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Measure The Right Stuff Through Custom Crystal Reports PRESENTED BY JOE MEEHAN

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WHAT'S CRYSTAL REPORTS?

• A Report Writing program – Contains No Data• Mail Merge on Steroids• Does your organization have Crystal Reports?• Most reports in Raiser’s Edge use Crystal Reports

• Does using Word save you $? Raise $ for you?• Does using Excel save you $? Raise $ for you?• ROI with Crystal Reports: Is your time worth $?

WHAT IS YOUR ROI?

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WHEN TO USE CRYSTAL REPORTS?

• Keep exporting to Excel?

• Re-format the report each time?

• You’ve spent 30 minutes of formatting only to find a minor error in your data.

• Typo?

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WHY USE CRYSTAL REPORTS?

• 10,000 reports in Raiser’s Edge; but what you need isn’t listed.• Fields you don’t need or want… appear on reports.• Fields that you DO need or want… aren’t available.• Consistency in report format across your organization

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I’VE ALWAYS WANTED A CUSTOM REPORT THAT CAN…

• Insert graphics (logos, pictures, links)

Save your reports as CUSTOM REPORT Run CUSTOM REPORTS with 1-click

Export it as a ADOBE PDF document

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WHERE TO START? QUERY, OF COURSE

Use Blackbaud Report Writer Database (MDB) Format

Create Control Report to help map fields

Query

•the WHO of the data

Export

•The WHAT of the data

Crystal

•HOW you see the data

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EXPORT CONTROL REPORT IS YOUR ROADMAP

Field = Raiser’s Edge

Header = Crystal Report

Helpful to match fields when creating report layout

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ATTACHING THE EXPORT DATA FILE TO A CRYSTAL REPORT

If you are using Crystal 8.5

1.Select Blank Report.

2.Select "+" next to Database Files.

3.Double Click on Find Database File.

4.Browse out and select appropriate data file.

5.Using the Shift key highlight all of the tables in data file and then select the "Add" and then the "Close" button.

6.Select the "Tables..." button.

7.Move any tables from Invisible Tables box to Visible Tables box and select OK.

8.Select OK on the Visual Linking Expert dialog box.

If you are using Crystal 11

1.Select Blank Report

2.Select the "+" next to Create New Connection.

3.Select the "+" next to Database Files.

4.Browse out and select appropriate data file.

5.Highlight all of the tables and add them all to the "Selected Tables" column on right. 

6.Select the "Links" tab.

7.Double click on each link/line between the tables and change the Join Type from Inner Join to Left Outer Join.

8.After changing all of the links to Left Outer Join select the OK button on the Database Expert dialog box.

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• The Data Exports out as one complete file (data.mdb)

• But in crystal, you’ll see several different tables

• Your job is to make sure you have it “linked” correctly.

• Not much harder than Mail Merge in Word

STANDARD REPORT CREATION WIZARD (CRYSTAL XI)

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CHOOSING THE FIELDS TO DISPLAY

• Click on the “+” to expand the table to see the fields

• This is where the Export Control Sheet can be helpful

• You only need to bring over fields you want to display

• You can add more fields later

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SIMPLE PREVIEW OF CRYSTAL REPORTS

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BREAKDOWN OF EACH SECTION

• Report Header (appears once at top of report)

• Page Header (appears at top of each page)

• Details (THE DATA!!!)

• Report Footer (appears once at the end of the report)

• Page Footer (appears at bottom of each page)

• You can add multiple instances of each sectionAdd a second or third instance of the Details section

• You can Suppress sections to not display altogether

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INSERT SPECIAL FIELDS INTO THE REPORT

Page N of M

Print Date/Time

File Path and Name

Data Date and Time

Drag & Drop into headers & footers

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INSERT TEXT OBJECT & FORMATTING FIELDS

Add a Text Object to Label you Fields, Report Name & Column Headers

Format Text: Bold, Color, Underline, Italic, Currency, Font Size, Font, Insert Graphics

Similar Toolbar to Microsoft Office Products

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YOUR SECRET WEAPON – RIGHT CLICK ON A FIELD

Right Click on Any Field

Format Editor

• Suppress fields

• Suppress if Duplicated

• Add Borders

• Make a field a hyperlink

(URL, MailTo:)

• Write formulas for each

field

(ex. If Gift Amount > $100,

change to RED font)

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• Any field can be sized to a specific length• Remember that at times fields can overlap each other

• You can create a text box to combine fields

Example: [Organization_Name] (space)(-)(space) [Name]

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Bill Gates

• Use the CAN GROW feature on any field• No more reports where the field cuts off the end of the information

Example:

Brad Pitt’s Making It

Brad Pitt’s Making It Right Foundation

LET THE FIELDS OF DATA WORK FOR YOU

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SORTING

Sort by any field exported in the data file – not just ones displayed

Let’s see you do THAT in Excel

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INSERTING MULTIPLE DETAILS SECTION

Multiple lines of data in additional details section– Name– Organization– Position– Line (Insert – Line --- to act as a divider)

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MULTIPLE DETAILS SECTIONS PREVIEW

