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Former Member

I was first introduced to SAP Crystal Reports back in 1994, when I went to work for the company that created the product – long before it was acquired by SAP. Today, nearly 25 years later, it’s gratifying for me to know that this powerful report-building software is one of the most popular products on SAPStore.com.

In my last blog, I wrote about the new videos we’ve created for SAP Crystal solutions, and before that, about the latest innovations. Now, let’s take a look at them in action – starting with how I benefited myself in my former role as national account manager at SAP.

My experience: running sales reports to stay on track

Since I was always on the road, SAP Crystal solutions were a huge asset. I used SAP Crystal Reports and SAP Crystal Dashboard Design to see the full picture of my business and analyze my performance. And I could access the reports from anywhere, anytime.

Typically I was running sales reports to see whether my accounts were tracking to plan and how close they were to their rebate or bonus. This information was often shared with sales leadership, accounting, and the executive team. I was able to customize the reports and dashboards, and use the dashboard as a template to build new reports without having to start from scratch. SAP Crystal Server allowed me to schedule my reports and run them in a secure environment, without having to wait for others to update the information.

Rose-Richardson Enterprises: reporting for government affairs

Another great example comes from Mark Richardson, an independent consultant who works with government agencies in Canada. For Mark, the beauty of SAP Crystal Reports is his ability to offer his clients real-world knowledge. He designs and delivers reports in a variety of capacities, ranging from constituent affairs, education, and public safety to transportation and recreation. The ultimate goal is to help his clients continue to improve the standard of living for every Canadian. Read more.


Capital IT: supporting decision making in the healthcare industry

Kaleem Mian offers a different perspective. Kaleem, a consultant in healthcare reporting and analytics at Capital IT, first began using SAP Crystal Reports to integrate data from a variety of sources in a single reporting tool. Now, some 15 years later, he is using it for advanced analytics for the healthcare industry, to get the behind-the-scenes story of what’s happening in a business and its operations to support decision making. Read more.


APB Reports: identifying trends and exploring what drives them

For Adam Butt of APB Reports, the power of SAP Crystal Reports lies in the dashboards, which help users identify positive and negative trends and drill down to the underlying data to understand these changes. Adam’s clients range from small to large businesses that span industries from oil and gas to manufacturing, healthcare, and education. He uses the software to create reports for maintenance, procurement, and finance organizations, for example, detailing events that impact quality, health, safety, budget, and key performance indicators. Read more.


Crystal Advantage, LLC: supporting clients in using reporting solutions

Business intelligence consultant and architect Kurt Reinhardt has been working with SAP Crystal solutions longer than I have – since 1990. Kurt writes reports for clients across a wide range of industries, advises them on which software to invest in, and trains them in using the solutions. “Several years ago, ‘big data’ was the trend; now it’s predictive analysis,” he remarked. Kurt’s clients are now increasingly interested in modeling and other forms of predictive analytics. Read more.


Symantec: looking forward with a single version of the truth

Predictive analytics is also key for Abhilash Kumar, an expert on business intelligence and data analytics at Symantec: predicting what will happen next to move the business forward, rather than basing decisions on past history. SAP Crystal solutions generate a clear picture of business performance, opportunities, and risks, with centralized data in one source providing decision makers a single version of the truth. Read more

Those are just a few examples of how a few people in different capacities are taking advantage of SAP Crystal solutions. It would be great to hear about how you are using them yourself. Please comment below.