DSCallards4BI Blog

Repairing a Broken SAP BusinessObjects Edge System

2012-02-08T09:29:00.000-08:00

Back in the days of Crystal Enterprise 10 and earlier it was quite commonplace to install a copy of Crystal Reports 10 on the Crystal Enterprise 10 server. This was done to assist in checking database connectivity and was used purely as a troubleshooting mechanism to resolve any connectivity issues.

Nowadays installing Crystal Reports 2008 on an SAP Crystal Reports Server 2008 machine or SAP Business Objects Edge XI 3.1 machine can be a much riskier business. A perilous journey, fraught with unsuspecting error messages like the one below.

Here is my account of what happened when I installed SAP Crystal Reports 2008 V1 Service Pack 3 onto an SAP Business Objects Edge XI 3.1 Service Pack 1 machine. It is a harrowing tale. Searching the internet, I came across many poor souls who had done the same thing as me and the one message that came from these forum postings was; - that the problem was solved by performing a re-installation. There were other potential solutions on these forums that I will mention later.

Let’s set the scene. Crystal Reports installed without error or indeed any warning message that it had detected another SAP Business Objects application on the same machine. All the published reports had been failing to connect to an Oracle database over a WAN, so in order to get a more verbose error message, Crystal Reports was installed for troubleshooting the database connectivity problems.

Soon after the installation, things started to go wrong. No-one could log in to Business Objects Edge. The services in the SIA were either at a ‘Failed’ or ‘Stopped’ status. No Client SAP Business Objects application would open. The image above appeared. This looked like a serious problem. The Business Objects Edge Server was re-started and the services took a long time to start, but they did start eventually.

But now, there were different errors to consider. I tried opening the Designer client application. This worked and I was able to import a universe, but as soon as I tested the Universe Connection an error appeare.

I tried importing a different universe and got a similar message in the image below.

I then took a bit of time to consider exactly what was working and what was not working. I could log in to InfoView and I could run and schedule Crystal Reports without any problem. I then decided to record every error message I could find by attempting to open all of the client design tools.

Desktop Intelligence wouldn’t allow me to generate a query.

Xcelsius failed when it tried to access external data.

Query as a Web Service would allow me to edit a query, but not to execute it.

Even Web Intelligence wouldn’t schedule, but strangely, you could view a Web Intelligence report on demand.

A pattern was developing from each of the error messages shown in the images, with the exception of the Web Intelligence image.

On searching the internet, typing the entire contents of the errors, brought about two potential solutions. The first was to place the Oracle Home folder into the PATH Environment Variable. I checked this and it was already in place. The second was to place the full path to the ConnectionServer folder shown in the error message images into the PATH Environment variable. I tried this and it made no difference.

Now it was time to think of other potential solutions. The first was to perform a brand new installation onto a new server and then migrate the contents of the source system to the new destination system using the Import Wizard. But there was no other server available. A complete restore of the server from a backup was possible, but deemed too much of a risk, as the server had other business critical applications running on it.

The only way forward was to manually repair the system somehow. I looked in the ConnectionServer folder and examined the .dll files. As soon as I did this I could see a potential way of solving the problem. By lloking at the version numbers of the .dll files, I could see that some were version 12.1 and others were 12.3. This confirmed that the installation of Crystal Reports 2008 V1 SP3 had overwritten key .dll files and now it might be possible to copy back the 12.1 versions from the backup to effectively put the system back to its original state.

But wait a minute. .dll file have dependencies, don’t they? And don’t they need registering using Regsvr32.exe? More searching of the internet was required.

I decided to perform a test on one of the .dll files. I copied the 12.1 version back to its original location and then tried to register it. The message below appeared.

More searching of the internet led me to an application called Dependency Walker. Located at http://www.dependencywalker.com/. This application allows you to locate a file and then see all of the dependent .dll files it requires to perform correctly. I used this for each of the .dll files in the error message images and manually, one by one, copied each required 12.1 .dll file back to its original location.

This had been a last resort. I had no further ideas or potential solutions I could think of, other than obtaining a server and performing the migration as mentioned earlier.

I restarted the servers from the SIA and hoped for the best. An image of Dependency Walker is shown below:

After all the services had re-started and were running and enabled I tried opening each of the client applications, and this time they all worked as normal.The only exception was Web Intelligence scheduling. But after searching the internet again by inserting the entire error message into Google, I completely stopped and then started the Adaptive Job and Processing servers and this resolved the problem.

This manual fix took the best part of a day. If you intend to install multiple SAP Business Objects applications on the same machine, be it a server or even a client machine with SAP Desktop applications like Crystal Reports and Live Office, you must first check what you have installed already and note down the build number. This will be found in the ‘Help->About’ section. Typically this number will look similar to 12.3.0.601. For SAP Crystal Reports 2008 V1, SAP Crystal Reports Server 2008 V1 and SAP Business Objects Edge XI 3.1 applications the first number (12) denotes the build and the second (3) denotes the service pack currently installed. In order for the applications to work alongside each other you must ensure that each application is at the same service pack level. If possible, test this on a pre-production or development machine before rolling out to a live production environment.

Written by Steve Chapman, Senior Business Intelligence Consultant, DSCallards

For more information visit: www.crystalreports.co.uk

Are You Making the Most of Your Crystal Reports?

2012-02-02T03:43:00.000-08:00

I’ve just sold another of our SAP Crystal Training Courses to the Ministry of Defence ... and like so many of our customers, James has an old Crystal Reports license and feels that he’s only using half of its functionality and that it's starting to let him down.

So many of the people I talk to every day have a license of Crystal on their desktop and use it perhaps once or twice a week on one database. They’ve got into a rut with their reporting whilst they know that it should really be helping them decipher exactly what's happening to their business, throughout the whole of their business and they’d be right. They’re being asked for ever more demanding reporting but they don’t know what they’re missing to achieve this.

SAP Crystal Reports is an amazingly powerful entry level Business Intelligence tool that delivers clear business insight, it's been developed over a time span of 20 years and has changed so much in that time.

You can see for yourself how its changed by evaluating the most up to date version free from our website www.crystalreports.co.uk. You can also come and join our Crystal Training Courses or our free Seminars and start to see what Crystal can really do, 20 years on, in the 21^st century. You'll be amazed!

Written by Sue Mitchell, Crystal Solutions Account Manager, DSCallards (01364 654222)

Knowledge is Power: Arm Yourself!

2012-02-01T04:39:00.000-08:00

In our last post we told you how bringing your reporting in house could save you time and money while allowing you more control over the depth of your data. You may have said to yourself “Those are all great reasons, but I still don’t know anything about reporting!” We hear this time and time again from our clients. We know it seems overwhelming and unattainable. Our staff understands that a software solution is only as good as the people who use it, which is why we work tirelessly to offer our clients holistic solutions. At DSCallards, we’ve become the leader in offering BI solutions by helping people make their business better not just through product solutions but also through in-depth training. We give you the tools as well as the knowledge you need to make your business a success.

With that in mind, we’d like to invite those of you who are new to SAP Crystal Reports to attend our SAP Crystal Reports Masterclass on 7^th March at SAP UK HQ in Maidenhead. This class is run by industry leaders who will guide you through SAP Crystal Solutions and help you realize just how easy it is to build robust reports, integrate your reporting with your existing business platforms, and share your reports with your staff. The best part is you can achieve all of this without the help of your IT staff or a third party vendor which saves you time and money!

The slides above are but a taste of what you’ll see when you attend our masterclass. We take you through it all: From best practices in designing your data to integration with Java and Sharepoint. And all for free! Why do we do it? Because we know our clients need more than just a software provider, they need someone to guide them from purchase all the way through to implementation. You can trust that our staff will be there for you every step of the way.

