BOXI R2 Crystal Reports FAQs

1) Define Crystal Reports:

It is an enterprise reporting tool. Using which you can generate reports using
following sources (data providers).
1. Universe
2. Business Views
3. Databases
4. OLAP sources
2) Types of crystal report environment:
There are 2 reporting environments
1. Designer environment:- In a designer environment we work with the
representation of data (meta data)
2. Preview Environment:- In this environment we work on actual data.
3) Define Crystal server enterprise Architecture?
Crystal report server is a new addition to the crystal reports product suit the crystal
report server looks live BO Enterprise server it provides a rich sets of enterprise level report
functions which includes.
a. Accessing any Data Source
b. Designing any Reports
c. Delivering any managing reports over the web
d. Integrating report with applications and ports
e. Marinating the crystal reports with minimal IT overhead.
4) What are the core components are included in the Crystal Report Server?
Crystal Reports Server is built from the same object model as Business Objects
Enterprise. The following core components are included in the product:
Report Designer (all drivers and access methods)
Business Views
Report publisher
Info View web portal interface
Portal integration kits
Viewers
Scheduler
Security (BOE, Active Directory, LDAP, and NT authentication)
Software development kits (SDKs)
Management console.
5) What are the Enterprise level reporting functions included in Crystal Reports
Server provided?
Crystal Reports Server provides a rich set of Enterprise-level reporting functions
including
Accessing any data source
Designing any report
Delivering and managing reports over the Web
Integrating reporting with applications and portals
Maintaining repots with minimal IT overhead.
6) Define multi tire system of crystal Report Enterprise?
Crystal Reports Server is a multi-tier system. Although the components are
responsible for different task, they can be logically grouped based on the type of work they
perform.
Crystal Reports Server has five tiers: a. Client Tire
b. Applications Tire
c. Intelligence Tire

d. Processing Tire
e. Data Tire
7) Define Client Tire:A client tire is the part of BO Enterprise system that administrators and End users
interacts with directly.
This tire is made up of applications that enable people to administer, publish and view
the web content such as crystal reports.
This tire includes Central Configuration Management (CCM). Central Management
Control (CMC), Publishing wizard, Import wizard, Info view, Business views.
8) Define Application Tire:
Application tire hosts the server side components that process the request from client
tire as well as you to allows you to communicate with appropriate servers in a intelligent tire.
Application server acts as a gateway between web server and other rest of
components in a crystal report server.
9) Define Intelligence Tire:
Intelligence tire manages the crystal report server system. It maintains the security
information, sends the request to appropriate servers, manages audit information and stores
the report instances.
It includes CMS (central management server)
Cache server
File repository server
1. input file server
2. output file server
Event server
10) Define Processing Tire:
The processing tire access the data and generates the crystal reports it is the only tire
that interacts with the database.
Processing tire includes
Job servers
Crystal report page servers
Report Application server
11) Define Data Tire:
The data tire is made up of data bases from which data can be retrieved and placed
in crystal reports.
12) What are the features of crystal reports?
Crystal report features:a. High productivity report creation and integration.
b. Quickly transform almost any data into powerful interactive
content
c. Tightly integrate reporting into .Net, Java and com applications
d. Let end users access and interact with the repots via portal,
wireless devises, Microsoft office tools.
13) What are the new features of crystal reports XI?
The follow are the new features added in crystal reports XI:1. Powerful report authoring:o Dynamic and cascading prompts are now available in crystal reports.
A single prompt definition can be used and stored in repository and shared
among multiple reports improving runtime scalability and design time productivity.
o We can also place pictures and graphics in the reports through a link stored
in database.

Group sort order and top or bottom N reports can now have their sort values
driven by formula.

