Foundation

Sorting
Sort by any field exported in the data file – not just ones displayed
Let’s see you do THAT in Excel

Inserting Multiple Details Section
 Multiple lines of data in additional details section
– Name
– Organization
– Position
– Line (Insert – Line --- to act as a divider)

Multiple Details Sections Preview
• Details A: Name
• Details B: Position
• Details C: Primary Business Name
• Details D: divider line

Formatting Sections…
 Click on Format
 Click on Sections…
 Highlight the Section you
want to format
• Select the “Suppress Blank Section” checkbox

Suppressed Blank Detail Section - Example
Details sections with no
position, no primary
business name are now
removed
As a result of the “Suppress
Blank Section” Formatting,
no more blank lines

Sample Two: Adding Campaign Totals
 We want to see total giving PER CONSTITUENT
– for two separate Campaigns
 Requires two separate export fields
– (Gift Summary 1, Gift Summary 2)
 We want to have a Total per Campaign
– To appear at the bottom of the report

Gift Summary Export – Tab 1
Determine Gift Date Range
Decide on Soft Credit Option
Decide on MG Option

Gift Summary Tab 2 –Gift Summaries Exported
Export All Gifts from the
ANNUAL
Campaign
Export All Gifts from the
CAPITAL
Campaign
This creates two separate fields for the reports

Insert Additional Fields – Gift Summaries
• Click on VIEW…
• [Field Explorer]
(dialog window
should appear to
your right)
• Refer to Export
Control Sheet to
figure out Fields
• Choose the Field
you want to see on
the report
Drop and Drag

Showing Giving Totals Per Constituent

Inserting (Gift) Grand Totals
From the INSERT Menu
Insert SUMMARY…
Do this for both gift fields

Grand Totals Show as Report Footer
Gift Fields
Gift Field Total

Daily Gift Report Export Example
Let’s Export out all the fields you’ve ever
wanted to see on a Gift Report!

All the Fields you’d ever want to see in a gift report…but were afraid to ask
• Gift Date
• Donor Name
• Contact Details
• Campaign
• Fund
• Appeal
• Package
• Solicitor
• Soft Credit Name
• Gift Notes
• Amount
• Gift Type

Insert Group Menu and Options
 Click on INSERT…GROUP…
 Choose which field to group by from
your drop down
(the field does NOT have to appear in the
report)
 Choose HOW it should be sorted

Group Sections – Design View
 A Group Section is inserted
Think of you GROUP as your sub-headings

Final Report with Groups, Multi-detail, & Totals
 Allows you to
keep similar
records
together
 Group
Sections can
be formatted
like all other
sections
 What are
fields that you
want to
GROUP by?

Make a great event report for your needs
 Export out the fields you need to see to
make better decisions for the event
 Add color & logos
 Group by table, by last name, table name
 Sort alphabetically in each group
 No more tables in Word
 No more “private” multi-saved lists in Excel

Let Crystal Reports Design Report with Templates
Bring all your fields into a standard report, Add Totals
Click on Report… Template Expert…, Pick a Style… Click OK

Templates in Crystal Reports with YOUR data

Saving your Custom Reports
Once you’ve got a set report,
save it as a CUSTOM REPORT
inside Raiser’s Edge Reports
Create export/report prior to this step
Base the query (used with export) & include
the <ASK> field.
Let the report be used for all your event,
solicitor, gift reports.
Save it as a Favorite on your HOME Screen

Advantages of Crystal Report
 Use the same template / report for different queries
 No need to re-format, re-sort fields
 No need to re-create totals
 Consistent Report use amongst staff
 Export Report as a PDF (Send Externally)
 Can be setup as CUSTOM REPORT with Raiser’s
Edge Reports
 Save you time… and Advil

Things to Remember
 Rome wasn’t build in a day neither are great Crystal Reports
 Formatting a report takes time – breathe
 Have an idea / layout of the report ahead of time
 Don’t forget to export Sorting fields
 Ask for help
– Blackbaud Support
– Knowledgebase & Forums
– Blackbaud Report Writing Services
 If you made it this far – you can do ANYTHING!

Joe Meehan
Associate Director of Database Marketing & Information, Milken Institute
JMeehan@MilkenInstitute.Org Twitter.com/JoeMeehan
Yes… I use Crystal for
all my reports…
unless she’s sick.
Then, I call Dwight.

Meehan joe crystal reports 2010

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