If you would like to attend our SAP Crystal Reports Masterclass all you have to do is click here. We look forward to seeing you in Maidenhead on March 7!

Don't Let Reporting Burn a Hole in Your Pocket

2012-01-18T05:50:00.000-08:00

So you have a Crystal Report, but you need to modify it. Where to begin?

As Crystal advisers one of the most common queries which we come across is from those companies or users that have an application which provides Crystal Reports, yet when a report modification or a new reports is required they have no way in-house of meeting this requirement.

In these situations, more commonly than not, users will turn to third party providers to modify the report. In the first instance this may appear the easiest solution however is it the best option? Put it this way- if it is then why do we continue to receive enquiries from users asking for an alternative way of modifying reports?

Third party vendors, to give them their due, will get the job done but what if these report modifications are required on a regular basis? Is the ongoing expense and time it takes getting it done through a third party vendor justified?

Often the changes required on these occasions are simple: e.g. name or design changes, things which could take a matter of minutes to complete with a copy of the software. Yet people will continue to pay over the odds and wait days for such work to be done. I understand there are a couple of initial stumbling blocks with the prospect of bringing the reporting in-house. For instance, not every company has an individual trained in using the software, the initial investment can also be quite an important step for some companies and users want to ensure compatibility before committing to a purchase.

However, I believe the positives out-weigh the negatives on this issue; the software pays for itself in the long-run, DSCallards can provide the training to get even a beginner proficient in using the software, and furthermore we provide a free software evaluation so you can check before you buy.

In my experience, working with customers who initially relied on third parties before bringing the reporting in-house, taking the in-house route could:

Remove the reliance on another company for reporting.
Save time on completing those simple requests.
Save your company money in the long-run.
Provide you with the chance to dig deeper with your reporting; with the ability to not only modify existing reports but creating reports from scratch, even from alternative systems.

In a completely shameless display, here comes the somewhat expected sales pitch: If you feel like your reporting is currently burning a hole in your pocket why not get in touch with one of the Crystal Team today at DSCallards? We can discuss how our software and services can help bring your reporting in-house, and more importantly the value that this will bring you in the long run.

It might not be as expensive as you think- call us on 0800 652 4050 and find out or visit www.crystalreports.co.uk.

Written by Abby Vanstone, Sales Executive, DSCallards

It's Not Just the Economic Times - IT Makes Sense!

2012-01-05T03:28:00.000-08:00

I can’t remember whether it’s the current government or previous which was recently criticised for the amount of consultancy fees it paid out on IT projects. This was a statement I heard on the news not too long ago and came short and sharp with no explanation on what these fees were for. I can remember feeling that it was an ashamedly high amount and wasn’t the government rubbish!

In hindsight I guess that was the desired reaction however after a few experiences I’ve had working with local and central government organisations I would like to share with you a positive story to show that not all of this consultancy is unnecessarily bad spending on the government part.

The experience I would like to share was with a client in the public sector who had agreed to our proposal to carry out some value engineering consultancy as an exercise to justify the proposed investment in a BI solution. In total this was a 5 day exercise including write up and short informal group and individual interviews with the project stakeholders.

In doing the interviews I have come to realise that maybe ‘value’ isn’t the right word to use? Today we find both public and private organisations ‘outcome’ focused for sure. Private organisations invariable relate ‘outcomes’ as ‘financial value’. In justifying the investment of implementing an IT solution they invariably will write a business case that highlights the financial value of increasing sales or market share and/ or decreasing costs. Public organisations tend to have non-financial focused ‘outcomes’ so value is not always the right terminology to use. For example the NHS state one of its key objectives is to improve patient outcomes. At first thought, achieving this outcome cannot directly be related to financial value as mentioned with private companies. Achieving this particular outcome for the NHS could be the result of a number of non-financial improvements such as better training of staff. Therefore ‘Outcomes’ such as these are not easy to define in terms of financial value and thus without a financial benefit make it harder to justify a proposed investment.

However, dig a little deeper and you uncover that many of the decisions associated with non-financial outcomes do in fact have financial implications. An example of which was seen in how training funds are distributed. This can equate to budgets of thousands if not millions of pounds being spent with third party organisations who provide the courses that train NHS staff.

So should the government state that we will have x number of newly trained midwives in the NHS by 2014? There is a decision being made concerning course programme budget allocation or withdrawal which could have a huge impact on achieving the set outcome as clearly the objective you want to achieve means you want to guarantee that the courses with the best success rates are benchmarked for the learning benefit of other courses that are not so successful. Or another way of saying let’s not waste the tax payers money on courses that have a low pass rate compared to others. Similarly you want to know how many midwives are currently being trained and when they will be qualified to know how many will need to start to hit the numbers needed by 2014. Ultimately answering questions like this will help them to make informed decisions on training budgets. Accountability is such a necessity in public organisation for the very reason I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, every penny spent is scrutinised...

Value Engineering or Outcome Management offers both assurance and governance by providing the evidence that the outcomes are supported by IT processes and tools that enable them to be reported against and ultimately helps them to be achieved. If you like, it’s a blueprint for success.

Now as I say I’m sharing my experience in response to what I feel is a general negative perspective that Government IT consultancy expenditure is wasteful. The aim of this blog is to show that for a minimal investment why not work out what the benefits are of implementing your BI solution, how are they going to be measured? How else will you know if the projects been successful or continues to be? This process has shown time and time again the ROI of BI is very good and in most examples I am aware of will pay for itself within an 18 month period.

Just to heighten the positivity even further take a look at this short video of the experiences another local government organisation had with value management http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1fsMd4ZaQI

Whether your organisation is public or private, ‘value’ or ‘outcomes’ driven, making the investment in Business Intelligence a strategic part of your business is an informed decision.

Source: Ben Hedger, Senior Business Development Consultant, DSCallards

Building a "BI" Command and Control Centre for your Supply Chain

2011-12-29T01:48:00.000-08:00

A recent study carried out by the Aberdeen Group has found that companies with top performing supply chains significantly outperformed their peers.

Specifically:

• Their cash conversion cycle was 50% faster
• Their customer service levels were 17% higher
• Their forecast accuracy was 36% better

Not only that, but these Best-in-Class companies were able to decrease their warehouse operating costs by 2%, while the same costs at other companies increased. Operational business intelligence is one of the keys to their success. Best-in-Class organisations are far more likely than others to have near real-time visibility into their supply chain performance so that they can react faster when business conditions change, or unexpected events occur.

To learn more about how Business Intelligence can optimise your supply chain performance, contact our BI Team today on 0800 652 4050.

Blog Writer: Lee Grogan, Sales Manager, DSCallards

Source: If you'd like read the white paper, you can register for a copy here - http://v1.aberdeen.com/includes/asp/sponsored_registration.asp?ci=/launch/report/benchmark/7059-RA-supply-chain-intelligence.asp&spid=30412020&camp=

Your Business Intelligence Choice is Now Crystal Clear

2011-12-15T04:14:00.000-08:00

In business, knowing that you're able to access business data is critical. While our revamped version makes it possible to access the most recent information, adding the our new version module allows you to do even more.

That's because it is designed to help you access your business data and share it in the best possible ways. The software works seamlessly with our other version, and ensures that you're able to:

Customize report templates to reflect your business and the goals that your company has set. Not only will you be able to present the most recent, relevant information, but also you will be able to create branded reports and showcase that data in a way that makes sense.

