SAP Business One

How-To Guide

PUBLIC

How to Work with Crystal Converter

in SAP Business One

Applicable Release:

SAP Business One 8.8 PL08 and Above

All Countries

English

May 2010
Table of Contents

Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 3

Starting and Stopping B1 Crystal Converter ............................................................................... 4

Converting PLD Layouts to Crystal Reports Layouts ................................................................ 5

Two Modes for B1 Crystal Converter .................................................................................... 6
Compatible Mode ......................................................................................................... 6
Standard Mode ............................................................................................................. 7

Editing Converted Crystal Reports Layouts................................................................................ 9

Difference Between Editing Converted and Regular Crystal Reports Layouts ..................... 9
Adding Fields ....................................................................................................................... 10
Solution 1.................................................................................................................... 10
Solution 2.................................................................................................................... 11
Sorting a Field...................................................................................................................... 13
Adding a Chart..................................................................................................................... 14

Functions of B1 Crystal Converter ............................................................................................. 15

Fields ................................................................................................................................... 15
Structure of Layouts............................................................................................................. 15
Document Properties ........................................................................................................... 15
Document Properties: General Tab............................................................................ 16
Document Properties: Paper Format Tab .................................................................. 17
Document Properties: Format Tab ............................................................................. 18
Area Properties.................................................................................................................... 19
Properties – Area: xxx: General Tab .......................................................................... 19
Properties – Area: xxx: Format Tab ........................................................................... 20
Field Properties.................................................................................................................... 21
Properties – Field: xxx: General Tab.......................................................................... 21
Properties – Field: xxx: Content Tab .......................................................................... 22
Properties – Field: xxx: Format Tab ........................................................................... 24
Properties – Field: xxx: Border Tab............................................................................ 26
Properties – Field: xxx: Color Tab .............................................................................. 27
Print Preferences ................................................................................................................. 28
Print Preferences: General Tab.................................................................................. 28
Print Preferences: Per Document Tab ....................................................................... 29
Paging.................................................................................................................................. 29
Limitations............................................................................................................................ 30

Copyrights, Trademarks, and Disclaimers ................................................................................ 31

© SAP AG 2010 2
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Introduction
The Crystal Converter tool in SAP Business One lets you convert Print Layout Designer (PLD) layouts
to Crystal Reports layouts.
This document provides information on the following topics:
• Starting and Stopping B1 Crystal Converter (page 4)
• Converting PLD Layouts to Crystal Reports Layouts (page 5)
• Editing Converted Crystal Reports Layouts (page 9)
• Functions of B1 Crystal Converter (page 15)

Note
For more information about Print Layout Designer (PLD) and Crystal Reports software,
version for the SAP Business One application, see the how-to guides How to Customize
Printing Layouts with PLD in Release 8.8 and How to Work with Crystal Reports in
Release 8.8 in the documentation area of SAP Business One Customer Portal at
http://service.sap.com/smb/sbocustomer/documentation.

© SAP AG 2010 3
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Starting and Stopping B1 Crystal Converter

Prerequisites
• You have installed SAP Business One 8.8 PL08 or above.
• You have downloaded the B1 Crystal Converter zip file from SDN.
Procedure
1. Log on to SAP Business One.
2. In the B1 Crystal Converter zip file, open the B1CrystalConverter.exe file.

CAUTION
If you open the B1CrystalConverter.exe file before you log on to SAP Business
One, you will get an error message asking you to log on to SAP Business One first.
In the Report and Layout Manager window (Administration → Setup → General → Report and
Layout Manager), the Convert button appears when you select PLD layouts.

Note
When you change company databases, B1 Crystal Converter is still running.
3. Log off from SAP Business One, and B1 Crystal Converter stops automatically.

© SAP AG 2010 4
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Converting PLD Layouts to Crystal Reports

Layouts
Prerequisite
B1 Crystal Converter is running.
Procedure
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Administration → Setup → General → Report
and Layout Manager.
The Report and Layout Manager window appears.
2. In the navigation pane on the left, drill down to the document type, and on the Layouts tab on
the right, select the PLD layout that you want to convert.
The Convert button appears.

3. Choose the Convert button.

When the conversion finishes, the following message appears:
The selected PLD layout has been converted to a Crystal Reports layout.
4. There are two ways of displaying the converted layout based on different patches of SAP
Business One 8.8:
{ For patches before PL10:
In the navigation pane on the left, select another document type and then reselect the
one for which you have just converted a PLD layout.
Alternatively, close the Report and Layout Manager window, reopen the window, and drill
down to the document type for which you have just converted a PLD layout.

© SAP AG 2010 5
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

{ For patches PL10 and above:

In the Report and Layout Manager window, choose the Refresh button next to the
Cancel button.
The converted Crystal Reports layout appears with (PLD2CR) added to the PLD layout name.

