How to choose a reporting tool? (to connect to a SQL Server Database)

J

justin_brookman

Hi all

I am an experienced Access user who has worked as an Access Developer
at a Junior level.
I work for a small charter airline which has recently bought a bespoke
SQL Server database to manage all aspects of the business: Sales,
Flight Operations, Engineering, Stores, Personnel etc.

Could somebody reccommend or provide a rational for how to choose a
good reporting product? I Currently use Access to connect to the
database but am not familiar with Crystal Reports and others that have
been mentioned. Am I right in thinking that another product other than
Access will provide an advantage?

Thanks in Advance for any help

Justin
 
N

Norman Yuan

Since you have experience on Access, you must already know that Access
itself is a prety good data report tool. If you use Access2K or later, you
can use ADP type of Access application to connect to SQL Server. Actually, I
developed an ADP project for just reporting for one of my client. Of cource,
all users have to have Access installed in order to open reports in the app.

Secondly, since you use SQL Server, if it is SQL Server2K, it comes with
reporting service for free. Currently, you need VisualStudio.NET2003 to
compose report for reporting service on SQL Server. With SQL Server
reporting services, user needs nothing but web browser to open a report. You
can also integrate report into Windows desktop app. Sql Server reporting
service also provides a tool to import existing Access report. The catch is
(if the office is small, thus, not huge amount of data), reporting service
itself uses SQL Server fairly heavily. You may need to extra SQL Server
lisence for just reporting service (it is recommended by MS), while SQL
Server lisence is quite expensive.

Then, it comes other reporting tools, Crystal report, Active Report.....
Simply search the net, you can get many links.

Without knowing much of your situation, I'd stick with Access if all users
already have Access installed. Otherwise, SQL Server reporting services
would be my choice.
 
B

Brendan Reynolds

Depends. If you need to distribute reports electronically to people who
don't have Access, or to remote users (not on the LAN), check out SQL Server
Reporting Services (http://www.microsoft.com/sql/reporting/default.mspx).
But if all users who need the reports have Access and are on the same LAN,
Access reports are very hard to beat.
 
G

Guest

Crystal Reports is suitable for people who don't want or
can't use Access or SS Report Services. For example,
what would you do if you needed Web Reports for clients
running Netscape against Oracle and DB2? As well as IE
against SS? Crystal is a decent reporting tool with a lot
of good runtime versions, which makes it especially good for
companies that have heterogenous interface and database
requirements.

(david)
 
J

justin_brookman

Thanks to you all for advice.

It turns out that our company are getting SS Reporting Services, since
this is what the company who wrote the DB use. In adddition it should
be free with the Sequel Server 2K licence that we have.

Do any of you have experience of shopping for courses and books for SS
Reporting Services?
If so I'd be glad of a recommendation

Many thanks

Justin
 
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