You use Crystal Reports to create, change and run reports. But what if you have a user who doesn’t need to create reports or even change them. This user just wants to refresh the reports and view/print/export the results. Does he need another copy of Crystal Reports? Do you need to configure an expensive web server?

The most cost effective method for letting users run reports on demand is to install a third-party client-based viewer. And I am amazed at how many Crystal Reports users are completely unaware that these are available, despite the fact that they are offered by a dozen different vendors.

This may be because the first ‘viewer’ users are likely to try is the one put out by SAP/BO. This ‘viewer’ is not in my list because it doesn’t perform the primary function of a viewer – allowing you to refresh a report. So it can pretty safely be ignored.

In this post I will compare most of the viewer programs available.  I will provide their core features, prices, a brief introduction and what sets each product apart. Each section is linked to the vendor’s website so you can get more information if needed. I have also created a detailed feature matrix (PDF) that shows some of the specifics for comparison.  To clarify some of the terms in the matrix I have written a glossary (PDF) of the terms used.

To avoid repetition, when I say a tool covers ‘all the basics’ I mean that it can:
1) Open and refresh an RPT file including parameter fields.
2) Preview the saved data in a report.
3) Preview and print the report.
4) Export to all of the standard file formats.
5) Run reports from a command line (like batch files).
6) Select an alternate data source at runtime.
7) Store and Encrypt the database passwords
8) Provide integrated authorization

Some tools add scheduling and Email capabilities. If those are features you want then you should probably read my comparison of desktop scheduling tools, which is updated every March.

One note on versions compatibility. Not all tools use the latest runtime engine (v13).  So if you need to use the latest features (RPTR files or export to XLSX)  you need a viewer with a v13 runtime.  But the older runtime engines can still run the newest versions of reports, they just won’t be able to handle the latest features.  So if you aren’t using any of the newest features the report will run the same in all of these tools. But if you are using any of the new v13/v14 features the report will still run fine, but the new features will not be displayed in the report.  The runtime engine for each viewer is listed in the features matrix.

In most cases I have not used the tools and rely on the vendor for information. So if you plan to purchase one of these tools, you will want to confirm with the vendor that they will do what you want in a way that works for you. Another reason to contact the vendor before making a purchase is to gauge their responsiveness. I have received complaints about the lack of responsiveness from some vendors and you want to check that before you purchase.

I have also not tried to evaluate ‘ease of use’ because that is subjective. I recommend that you use this review to narrow your search to 2 or 3 tools. Then talk to the vendors, and then use the free trial (they all have one) before making a decision. If you have already tried one of these products, or are currently using one I would love to hear your feedback.

Crystal Corral by Groff Automation:
In 2003 Kevin Groff needed to automate his reports and decided to try his hand at programming. The result has morphed over the years into the Crystal Corral viewer and the Crystal Delivery scheduler (reviewed with the Desktop Schedulers). Kevin has generously released his tools as freeware, and accepts donations to help cover the costs of hosting the files. Kevin has also decided to release his code as an open source project and would love to have some volunteers to help maintain the project.

Since this is a volunteer project you shouldn’t expect a team of support technicians waiting to help you if something goes wrong. If you need support there is an internet forum where Kevin and some users share ideas and suggest solutions when they can.

You will find that although it is free, it covers all the basics except for being able to select the data source at runtime.

cView by Chelsea Technologies:
Chelsea Technologies is based in Auckland, New Zealand.  cView covers all the basics and adds integrated authentication. It allows the selection of a data source at runtime by allowing you to remap the tables of the report to the new data source. And database connection information for all users (including passwords) can be stored in a central folder on a server.

cView can be set as the default RPT viewer in Windows Explorer, and it allows you to drag and drop a report onto cView for viewing. You can open multiple reports simultaneously in separate windows.

cView is $47.

ViewerFX by Origin Software:
ViewerFX is one of the youngest tools in the bunch. It covers all the basics and adds support for dynamic/cascading parameters in v11. It can deliver reports to both FTP and Email. It also allows the user to change the selection formula at runtime from within the viewer.

ViewerFX maintains a database of historical instances so you can go back and look at the reports that were previously run. There are several screen shots of the application on their website which give you an idea of how this works.

ViewerFX is $40, and thereis a server edition that is compatible with Citrix for $450.

The Report Viewer Pro by Report Viewer Limited:
TRV Pro is new to the review this year but has been around for several years.  This year it was rewritten to use the WPF viewer instead of the WinForms viewer but the original version is still available for legacy customers.  This viewer covers all of the basics and adds the ability to change the report criteria at runtime, the ability to set up user and group restrictions, and auto-refresh.  And because it uses the latest version of the CR Runtime it can create and read RPTR files.

For those of you who like the new ‘ribbon’ interface of MS office, you will find this interface similar. And for international customers it is localized in more than 10 different languages.

