SQL reporting

lanemark

Does anyone use SQL report builder with Navision. We have had a demo and it looks a lot more user friendly than Jet reports which we currently have.

Alan

kriki

[Topic moved from 'NAV/Navision' forum to 'SQL General' forum]

BTW: what do you want to ask. The reply you will likely recieve from someone is "Yes, I have". (BTW2: I never used it ... yet).

David_Singleton

lanemark wrote:

Does anyone use SQL report builder with Navision. We have had a demo and it looks a lot more user friendly than Jet reports which we currently have.

Alan

Its wrong to compare the two. They really serve two separate purposes, and there is no reason not to use both together.

(by SQL report Builder I assume you mean SSRS, is that correct?)

generic

I always show SSRS to customers and in addition to NAV reporting.
SSRS is for people who know sql and are comfortable in that area. So most companies that have an IT person will definitely use this.

Jet reports is for novice people who don't know sql. I personally think jet report is too slow on large database, and if you want to go with a solid scalable solution that allows scheduling, and emailing of reports, doesn't need to be installed on each box, and it's free, I suggest to go with SSRS. After all Nav is going in that direction.

bbrown

Will a Jet Reports user require a DCO license with NAV 2009?

generic

yep. there is no exception.

bbrown

generic wrote:

yep. there is exception.

Does this mean "yes, you a DCO" or "yes, there is an exception and you don't need one"? The way I understand the licensing you would need a DCO license.

generic

sorry I missed the "no" word. Based on FAQ, there is no exception.

reading Michaellee post.

viewtopic.php?f=32&t=34030&p=165243#p165243

states that there are exception. But the info Michaellee got is only verbal.
So as it stands there is no exception.

bbrown

My question more applied to using Jet Reports with its "generic connector" (SQL ODBC). When using Jet Reports with the "NAV Connector" (C/Front) you are using a NAV login and therefore tie up a license seat. Of course, there is the arguement that a user who only works with Jet Reports might be better with a DCO (if that works).

With the "generic connector" you are connecting directly to SQL, no different then say someone using Crystal Reports.

generic

you need CDO for crystal reports as well.
As I said there is no exception. If you are interacting with NAV data you need CDO.

rsaritzky

Does anyone know if the NAV2009 license or configuration will actually PREVENT an external process from accessing the NAV database? Or is it just a license compliance issue?

DenSter

No the NAV license does not prevent access to SQL Server databases, so technically you can do what you want. It's purely a legal agreement.

Fisherman

Keep in mind that SSRS and ReportBuilder are actually two separate things, too.

SSRS is a web-based reporting engine that hosts reports that are compiled as .rdl files, which is an XML extension.

ReportBuilder is a web-based report generator that requires the existence of underlying "Data Models", which must be generated by IT or a power user. Data Models are essentially like views with Metadata - they predefine relationships and describe data. ReportBuilder generates .rdl files that are based on the Data Models, and those rdl's can be rendered through SSRS.

bbrown

Fisherman wrote:

Keep in mind that SSRS and ReportBuilder are actually two separate things, too.

SSRS is a web-based reporting engine that hosts reports that are compiled as .rdl files, which is an XML extension.

ReportBuilder is a web-based report generator that requires the existence of underlying "Data Models", which must be generated by IT or a power user. Data Models are essentially like views with Metadata - they predefine relationships and describe data. ReportBuilder generates .rdl files that are based on the Data Models, and those rdl's can be rendered through SSRS.

ReportBuilder is a component of SSRS

Fisherman

Yes, that's true :whistle:

My explanation was poorly worded. Pardon that.

However, ReportBuilder is not a required component of SSRS, and in fact, isn't included in some versions.

The point I intended to make is that ReportBuilder and JetReports are not equivalent. ReportBuilder requires the construction of DataModels to supply the user with prebuilt relationships and metadata. JetReports uses the NAV database for it's metadata (I think through NODBC? Maybe not?)

[EDIT]

Scratch that. I just remembered that we had to export our tables to text and use a utility to scan them for metadata during our JetReports trial

bbrown

I would agree with your observations on JetReports/SSRS vs. ReportBuilder. ReportBuilder can be a component of a very powerful reporting solution, but it does require some upfront work by someone familiar with the data structure.

BTW - JetReports uses C/Front. It can also use the SQL ODBC.

Fisherman

Thanks for the clarification. It's been a while since I looked at it.

jgudmundsson

We just sold an implementation where the user used Crystal Reports before, and bought Jet Reports. But in the end they were happy to use the Native Navision Report Writer, which comes free with the product. Don't disqualify it so easily.

I wrote a blog on it recently:
http://inecta.com/blog/?p=93

bbrown

I don't think anyone is discounting the NAV Report Designer as a viable reporting option. However there may be situations where a third-party reporting tool is a better fit.