Produce multiple reports quickly, which allows you to tailor the information that you present to each team or department within the company so that everyone is able to be given the information that will have the greatest impact on them. This also ensures that reports can be used to foster strong relationships with other members of your team as you demonstrate your commitment to understanding where they're coming from and what they need.

Effectively access and communicate data throughout your organization, without needing to bring in those who are technically savvy. Our solution is designed to be easy to use without the need for coding or development; just access the information that you need, and creating reports will be able to be done exclusively with the interactive dashboard.

Because it's simple to create visually appealing reports with our solution, you will find that you are in a position to share information effectively. More importantly, however, you will quickly discover that you are able to do far more than just help others become aware of where the company stands and the progress that you're making toward achieving goals. Instead, you'll be able to make an impact, connect with your team, and help everyone become more invested in working together and seeing results.

Visit: www.crystalreports.co.uk

Source: SAP PartnerEdge

Using SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI to Simplify the Process of Increasing Cash Flow

2011-12-15T02:16:00.000-08:00

When it comes to increasing business cash flow, you've got options. For example. you can:

Reach out to investors with the info that you have, the plans that you've made, and hope that your company's track record speaks for itself.
Empower your sales staff to offer promotions and reward loyalty and hope that, in time, those efforts add up.
Limit production and warehousing in an effort to test out "just in time" manufacturing.

All of these efforts, however, force you to wait and see whether or not you get the results that you're looking for. But there is a far better way to simplify processes, communicate with your team and investors, and increase the cash flow for your business: our solution can help.

With our solution, it's possible to access data from various areas of your business and from across locations. As a result, you'll be able to examine whether or not your production and warehousing efforts are on target and quickly make corrections if you're not getting closer to achieving your goals. You'll be able to create reports that clearly convey your company's efforts and progress toward achieving your goals so that stakeholders - investors and those within your organization - are able to see progress and better work with you. More importantly, however, you will have the opportunity to perform ad hoc reporting - testing what if scenarios so that you can identify the likely success of each option you might pursue in an effort to increase capital.

In other words, you will be able to increase cash flow by gaining real business intelligence. You'll be able to drive decisions, communicate effectively with others so that they're on board, and know that you're not only working toward increasing cash flow but also doing it in a simple way that's sure to help you reach your goals.

Source: SAP PartnerEdge

Share Information Effectively with SAP Crystal 2011

2011-12-15T02:09:00.000-08:00

Source: SAP PartnerEdge

The Crowded BI Bubble

2011-11-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

Like CRM and ERP before, BI is the IT bubble growing far greater than any other. We are led to believe it will continue to grow and take the majority stake of any IT investment for the foreseeable future.

This economic insight has seen the BI market space reshape dramatically over the past 5 years.

We have seen the acquisition of the leading independent BI specialists by the major Global IT vendors to consolidate the space. More recently new innovations in areas such as in-memory computing and SAAS as well as the resurgence of Open Source products devoid of the historical one man band stereotype giving rise to a growth with many new bright and gleaming Business Intelligence software offerings.

As a business owner no matter where you look or who you talk to, the message is clear. The message is telling you that your companies needs to harness its data to empower the business to make timely informed and insightful decisions or else… OK, OK, I hear you!

I would suggest this message has largely been accepted. The question now for the business is where to go? Who to trust? What will be my return on investment? And here lies the problem! Before we look at answering these questions what has been learnt.

Well the biggest lesson learnt is to recognise that many BI project failures are emanate from an incorrect expression or interpretation of requirements at the initial stages. Typically these might include:

Lack of relevance to project objectives
Ambiguity and lack of clarity in the project outline
Conflict between departmental/line of business requirements

So with this knowledge…

Where to go?

Here comes the hard sell you were not expecting!

DSCallards recognises that it is often difficult for organisations to justify the upfront investment necessary to engage in the end-to-end delivery of a BI solution. Coupled with the current economic climate as a result equipped with this understanding and in addition to incorporating PRINCE2 processes, DSCallards has developed its own Project Methodology to ensure the successful delivery of BI projects that meet its clients’ expectations.

DSCallards can provide a means to identify and measure the ‘value’ of implementing a BI solution. This is what we call ‘Value Management’ and as part of our project methodology helps a business to map requirements to targeted outcomes. It can then be used as a reiterative method to help measure the success of not only the initial project implementation but the on-going use of a BI Solution. It can also be used to form the basis of a Business Case to justify a proposed investment. All in all we help a business identify the ROI in achieving its goals… You could almost call it a strategy!

Who to trust?

There are many BI products and delivery partners out there so my advice would be to go out and review the ‘reviews’. Start with the independent trusted sources such as online tech websites, magazines, the independent research organisations. Then make a short list… a short list, no more than 3! It’ll help to discuss and agree what type of solution would best suit your business, on-premise? On-demand? Web Hybrid? Open or closed source? Once you have your contenders ask your network for advice (whether that be social, work, friends or family). If you are responsible for reviewing IT solutions its very unlikely you don’t know someone directly or indirectly that can offer some impartial advice. If not or as the next step, review the vendors websites for awards won and relevant industry case studies.

If the vendor sells through a channel the best partners will usually have a presence on the vendors website. Look at recent PR about awards to see which partner is winning, look at the case studies as many will be delivered through and therefore mention a partner.

As a last resort why not speak with the people who could potentially deliver value back to your business?! Call the vendor, call the partner, ask to talk to the people that deliver the services, are on the helpdesk, the people that will be working with you. Ask yourself are these my type of people? Do they have the experience, processes and professional approach that will fit with your business?

What will be my return on investment?

Unlike the implementation of ERP and CRM systems it is very difficult to know with BI what you’re going to get out the other end. That said I don’t believe that is an excuse to not try? As I’ve highlighted ROI for implementing a BI strategy can be understood upfront through the process of requirement gathering. However, we must also be aware the ROI is often found after implementation. The unforeseen ROI is my view is the most exciting. A key component of what true BI should deliver is the ability to explore and question or ‘drill through’ your data for this ability is what leads to ‘insight’ and ‘insight’ is what can bring the greatest rewards.

That ‘insight’ might be identifying your most efficient supplier which has an immediate cost saving for the fulfilment of your service. It might be ‘insight’ shows you who your most profitable clients are and help focus your marketing activities in the right areas, cutting marketing spend, reducing the cost of sale and ultimately increasing revenue. There has been examples of businesses saving or making revenue into the tens of thousands through just one insightful exploration of their data. Are you getting excited?!

So clearly there are wins to be gleaned from implementing BI however these are not always visible from the outset.

Therefore, the initial efforts to identify ROI must apply the lessons learned from past projects failures. Be focused define your businesses requirements across the organisation. Determine what are the reporting issues? Does it take an inordinate amount of time to format a report every week? Do I have to wait for someone else to provide the dataset I want? Do I just put a finger in the air as I know I’m not going to get the information I need for that meeting? Whatever it might be, only through understanding the businesses reporting issues and requirements will you then start to understand the potential ROI. From past projects RIO pre implementation is typically identified through:

Improved operating efficiency
Improved accuracy of information
Improved audit of data lineage
Improved ease of access to information
Improved usefulness of information

So whether you are going it alone or are investing in help from a specialist I hope there are some useful points enclosed and by all means feel free to contact DSCallards!

Written by Ben Hedger, Senior Business Development Consultant, DSCallards

Is Information a Tool for Democracy?

2011-10-31T05:37:00.000-07:00

Senior BI Consultant, Angus Menter, explains how democracy’s central premise is carrying out the will of the people, meaning people get access to services that meet their needs. To achieve this they following steps need to happen:

1. Understanding what the needs are

2. Finding good ways to deliver the services

3. People being able to access those services

Information is important to each aspect. It takes two main forms, narrative and fact-based. Business analytics can help to get a fact-based view, which of course for right or wrong we then often express via a personal or political narrative.

