This post originated from an RSS feed registered with .NET Buzz by Peter van Ooijen. Original Post: Web reporting tools: get rid of Crystal and yourself a life Feed Title: Peter's Gekko Feed URL: /error.htm?aspxerrorpath=/blogs/peter.van.ooijen/rss.aspx Feed Description: My weblog cotains tips tricks and opinions on ASP.NET, tablet PC's and tech in general. Latest .NET Buzz Posts Latest .NET Buzz Posts by Peter van Ooijen Latest Posts From Peter's Gekko

Having used both Crystal Reports (CR) and SQL Reporting Services (RS) for a web-app I'm fully convinced. I've had enough of CR for once and for all. Oh yes, I have build great reports with CR but it was a bumpy road. Getting it all to work was favorite blog fodder, the many responses tell I'm not the only one with frustrations. What surprises me is that many people think RS is an overkill. This is not the case, let me sum up some of my pleasant RS experiences. You think for yourself how CR compares on these points

• An RS license is part of a MS sql server license. So when you have a sql server it is free
• Initial setup of  RS is no big deal. No registry settings, no folder settings. After that anybody (with the right privileges) can upload reports with a browser.
• RS works very intuitive with data, a report works on one SQL query, a subreport is a new report with a new SQL query
• RS uses plain VBscript for expressions
• An RS report can load .net assemblies

The learning curve for RS is not steep, as it builds on your existing knowledge. I don't want to speak for the "power user" who builds his own reports. Actually I don't think such a person is common. Real reporters work with Excel, one of the many RS export formats in the box.

You might argue that RS increases the monopoly of Microsoft, another kind of product where they are trying to be marker leader. Could be, but I prefer a good night of sleep.