Announcing the SAP Crystal solutions portfolio
SAP Crystal Solutions
Today the team is happy to announce the creation of the new SAP Crystal solutions portfolio brand. This new portfolio brand includes four familiar product lines:
- SAP Crystal Reports
- SAP Crystal Reports Server
- SAP Crystal Dashboard Design, personal edition (formerly Xcelsius Engage)
- SAP Crystal Presentation Design (fomerly Xcelsius Present)
SAP Crystal solutions is a portfolio brand. It’s a peer of the SAP BusinessObjects brand, and is focused on delivering products that are easy to try, easy to buy and easy to use. SAP Crystal solutions are available on our eStore and through our reseller partners.
Why Are We Doing This?
This is an important evolution of both the SAP and Crystal brands, and is a very tangible and visible commitment to the Crystal product line by SAP. SAP is recognizing and embracing the role of volume products like Crystal Reports, and of volume oriented sales channels like eStore and 2-tier distribution.
The Crystal brand is now elevated from a reporting-focused product line to a portfolio. Its meaning now goes beyond reporting, to cover dashboarding, presentation, analysis, and other new products we add to the portfolio over time.
With this transition, we will be phasing out the Xcelsius brand name. The strong technology foundation that underpins our dashboarding and presentation products will stay the same. This is a name change, not a technology change. For more information on the Xcelsius brand migration please consult this blog.
Are the Product Names Changing?
As SAP Crystal solutions is tied to SAP branding standards, we will be adopting the SAP standard of using descriptive product names. That means you should be able to tell what the product does (at a high level) from the product name.
Old Name |
New Name |
| Crystal Reports | SAP Crystal Reports |
| Crystal Reports for Visual Studio 2010 | SAP Crystal Reports for Visual Studio 2010 |
| Crystal Reports for Eclipse | SAP Crystal Reports for Eclipse |
| Crystal Reports Viewer | SAP Crystal Reports viewer |
| Crystal Reports Server | SAP Crystal Reports Server |
| Crystal Reports Visual Advantage | SAP Crystal Reports Dashboard Design package |
| Crystal Reports Developer Advantage | SAP Crystal Reports runtime server license |
| Xcelsius Present | SAP Crystal Presentation Design |
| Xcelsius Engage | SAP Crystal Dashboard Design, personal edition |
What New Products Are Being Announced?
In addition to the SAP Crystal portfolio brand, we are also announcing a number of new products and add-ons. Most of these products will be available for sale starting June 7 2010. The exception is SAP Crystal Interactive Analysis which will be available in July 2010.
New Product |
Description |
| SAP Crystal Reports Server, add-on for Microsoft Outlook | Work with SAP Crystal Reports Server right from within Outlook. |
| SAP Crystal Reports Server, add-on for ESRI GIS software | Bidirectional integration with your ESRI ArcGIS, ESRI ArcIMS or ESRI ArcMap products. |
| SAP Crystal Reports Server, advanced administration package | Lower the cost of ownership of large SAP Crystal Reports Server implementations. Consists of 5 tools: Object Manager, InfoScheduler, Instance Manager, Instance Monitor, and KPI. |
| SAP Crystal Dashboard Design, departmental edition | Full featured dashboard design software. Deploy dashboards standalone or to SAP Crystal Reports Server. Limited to a maximum of 100 named users per dashboard deployment. Viewers of connected dashboards require a named user license. |
| SAP Crystal Dashboard Viewing option | The named user viewing license that complements SAP Crystal Dashboard Design, departmental edition. Sold in packs of 10 named users. Required for standalone dashboarding deployments. Dashboards can be viewed by named users of SAP Crystal Reports Server without additional licensing. |
| SAP Crystal Dashboard Design starter package | A bundle of 1 named user of SAP Crystal Dasbhoard Design, departmental edition and 10 named users of SAP Crystal Dashboard Viewing option. Ideal for projects that require dashboard viewing but don’t require the additional features in SAP Crystal Reports Server. |
| SAP Crystal Interactive Analysis |
Formerly known as Web Intelligence Personal, this desktop query and analysis tool brings powerful BI functionality to business analysts and knowledge workers. Available for sale in July 2010. |
| SAP StreamWork |
While not strictly part of the SAP Crystal family of offerings, SAP StreamWork will be available in distribution starting in June 2010. If you’re not familiar with this product, visit SAPStreamWork.com to learn more about this exciting collaboration and decision making product. |
What Does This Mean To You?
- SAP Crystal solutions is a family of BI solutions that are easy to try, easy to buy, and grow with your organization.
- SAP Crystal solutions represents the best of both the SAP and Crystal Reports brands.
- SAP Crystal solutions demonstrates a tangible commitment to these product lines and channels by the broader corporation.
For More Information
-
See this blog for more details on the XCELSIUS® BRAND MIGRATION.
FAQ
Q: Why are we doing this now, before the rollout of the next version?
A: The next major versions of CR, PD, and DD (note the new-school abbreviations!) won’t be available in distribution and eStore until 2011, and we felt the benefits of aligning the volume products under a single umbrella brand outweighed the benefits of waiting.
Q: Whats the new name of Xcelsius Enterprise?
A: SAP BusinessObjects Dashboard Design. This is sold through our direct sales force and VAR partners, not through distribution and eStore so it retains the SAP BusinessObjects branding.
