Crystal Reports 8.5: Advanced

Course Specifications
Course number: 078-414
Software Version Number: 8.5
Course length: 2 days

Course Description

Overview:   Crystal Reports 8.5 Advanced is a hands-on instruction book that will introduce you to the some of the advanced features within Crystal Reports. You will use variables and multiple statements in formulas, create and use parameter fields, develop conditional format statements and work with multiple sections.

Prerequisites:   This course is designed for users with a basic knowledge of Crystal Reports but who require the use of advanced formulas and formatting, need to access information that is not PC-based, or need to set up reports that other users will access and run. Although no database experience is necessary, some of the concepts may be more meaningful if the user has worked with database applications before. A basic knowledge of relational data concepts is also recommended.
  To ensure your success, we recommend you first take the following Element K course or have equivalent knowledge:

• Crystal Reports 8.5: Basic Skills

Delivery Method:  Instructor-led.

Target student:  For those who require the use of advanced formulas and formatting, need to access information that is not PC-based, or need to set up reports that other users will access and run.

Performance-Based Objectives
Lesson objectives help students become comfortable with the course, and also provide a means to evaluate learning. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Create formulas with multiple statements and use variables.
• Understand and control the calculation process used to compile your data.
• Control the appearance of your report using conditional format statements and multiple sections.
• Create parameter formulas that allow your users to determine what information they want to see on a report.
• Understand and use report alerts to notify you about data changes.
• Enhance the analysis capability of your cross-tabs.
• Extend your reporting capacity by utilizing subreports.
• Access data from SQL/ODBC data sources, and generate queries using Crystal SQL Designer.
• Create and modify dictionary files to simplify the reporting process for your users.
• Create and edit graphical representations of your data using the Chart Expert or modify existing graphs with the Chart Analyzer.

Course Content

Lesson 1: Review Exercises
          Topic 1A: Creating a Basic Report
          Topic 1B: Adding and Linking Databases to a Report
          Topic 1C: Selecting, Grouping, and Summarizing
          Topic 1D: Creating Formulas
          Topic 1E: Formatting Sections for Summary/Drill-Down

Lesson 2: Conditional Formatting
          Topic 2A: Absolute versus Conditional Formatting
          Topic 2B: On/Off Formatting
          Topic 2C: Conditional Attribute Formatting
          Topic 2D: The Highlighting Expert
          Topic 2E: Restoring Conditional Formats

Lesson 3: Advanced Formulas
          Topic 3A: Using Variables in Formulas
          Topic 3B: Creating a Running Total
          Topic 3C: Understanding Multiple-pass Reporting
          Topic 3D: Using Evaluation Time Functions
          Topic 3E: Creating Formulas Using Multiple Variables

Lesson 4: Multiple Sections
          Topic 4A: Inserting Sections
          Topic 4B: Moving Sections
          Topic 4C: Splitting Sections
          Topic 4D: Multiple Sections and Conditional Formats

Lesson 5: Parameter Fields
          Topic 5A: What are Parameter Fields?
          Topic 5B: Creating Parameter Fields
          Topic 5C: Using Pick Lists
          Topic 5D: Using Parameter Fields in Record Selection
          Topic 5E: Using Edit Masks
          Topic 5F: Using Parameter Fields to Set Sort Criteria
          Topic 5G: Using the Like Statement
          Topic 5H: Setting Conditional Formats Using ParameterFields

Lesson 6: Using Report Alerts
          Topic 6A: What are Report Alerts
          Topic 6B: Creating Report Alerts
          Topic 6C: Modifying Report Alerts
          Topic 6D: Deleting Report Alerts

Lesson 7: Advanced Cross-tabs
          Topic 7A: Inserting Multiple Rows, Columns, and SummarizedFields
          Topic 7B: Editing a Cross-tab
          Topic 7C: Using Formula Fields in a Cross-tab
          Topic 7D: Using Parameters in Cross-tabs
          Topic 7E: Creating a Cross-tab Object for Each Group Value

Lesson 8: Subreports
          Topic 8A: Identifying Subreport Features
          Topic 8B: Inserting Unlinked Subreports
          Topic 8C: Formatting Subreports
          Topic 8D: Inserting Linked Subreport
          Topic 8E: Using On-demand Subreports

Lesson 9: SQL/ODBC and Crystal SQL Designer
          Topic 9A: Introducing Structured Query Language (SQL)
          Topic 9B: Introducing ODBC Data Sources
          Topic 9C: Introducing the Crystal SQL Designer
          Topic 9D: Using a Query to Create a Report

Lesson 10: Crystal Dictionaries
          Topic 10A: Defining Dictionaries
          Topic 10B: Using Existing Dictionaries
          Topic 10C: Creating Dictionaries
          Topic 10D: Enhancing Your Dictionary
          Topic 10E: Modifying a Dictionary

Lesson 11: Graphing
          Topic 11A: Using Chart Types and Layouts
          Topic 11B: Using the Chart Expert to CreateGraphs
          Topic 11C: Modifying Existing Charts with the Chart Editor
          Topic 11D: Formatting Charts