The cost is $50

RV for Windows Pro by Climate27:
RV is a relatively new entry into the viewer market and their install base is still growing.  They are based in the UK.  RV covers all the basics except that they do not have command line capabilities. But RV is one of only 3 viewers in this comparison that supports the latest .NET runtime of Crystal (v13).  It stores and displays snapshots of all of the reports.  RV also allows you to create dynamic parameter value lists in the app that can be shared among groups of users.

The cost of RV is $205 when converted from British Pounds, but there are less expensive versions available with fewer features.

Logicity Pro by SaberLogic:
Logicity Pro is a combination of viewer, scheduler and Email delivery tool. You can read more about this tool’s scheduling and Email capabilities in my review of desktop scheduler. It is available for free (without support) as Logicity. The paid version is called Logicity Pro and includes some added features and support. Both cover all the basics of a viewer, except for the ability to select the data source at runtime. Neither provides integrated authentication, but they do store encrypted passwords for the databases used in the reports.

Logicity and Logicity Pro both have built in schedulers. You can either schedule reports to print or send them out as Email attachments. You can also set a report to”auto-refresh” at a set interval, like every 10 minutes.

Logicity Pro costs $85 (or free without support).

Report Runner Viewer by Jeff-Net:
Report Runner Viewer is new to my comparison but has been around a long time and has a large install base. RRV covers all the basics and adds support for modifying the selection criteria at runtime. It also allows you to set up users and groups and set restrictions for them.  The tool is customizable using INI settings and can even be branded with your company logo.  RRV is one of only 3 viewers in this comparison that supports the latest .NET runtime of Crystal (v13).  This means they can provide the very latest features in Crystal like restricted RPT files (RPTR) and exporting to XLSX.

One thing that Jeff-Net emphasizes is support.  It provides 24 x 7 x 365 support for all of their products.

The normal price for RRV is $50 per user with a required $4 per year per user maintenance charge.  They are currently allowing any customer to get their first copy for free.  This is a fully functional copy with no time limit, so this is separate from their free 90 day trial.

Easy View by Easy Street SW:
Easy View is a combination of viewer, scheduler and Email delivery tool. You can read more about this tool’s scheduling and Email capabilities in my review of desktop scheduler. As a viewer it covers all the basics. As an Email tool it adds a few unique features like delivery to cell phone text messaging (SMS). It can deliver to multiple destinations at the same time, and can even put the file in one destination while sending an Email notification to another. It lets you maintain Email lists (and ‘do not mail’ lists) and comes in several foreign language editions.

Using the built in scheduler you can schedule reports to print or to go out as Email attachments. You can also set a report to”auto-refresh” at a set interval, like every 10 minutes.

Easy View costs $39.

RTag Report Viewer by Rtag:
This is a fairly recent entry and is new to the comparison this year.  It covers all the basics and adds the ability to change selection criteria at runtime and the ability to filter the report data based on the windows user.  One unique feature is that it has a developer SDK, expression  editor and a C# editor/compiler. This allows you to write custom code to be used to set report parameters and the record selection formula. It also works with SSRS and SQL ad hoc queries.

Rtag Report Viewer is also one of three products that use the latest runtime engine, so they can support the newest features of CR like restricted RPT files (RPTR) and exporting to XLSX.

Cost is $49 per desktop for the viewer.  There is also a free version of the viewer with several limitations and a more expensive version that includes scheduling ($199)

DataLink Viewer by Millet SW:
DataLink Viewer (DLV) is the oldest viewer in the list. That may explain why the feature list goes so far beyond the basics. And Millet Software has a knack for finding and adding relevant features. DLV features often find their way into later versions of Crystal Reports.

The product’s name comes from one of the original features. It was the ability to provide an up-to-date parameter pick-list by invisibly running a ‘linked’ report, or several reports, and then showing the results to the user as the parameter pick-list. This gave Crystal users dynamic and cascading parameters two years before CR XI introduced a similar feature.

DLV also gives the ability to change the value of a formula by clicking the object in the viewer’s preview mode. This lets the user do things like, change a sort without refreshing. This came 2 years before CR 2008 introduced “sort controls”.  And since you can change ANY formula you can use this feature to do other things like toggle the details of a single group between visible and suppressed (in-place drill-down).

And for those who consider their report designs proprietary, DLV invented the concept of the restricted RPT file, which is now incorporated into CR 2011.  DLV is one of only 3 tools that use the v13 runtime engine which allows it to support the new RPTR format, as well as export to XLSX.

DLV does not have a scheduler but the command line option can be run from any tool that can execute a batch file. It also has a built in “auto-refresh” so that a report can refresh itself on a screen every few seconds or minutes.

DLV is $25 with steep discounts for volume purchases.