2. Expanding application development capabilities:o Custom Java user function libraries let java developers to incorporate their
own code in crystal reports.
o A report can be formatted with a grain control over the report format.
3. Integration with Business Objects XI:o Repository explorer has been enhanced to allow for easer logon and easer
browsing of enterprise objects and repository Items.
o Repository explorer can open BO Enterprise central management console
o Dependence check up now allows you to confirm that all repository objects in
report are valid.
14) Define Report Explorer:
A Report explorer allows you to create report headers, report footer, page headers,
page footer and details.
15) What are the sections in crystal report?
A report in the crystal is divided into the five basic sections.
1. Report header :- Any thing placed in the report header is displayed only
at the beginning of report. Like images.
2. Report footer :- Any thing placed in the report footer is displayed at the
end of the report. Like grand totals.
3. Page header :- Any thing placed in the page header is displayed on the
start of each page in the report.
4. Page footer :- Any thing placed in the page footer is displayed at the end
of each page of the report page.
5. Details :-It contains the body of the report that is actual data.
16) What are the data sources supported by crystal report?
a. Oracle
b. IBM-DB2
c. Microsoft Ms-Access
d. Sybase
e. Info mix
f. CUBE
g. ODBC
15) What are the operating systems support crystal report?
Windows NT, Sun Solaris, HP Unix and IBM AIX.
17) What are the web servers support crystal report?
1. MS Internet Information Services (IIS)
2. Netscape Servers
3. Apache Web Server
18) What the Browsers supports crystal reports?
a. Netscape Navigator
b. MS IE (Internet explorer)
19) What are the types of Filters?
In the crystal reports the data can be filtered in two different ways
1. Select Expert : It allows you to define the simple conditions.
2. Selection Formula : The data can be filtered by defining the expressions in
formula editor.
20) What is selection formula?
The data can be filtered by defining the expression in formula editor.

21) What is conditional Formatting?

The data in the report can be formatted based on given condition this allows you to
quickly identify the data for faster analyses.
22) What is alert message?
An alert is a message which is displayed before viewing the data records.
23) What is sub reports?
A sub report allows you to navigate the information summery to detail.
24) Define Master detail relationship?
A sub report includes the detailed information, master report includes summery
information.
The link between master report and sub report is established through common
column.
25) What is the extension for crystal report?
A crystal report saves with an extension .rpt (report template).
26) How the formula fields are referenced?
Formula fields are referenced using @field name.
27) How the running totals are referenced?
Running totals are referenced using #field name
28) Define Cross Tab:
In crystal reports a cross tab can be created in a two different ways.
a. Using cross tab wizard
Manual approach : A cross tab can be placed only either in report header or report footer.
29) Define Charts?
A chart is graphical representation of business data. In crystal reports a chart can be
created in a different ways
1. Using wizards
a. Standard Report wizard
b. Cross tab report wizard
2. Manual approach : A chart can be placed either in report header
or report footer.
30) What is cascading prompts?
In a crystal report an cascading prompt can be implemented using dynamic list of
value.
Between the objects their should be a one to many relationship.
The filter needs to be created for the lowest level grain in the hierarchy.
31) What is a hyperlink?
A hyperlink allows you to access a report or another URL.
32) What all the new chart types are included in new version of crystal reports?
In addition to familiar chart types including bar charts, pie charts, scatter charts, line
charts and bubble charts new chart types in recent versions include the following:

Histogram charts
Funnel charts
Gantt charts
Gauges
Numeric Axis charts

33) What is Numeric Axis chart type?

A Numeric Axis chart is a bar, line, or area chart that uses a numeric field or a
data/time as its On Change of field, With Numeric Axis charts you can create a true numeric
X-axis or a true date/time X-axis.
34) Define Gauge chart?
A Gauge chart presents data using a speedometer visual and is often used to
measure percentage completed against target type metrics.
35) Define Gantt chart?
A Gantt chart is a project focused horizontal bar chart used to provide a graphical
illustration of a project schedule. The horizontal axis shows a time span, whereas the vertical
axis lists project tasks or events. Horizontal bars on the chart represent event sequences and
time spans for each task on the vertical axis.
36) Define Funnel chart?
Funnel charts are most often used to represent stages in a sales cycle and visually
depict proportionality of the different phases in that sales process. A funnel chart is similar to
a stacked bar chart in that it represents 100 percent of the summary values for the groups
included in the chart.
37) What is Histogram Chart?
Histograms show the frequency of occurrence of data elements in a data set. The X
axis is divided into intervals the denote ranges of data values. Each histogram bas show the
number of data elements whose values falls into interval.
38) What are the limitations over BO Enterprise in Crystal reports?
Concurrent Access License (CAL) limitation Crystal Reports server is limited to a
maximum of 20 concurrent users. An error message will be displayed when the administrator
attempts to enter key codes that exceed 20 CAL licenses.
Scalability limitations Crystal reports server can run on only a single server and
there is a license limiting the installation to a maximum four-processor server.
Platform limitation Crystal Reports server only runs on Windows, whereas BO
Enterprise runs on other operating systems, such as AIX and Solaris.
Content limitation Crystal Reports Server runs only Crystal reports; it does not
run Web Intelligence reports.
39) What are the five main toolbars that we can use within the Crystal Report design
environment?
1. Standard
2. Formatting
3. Insert Tools
4. Expert Tools
5. Navigation Tools
40) What are the date related comparators?
Is between The selected items fall between these two dates.
Is not between The selected items do not fall between these two dates.
Is in the period The selected items fall in the periods selected from the drop-down
list.
Is not in the period The selected items do not fall in the periods selected from the
drop-down list.
41) What are the most highly useful formatting features that are used in cross-tab?
Customizable style (colors, gridlines, and so on)
Vertical and horizontal placement of summaries
Formatted grid lines
Toggle for summary totals (rows / columns)
Cell margins
Indented row labels

