Beginning Crystal Reports - Sage University

Realtime Learning Orientation Guide: Beginning Crystal Reports® Series Sage Construction and Real Estate Learning Services

About the Beginning Crystal Reports Series In this Realtime Learning series, you’ll learn how to design basic Sage Timberline Office reports using Crystal Reports. Create professional-looking reports, control what information appears on the report, and use formulas and functions to display information as your company needs to see it. The workbook for this course is called Beginning Crystal Reports (Construction Accounting and Real Estate version). It will be shipped to you to arrive in time for the first session. If you have not received the workbook 3 days ahead of the first session, contact us at [email protected]. Individual Sessions The Beginning Crystal Reports series consists of the following six sessions:

• Getting Started with Crystal Reports • Getting the Information You Want on Your Reports • Organizing Report Information • Using Special Functions and Fields to Organize Reports • Targeting Your Reports to Your Audience • Accessing and Printing Reports from Sage Timberline Office This course is a bundled series, which means that you must register for and attend each session. The material presented in later sessions builds on material from the earlier sessions. Recordings of the sessions are made available, so if you miss a session, you should plan to view the recording before the next session. NOTE: Reminder e-mails for the individual sessions within the series are sent 6 days, 1 day, and 2 hours prior to each session. These e-mails contain a link to the handout materials for courses that do not use workbooks. They also contain conference call information and a link to your Sage U My University page so you can easily join the Realtime Learning session.

All Realtime Learning sessions will begin on time, so plan to arrive 10 minutes early. Your instructor will not have time to repeat content to catch you up if you are late joining the session. © 2012 Sage Software, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Sage, the Sage logos, and the Sage product and service names mentioned herein are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sage Software, Inc., or its affiliated entities. Crystal Reports is the registered trademark and technology of Business Objects SA. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Realtime Learning Guide

Beginning Crystal Reports® Series

Software Required for the Beginning Crystal Reports Series The computer that you will use to attend the training session must have Sage Timberline Office and Crystal Reports installed on it. If you plan to use a different computer to complete the activities, you must have these applications installed on the second computer as well. Plan to make sure these applications are installed and working properly before the first Realtime Learning session. NOTE: You can verify that Crystal Reports is installed by opening it from your Start menu. You can verify that Sage Timberline Office is installed by selecting Start > Programs > Sage Software > Sage Timberline Office > Accounting and starting one of the applications from that location.

Two recordings are available to help you prepare for the Beginning Crystal Reports series. To access the recordings: 1.

In a browser, open the Sage U page: http://www.sageu.com/timberline.

2.

Under Sage Timberline Office, click Enter.

3.

Under Quick Links on the right, click Getting Ready for Realtime Learning. Two links are available to help you prepare for the Crystal Reports classes, as indicated below.

If you need help installing Sage applications or third-party applications such as Crystal Reports, contact your system administrator or your certified consultant.

© 2012 Sage Software, Inc.

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Training Data and Report Files Required for the Beginning Crystal Reports Series This course uses report files and a training data set that you download from the Sage University website. You must download the report files and training data set, and add the training data set as a company that you can access in Sage Timberline Office. NOTE: Slight differences occur in the activities based on whether you use version 9.7 or 9.8 of Sage Timberline Office. The book you received for the course has been updated for version 9.8. If you have version 9.7 of the software, a supplementary packet is available, and is included in these download instructions. 1.

2.

3.

To download the zip file containing the report files and data set: a.

Go to the Training Data page of Sage University (http://www.sageu.com/timberline/trainingdata.html)

b.

Scroll down to the section for Crystal Reports Activity Files.

c.

Click the link named Beginning Crystal Reports (Const & RE) for the version of Sage Timberline Office you are using. Note that (v9.7) or (v9.8) appears in the link name.

d.

Save this file to your computer or on your network.

e.

If you use version 9.7 of Sage Timberline Office, also click the link named Supplementary_9.7_Instructions.zip and save the file.

Copy the report files: a.

Create a folder called RTL Course Materials on your local C: drive or on your network. This must be a location that you can access when you work on the report designs.

b.

Locate the zip file or files that you downloaded from Sage University.

c.

