Archive for the ‘Report Launch’ category

Typical Report Launch Requirement Q and A

February 23rd, 2011

Question: Is it possible to limit the report list view of a user in Report Launch? For example, if I decide to integrate Report Launch with an application for project A, we’d like to give the user access to projects reports only (and make the other reports the user has access to invisible).

Yes: You can set the Report Launch list to show a root folder so that the list only shows reports below that folder even if they have access to other folders.

We also have a category security model that allows your application administrators to control security on their folder of reports without giving access to the CMC

OpenDoc vs. CallReport

May 5th, 2010

We get a lot of question on how Open Document compares to Report Launch. In a conversation with our sales team I tried to summarize the vast differences. Opendoc is a single URL that can only call a single report at a time ….and for Webi can only return to the viewer or PDF

Report Launch’s “call report” is an application that will provide a consistent ways of calling both Crystal and Web Intelligence reports using single sign on.

  • On- demand refresh
  • On demand scheduling
  • Report List
  • Last Scheduled Instance
  • Last Bursted Instance
  • List of Historical Scheduled Instances
  • List of Historical Bursted Instances
  • It can also support the following formats

  • PDF
  • XLS
  • PPT
  • CSV
  • TXT
  • HTML
  • XML
  • These are the basics. There are also more complex features for complex solutions.

  • Cached Results
  • Report Parts by Name
  • On the fly Dimensional Slicing
  • – Challenge us with something you need and I can tell you if CallReport already handles that.

    Kevin McManus

    SalesForce integration to BusinessObjects

    March 26th, 2010

    An article on cloud to premise integration reminded me of one of my favorite features. See ZDnet article here

    Its good to see SFDC and SAP playing nice. Last year we released a connection that links SalesForce to SAP BusinessObjects. This reportlaunch is
    useful for those SAP BO customers that need enterprise reporting embedded into SalesForce. Hopefully this will be a good trend of cloud to premise connections

    Kevin McManus
    www.mcmanussoft.com

    What I Do

    March 22nd, 2010

    What we do: Some asked recently for what was going on related to our tools. Here is a summary
    At a 50K foot level we have 5 tools

    1) Report Launch allows you to embed Crystal and Webi reports from any application without needing the SDK.

    2) Dashboard Launch (You will have to see this). Caches webi content and many other things for really fast dashboards. SAP certified too

    3) Admin Launch – bleeding edge web based BOE administration tool that you can train to do what you need it to do for you (beta just started).

    4) Audit Launch : Export extends BOE auditing for advanced analysis by syncing CMC attributes into an extended audit database. Audit Launch Import syncs security from 3rd party apps into BOE

    5) Activity Launch – allows you to create business activity monitoring events into report schedules and trach when a batch of schedules completes so you can continue the notification or event process

    All of our software is 100& web based on Java SDK so it runs on Windows, Unix, and Linux

    Collaboration

    April 27th, 2009

    Two forms of collaboration reviewed

    a) Freeform collaboration
    box.net
    docs.google.com

    b) task tracking software,
    includes – team collaboration, online calendar, document sharing, and file management

    Pretty Simple: great gantt charts
    http://www.5pmweb.com/videos/5pm_Quick_Introduction.htm

    Very detailed Project Management
    http://www.proworkflow.com/PWF_PLUG_time_tracker.cfm

    several link with Basecamp and add specialty features

    Interesting mind map of tools http://www.mindmeister.com/maps/show_public/12213323

    Out plan is to continue a best of breed approach

    TimeLaunch
    Integrates to Outlook for migrating tasks to your calendar and your calendar to your timesheet
    Integrates to Googledocs for client project collaboration
    Integrate with Virtual Timecard timesheet system for automated submission, approval process (Timecard integrates with our Quickbooks invoicing already)
    Integrates with ReportLaunch for reporting and automated billing in some cases.

    Kevin McManus
    www.mcmanussoft.com

    Crystal report version control

    April 4th, 2009

    BOE handles report migration in a slightly different way than a JSP file for example. Reports are primarily identified by a GUID and not solely on the name. Also the directory in which an object is referenced plays a large role so report objects should be kept in a maximum of two structures. One for unit testing and one for synchronization per the steps below.

    In summary
    1) Reports should be kept on a network share or subversion with version numbers in the file name and in the report properties.
    2) Once reports are modified they should be published (File menu –> save as –> enterprise) to a TEST folder on level down from the main folder in the BOE Repository on the TEST BOE Server.
    3) This version will have a new version number in the report properties and in the description.
    4) The TEST Report Launch application that points to the TEST BOE Server and will see that folder within the application. The reports can then be tested. If they work sufficiently the Report should be published to the main folder from designer (File menu –> save as –> enterprise) without the version number in the title but still with the version number in the report properties. This replaces the existing report on the UAT server but PRESERVES the unique id that keeps the reports in sync with Prod BOE. UAT or system testing by a fellow team member can occur with the report in this main folder location.
    5) This report in the designer can then also be checked into the network share or subversion.
    6) Then the import wizard will migrate between the main folders in TEST with PROD. The DEV folder where the versioned reports are kept is not migrated to production.

    Other points
    a) As discussed the best practice no one should ever publish a report directly to PROD, nor have the rights to do so. It is protected and serviced only through proper administration. This supports the checks and balances that ensures that testing is properly completed and that roll-backs are easier.
    b) Reports are not moved. Reports are published per the steps above so that if there is an issue identified during testing the prior version is already available online and clearly versioned so that it can be reverted on the TEST server without any affect on production. In the event that this reverted report needs to be imported to production the steps above will ensure that the proper version is in sync between environments.
    c) This means that reports are not developed or published directly to the BOE PROD server keeping it pristine.

    Kevin McManus
    www.mcmanussoft.com

    its time to be smart and start looking at how things are done.

    March 26th, 2009

    Suppose a company that is using hundreds of enterprise application looked at the reporting in each of those application. I propose that 95% of the functionality is exactly the same. What would the cost savings be if they shared a single set of functionality and when one application required new functionality they all received it. This fits into models of SOA, WOA and web services. It IS so simple with Report Launch. The question is how do I get to the people who want to say “I helped save the company 500K by consolidating our reporting onto a single platform” and did it for 10K

    Stop before you develop with the Business Objects Enterprise SDK

    March 22nd, 2009

    I am verry passionate about not developing new code for something when it already exists in an application or widget form that can be absorbed without additional coding. With that premise I will be sharing some of the options that can be added to the Business Objects Enterprise system using the Report Launch framework. The marketing folks say that all the features are too much to put on the web site in detail so as I document these features please feel fre to coment and ask questions. My hope is that with so many features that someone will come accross this blog and find the one they need.

    http://www.mcmanussoft.com/ReportLaunch.htm