Two Modes for B1 Crystal Converter

To meet various requirements, B1 Crystal Converter provides two modes while converting. You can
choose the one that best suits your needs.

Note
Changing between the two modes does not affect the layouts converted before, only
those still to be converted.

Compatible Mode
Note
This mode is the default mode.
In this mode, all the sections of the PLD layout are converted to the Details section in the Crystal
Reports layout.
Major Advantage
Converted Crystal Reports layouts provide exactly the same paging as that of the PLD layouts.
Disadvantage
When you customize converted Crystal Reports layouts, there may be some small issues.

© SAP AG 2010 6
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Standard Mode
Procedure
To work in this mode, follow the steps below:
...

1. In the B1 Crystal Converter zip file, open the B1CrystalConverter.exe.config file.

2. Set the value of CompatibleMode from True to False.

3. Save the change and close the file.

© SAP AG 2010 7
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

In this mode, the structure of the PLD layout is converted following the mapping below:
Section in Print Layout Designer Section in Crystal Reports

Page Header Page Header

Start of Report Page Header
Repetitive Area Header Details
Repetitive Area Details
Repetitive Area Footer Details
End of Report Report Footer
Page Footer Report Footer
Major Advantage
You can do customization in converted Crystal Reports layouts as you like.
Disadvantage
Converted Crystal Reports layouts may have different paging from that of the PLD layouts.

© SAP AG 2010 8
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Editing Converted Crystal Reports Layouts

In this section, you are guided through the example of editing a converted Crystal Reports layout for
the document type Inventory Status. In this layout, you add two fields, sort a field, and add a chart.

Note
Crystal Reports layouts in this example are converted in the compatible mode, which is
the default mode for B1 Crystal Converter.
You can edit converted Crystal Reports layouts the following ways:
• From the Report and Layout Manager window
• From Crystal Reports software, version for the SAP Business One application
Prerequisites
• You have installed the following:
{ SAP Business One 8.8 PL08 or above
{ Crystal Reports software, version for the SAP Business One application
• You have converted PLD layouts to Crystal Reports layouts using B1 Crystal Converter.

Difference Between Editing Converted and Regular Crystal

Reports Layouts
Editing converted Crystal Reports layouts and editing regular Crystal Reports layouts are very similar
processes.
However, during conversion, the tool converts every PLD field to five fields in Crystal Reports layouts.
F_xxx is converted to:
• F_xxx: string type
• F_xxxi: integer type
• F_xxxf: float type
• F_xxx_Format: format information
• F_xxx_Symbol: symbol information

Example
The PLD field F_1 is converted to F_1, F_1i, F_1f, F_1_Format, and F_1_Symbol in
Crystal Reports layouts.
Therefore, when editing, be sure to use correct fields according to your needs.

© SAP AG 2010 9
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Adding Fields
In the example, you add two fields to a converted Crystal Reports layout in two ways.
...

Solution 1
In this solution, you add fields to the PLD layout first, and then convert it to a Crystal Reports layout.
Procedure
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Administration → Setup → General → Report
and Layout Manager.
The Report and Layout Manager window appears.
2. In the navigation pane on the left, choose Inventory → Inventory Reports → Inventory Status →
Inventory Status, and on the Layouts tab on the right, select the PLD layout Inventory Status
(EhP) (System). Then choose the Edit button.
3. In Repetitive Area Header0 and Repetitive Area0 of the Inventory Status (EhP) (System)
window, modify the size of the fields with your mouse so that there is room for the new fields, as
follows:

4. In Repetitive Area Header0, add a text field by drawing a rectangle with your mouse, and on the
Content tab of its properties window, in the text pane on the left, enter Default Warehouse.

5. In Repetitive Area0, add a database field by drawing a rectangle with your mouse, and on the
Content tab of its properties window, do the following:
a. In the Table dropdown list, select OITM – Items.
b. In the Column dropdown list, select DfltWH – Default Warehouse.

6. In the menu bar, choose Print Layout Designer → Save As… In the Save As… window, enter
demo, and then choose the OK button.
7. Close demo, and in the Report and Layout Manager window, select PLD layout demo, and
choose the Convert button.
Result
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Inventory → Inventory Reports → Inventory
Status.
The Inventory Status – Selection Criteria window appears.
2. Choose the OK button.

© SAP AG 2010 10
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

The Inventory Status window appears.