Details A: Name

Details B: Position

Details C: Primary Business

Details D: Divider line

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FORMATTING SECTIONS…

Click on Format

Click on Sections…

Highlight the Section

you want to format

• Select the “Suppress Blank Section” checkbox

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SUPPRESSED BLANK DETAIL SECTION - EXAMPLE

Details sections with no position, no primary

business name are now removed

As a result of the “Suppress Blank Section” Formatting,

no more blank lines

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SAMPLE TWO: ADDING CAMPAIGN TOTALS

Show total giving per constituent

• For 2 separate Campaigns

Requires 2 separate export fields

• Gift Summary 1, Gift Summary 2

Totals PER Campaign

• To appear at bottom of report

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GIFT SUMMARY EXPORT – TAB 1

Determine Gift Date Range

Decide on Soft Credit Option

Decide on MG Option

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GIFT SUMMARY TAB 2 –GIFT SUMMARIES EXPORTED

Export All Gifts from the ANNUAL

Campaign

Export All Gifts from the CAPITAL

Campaign

This creates two separate fields for the reports

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INSERT ADDITIONAL FIELDS – GIFT SUMMARIES

• Click on VIEW… • [Field Explorer]

(dialog window should appear to your right)

• Refer to Export Control Sheet to figure out Fields

• Choose the Field you want to see on the report

Drop and Drag

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SHOWING GIVING TOTALS PER CONSTITUENT

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INSERTING (GIFT) GRAND TOTALS

From the INSERT Menu

Insert SUMMARY…

Do this for both gift fields

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GRAND TOTALS SHOW AS REPORT FOOTER

Gift Fields

Gift Field Total

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DAILY GIFT REPORT EXPORT EXAMPLE

Let’s Export out all the fields you’ve ever wanted to see on a Gift Report!

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ALL THE FIELDS YOU’D EVER WANT TO SEE IN A GIFT REPORT…BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK

• Gift Date• Donor Name• Contact Details

• Campaign• Fund• Appeal• Package

• Solicitor• Soft Credit Name• Gift Notes

• Amount• Gift Type

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INSERT GROUP MENU AND OPTIONS

• Click on INSERT…GROUP…

• Choose which field to group by from

your drop down

(the field does NOT have to appear in the

report)

• Choose HOW it should be sorted

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GROUP SECTIONS – DESIGN VIEW

• A Group Section is inserted

Think of your GROUP as your sub-headings

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FINAL REPORT WITH GROUPS, MULTI-DETAIL, & TOTALS

• Allows you to

keep similar

records

together

• Group Sections

can be

formatted like

all other

sections

• What are fields

that you want to

GROUP by?

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MAKE A GREAT EVENT REPORT FOR YOUR NEEDS

• Export out the fields you need to see to make better decisions for the event

• Add color & logos

• Group by table, by last name, table name

• Sort alphabetically in each group

• No more tables in Word

• No more “private” multi-saved lists in Excel

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USE CRYSTAL REPORTS TEMPLATES

Bring all your fields into a standard report, Add Totals

Click on Report… Template Expert…, Pick a Style… Click OK

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SAMPLE TEMPLATES IN CRYSTAL REPORTS

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CHARTS UPDATE AUTOMATICALLY

Keep your charts in the same format all the time

• Chart will update as you (re) export new data

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INCLUDING PICTURES IN YOUR REPORTS

Create a “Facebook” of your

donors & prospects

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CREATING YOUR OWN FACEBOOK

"U:\\Photos\"&{CnBio.CnBio_ID}&".jpg"

Link your constituents to JPGs

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• Insert sub-reports to see records that have more than 1 entry

• What fields are good for sub-reports? Phone Numbers Gifts Actions Events Proposals

USING SUB-REPORTS (REPORT WITHIN A REPORT)

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SAMPLE DATABASE: CUSTOM REPORT EXPORT

Exports last3 actions… sorted by date (desc)

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DESIGN TAB OF SAMPLE CUSTOM REPORT

Advanced report design - but flexible enough to handle all fields

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PREVIEW TAB OF SAMPLE CUSTOM REPORT

Last 3 Actions Last 3 Gifts

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SAVING YOUR CUSTOM REPORTS

Once you’ve got a report, save it as a CUSTOM REPORT inside Raiser’s Edge Reports

Create export/report prior to this step

Base the query (used with export) & include the <ASK> field.

Let the report be used for all your event, solicitor, gift reports.

Save it as a Favorite on your HOME Screen

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• Use the same template / report for different queries

• No need to re-format, re-sort fields

• No need to re-create totals

• Consistent Report use amongst staff

• Export Report as a PDF (Send Externally)

• CUSTOM REPORTS with Raiser’s Edge Reports

• Save you time… and Advil

• Sample Custom Reports in Sample Database

ADVANTAGES OF CRYSTAL REPORT

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THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Rome wasn’t build in a day neither are great Crystal Reports

• Formatting a report takes time – breathe

• Have an idea / layout of the report ahead of time

• Don’t forget to export Sorting fields

• Ask for help

- Blackbaud Support

- Knowledgebase & Forums

- Blackbaud Report Writing Services

• If you made it this far – you can do ANYTHING!

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Joe Meehan

Associate Director of Database Marketing & Information

Milken Institute

JMeehan@MilkenInstitute.Org

@JoeMeehan