Customer Reviews

Crystal Reports 2008 For Dummies

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This book is exactly what you would expect in a "...for Dummies" book. It covers the basics of the topic in an accessible and intelligible way, covering all the basics and getting you on your way to designing simple but usable reports. It doesn't offer much intermediate information, and literally nothing advanced, but then again you aren't buying a "...for Dummies" book for that type of stuff. The coverage is adequate, though the section on integrating Crystal Reports with other applications is so simple it's not really useful. However, the flow is very easy to follow, the process is completely documented, and the text is written in an enjoyable and semi-funny style.

One thing I will say is that there is not much different between this edition and the "Crystal Reports XI for Dummies" edition of a few years back. This edition has been updated, but the changes in the fundamentals of the program are so minor that for this basic coverage they're nearly non-existent.

As with all books in this series, well at least were they relate to computers, it gives you a good introduction. It won't make you an expert overnight, but it will give you a lot more than the basics. It can also be used as a reference when you come into a new requirement. If you have never used a report writer before, it will not make you an expert overnight, but it will at least get you started.

I bought this book before attending a Crystal Report class for our new Front end system. This walks you through with ease. Easy to understand even if your not as experienced as I was. Lives up to the "For Dummies" name.