 Location of totals (beginning or end for both rows / columns)

Repeatable row labels.
42) What are the reporting problems which are difficult to solve without the use of sub
reports?
A few particular reporting problems are difficult to solve without the use of Sub repots.
Some of the most common problems and a specific example of each are listed here:
> The presentation of data from two (or more) completely unrelated data sources on a
single report.
> A report that needs to combine data from different tables with only derived (and not
direct) database field links.
> The presentation of the same data in two (or more) different ways in a single report.
> The inclusion of a summary field in the report that is unrelated to the established
grouping in the main report.
> The inclusion of a reusable component like a standard reporting header or footer in
numerous reports across an organization that can be dynamically updated for all reports in
single location.
43) What the use of bookmarks?
A new option, called Create bookmarks from group tree, uses the group tree
from the source Crystal report to create bookmarks in the exported PDF output,
making the PDF export easier to navigate.

44) In one sub report how many sub report we can insert?
No. in Sub Report we cant insert sub Report.
45) How many different types of reports we can create in Crystal reports?
You can create report types like
1.Form/Layout
2.Summary
3.Listing Reports
Moreover you can create your own report format and make it as template for your
other reports in Crystal.
46) How can we know the time taken for particular report execution?
Report>Performance Information
47) Can we stop the database null values? How?
Yes, we can by selecting suppress if null option.
48) Can we export data of reports into other format like in world doc etc?
We can export the data in Word doc. Adobe Acrobat, HTML, Excel, Rich Text format,
XML.
49) Can we create report using more than one database?
We can create the report but we must having the primary key for both the database,
otherwise it fails to create the smart linking between two database.
Generally using more than one link is not supported.
50) What is the section expert? Why we use it?
A section expert is used for the entire section, it could be the details section or the
header section. Once you change the settings in the section expert it can be seen through out
the section. if we want to make sure that a specific data has to be displayed in the entire
section , then you can write a formula for that in the section expert which will work good for all
the sections.
51) Define Merged dimensions:

Web Intelligence 6.5 and Web Intelligence XI allowed you to include multiple data
providers in a document but did not allow you to synchronize these data providers and place
objects from different data providers in the same block.
Web Intelligence XI R2 allows you to synchronize these data providers through the
creation of merged dimensions. Once you have merged common dimensions, you can
include dimensions from all the synchronized data providers in the same report block.
52) Define Formula language:
The Web Intelligence formula language is enhanced with the addition of numerous
functions and operators, providing calculation power similar to that provided by Desktop
Intelligence (formerly Business Objects).
53) Drilling on report data:
Web Intelligence XI R2 introduces the new query drill mode that is specifically
adapted for drilling on data providers containing server-side aggregates in databases such as
Oracle 9i OLAP. When in query drill mode, Web Intelligence modifies the query in response to
each drill action, thus recalculating aggregates and ensuring their accuracy.
54) OLAP universes
Web Intelligence XI R2 allows you to access SAP BW data sources through OLAP
universes. Web Intelligence leverages the data access model familiar from standard
universes to provide seamless access to SAP BW data. You work with an OLAP universe in
the same way as you work with a classic universe.
55) Hierarchical lists of values
Business Objects XI R2 allows universe designers to create objects with hierarchical
lists of values. Web Intelligence displays these lists of values in a tree view format.
Hierarchical lists of values make it easier to navigate to specific items in a list.
56) Cascading prompts
If you define a prompt on an object whose list of values is hierarchical, Web
Intelligence displays a cascading prompt. You enter prompt values at each level of the prompt
hierarchy. Like hierarchical lists of values, cascading prompts make it easier to identify the
data that interests you.
57) Web Intelligence Java Report Panel
The Java Report Panel contains numerous additions to both its query and reporting
functionality.
58) Define Query:
Combined queries allow you to build data providers on single universes that combine
multiple queries in UNION, INTERSECTION, and MINUS relationships. Combining queries
allow you to frame complex business questions that are more difficult to frame using a single,
standard query.
Web Intelligence XI R2 allows you to build data providers with two new types of query
filter: sub queries and database rankings. Sub queries provide an additional method of
answering complex business questions by allowing you to build data providers that include
nested queries in their query filters. Web Intelligence first calculates the nested query and
compares the object(s) in
the query filter against its result. If your underlying database supports ranking, Web
Intelligence allows you to rank data as part of your query. This means that the data is already
ranked when Web Intelligence retrieves it from the database and places it in your report. By
using database ranking, you can significantly reduce the amount of data stored in Web
Intelligence.
59) Define Reporting:
The reporting interface of the Java Report Panel is redesigned to provide easy and
consistent access to the properties of different report elements. When you select a report
element (for example a table or a cell) the Properties tab displays those properties relevant to