Read this White Paper to gain an insight into how DSCallards believes that information supports democracy:

Is Information A Tool for Democracy?

Source: Angus Menter, Senior BI Consultant, DSCallards

About Angus: Angus Menter worked in SAP & Business Objects public sector for ten years. He joined DSCallards in 2010 to contribute to the way the company engages with their customers, including defining the company’s BI project methodology.

Part 1: “Data, Data everywhere...but not a drop when I need it!”

2011-10-27T03:18:00.000-07:00

How many times have you asked for real-time reporting on inventory, or gap times in processing, or even just dashboards giving them a view to current product and process flows?

As manufacturing businesses increase or decrease their production, change their processes, hire/train new employees, develop new methods and shift their vendor mix, huge amounts of data are generated. Add to this a constant stream of customer and product data — and your data quickly becomes a growing tangle of information distributed across disparate applications and systems — data that could be critical to decision-making, if it were available quickly!

In our experience a key tenet to making information more manageable is a Data Integration strategy. Data Integration is both process and product — using the best tools but not the best strategy to organise and flow data can result in inaccurate data and incorrect assumptions. Likewise, a great process for managing information can be hindered by tools that don’t work fast enough, require a large team of consultants for maintenance, or are so difficult to manage that they just aren’t used.

Key Warning Signs of Manufacturing Data Bottlenecks

• Multiple, disparate databases are used to support customer, production or financial data, but are not sharing information

• Difficulty in making critical information available for reporting — ie, real-time data demands

• Limited IT resources constantly tied up in accessing data, rather than managing data flow

• Critical processes are slow — hindered by data availability

If your organisation is currently using a data integration solution, the following questions can help determine if the solution is working satisfactorily, or not.

1. Is fresh data available in time for reporting?

2. Are your data requests promptly serviced by your IT team?

3. Is all data about customers, suppliers and employees available when needed, or does it require more customised handling by the IT team?

4. Can your company improve the speed of the current solution for data retrieval/reporting without adding any expense?

(This refers to either hiring additional staff, purchasing new hardware/systems, or reworking existing processes)

If the answer is “No” to these questions, then I really recommend that you come along to our free 1/2 day event on the 7^thof December in Maidenhead, UK.

To register, visit the link below.

http://www.dscallards4bi.com/events

Hope to see you there.

Lee Grogan

Source: Lee Grogan, Sales Manager, DSCallards

Five Ways to Use Your Data for Profitable Growth

2011-03-02T01:34:00.000-08:00

Some report requests come with far too little lead time. And, it’s these instances that tend to be the most urgent. To fulfill the request, you have to drop everything, pull the necessary data and format the report in a way that will highlight the right information and resonate with the target audience. Meanwhile, other tasks continue to accumulate. Figure out how to accelerate report design, and you’ll deliver a higher level of analytical services while also recapturing time to address your other responsibilities.

SAP Crystal Presentation Design can take the stress out of short-lead report requests. Use this solution to design complex reports quickly, and you’ll save time you can use for other tasks, while also increasing the visual quality of your reports. Here are five ways you can use SAP Crystal Presentation Design to accelerate results.

1. Plan ahead: create presentation templates for reports you run frequently. You don’t have to start from scratch every time.

2. Use automation: SAP Crystal presentation design includes a number of tools that are ready for use immediately, obviating the need for repeated manual efforts.

3. Go interactive: use SAP Crystal Presentation Design to bring data to life … without having to engage a designer or programmer. Interactive tools will help presenters illustrate key points, making your reports far more effective in the decision-making process.

4. Mitigate risk: reduce the manual involvement in presentation design, and mistakes become less likely. Increased accuracy naturally results in better reports.

5. Cut costs: there’s an implicit cost associated with everything you do. Faster presentation design can alleviate workload, making it possible to defer hiring and make existing employees more productive.

Source: SAP

For more information visit: www.crystalreports.co.uk

It's That Time of the Year Again at SAP - Name Change Anyone?

2011-02-07T05:58:00.000-08:00

Over the next few weeks you’ll be hearing a whole raft of new product names coming out of SAP for their upcoming BusinessObjects 4.0 release.

This is nothing new of course, we’re all becoming use to it by now right? (ever since Crystal Decisions became Edge Series etc).

The reason behind this we’re told is that SAP like to use descriptive words to define their products (well, most of the time anyway). So without spinning it to sound like a good idea, or conversely, knocking it for bringing yet more confusion to the market place, I would simply like to outline many of the new product names, and what they were referred too before. If you have any specific questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

SAP BusinessObjects 4.0

This is the name of the complete BusinessObjects release, including BI & EIM

(aka SAP BusinessObjects XI 4.0, SAP BusinessObjects XI 3.x, etc…)

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence 4.0

This is the name of the Business Intelligence components of the release

SAP BusinessObjects Business Intelligence platform

This is the name for the BusinessObjects product bundle for Enterprises

(aka SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 4.0, SAP BusinessObjects Enterprise XI 3.x, etc…)

SAP BusinessObjects Web Intelligence

This is the ad hoc reporting component of the Business Intelligence suite.

(aka SAP BusinessObjects Webi)

SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards

This is the version of Xcelsius designed to be part of a larger SAP BusinessObjects deployment. Other ‘flavors’ of this tool are branded under the SAP Crystal solutions banner.

(aka SAP BusinessObjects Dashboard Design, SAP BusinessObjects Xcelsius, Xcelsius Enterprise)

SAP BusinessObjects Analysis, edition for OLAP/edition for Microsoft Office

This is a new product that replaces the Voyager product.

(aka SAP BusinessObjects Advanced Analysis Web/SAP BusinessObjects Advanced Analysis Excel)

SAP BusinessObjects BI Launch Pad

This is the new name for the out-of-the-box portal that’s used by end-users to access content, create reports, etc…

(aka SAP BusinessObjects InfoView, Infoview)

SAP BusinessObjects BI workspaces

This product is replacing the functionality of Dashboard Builder.

(SAP BusinessObjects Dashboard Builder)

SAP BusinessObjects Explorer

This is the highly visual and interactive data exploration tool, previously called BusinessObjects Polestar

That’s about it for now, but be sure to follow us on Twitter etc for updates as they’re released.

Source: Lee Grogan, Sales Manager, DSCallards

Hints and Tips February 2011

2011-02-02T02:52:00.001-08:00

Changing the Default Fonts and Colours for Web Intelligence on the SAP BusinessObjects Edge Platform

There are no default settings options in Web Intelligence, so to change the colours and fonts, you have to edit some .xml files. Search for *AppletConfig* on your SAP Business Objects Edge server.

A number of folders will appear.

In each of these folders there is a file called defaultConfig.xml. Make a copy of each of these files before any editing takes place.

In Web Intelligence, take note of the colour schemes that currently exist in the data header and details. The images on the next page show where to record this information.

This is for the detail or row information.

This is for the header information.

Now you need to edit the defaultConfig.xml files in the folders shown above. Below is an example of the file that I have changed. The original font was Arial.

At the top of each block of code is the font ‘Trebuchet’. Work through the file changing the default, (Arial) to the font name of your choice.

When the fonts have been changed, search for the first number in the colour scheme you noted earlier. In my case, the ‘Red’ value of my header was 218. Change the Red, Green, Blue values to match the colour scheme you require.