3. In the menu bar, choose File → Preview Layouts…, and in the Choose Layout window, choose
demo(PLD2CR).
The added fields are as follows:

Solution 2
In this solution, you add fields directly to the converted Crystal Reports layout.
Procedure
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Administration → Setup → General → Report
and Layout Manager.
The Report and Layout Manager window appears.
2. In the navigation pane on the left, choose Inventory → Inventory Reports → Inventory Status →
Inventory Status, and on the Layouts tab on the right, double-click the converted Crystal
Reports layout Inventory Status (EhP) (System)(PLD2CR).
3. In Details c and Details d, modify the size of the fields with your mouse so that there is room for
the new fields, as follows:

4. In Details c, insert a text object, and enter Default Warehouse.

5. In the menu bar, choose Database → Database Expert….

6. On the Data tab of the Database Expert window, move table OITM from your database on the
left to the pane on the right.
A new tab named Links appears in the Database Expert window.

© SAP AG 2010 11
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

7. On the Links tab of the Database Expert window, link F_16 of the PLD_ITEMS database to
ItemCode of the OITM database.

8. Right-click the link, choose Link Options…, and in the Link Options window, select Left Outer
Join for a join type.
9. In Field Explorer, choose Database Fields → OITM, and drag DfltWH to the room reserved in
Details d. Then save the Crystal Reports layout.

Result
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Inventory → Inventory Reports → Inventory
Status.
The Inventory Status – Selection Criteria window appears.
2. Choose the OK button.
The Inventory Status window appears.
3. In the menu bar, choose File → Preview Layouts…, and in the Choose Layout window, choose
Inventory Status (EhP) (System)(PLD2CR).
The added fields are as follows:

© SAP AG 2010 12
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Sorting a Field
In the example, you sort the Available field in the converted Crystal Reports layout Inventory Status
(EhP) (System)(PLD2CR).
Procedure
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Administration → Setup → General → Report
and Layout Manager.
The Report and Layout Manager window appears.
2. In the navigation pane on the left, choose Inventory → Inventory Reports → Inventory Status →
Inventory Status, and on the Layouts tab on the right, double-click the converted Crystal
Reports layout Inventory Status (EhP) (System)(PLD2CR).
In Details c and Details d, the variable field for Available is F_20.

3. In Group Header #1, right-click and choose Change Group….

The Change Group Options window appears.
4. In the first dropdown list, choose F_20, and in the second dropdown list, choose in ascending
order.
5. In the Change Group Options window, choose the OK button, and save the Crystal Reports
layout.
Result
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Inventory → Inventory Reports → Inventory
Status.
The Inventory Status – Selection Criteria window appears.
2. Choose the OK button.
The Inventory Status window appears.
3. In the menu bar, choose File → Preview Layouts…, and in the Choose Layout window, choose
Inventory Status (EhP) (System)(PLD2CR).
The sorted field is as follows:

© SAP AG 2010 13
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Adding a Chart
In the example, you add a chart in the converted Crystal Reports layout Inventory Status (EhP)
(System)(PLD2CR).
Procedure
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Administration → Setup → General → Report
and Layout Manager.
The Report and Layout Manager window appears.
2. In the navigation pane on the left, choose Inventory → Inventory Reports → Inventory Status →
Inventory Status, and on the Layouts tab on the right, double-click the converted Crystal
Reports layout Inventory Status (EhP) (System)(PLD2CR).
3. In the menu bar, choose Insert → Chart, and add the chart to Group Header #1.
The Chart Expert appears.
4. On the Type tab, in the chart type pane, select Bar, and in the right pane, select Side by side
bar chart.
5. On the Data tab, add OITM.DfltWH to the upper-right On change of pane, and add F_20i to the
bottom-right Show value(s) pane.
6. Choose the OK button to close the window, and then save the Crystal Reports layout.
Result
...

1. From the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose Inventory → Inventory Reports → Inventory
Status.
The Inventory Status – Selection Criteria window appears.
2. Choose the OK button.
The Inventory Status window appears.
3. In the menu bar, choose File → Preview Layouts…, and in the Choose Layout window, choose
Inventory Status (EhP) (System)(PLD2CR).
The added chart is as follows:

© SAP AG 2010 14
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Functions of B1 Crystal Converter

This section describes what B1 Crystal Converter can and cannot do.

Fields
B1 Crystal Converter can convert all fields in a PLD layout to fields in a Crystal Reports layout. When
you run both layouts in SAP Business One, fields in PLD layouts have the same value as their
corresponding ones in Crystal Reports layouts.

