OK - we are debating the best way to handle development and deployment of crystal reports for Lawson. We are using LRS 1.3 and OLE DB connector 9 - we have test LRS and Lawson servers as well as those in production. The debate is two-fold:

1) whether end users developing reports is considered normal daily activity as opposed to development. If a user uses Lawson HR Report Writer, they do not first create the report in test, then roll it to production - its a report only issue. So one side of the arguement is that crystal reports should fall in the same category and the "testing" is what they do as they build the report.

2) if we were to go through a process of developing reports on the test server and then rolling them to production, the question becomes how we handle the database connector through Lawson's OLE DB - when you connect the data source you are connecting through the test Lawson app server - there does not appear to be a way to "migrate" the data source without recreating it against the production server and then use the crystal data source migration. Anyone else doing this at all?

Thoughts?

My experience is that end users utilize HR Writer (and MS Add-Ins) to satisfy adhoc/"quick and dirty" report needs due to the simplicity of the tool(s). HR Writer reports can be developed against production without too much concern on impacting application performance, and usually are not are used to find a "single version of the truth" that your Crystal reports are typically used for. As a result, they aren't usually subjected to the same rigorous testing standards.

To migrate Crystal reports utilizing Lawson OLE DB data source...

• From the Database menu, select Database Log On/Off to log off the Lawson server connection in Crystal Reports.
• From the Database menu, select Database Expert.
• Right-click on the connection underneath the Lawson server name and/or port number in the Selected Tables pane.
• Choose Edit Command .
• When the DME query appears, select OK .
• When you are asked to log in to the Lawson server, enter the new Lawson server name and/or port number. (The connection name for the new server will automatically be updated to your entry.)
• Click Finish and OK to apply your change.

Some of my Crystal reports have had to move from one spreadsheet to another. I've used the "Access/Excel (DAO)" connection. The database source is extremely sensitive to exactly where the spreadsheet is. If I want to use the exact same spreadsheet in a different directory, I have to create an entirely new connection and link to it.

The method that I've used to migrate from one spreadsheet to another in another directory is to open up the report I'm changing. Then I go to the top menu and click on "Database". From the drop-down menu, I choose "Set Datasource Location...". The Set Datasource Location window opens. First, in the upper box labeled "Current Data Source", I highlight the old spreadsheet. Then, in the lower box labeled "Replace with:" I go into Create New Connection and use "Access/Excel (DAO)" to drill down to the new spreadsheet. When I've correctly set everything up, the text in the "Update" button turns black. Then I can click on the "Update" button.

If the fields don't match, it blows up spectacularly and refuses to cooperate. If the data fields match, it docilely makes the change, but the Set Datasource Location window does not close, so I have to close it manually.

The "Set Datasource Location..." tool is the key here. You may have to use it also.

I hope that this helps.