Using a Report Writer report as a data source for Crystal reports

You can use the data and metadata from a Report Writer report to create a Crystal report. By using the Report Writer report as a data source in Crystal, you can take advantage of the business logic in Report Writer. You do not need to understand table relationships to define the report in Crystal.

Before you begin, use a copy of an existing report or create a new report to use as the data source. The report must be a single-format report. If the report you are working from is a multi-format report, then you need to convert it.

  1. (Optional) If you are basing the Crystal report on an existing report, then access Report Copy (RW00.6) to create the copy.
  2. (Optional) If you are working with a multi-format report, then convert it into a single-format report.

    To convert a multi-format report, copy the primary format from the original report to a new format using Format (RW20) and add the information from the other formats for the report into the primary format.

  3. Copy the row file from the original report to a new row file using Row (RW10) forms. Modify the copy.
    1. Remove any lines from the row file not used by Crystal, including underlines and total lines. Recreate totals as summaries in Crystal and underlines using the formatting tools.
    2. Assign total levels to the heading lines. Groups in Crystal are based on total levels that you assign in the Report Writer report. Total levels become summary levels in Crystal.

      You can assign total levels to the heading lines of a row file in Report Writer to indicate the hierarchy of data. Use the same logic that you use to assign total levels to total lines. For example, assign a Total Level of 9 to the Heading lines used to establish the grand totals for the report. Total Levels indicate summary levels that will be assigned to the detail lines in Crystal. Level 9 is the highest total level in Report Writer and is used for grand totals. This will be transferred to a summary level of 1 in Crystal.

    3. (Optional) Transfer credit accounts as negatives and Debits as positives. If you flagged any accounts, such as revenue accounts, for sign reversal, then set the option back to No on Additional Information (RW10.7) on the Options tab.
    Note: The Crystal report is only as current as the last time you run Report Generation (RW100). You will need to run RW100 whenever you want current data for the Crystal report.
  4. Access Report Generation (RW100) and run the report. If you want to drill around from Crystal to Lawson, then run the report with the Options field set to Report/Drill Around. To create the metadata and data for the Crystal Report, select Yes in the Xtra XML field.
  5. Create the Crystal report using the OLE DB connector with Crystal Reports.

    Access Crystal Reports and create a blank report. Select the Reports tab from within the Query Builder for OLE DB Object Services. Select the job name and print the file that corresponds with the Report Writer report that you are using as the data source.

    All of the field from the report will be available in the Crystal report, including information from the report headings. The names of the report fields are similar to the data dictionary items selected in the format of the report. Remember that a total level of 9 in Report Writer translates to a summary level of 1 in Crystal.

  6. Design the report using Crystal Reports. For more information, see the user documentation or online help for Crystal Reports.