Once all the changes have been made, the file can be copied to all the other locations listed in the folders above. Below is an image of the ‘new look WebI’ after I changed the defaults. I also restarted all the servers after I had made the changes.

Source: Steve Chapman, Senior Business Intelligence Consultants, DSCallards

For more information, visit: www.dscallards4bi.com

Free BI Seminar: Fishing for Information: Feeling Hungry?

2011-01-20T02:23:00.000-08:00

Date: Wednesday 6th April 2011
Time: 9.30 am to 1 pm
Venue: SAP Business Objects, Maidenhead, UK

It is highly likely that the internal rate of return your organisation is reaping from its investment in Business Intelligence is less than it could be, due to some mundane, real life challenges which may not be mentioned in the boardroom or corridors of power.

Many people in your organisation only need to analyse corporate data sporadically and If it’s outside of their routine work they may have limited time to dedicate to the task.

Silver Bullet Approach?

There are several recognised methodologies for getting people the numbers they need, yet these problems persist. Whilst there may not be a silver bullet, could there be a silver fish? We know from history that “give a man a fish he will eat for a day; teach him to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime”.

Join us on the day to see how this has been applied to BI.

>> Register

Five Benefits of Faster Report Design

2011-01-12T23:53:00.000-08:00

Source: SAP

Visit www.crystalreports.co.uk for more information.

Business Intelligence: Find Missing Insights in the Clouds

2010-12-29T01:42:00.000-08:00

Does it feel like you have too much data? Your company produces plenty every day, but there never seems to be enough time to use it effectively. Reports take time to pull together, especially if the data has to come from multiple sources. Priority becomes an issue, and some opportunities are missed because you don’t have the resources you need to conduct thorough analyses. A business intelligence solution would be the answer, especially one designed for small and mid-sized businesses.

Many companies believe that business intelligence is the exclusive domain of larger organizations. Software and implementation costs, they feel, are too high, making the investment imprudent. Further, the attendant IT infrastructure costs and complexity exacerbate the challenge.

At the same time, not having access to business intelligence has costs: opportunity costs. Without the insights from data already resident in your organization, you aren’t equipped to make the best decisions for your company.

So, which do you choose: cost containment or an aggressive investment in growth? With SAP BusinessObjects BI OnDemand, you can choose both.

SAP BusinessObjects BI OnDemand provides powerful and reliable business intelligence capabilities specifically for small and mid-sized businesses. As a result, report development is streamlined through automation, making the data you have more useful. Additionally, the cloud computing-based model means that no infrastructure is necessary, leading to lower costs and a simpler IT environment.

Translation: you can spend your time focusing on your business, not on technology.

You don’t have to miss opportunities because there’s too much data at your disposal. SAP BusinessObjects BI OnDemand puts you in control of your information, and lets you turn your attention to making better decisions.

Source: SAP

For further information visit: http://www.dscallards4bi.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=107&Itemid=66

Use Business Intelligence Efficiency to Drive Business Results

2010-11-30T02:16:00.000-08:00

Profitable growth is a business objective held by nearly every company. After all, higher revenues don’t help much if they don’t come with sufficient margins. But, this goal can be difficult to reach. Competition is stiff, and a recovering economic environment is clouded by memories of the difficult conditions caused by the recession. So, how can you invest in growth without committing too much capital—and assuming too much risk? Well, the answers are already sitting inside your company. Use SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI to learn more about your business.

The challenge most companies have right now, when it comes to finding insights into how they do business, is efficiency. The reports that would be most useful tend to be time-consuming, and thus costly, to prepare. Rather than have an already lean staff take on these projects, they are often skipped completely, in favor of higher-priority activities. It’s a costly decision in terms of future opportunities, but there isn’t always much of a choice: your employees need to keep the business running.

The efficiency supported by SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI changes this.

Reports that currently take hours, or even days, to assemble can be prepared in minutes with SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI. Not only does this put information in your company’s hands faster, it accelerates analysis and decision-making, as well as attendant ROI. The operational efficiency that comes from being able to access your company’s various systems from a single source, pull them into a consistent and manageable report, and automate distribution lowers the costs associated with business intelligence, expanding the ROI that can be generated.

Efficient business intelligence enables your company to make smarter decisions, faster—and at a lower cost. With SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI, you can cut the time and overhead associated with locating and using company insights to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. The goal is profitable growth, and streamlined business intelligence will help you get there.

Source: SAP Partner Edge

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/sap-businessobjects-edge/

DSCallards work with Burns Pet Nutrition to Produce SAP Crystal Reports Video!!

2010-11-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

Under the SAP Best Run Business Initiative, DSCallards have worked with Burns Pet Nutrition to produce a video that examines how they have deployed SAP Crystal Reports Server to provide critical business insight throughout their growing manufacturing business.

To view the video click here :: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj8W4LXVjrw

Source: DSCallards Marketing Team

Five Ways Report Presentation Design Leads to ROI

2010-11-16T01:18:00.000-08:00

Looks make a difference—at least they do when it comes to your reports. More than merely present data, your reports are intended to make a point. Whether it’s about your company’s financial strength or a new market to be exploited, appearance can affect interpretation, and thus the decisions that are influenced by your data. A carefully designed and presented report, therefore, can shape the direction of your company.
So, does this mean you need to hire a graphic designer and incur even more overhead to drive decision-making in your organization? That just sets the ROI bar higher and puts unnecessary pressure on your margins. Instead of making it even more expensive to gain insights into your business, you can use SAP Crystal Presentation Design to make the data you present easier to read and interpret, ultimately driving better company results with no significant incremental increase in operating costs.

Here are five ways you can use SAP Crystal Presentation Design to generate ROI for your organization:

1. Use speed to lower base costs: you can create professional-looking presentations and reports in just a few minutes, preserving your own time and avoiding the need to spend on design resources.

2. Make data visual: SAP Crystal Presentation Design gives you the tools to turn rows of numbers into interactive charts and maps, not to mention other visual elements. This can make information easier to interpret.

3. Sway the crowd: visuals become compelling tools for driving company investment. Use them to make clear what you’d otherwise hope your readers to infer from the data lined up in columns and rows.

4. Understand all your options: with SAP Crystal Presentation Design, you can model several hypothetical scenarios in order to optimize company decision-making and resource allocation.

5. Accelerate results: the pre-built templates in SAP Crystal Presentation Design give you an effective and consistent starting point. You’ll be able to cut your up-front time investment and begin to realize ROI sooner.

Source: SAP PartnerEdge

For more information: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/xcelsius-software-solutions/

Five Steps to Better, Faster Decisions

2010-11-15T04:00:00.000-08:00

Business is moving faster than ever, and your company has no choice but to keep up. At the same time, the consequences of ineffective decisions are growing, and it can take a considerable amount of effort to make up for it later.

With an agile, powerful business intelligence solution, you can make smarter decisions faster. Use SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI to understand your company and the opportunities in front of it, and you’ll gain a significant competitive advantage.

Here are five ways you can use SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI to make better decisions more quickly:

1. Cut report development time: SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI streamlines the process of developing intricate reports. Spend less time piecing together spreadsheets and more time using information to advance your company in the marketplace.

2. Access multiple systems from one business intelligence solution: instead of manually pulling data from all over your company, use SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI to access everything you need from one place. You’ll save time and reduce the risk of manual error.

3. Automate regular reports: don’t start from scratch every time. Rather, schedule the creation of periodic reports. You can use SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI to have them sent directly to the people who need them.

4. Present information effectively: use SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI to present reports in a readable format. This makes it easier for business users o focus on the data, draw conclusions, and take action.

