Note: The WINDWARD engine (see below) for creating reports (data sheets, charts) is replaced in the current JustRelate CRM version with BIRT as the standard engine. This applies to most of the form reports.
BIRT as the standard report engine
The integrated standard report engine supports you with generating emails, data sheets and reports. The tool is available free of charge and includes a designer with a WYSIWYG interface (for viewing the result prior to generating something).
The BIRT engine (run-time environment) is delivered together with the CRM server.
A designer for editing the templates is available as a free download from the internet. It features a viewer for testing reports locally during development. For developing BIRT report templates, the BIRT designer, product variant "RCP designer", must be installed on the local client computer. This tool can be obtained from the Eclipse download page.
With BIRT, all common email templates can be built. For dispatching standard emails with complex layouts (in particular in marketing) the email marketing tool "Inxmail" is recommended, including JustRelate CRM linkup. If the number of serial emails is too low to justify the use of Inxmail, we recommend WINDWARD, and can support you with creating your own sample templates.
Training for the BIRT engine
JustRelate CRM offers corresponding training courses and workshops for the BIRT engine covering the CRM data model as well as the basics of the BIRT engine as needed. In this training, you will develop an exemplary customer-specific BIRT report, enabling you to independently develop further reports yourself.
BIRT advantages
Much more stable than Windward. No hard-to-understand error messages. There is a designer with a WYSIWYG interface. This tool is free of charge.
BIRT disadvantages
There is currently no way to completely replace the generation of quotes (because of text modules, images, etc.).
The optional WINDWARD REPORTS engine is used for customers with a quoting license, so generating quotes using dynamic product text blocks with images and even directories and footnotes is supported.
Note: The WINDWARD engine will continue to be available for upgrading existing customers. New customers with a quoting license are offered both engines. You can decide which reports should be used. However, the CRM no longer develops Windward reports further.
The changeover has further aspects of relevance.
- During the installation, BIRT is automatically installed as well.
- Existing customers first remain additionally with Windward, but can also change systematically.
- For analyses, Crystal reports remains the favored reporting tool.
- Variable:
PSA_SFR_RPT_FMT BIRT,WWD_DOCX,WWD_RTFcan be specified.- SQL: Activate or deactivate BIRT and Windward reports.
- After an upgrade, only BIRT is active. For customers with Quoting/Windward, the variable must be set, and the SQL needs to be executed.
Tip for BIRT reports
Recommendation on query conditions at field level
To significantly reduce the report size and to receive at the same time a complete history, in particular with activities, individual fields, especially CLOBs and long texts, can be hidden. Thus, e.g., company data sheets without activity CLOBs (activity comments) will be about 90% shorter.
Admin, Customizing: In the query conditions of the report management, specify SELECT as the field name, followed by a space character and the field names, e.g., SELECT PSA_ACT.CTT. The loader then exports an empty string. Usable at the top level and in subclasses.