Crystal reports should increase the flexibility of parameters. They should be allowed to be passed anywhere in a report, including added SQL commands in the Database Expert box.

As it is now, you have to create custom parameters for each command created in the Database Expert. You cannot use existing parameters in a command. Nor can you use the same parameter to pass a value to two or more commands. This greatly diminishes the functionality of Crystal Reports XI.

For example, in a report I just finished, I have two created SQL commands that need similar parameters (census period, fiscal term, and fiscal year). Each of which accesses a different database. Now I SHOULD be able to use the same three parameters for both commands, but CR11 does not allow that. I have to use six parameters rather than three, which is unnecessary and awkward for an end user since census period and term are exactly the same for both commands. Only fiscal year is different, because one command is always looking at the previous year’s data to compare with the current year.

If it is at all possible, please fix this glitch in Crystal Reports XI. It would make a very good reporting tool even better.

 

Also:

It would be great if CRXI was better at exporting to excel. I have to play with lines and borders in CR to get them to show up as solid lines in excel even if they look perfect in the CR preview. Most times I have to deliberately mis-align lines in CR to get them right in the export. How I wish the shop I work for used Adobe.