5. Foster an information culture: a streamlined reporting process makes it easier to communicate important information. By doing so, your company will become more likely to look at the data before making decisions.

Source: SAP PartnerEdge

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/

The Importance of Finding Data Fast

2010-11-03T07:23:00.000-07:00

When most small and mid-sized companies look at the potential afforded by business intelligence solutions, they tend to focus on the reporting process. Cost and ROI advantages are easy to gain by making it easier to develop large, intricate reports. But, there’s another way to benefit from a powerful business intelligence platform: find specific data faster. This will help your employees save small amounts of time that add up rapidly. SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI can cut the time it takes to respond to many small requests, ultimately delivering a large return.

Targeted requests for data seem mall, but they can come frequently. For each, however, it can take a while to navigate multiple systems and find exactly the information that is needed. Over time, hours add up to days, and days become full-time employee equivalents. The cost to your organization mounts—but it remains hard to see, concealed by volume and relatively short execution times. Step back from the process for a moment, and you can see how these requests can slow your employees down.

There’s a significant business opportunity, therefore, in finding data faster. A shorter time to execute these queries translates to recaptured employee time that can be used in areas with higher potential to drive profitable growth.

SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI—in addition to streamlining, simplifying, and accelerating your company-wide reporting processes—can help with targeted queries for company data. Using the keyword search feature in SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI, your organization can navigate through the systems you use to find exactly what you need quickly. The results can be viewed on an exploration panel, which makes it easier to dig deeper if there are signs of something interesting or awry in your operation. In each instance, the time savings is small. Through the course of a week (or longer), though, it accumulates to become a sizeable benefit for your company.

The SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI keyword search feature makes it possible to inform your company’s employees efficiently and accurately, with little overhead. Small savings can turn into a substantial competitive advantage, though, when your employees have more time to invest in the activities that move your company forward in the marketplace.

Source: SAP

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/sap-businessobjects-edge/

Dashboards Make a Difference: Use Data for Fast Management

2010-11-03T02:24:00.000-07:00

Detailed reports are crucial to effective business, but they aren’t always the best tools for the tasks in front of you. Sometimes, you just need a quick indicator of how your business is doing. Whether it’s sales or operations—or anything in between—a regular high-level view of the team’s performance can enable the rapid decision-making that supports business agility, without forcing you to sift through pages and pages of data.

Dashboards accelerate decision-making across a company, summarizing data to make it easy to draw conclusions quickly and turn them into action. This can help company leaders keep an eye on operations and deliver an early warning when a problem is about to occur. Consequently, day-to-day management is strengthened by the types of insight that are usually replaced with intuition and anecdotal evidence because timely, relevant, and aggregated information is not easily available.

Though useful, it can be difficult to develop dashboards, especially if different users don’t have the same needs. The effort can be costly and time-consuming, depending on the skills you have in your company and the IT infrastructure that’s already in place. Instead of taking this approach, however, you can drive better results at a lower cost with SAP Crystal Reports Server. This reporting platform makes it easy to create, update and manage dashboards rapidly with data from a variety of systems across your organization.

Using the dashboards you create with SAP Crystal Reports Server, you can contribute to a culture of metrics-based management, in which investments are made and operations evaluated with real information generated by your company. You’ll gain the benefit of genuine business intelligence in managing your company and increase your performance in the marketplace.

Dashboards don’t have to be expensive or unattainable. Use SAP Crystal Reports Server to make it easy for your company’s leaders to find the information they need, and generate a return on intelligence faster.

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/crystal-reports-server/

Source: SAP

Business Intelligence Means Managing Your Strategy

2010-11-03T02:18:00.000-07:00

Reports can be much more than occasional status checks used to make sure nothing is going awry. You can turn the data in your organization into a powerful tool for managing your strategy and reaching your company’s financial goals. Proactive reporting and analysis with a robust business intelligence solution can drive ROI, help you take market share from the competition, and know the full implications of every decision you make.

With SAP Crystal Reports, you can gain the information you need to manage your strategy effectively—without having to invest in a large, costly business intelligence solution.

Measurement is vital to the effective implementation of any strategic plan. This is the only way you can tell if it’s working! Too often, however, companies focus solely on execution, and don’t commit sufficiently to evaluating their progress. Flawed assumptions, changing market conditions, and suboptimal tactics can result in outcomes not anticipated during the strategic planning process. Unless you measure your performance against your strategy, you may not know about the consequences until it is too late to minimize their impact.

SAP Crystal Reports gives your organization the tools it needs to make ongoing analysis an integral part of strategy execution. Use this business intelligence solution to verify the results of the decisions your company makes, and identify early any situations that require a shift in direction. Not only will you mitigate risk, you’ll increase the odds of meeting your company’s objectives. Profitable growth thus becomes easier to attain.

How you use reports can become a powerful competitive advantage for your company. The business intelligence capabilities afforded by SAP Crystal Reports can improve strategy execution and your understanding of the business implications of every choice you make. Take your company’s data, and turn it into information you can use!

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/crystal-reports-2008/

Source: SAP

Fishing For Information

2010-11-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

Feeling Hungry?

It is highly likely that the internal rate of return your organisation is reaping from its investment in business intelligence is less than it could be, due to some mundane, real life challenges which may not be mentioned in the boardroom or corridors of power.

Many people in your organisation only need to analyse corporate data sporadically and If it’s outside of their routine work they may have limited time to dedicate to the task.

Hence having the right tools for the job depends on several other factors:

    * knowing where to look – this may have changed since the last time they needed something
    * having the necessary access rights –these may have expired or the person may need something new
    * knowing not only how to use the tool(s) but also how to get it working with their own data

These type of challenges mean that people will sometimes find their own ways to manufacture corporate information, or give up trying.

Silver Bullet?

There are several recognised methodologies for getting people the numbers they need, yet these problems persist. Whilst there may not be a silver bullet, could there be a silver fish?

We know from history that “give a man a fish he will eat for a day; teach him to fish and he’ll eat for a lifetime” - how has this been applied to BI?

Firstly organisations created what might be called fish farms – teams or people responsible for finding numbers out on users’ behalf. This can result in bottlenecks getting answers.

Next they invested in rolling out rods, tackle and bait – giving people the tools they need to get the answers themselves, often supported by a function commonly referred to as a business intelligence competency centre (BICC) or centre of excellence. This model can be complex to implement, as you will know if you have looked into the details.

So whilst a BICC may be the ideal, how can you make the first steps to get there?

The “Teach a Man to fish” Service
How about putting in place an enablement service – a “999” number / email anyone can contact to get answers – the twist being instead of providing the answer it instructs the user on how to is how to find it themself.

This sets the groundwork for expanding into a more sophisticated support provision, whilst teaching your organisation to fish for itself.

It is not, however, without investment. The service needs the resources and knowledge of the organisation to advise on overcoming the problems mentioned in the first paragraph. In general it should be a service in its own right, to avoid falling into standard helpdesk procedures. It needs profile in order that it gets used.
When your employees start catching those fish though, it will be worth it.

Let us pray: God grant me strength to catch a fish so large that even I, when telling of it afterwards may never need to lie. Amen

Written by Angus Menter, Senior BI Consultant, DSCallards.
For further information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/

Unlock the Secrets of Your Business

2010-10-29T06:28:00.000-07:00

Your business keeps secrets from you … well, at least it seems that way. There is plenty you don’t know, regardless of how often you walk the floor, talk to your team, or examine your operations. You can only see so much by looking around you, and that’s when you need to turn to the numbers.

