Released on = April 22, 2007, 3:32 pm

Press Release Author = Alba Spectrum Group

Industry = Computers

Press Release Summary = If you are GP developer and if you just need to add
something nice like your company graphical logo on Great Plains invoice form,
implemented in ReportWriter or even Crystal Reports, you are probably fine and don't
need help.

Press Release Body = Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918

If you are GP developer and if you just need to add something nice like your company
graphical logo on Great Plains invoice form, implemented in ReportWriter or even
Crystal Reports, you are probably fine and don't need help. The time when you
really need directions, is when you try to deploy something like Crystal Reports
linking wizard to do complex job, where you have to show the data from multiple GP
modules, such as Sales Order Processing and Purchase Order Processing, imitating
commission report, for example. This is the moment when you are running beyond the
boundaries of 'wizards' and need some technical background in Reporting tools
limitations as well as in SQL scripting
. Reporting Tool Limitation. First of all you should recognize that reporting tools
can not move you beyond the limitation of very simple SQL join - it can not do union
features, as well as it can not go to cursor logic or creating temporary table to do
intermediate steps. This is fundamental limitation, regardless which reporting tool
you are using: Crystal Reports. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services or even GP
Report Writer. At the same time it is always good idea to start with Wizard help to
see if it can do the job for you - so, how to recognize the moment when you want to
walk away from Wizard and switch to SQL scripting? The answer is experience and
common sense. Try to deploy wizard first and analyze if you are at the point where
union or temporary tables are required
. SQL View. View will allow you to use union concept, where you can join several
unrelated queries into one. Chances are that view will help you out and you will be
OK with it and your Crystal or SRS report will from now on do the job. At the same
time chances also are that view is not a way to go.
. SQL Stored Procedure. Stored Procedure provides the maximum of flexibility - you
can deploy SQL Views in it, create and then destroy when job is done temporary
tables, use such string SQL query building constructions as execute and virtually
all SQL instruments.
. Report Linking Wizard-View-Stored Proc. This is recommended way of report design,
when you increase your report complexity level as your customer gives you additional
considerations

Andrew Karasev, Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918, serving GP customers in Texas
and Illinois: Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Naperville, Aurora, Warrenville, Darien,
Lisle, Joliet, Romeoville, Plainfield, Hinsdale, Morris, Ottawa, Sugar Land,
Richmond, Rosenberg, Katy. USA/Canada remote support is limited only by your web
session access restrictions: Arizona, California, Florida, New York, Michigan,
Indiana, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico, Ontario, Quebec, British
Columbia, Vermont, Virginia, Ohio, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado.


Web Site = http://www.albaspectrum.com

Contact Details = Alba Spectrum Group, http://www.albaspectrum.com
help@albaspectrum.com 1-866-528-0577, 1-630-961-5918