I have been testing out a handy little utility called Phrase Express for a few months and some colleagues just pointed out to me how this tool can be used with Crystal Reports. Phrase Express stores your commonly typed phrases. You can then paste them, on demand, into Email messages and other documents. I have been using it primarily to help with Email phrases that I type several times a day (common questions, links, etc) and it is great. It works with any text based application and you can even organize your phrases into categories or ‘folders’ to make them easier to find.

So I had to slap my forehead when Tim Garner with the College of the Sequoias and Ido Millet of Millet Software suggested that I try it for storing Crystal Reports formulas. (You wouldn’t believe how often I visit my own web site just to copy formulas. ) So I created a list of formulas I use often and stored those formulas in Phrase Express. I can now paste them directly into the formula editor with a few clicks. I could even assign hot key combinations or ‘auto correct’ abbreviations to call up my favorites. So, last week I was just a happy customer. Now I have decided to recommend it.

It is only $19.95 to purchase. You can try it for free, and it is for free for ‘non-commercial’ use, but everyone I know uses Crystal as part of their work.  Let me know if you try Phrase Express and what you think of it.