The data in systems across your company tends to hold deeper insights that aren’t immediately evident from traditional management practices. Take advantage of the business intelligence to be gained from your data, and you can find opportunities for operational improvement, for which you’ll be rewarded with wider margins and freed up capital.

Part of the reason your business “hides” data from you is that the information isn’t all in one place. The powerful insights that can transform you business are usually found in relationships among different data sets, and you need a way to bring them together and compare them in a sensible manner that makes the business opportunities available to your organization evident.

The only way to make this happen is with an intuitive business intelligence and reporting solution that can quickly draw data from several disparate sources and unite them into a comprehensible result that you can use to affect meaningful change. With SAP BusinessObjects Edge, you can turn many systems into a cohesive reporting and analytics environment that you can use to advance your company in the marketplace.

Central to the advantage afforded by SAP BusinessObjects Edge is that it streamlines the entire reporting process, mitigates the risk of human error, and increases the applicability of the conclusions you draw. This increases the ROI on your business intelligence investment, along with the RO on the decisions facing your company.

SAP BusinessObjects Edge unlocks the secrets that your business keeps from you, enabling careful and diligent analysis of your company’s results to find improvement opportunities in every corner of your business. Through robust reporting capabilities, you can turn hidden insights into action items – and results.

risk to which your company is exposed. Rather than simply write and publish a policy, you can lay out a process that includes a mechanism for preventing the activity that could cause lasting damage to your business.

The best way to make sure your employees follow the rules is to make it the only option. Make your policies part of standard operating procedure through the business processes in SAP Business All-in-One, and you’ll gain ROI not just from a better solution, but also through risk management.

Source: SAP

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/sap-businessobjects-edge/

Integrate Your Data for a Complete View of Your Company

2010-10-22T03:23:00.000-07:00

Reporting and analysis shouldn’t have to be difficult. Information is the lifeblood of effective business management, and not being able to access it quickly and easily can result in higher operating expenses, slower decision-making, and ultimately a general disadvantage in the marketplace. Gain access to your company’s data from a single business intelligence source, and you can drastically reduce the time it takes to find insights you can use to manage your business. For small and mid-sized companies, this means implementing SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI.

Spreadsheets tend to be the most common reporting and analysis tool for small and mid-sized businesses. They appear to be inexpensive and offer enough features to make learning about your operation possible. The hidden costs, however, are substantial.

Using spreadsheets, you have to go to multiple systems, and then go through the cumbersome and time-consuming process of assembling the report—including making the data “fit.” The risk of error is high with this manual approach, especially if there’s a deadline looming.

SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI takes both the time and the risk out of business intelligence, yielding a streamlined reporting and analysis process that you can use to make smarter decisions faster. This platform allows you to pull data together from multiple systems into a single report, giving you a broader view of your company sooner and with a much lower likelihood of error. For reports you run regularly, you can build once with SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI and schedule them to be sent to stakeholders automatically.

So, the advantages are ongoing—and they accumulate to large cost savings and high ROI potential over time.
Simplify your reporting and analysis processes with a robust business intelligence solution for small and mid-sized businesses. Use SAP Business Objects Edge BI to understand your business better, and you’ll increase company performance with less strain on your staff.

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/sap-businessobjects-edge/

Best Practices in SAP Crystal Report Design

2010-10-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

Simply put, a methodology is a repeatable documented process. When applied to Crystal Report creation, it can be defined as a specification document or sign-off document. It is important also to consider asking questions to fully understand the report requirement and to think about continuity across a suite of reports.

This can be broken down into the following headings.

    * Define the requirements
    * Create a specification document
    * Create a connection to the data source
    * Build the report
    * Test the report
    * Deploy the report
    * Maintain the report

It is also useful to have a business need for a report. Define what business problems could be solved by the production of your report. Create a statement that will define the report's purpose in two simple sentences.

Then, further analysis into the detail of the report can be derived.

    * Define the report consumers i.e. include information for all parties.
    * Define the data used i.e. which data source to connect to and how to join the tables together.
    * Define the template i.e. where header and footer information should appear in the report.
    * Define the fields required i.e. the body of the report (detail section).
    * Determine the record sorting and sequencing i.e. sorting and grouping.
    * Define the summaries required i.e. subtotals and grand totals.
    * Define the report filtering i.e. do you want to see ALL records.
    * Determine if there are any calculations required i.e. user-defined formulae.
    * Determine if the data needs to be presented visually i.e. charts.
    * Determine what format the report will be delivered or distributed in i.e. exported, printed or published.

A report specification document should include the information in points 1-10 above. But to be fully complete, it is worth considering additional criteria.

    * Will there be any prompts for the report consumer to complete before the report is run.
    * Will the report require drill down functionality.
    * Can all the data be derived from the same data source.
    * How will I document the report fully.
    * How will I achieve sign off from the report requester.

Hopefully, this brief overview will give you a good starting point for your reporting project.

This blog was written by Steve Chapman, Senior BI Consultant DSCallards.

Visualise Every Aspect of Your Business

2010-10-11T02:00:00.000-07:00

The numbers don’t lie, but they sometimes struggle to tell a story clearly. Scheduled and ad hoc reports exist to provide insights into your business – from financial management to customer care. Yet, reporting practices don’t always reflect these priorities. With SAP® BusinessObjects™ Edge solutions, you can streamline your reporting and gain a new perspective, thanks to features that help you see the implications of the data.

As important as reporting is in almost any business setting, many companies tend to neglect it. A bias toward action sometimes leaves little room for contemplation. When reports are prepared, especially across many data sources or business units, the hours invested can accumulate quickly, particularly when a manual component requires some massaging of the data.

The simple act of getting answers about company performance or operations can not only cost you, but also divert employees from other responsibilities, creating backlogs that spread throughout the company, impeding productivity, and deferring initiatives with ROI potential.

And despite all this work, it’s still tough to figure out what the data means! You can spend even more time interpreting the results before finally understanding their meaning and defining the next steps.

Fortunately, there’s a single answer to both challenges: SAP BusinessObjects Edge solutions.

Automate your reporting processes to cut the time needed to gather data into a form that can yield actionable business intelligence. Then use the data in this legible form to derive meaning and define the next steps faster. In addition to reducing the cost of your own information effectively, the speed at which you can take action can accelerate the ROI associated with the resulting courses of action.

Take control of your data with SAP BusinessObjects Edge solutions and put your data to work for your business. Having the right tools at your disposal can supercharge decisions and results.

Visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/sap-businessobjects-edge/

Five Ways to Turn Business Intelligence into a Competitive Advantage

2010-10-11T01:56:00.000-07:00

Many companies regularly analyze their performance, but few have found ways to truly turn this exercise into a competitive advantage. Long and difficult reporting processes, short lead times, and the resource constraints often mean that the issues of the day get more priority. With SAP BusinessObjects Edge, you can streamline the reporting process and put business intelligence capabilities in the hands of your end users. This clears the way for more analysis and deeper detail, with insights you can use to get ahead in a competitive marketplace.

Here are five ways you can use SAP BusinessObjects Edge to turn business intelligence into a competitive advantage:

1. Easy access and use: Business intelligence systems that are difficult to use and require large amounts of IT support are unlikely to be adopted, and they will put pressure on internal resources. This translates to a higher internal hurdle and, ultimately, lower ROI. Instead, select a solution that is designed with the end-user – in the business areas – in mind.

2. Build an operation: Don’t treat every report request as ad hoc. You’ll see patterns in the needs of decision makers: use this to develop reports that can be automated and disseminated regularly. You and the recipients won’t have to think about the reports. Instead, you can think about the information they contain.