Double-click the file Beginning Crystal Reports (Const & RE) and extract the files to the folder that you created in step 2a. The files are saved to a sub-folder named Beginning Crystal Reports (v9.x) (Const & RE). The report files are organized by lesson according to the training workbook.

d.

If you also downloaded the supplementary instructions for version 9.7, extract them to the same location. The files are saved to a sub-folder named Supplementary_9.7_Instructions.

Install the training data set: a.

Browse to the folder named RTL Course Materials that you created in step 2a.


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b.

The training data set for Sage Timberline Office is stored in a self extracting file named named either tsdata.exe (for the 9.7 version) or tsdata_9.8.exe (for the 9.8 version). If you are using an earlier version of Sage Timberline Office, you can use the Construction Sample Data set that comes with the software.

c.

Double-click the file to extract the data. If a security warning message appears, click Run.

d.

In the WinZip Self-Extractor window, verify that C:\ is entered in the box under Unzip to folder.

e.

Click Unzip and the training data is automatically created to a folder called tsData on the C: drive of your computer.

Add the training data folder to the list of companies in Sage Timberline Office. NOTES: If the computer you will use to complete the activities has security administration enabled for Sage Timberline Office, your application administrator must give you access to the training data set by adding it to the company list and granting you access. Also, if ODBC security has been enabled on the Master.apm or Master.glm files, this affects your access to the tables in those files including the training data set. Talk to your application administrator about the best way to access the training data. For more information, see the Security Guide (Desktop: Tasks > Sage Timberline Office > Sage Timberline Office Documents > SecurityGuide).

If security is not enabled in Sage Timberline Office or if you have security permissions to add new databases to the company list: a.

From Sage Desktop, select File > Company > Open Company, or from TS Main, select File > Open Company.

b.

In the Open Company window, select Specify Folders.

c.

Click Browse and locate the training data in the C drive of your computer. Select the folder called tsData and click OK twice.

d.

The training data set is added to the list of companies in the Open Company window.


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Getting Ready for Realtime Learning We use Adobe Connect to host live online training sessions. If you have never used Adobe Connect, you can watch a tutorial. You’ll also want to set the display resolution https://admin.adobe.acrobat.com/_a227210/participatemee on your computer for the best viewing experience. Set the Display Resolution on Your Computer Training sessions are viewed with a screen resolution of 1024 x 768. We recommend that you set this resolution prior to attending the training sessions. Follow this procedure. 1.

Right-click anywhere on your desktop and select Properties.

2.

Click the Settings tab, and use your mouse to drag the screen resolution bar to the correct setting: 1024 x 768.

3.

Click OK when you are finished.

Consider Using Headphones Sessions are typically one or two hours. Consider whether you want to obtain a headset for your telephone so that you can participate comfortably.


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Join a Realtime Learning Session Once you register for a Realtime Learning course, the information you need to join each session for which you are registered appears in your Sage U profile. You will receive the information in e-mail reminders (sent 6 days, one day, and two hours prior to each session). To join the session: 1.

Your reminder e-mail contains a link to your Sage U profile. Click this link and then click the Join Realtime Session link on the Registrations tab. Log on to the session using your full name. NOTE: If you have registered for more than one Realtime Learning session, sessions are listed in order by date, with the current class listed at the top.

The password for the session appears on your profile page under the Join Realtime Session link.

2.

Join the conference call by telephone. The conference call information is provided on your My University page.


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Courtesy reminders During class, please remember that background noise or hold music can be disruptive to other participants. Follow these guidelines:

 Close the door to your office or conference room to diminish background noise during the session.

 Set your cell phones, pagers, and other mobile devices to silent until after the session.  If you need to step away from the phone or engage in conversation with someone in your office during the session, mute the phone by pressing *6. To unmute, press #6. WARNING: Do not place your phone on hold when you step away from the phone. Use mute instead. If your company uses hold music, this music plays for all participants during the session. Because sessions are recorded, this music is also captured for posterity. When you return to the session, you will be required to sing the hold music song for the class.

After the Session Each session is recorded for future viewing. You will see links to the recordings on your Sage U profile within 24 hours after the session. Recordings are available for 60 days after the last session in the series. After each Realtime Learning session, you will receive an e-mail requesting you to fill out an evaluation form for the class. You will also see a link to the form on your Sage U profile. We value your feedback about the courses and look forward to hearing from you.


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