Thomas,
 
I've created TMS reports for GS clients using Reporting Services (SSRS).  Briefly, my experience is that for many types of reports SSRS is more flexible and powerful than Crystal, and allows you to solve many problems that Crystal cannot solve easily or at all.  Also, SSRS shines in both web-enabled report delivery and email-based report delivery. 
 
That being said, here are a few issues to consider before embracing SSRS:
 
1.  The learning curve for SSRS can be much steeper than for Crystal;
2.  Because of the way SSRS is set up, report design usually takes longer than in Crystal;
3.  In order to enable web-based reporting you will need to do some configuration and management of a web server (IIS).
4.  Whether in SSRS or Crystal, you will still need to understand the TMS data structure in order to design complex reports.
 
Danielle Uchitelle
Senior Manager, Client Services
Gallery Systems
261 W. 35th Street
New York, NY 10001-1902
Tel: 646 733 2239 x264
 
-----Original Message-----
From: The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Thomas R. Raich
Sent: Monday, October 15, 2007 9:23 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: To learn or not to learn Crystal Reports

 

I would like to ask a somewhat different question:

 

Is there anyone using the data within TMS to write reports with something other than Crystal Reports?

 

I am seeing a great deal of time being spent on some rather mundane details around reports (misaligned columns, formatting details, etc.)  I have to wonder if crystal reports is the appropriate tool (and from within the TMS program.)  On my short list is to explore something like Microsoft Reporting Services for use with the TMS data, and offer the reports through a web interface and is therefore available outside of TMS.

 

The above is a brief outline of my desire to explore reporting in other methods so there is greater flexibility and efficiencies.  This leads me to ask – is anyone doing this differently and if so how?  Comments?

 

best,

Thomas

 

Thomas R. Raich
Information Technology Group
Yale University Art Gallery
  o: 203.432.6589
  f: 203.432.9260

[log in to unmask]
http://artgallery.yale.edu

 

 

 

From: The Museum System (TMS) Users [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Maja Clark
Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 2:53 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: To learn or not to learn Crystal Reports

 

After silently following this Listserv the past several months, I’m finally braving to poll the group to help me figure out whether it would be more practical for me to learn Crystal Reports or to outsource. I am particularly interested in replies from folks who work at smaller institutions (vs. institutions large enough to have staff members whose job descriptions may be primarily focused on TMS). I have been advised in the past that the Crystal Reports program is too complex to bother learning given my other job responsibilities.

 

Did you learn Crystal Reports? Was it difficult to master in the limited proportion of time that you can actually allocate among your other job duties to hone your report building skills?  I am particularly interested in hearing from folks who do not have a computer science background, since I have no doubt that Crystal Reports is a piece of cake for techies. I want to know if Crystal Reports can be mastered by mere mortals!

 

Maja Clark

Collections Technician, Shangri La

Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art

4055 Papu Circle

Honolulu, HI 96816

(808) 792-5506

www.shangrilahawaii.org