3. Adjust your culture: Set the expectation for report input into strategic planning, execution, and monitoring. If people know that business intelligence reports will be coming from SAP BusinessObjects Edge – particularly through the automation of regular updates (see #2, above), they will be more likely to integrate them into planning cycles. Develop and automate post-execution reports for monitoring the performance of your corporate strategy, and company leadership will use them.

4. Always cite the data: Make it a habit to always check the data! When a question arises or debate over an opportunity occurs, provide a relevant report. Show what a strong business intelligence solution can do. After a while, business intelligence use will become ingrained in your company’s operations.

5. Measure, monitor, and refine: Strategy doesn’t stop with execution. Use SAP BusinessObjects Edge to show the results of major investments and decisions that your company has made. These progress reports will provide a foundation for turning strategic planning into an ongoing discipline, which will put you ahead of your competitors.

For more information on SAP BusinessObjects Edge visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/sap-businessobjects-edge/

Four Ways to Take Your Future Into Your Own Hands

2010-10-11T01:26:00.001-07:00

How much faith do you have in your forecasts? Laden with assumptions and often supported with little data, projections tend to be shrouded in uncertainty, necessarily, and thus inspire little confidence. It isn’t unusual to hear forecasts likened to guesses, even by the teams that prepared them. To inspire more support for your projections, you need to consider four simple factors: data quality, business intelligence software, modeling capabilities, and a bias toward action.

1. Data quality: Starting with unreliable data virtually assures that your conclusions – and resulting actions – will be ineffective. Forecasting practices can be improved substantially by gaining full access to all the data in your organization and pulling it together in a way that facilitates comparison and granular analysis.

2. Business intelligence software: Being able to reach across all the systems in your company for the data you need is simplified with a robust business intelligence solution, such as SAP® Crystal Reports®. This platform provides rich features without being cost-prohibitive to smaller and medium-sized businesses. Use this solution to make more sense of your data by turning it into analysis that can be put to work.

3. Modeling capabilities: What does the future hold? Even basic scenario modeling capabilities can help you understand the implications of the decisions that you make based on the analysis of your data. Before committing to a course of action, do some “what if” planning to test your assumptions.

4. A bias toward action: Forecasting and planning are meaningless if you don’t plan to take action. Use your analysis and scenario modeling to develop – and execute – a plan for the future. Turn your business intelligence efforts into results, and drive ROI for your organization.

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk

Make Continuous Strategic Analysis a Reality

2010-10-11T01:24:00.000-07:00

Strategic planning is not a trivial undertaking. It involves a considerable amount of market research, competitive analysis, and internal assessment before delivering the insights you need to go to market powerfully and for results. Because of the effort involved, strategy becomes only an occasional consideration, with overhauls sometimes coming only after several years, with infrequent refresh initiatives in between. The notion of making strategic planning and analysis continuous seems more than daunting – in fact, many would think it’s impossible.

The reality, however, is far different. If you can find a way to revisit your strategy regularly, with fresh, reliable data, your company will be able to adapt to market changes quickly, identifying and preparing for new trends while your competitors have yet to notice. The advantage is salient and powerful … all you need is a way to make it happen.

Business intelligence software fills the crucial gap in capabilities that most companies have when it comes to ongoing strategic planning and analysis. By streamlining the reporting process, a solution like SAP® Crystal Reports® slashes the time necessary to gather, integrate, and present your organization’s data to key decision-makers, lowering the total cost of strategy and execution. Ultimately, of course, this results in a lower overall cost of going to market while simultaneously generating ROI.

Ongoing strategic planning with SAP Crystal Reports, essentially, delivers a magnified ROI case by enabling the potential of continues strategic analysis but at a substantially lower cost. In the short term, this means that you get more for your money, in terms of the business intelligence software investment. Over a loner time horizon, however, it can transform your organization, as continuous strategy formulation and analysis opens new markets, unveils business opportunities you may have missed, and provides a platform for accelerated market share capture.

You need to be able to change with the market, from what happens on a daily basis to your company’s overall perspective. Infrequent strategic planning doesn’t provide the necessary flexibility. Use SAP Crystal Reports to turn faster access to comprehensible data into a foundation for maturing your approach to company strategy, and the upside is virtually unlimited.

For more information visit: http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/

Hone Your Strategic Edge

2010-10-07T01:02:00.000-07:00

Strategy drives business. Unless you have set a course for the future, the market will do so for you, leaving you at the whim of competitors and consumers. Instead of leaving everything to chance, take control of your business, and you will drive better financial results, secure market share, and create a better work environment for your employees. The key to improving the effectiveness of your strategy is data – particularly how you use it.

Business intelligence capabilities are fundamental to effective strategic planning. Absent robust reporting capabilities, securing the data you need for the strategic planning process means accessing several systems (sometimes many), and having your team fit the data together in a way that makes it usable for company executives and decision-makers.

The problem that arises is the cost of strategy: you have to invest heavily in understanding your data in order to integrate it into the strategic planning process. When faced with this hurdle – and the elevated ROI case it entails – smaller and medium-sized businesses can either sacrifice some strategic edge or set more aggressive objectives in order to attain desired ROI levels.

What does this really mean? You can either take action to hone your strategic edge, or you could choose to forgo it completely.

With SAP BusinessObjects Edge, you don’t have to settle for the latter. This reporting solution can effectively integrate all the data in your company and make it available through a single utility. As a result, you can streamline the reporting process, reducing the internal costs associated with intensive analytical exercises and delivering the information you need to enhance your strategic planning efforts.

Data-fueled strategy can become a key differentiator in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Using business intelligence capabilities, you can amp up your strategy and facilitate diligent execution … which is crucial to realizing ROI. SAP BusinessObjects Edge equips you to hone your strategic edge – and cut through a challenging competitive landscape.

For more information on SAP BusinessObjects Edge visit http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/sap-businessobjects-edge/

5 Ways to Use Your Data for Profitable Growth

2010-10-07T00:57:00.000-07:00

How well do you know your company? Even if you’re in touch with colleagues across the business regularly, collaborate effectively, and monitor internal and external developments, there’s plenty you can miss.

Ultimately, any perspective should be informed by the data created by your company through the normal course of operations. Mix these insights with what you learn by interacting with employees and customers, and you’ll have a reliable platform for strategic decision-making.

Use SAP Crystal Reports Server to power a business intelligence effort that drives tangible results for your company. Affordable, flexible and comprehensive, you can use this dashboard management solution to automate reporting, tailor output to specific audiences, and reduce the time and effort it takes to turn your company’s data into decisions that fuel profitable growth.

Here are five ways you can use SAP Crystal Reports Server to get ahead in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

1. Monitor performance: use the summary dashboards available through SAP Crystal Reports Server for the fast, high-level views of your business that keep you in sync with the rhythm of your operation—and which can provide signals when deeper investigation is necessary

2. View relevant data: personalize reports for key stakeholders across your company to ensure that they won’t have to sift through unrelated data to identify the key points they need to manage their departments, markets, or partners.

3. Communicate results: export SAP Crystal Reports Server data to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to facilitate the communication and presentation of findings to other people in your company. Streamline the process by which intelligence becomes action.

4. Integrate with other applications: using Java or .Net, you can connect SAP Crystal Reports Server with other applications, making your reports available more widely and in other tools that your employees use to run your company.

5. Manage costs: expensive reporting solutions set a higher hurdle for realizing ROI. Priced at attainable levels for small and mid-sized businesses, SAP Crystal Reports Server accelerates the benefits of company-wide reporting and reduces the risk associated with your investment.

For more information on SAP Crystal Reports Server visit http://www.crystalreports.co.uk/crystal-reports-server/