I just started reading CR encyclopdia XI and have just a fundamental question.

My goal is to offer existing clients of a sales solution additional, more advanced reports.  Currently they buy the point of sales solution but get very basic reports with the product.

I would like to offer additional reporting features, graphs, interactive dashboards, etc. to these clients.

Questions:

 

1. I plan on developing these reports with Crystal Reports and will have access to their Betrieve DB fields with sample data to create these.  Does each client have to buy a Crystal Reports 2008 license along with the reports I offer them?  Do they also need to each buy an Xcelsius Lic.? 

2. Is there a way for me to create say 20 reports in CR '08 and Xcelsius and then bundle it somehow so it is more like an application they install?
If this is possible does this bundled application allow the user to add additional fields to the predone reports? Is this something I can do within CR '08 or do I also need to learn .net or some other programming language to create this?

3. Any other ideas on how to best create an offering for small to medium size businesses with an existing POS application, using Crystal reports and Xcelsius?  I assume just selling the pre-done reports in Crystal Reports has some value since they have been created, tested, etc., and gives them reports to go with their existing POS data.  It would also allow them to use CR and edit / update them.  However if I came out with a new release I assume it would overwrite any edits they had made to my original reports.  Offering an application that uses there data I think has advantages because I can control more, offer updates and not worry about overwriting edits the client has made.   However I am not sure if making an application is possible with CR 2008 and Xcelsius.  Ideas on steps I should take?  What books to read / learn from in what order to accomplish this?

Thanks,

Steve