Usually a new version of CR is a mixed bag. There are always new features and improvements but there are usually some removed features or things that get worse. So far CR12 (2008) has lots of improvements and (so far) I don t see anything that was made worse. BO appears to have listened to users and added some often requested features. Below are the ones I have discovered so far. Let me know if I have overlooked anything.

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Crystal Reports 2008 (version 12) is released

Many of my customers use Crystal Reports to print checks. This can be a tricky endeavor, especially aligning the report output with the check stock.

One solution is to incorporate all of the check stock information into the report itself and then to print the check on “blank” security check stock paper. Printing the static lines, boxes and text is pretty straightforward but one part of the check keeps most people from ever trying this…the MICR characters, (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition). That is the Continue Reading »
Free MICR font (Turn blank security paper into check stock)

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 Continue Reading »
Creating a formula library in Phrase Express

According to an article in Bloomberg, SAP is purchasing Business Objects for 4.8 Billion Euros. This is 20% above the per-share price on 10/5 which is already up almost 5%. According to the article:

“Business Objects shares rose 4.7 percent on Sept. 17 after Le Figaro reported the company hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to find a buyer.”

This is considered a friendly takeover so it will remain to be seen how this affects the product line. The general opinion is that it is a good fit. But according to an article in Euro2Day this represents:

“a clear departure from its longstanding strategy to grow only by organic growth”