Modifying the report

The process for modifying Crystal reports requires the following steps.

  1. The customer administrator copies the reports to be modified from the X3 reference folder to the production folder (for example, SEED).

  2. The customer administrator assigns users the right to modify the reports.

  3. Users install the Sage Crystal Report Connector on their workstation.

  4. A user modifies the report and then commits it to the production folder.

Copy the report to the production folder

If modifications to a Crystal report are needed, the report should first be copied to the production folder (for example, SEED). This ensures that the customizations are made only to the reports in the production folder.

It is not recommended to change the standard reports in the X3 reference folder because standard reports are overwritten by the factory version during an update and you would need to re-implement your custom changes.

To copy a report from the X3 folder to the production folder, use the following steps.

  1. Log into the X3 folder as the customer administrator or another user that has access to this folder.

  2. Select the X3 Storage Areas (AVOLUME) task.

  3. Click the File list drop-down on the REPORT volume and select File list.

  4. Select the File list from the language, for example ENG.

  5. From the File list, select the desired report and click the Data link.

  6. Save the report file to the client computer.

  7. Log into a child folder, for example the SEED folder. Select the X3 Storage Areas (AVOLUME) task.

  8. Click the File list drop-down on the REPORT volume, and select File list.

  9. Click the appropriate access path for each language and choose File list.

    The report should be uploaded for each language you wish to support.

  10. Click Create to upload the Crystal report into the child folder.

  11. Upload the report into the child X3 volume and click the Save button.

  12. The new report is added on the X3 child folder volume.

Security / Rights

The right to modify Crystal reports is set to No by default for all users except the customer administrator. In the User parameters function (GESAUS), change the value of DEVCRY - Report development parameter (SUP chapter, DEV group) for the selected Sage X3 user:

  • No - The user cannot modify the report.

  • Yes - The user can modify the report.

  • Administrator - The user can modify the report and revert a report that has been checked out by another user.

Download the Connector

Each user with the ability to modify Crystal reports needs to install the Crystal Report Connector add-in. Firefox is currently the only browser supported for modifying Crystal reports.

Navigate to Administration > Utilities > Installation > Crystal Report Connector and download and install the Crystal Report Connector tool on the client computer.

Select a report from the production folder

  1. Using Firefox, log into Sage X3.

  2. Set the language of your session to match the version of the report you are modifying.

    If your Sage X3 supports both French and English, you want to modify both the FRA and ENG versions of the report. The report selected in the steps below is dependent on your session’s current chosen language.

  1. Ensure the report you want to modify has been copied to the production folder. If the report has not been copied to the production folder, you could inadvertently modify the standard report in the X3 reference folder (if you have rights to the X3 folder). The task of copying the report to the production folder should be carried out by your customer administrator.

    For more information, refer to the Copy the report to the production folder section.

  2. Navigate to Development > Script Dictionary > Reports (GESARP) and select the report to be modified. For this example, TABCOUNTRY is the selected report.

  3. From the Actions icon menu, select Transfer and click Save. This action copies the report from the server to the client local machine. Note that the language version of the report is based on your current session’s language.

    If you are currently logged in as en-US but the ALLOC report exists in the Reports\ENG and Reports\FRA, the transfer step would copy the report from the Reports\ENG folder.

    If Transfer has been clicked but Save has not, the Action dialog shows Request cancellation which allows the user to cancel the Transfer request. If Save has already been clicked, Revert displays instead.

Launch the Crystal Report Connector

  1. Launch the Crystal Report Connector and click Choose and navigate to the Crystal Report Connector location.

    C:\Program Files (x86)\Sage\CrystalReportConnector\CRConnector.exe

  1. In the Launch Application window, select the Remember my choice for safev2reportdeveloper links check box so that the Sage Crystal Report Connector automatically opens SAP Crystal Reports Designer next time.

Modify and save the report

SAP Crystal Reports opens automatically and you can make the desired changes to the report.

When you save the report, a warning message might appear. Click Yes and close the SAP Crystal Reports window.

Commit changes in Sage X3

Return to your Sage X3 session, which should still be in Firefox to complete this process.

  1. Navigate to Development > Script dictionary > Report dictionary (GESARP).

  2. Confirm that the report you selected earlier appears in the Crystal reports grid, in this example TABCOUNTRY.

  3. From the Actions icon menu, select Commit and then click Save.

  • Infos: This displays the properties for the current lock on the report.

  • Commit: This copies the report from the local machine to the server and unlocks it. The copied report becomes the new reference.

  • Revert: This reverts to the version before your modifications and unlocks the report on the server.

  • CR Designer loading: This reopens the SAP Crystal Reports Designer for the report.

Confirm your changes

  1. Navigate to Reports > Reports (AIMP) and open the modified report, in this case TABCOUNTRY.

  1. Confirm the report is showing the new change.

Troubleshooting

In some cases, you can get the The Crystal Report connector failed to initialize properly. Please try again. error when opening the report via Crystal Report Connector. The issue is that SAP Crystal Reports installed on the client machine does not open Crystal reports by default.

Resolution: Copy any report .rpt file to the client machine, then open the .rpt file (Open with option) and select Crystal reports. Remember to select the Always use the selected program to open this kind of file option. Users should then be able to open the Crystal report using the Sage X3 connector.