I am a bit surprised this renaming wasn't just done as part of the 2010 version launch this fall, which might cause less confusion.
They will not be available for sale through distribution and eStore until early 2011.
For this reason, we've changed the 2010 identified to 2011 for all the SAP Crystal products.
"Required for standalone dashboarding deployments."
Does this mean dashboards produced can no longer be freely circulated without the user having a viewing license?
We are introducing a new dashboarding product.
The new Dashboard Design, departmental edition product will require a viewing license. It comes on 2 forms:
1) The SAP Crystal Reports Server named user license (not concurrent access license) includes the license to view connected dashboards created by the departmental edition.
2) If you don't have SAP Crystal Reports Server, you can use the SAP Crystal Dashboard Viewing option to license your users to view connected dashboards created by the departmental edition.
Thanks, Blair
Any chance of getting some info on Dashboard Builder's future? It was enhanced/repositioned with XI 3.1 as a tool to connect Xcelsius, WebI,Crystal, and other content.
Will it fade away due to enhancements in upcoming releases of Xcelsius, or will it remain as a tool for mashups?
I have an upcoming project well suited for using Dashboard Builder to pull things together, but don't want to travel down that path if it will be replaced or won't see enhancements.
Just trying to get a response from someone at SAP that is in a position to know, or would at least know who knows.
Thanks.
John
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My take on this:
This of course opens the gates for total confusion, unnecessarily IMHO
Does that apply across the board or is viewing unlimited for the new product provided that the data source is static/refreshed (not live)?
The viewing license requirement only applies to connected presentations created by SAP Crystal Dashboard Design, departmental edition.
Sharing or sale connected presentations created by any edition of Dashboard Design with external users is not allowed under the license.
That last part is one of my least favorite parts of the current license. But that's how the way it stands today in the product use rights here: http://www.sap.com/company/legal/licenses/index.epx
Thanks, Blair
Thanks for responding.
I'm a software developer and need to have an understanding of the licensing to allow us to determine the expected costs of operation. If I'm interpreting the "Product Use Rights Schedule" correctly it looks like connected presentations that don't access Business Objects Enterprise (or other BO or SAP software) may be used for business purposes or as long as it's not for sale, rent or lease.
We're still in the process of deciding what software to use for dashboard presentations. The first objective is to display dashboards connected to a SQL Server database during a state Governor forum open to the public. The second objective would be to post the dashboard on a public facing web site connected to a SQL Server database containing data that's refreshed periodically (probably nightly). Both of these seem to be allowed for connected viewing by any number of viewers since it's all state business purposes and it's not connected to BOE, BusinessObjects Edge Series or other SAP software.
Is this consistent with your understanding?
Thanks, Chip
That's correct. For this scenario, we'd recommend SAP Crystal Dashboard Design, personal edition (formerly Xcelsius Engage).
This has no viewing license requirement for connected presentations, and can be shared in this manner as long as its not for sale, rent, or lease.
It does however have a limit of 2 live data connections per dashboard.
Thanks, Blair
That's great!
Chip
SAP is giving away fully licensed versions of SAP Crystal Presentation Design (http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/boc). Is there any restriction on combining dashboard objects built with these free versions of Crystal Presentation Design with objects built using purchased versions of Crystal Dashboard Design, personal edition (Xcelsius Engage)?
In reading the license that comes with the free version of Presentation Design a concern was raised the this free software has a "Promotional License" (section 3.10) but the counter argument was that it's fully licensed and just a general "Application License" (section 3.1). Can you resolve this question?
Thanks again, Chip
We have several team members that want to evaluate SAP Crystal Presentation Design for possible inclusion in our dashboard project but they have been advised to hold off on any evaluation of the software until we determine if the free "fully licensed" version is an "Application License" or a "Promotional License". Is there another SAP forum for answering licensing questions?
Thanks, Chip
Thanks for the information and for you answers.
We want to have the simplest configuration using Crystal Report. no dash boarding yet.
I just have a simple question, would i be able to get data o connect to to my SAP R/3 Server using just SAP Crystal Report Server or do I need something more, like an business object XI ... server ?
It would be grateful if you could shed some light on it.
Thanks in advance for your answer.
Esteban
If you google Crystal and "SAP Integration Lit" you should find more info.
For more information on the Crystal Reports Server license, see the Product Use Rights on this page: http://www.sap.com/company/legal/licenses/index.epx
Thanks.
I just wanna know what about Xcelsius Engage Server, I've not seen anything about it, it has a new name also, and which one?
We no longer sell Xcelsius Engage Server. Customers under maintenance were offered a no-fee upgrade to Crystal Reports Server.
You can find more details in this blog: Xcelsius Engage Server End of Life Details
Thanks, Blair
Now i just have a little question, what do I need for Live Office connectivity to my Xcelsius? Which Xcelsius version?
(I am a little confused, :S, CRS lets me make that connection or I need to install BO?)
The personal edition (formerly Xcelsius Engage) does not support Live Office connectivity.
Thanks!
What about if I have all my data in a UNIX Server, can I connect Crystal Reports to get my information and build my reports, or what I need to do?
Yes, you can use Crystal Reports with Unix based data base. I suggest you review the supported data sources for Crystal Reports 2008 SP3:
http://www.sdn.sap.com/irj/scn/index?rid=/library/uuid/30da6fbd-7d4f-2d10-a38c-96596304586b
Thanks, Blair