SAP Crystal Reports 2011 and Developers - Update #3
SAP Crystal Reports 2011 and the 20-year roadmap - Update #5
Context
We're using the 2011 release of our dashboard solution to streamline our product line, and ensure customers are setup for success.
One of the big learnings over the last few years is that the personal edition of Dashboard Design (formerly Xcelsius Engage) didn't have the feature set for customers to be successful with real life dashboard projects.
The limited number of data connections per dashboard prevent the full capabilities of the product from being used, and data access was also a challenge because of the dependence on web services.
So in the 2011 product line, we're encouraging our dashboard customers to adopt the departmental edition of SAP Crystal Dashboard Design. When used with SAP Crystal Server 2011, the data connection limits and data access issues are substantially addressed.
What is the departmental edition?
This is a new product, which is basically a limited version of SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards (formerly Xcelsius Enterprise). What are the limitations?
- You cannot deploy a dashboard to more than 100 named users.
- You cannot connect to a SAP BW or SAP ERP system
- You cannot publish dashboards with the departmental edition to SAP BusinessObjects Edge BI or the SAP BusinessObjects BI Platform.
- You can only publish dashboards to standalone file formats (SWF, PDF, PPT) or to SAP Crystal Server.
It requires a viewing license, just the same as SAP BusinessObjects Dashboards. There are 2 ways to obtain a viewing license:
- SAP Crystal Reports Server 2008 OR SAP Crystal Server 2011 named user licenses include the viewing licenses required to view dashboards created with the departmental edition. No additional viewing licenses are required. Note this does not compel you to deploy your dashboards to SAP Crystal Server. You can still take advantage of the improved data access that SAP Crystal Server provides while deploying to PDF, PPT, and standalone SWFs.
- If you don't own or plan to own SAP Crystal Report Server 2008 or SAP Crystal Server 2011, then you can deploy to standalone web pages using the SAP Crystal Dashboard Viewing option. Or, you get a bundle of the departmental edition software with 10 named users of the viewing option wiith the SAP Crystal Dashboard starter package.
What Are the Benefits of Departmental Edition?
The departmental edition has a number of advantages:
- It includes all the base functionality of the personal edition.
- Unlimited data connections - personal edition is limited to 2.
- It works with SAP Crystal Reports Server 2008 and SAP Crystal Server 2011 to deploy and secure dashboards. The personal edition cannot connect to a server.
- It works with Live Office data connectivity. The personal edition cannot.
- When used with SAP Crystal Server 2011, the departmental edition can leverage the new query panel for drag and drop data access.
- When used with SAP Crystal Server 2011, the departmental edition can bind query elements directly to gauges, charts, and components bypassing the spreadsheet.
What is SAP Doing to Encourage Adoption of the Departmental Edition?
To clarify, we are NOT end of lifing the personal edition. We plan to make that available in the 2011 product line.
We do however plan to increase the price of both the 2008 and 2011 versions of the personal edition in the 2nd half of 2011. For this reason, we won't be releasing the 2011 edition until the new pricing is officially approved.
In addition, discounted upgrade pricing is available to current users of the personal edition can upgrade to the departmental edition.
SAP Crystal Reports Dashboard Design packages (formerly Visual Advantage) is a bundle of SAP Crystal Reports 2008 and SAP Crystal Dashboard Design 2008, personal edition. Because this bundle uses the personal edition, we will not be bringing this forward to the 2011 product line.
Finally, viewing licenses are available in packs of 10 and 1. You can buy exactly the number of viewing licenses required for your deployment - no more. Note that if you're deploying to SAP Crystal Server or SAP Crystal Reports Server that viewing licenses are included in the named user licenses.
I use the personal edition (Xcelsius Engage). What Does SAP Recommend?
- If you're happy with your existing deployment, then we're happy!
- If you need additional licenses, and you have no plans to take advantage of the additional benefits of SAP Crystal Server, then it makes sense to buy additional personal edition 2008 licenses now before the planned price increase.
- If you need additional licenses, and are interested in the benefits of SAP Crystal Server then stay tuned for more information about availabiliy of this product.
- Discounted upgrade pricing is available today to make it easy to move from the personal edition 2008 to departmental edition 2011.
Whats This Starter Package Thing?
It's simply a bundle of the departmental edition software, with a 10 named user viewing license at an 8% discount over buying the software and viewing license separately.
Availability
- SAP Crystal Dashboard Design 2011, departmental edition is available now on our estore and through our resellers under our rampup program. Customers that purchase while under rampup can expect to receive a survey asking about the quality of the software.
- SAP Crystal Dashboard Design 2011, personal edition is not available until the 2nd half of 2011 pending pricing adjustments.
- SAP Crystal Server 2011 is planned to be available early in the 2nd half of 2011.
- SAP Managed Tags:
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