the element in a display format consistent across all report elements. The new interface also
features dockable toolbars.
The Java Report Panel allows you to define sophisticated rankings to answer
complex business questions. You can rank based on raw totals of records ranked or based on
percentages of the total number of records. You can also define which dimensions Web
Intelligence uses to calculate a ranking.
60) Drilling on charts
Drilling down, up, or by on a chart, provides you with a graphical explanation for why
summary results are particularly high or low.
The following section of this guide tells you how to drill on:
dimensions by drilling on chart axes
measures by drilling on the data bars or markers in the body of the chart
dimensions by drilling on the chart legend
You cannot Drill by dimensions on chart axes. you can Drill by dimensions on chart
legends.
You can drill on the measures displayed on the following types of chart:
* bar charts by drilling on the bars
* line and radar line charts by drilling on the data markers
* pie chart by drilling on the segments
When you drill on measures, Web Intelligence performs the drill action on each
dimension displayed on the chart axes. The new measure calculations displayed on the bars
or data markers on the drilled chart, correspond to the lower- or higher-level dimensions to
which you drilled. The chart axis labels display the names of the drilled dimensions.
61) Define Cache:
A small, temporary data storage area on your computer or a system server used to
store frequently-used or recently-accessed data.
62) Define Connection:
A set of parameters that provide access to an RDBMS. These parameters include
system information such as the data account, user identification and the path to the database.
The universe designer sets up the connection between a universe and the database
middleware.
63) What is Dimension object
Object that retrieves the data that will provide the basis for analysis in a document. A
dimension object refers to dimensions on universes and typically retrieve character-type data,
or dates.
64) Define free-hand SQL:
A type of data provider that you define by writing your own SQL scripts, or by using
existing SQL scripts.
65) Define linked cubes:
A cube based on another cube that is defined and stored on a different server. This
allows creating and maintaining a cube on one server while it is available as a linked cube on
several other servers. Linked cubes appear and work like normal cubes to users.
66) Define linked universes:
Universes that share common components such as classes, objects, joins or
contexts. In linked universes, one universe is said to be the kernel or master universe while
the others are the derived universes.
67) Define List of values (LOV)
In Business Objects and Web Intelligence documents, a list containing data values
associated with an object. You can display, perform functions with or sort a lost of values in
Business Objects.

68) What is local cube:

A cube created and stored on a local computer. Cube files have .cub extensions.
69) What is a Micro cube?
A structure in which the data retrieved by a data provider is stored in a document;
houses data that you can display in the report(s) inside the document. Most data providers
return a single microcube. However, queries containing incompatible objects return two or
more microcubes.
Such queries generate multiple SELECT statements.
70) What is nested dimension?
A dimension in a WebIntelligence OLAP report that is grouped with another
dimension on a row or column.
71) What is universe designer?
User of the BusinessObjects Designer product, responsible for creating and
maintaining universes. The universe designer distributes universes to users by exporting
them to the repository or by moving them as files through the file system.
72) Define virtual cube:
A logical cube made up of dimensions and measures of at least one physical cube.
Virtual cubes are similar to views in a relational database and combine data from other cubes
without requiring additional data storage.
73) Define virtual dimension:
A logical dimension based on properties of dimension members.