Structure of Layouts
In compatible mode, B1 Crystal Converter can convert the structure following the mapping below:
Section in Print Layout Designer Section in Crystal Reports

Page Header Details

Start of Report Details
Repetitive Area Header Details
Repetitive Area Details
Repetitive Area Footer Details
End of Report Details
Page Footer Details
In standard mode, B1 Crystal Converter can convert the structure following the mapping below:
Section in Print Layout Designer Section in Crystal Reports

Page Header Page Header

Start of Report Page Header
Repetitive Area Header Details
Repetitive Area Details
Repetitive Area Footer Details
End of Report Report Footer
Page Footer Report Footer

Document Properties
To open the Document Properties window, in the Print Layout Designer menu bar, choose Print
Layout Designer → Display Document Properties. Alternatively, right-click anywhere in Print Layout
Designer, and choose Display Document Properties.

© SAP AG 2010 15
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Document Properties: General Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert all general document properties and save them on the Layouts tab
of the Report and Layout Manager window.

© SAP AG 2010 16
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Document Properties: Paper Format Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Number of Layout Pages
• Number of Copies
• Printer
• Printer for 1st Page
• Orientation
• Width, Height
• Margins

© SAP AG 2010 17
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Document Properties: Format Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Time and Date Format
{ Time
ƒ Default
{ Date
ƒ Default

© SAP AG 2010 18
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Area Properties

Properties – Area: xxx: General Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Unique ID
• Height
• Visible
• Page Break (for the End of Report area only)
{ None
{ Before Area
{ After Area (for compatible mode only)

© SAP AG 2010 19
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Properties – Area: xxx: Format Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Hide Repetitive Area if Empty
• Duplicate Repetitive Area
{ Lines in Repetitive Area
{ Distance to Duplicate (Pixels)
• Align to Bottom (for the End of Report area only)

© SAP AG 2010 20
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Field Properties

Properties – Field: xxx: General Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Unique ID
• Field Type
{ Text
{ Picture
{ Bar Code
{ Logo
• Link to
• Visible
• Group
• Left, Top, Width, Height

© SAP AG 2010 21
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Properties – Field: xxx: Content Tab

Source Type: Free Text

B1 Crystal Converter can convert free text content.

Source Type: Database

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Database content
• Get Description
• Relate to
• Next Segment

© SAP AG 2010 22
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Source Type: Formula

B1 Crystal Converter can convert formula content.

Source Type: System Variable

B1 Crystal Converter can convert a system variable calculation result with data type.

© SAP AG 2010 23
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Source Type: File

B1 Crystal Converter can convert a file linkage.

Properties – Field: xxx: Format Tab

Text Type

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Font
• Size
• Alignment
{ Horizontal
{ Vertical
ƒ Top

© SAP AG 2010 24
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

{ Line Break
ƒ Adjust to Cell
{ Length
{ Filler
{ Sum in Words
{ Suppress Zeros
Picture/Logo Type

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the Original Size option of the Picture Size setting.
Bar Code Type

• For the Free Text source type, after conversion, the barcode cannot be displayed.
• For the Database, Formula, or System Variable source type, after conversion, the number part
of the barcode can be displayed, but the letter part cannot be displayed.

© SAP AG 2010 25
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Properties – Field: xxx: Border Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Border (if the value is 0, there will be no border; if the value is greater than 0, there will be a
single line for the border)
{ Right
{ Left
{ Upper
{ Low
• Shade (if the value is 0, there will be no shade; if the value is greater than 0, there will be a
shade by default)

© SAP AG 2010 26
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Properties – Field: xxx: Color Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Text
• Frame
• Background (if it is set to 255, 255, 255, it will be transparent in Crystal Reports layouts to
avoid coverage among fields)

© SAP AG 2010 27
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Print Preferences
To open the Print Preferences window, from the SAP Business One Main Menu, choose
Administration → System Initialization → Print Preferences.

Print Preferences: General Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert the following features:

• Max. Rows per Page
• When Printing Layout Including SN, Print
• Print on Letter Paper
• Print SAP Business One Generation Message
• Print Draft Watermark on Draft Documents

© SAP AG 2010 28
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Print Preferences: Per Document Tab

B1 Crystal Converter can convert all the features on this tab.

Paging
B1 Crystal Converter can convert PLD paging, but some hard-coded paging logic cannot be converted
to Crystal Reports layouts.

© SAP AG 2010 29
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Limitations
B1 Crystal Converter does not support the following features (you need to do the modifications
manually in the converted Crystal Reports layouts):
• The Document Properties window → Paper Format tab → Paper Format
• The Document Properties window → Format tab → Preview Printing Layout and E-Mail Layout
(these settings are the same as regular Crystal Reports layouts)
• The Document Properties window → Picture tab
• The Document Properties window → Extension tab
• The Properties – Area: xxx window → Format tab → Area Height Adjustment
• The Properties – Field: xxx window for the Text type → Format tab → Block Overall Font
Change and Field Height Adjustment
• The Properties – Field: xxx window for the Picture/Logo type → Format tab → Alignment (the
alignment setting is related to other options)
• The Properties – Field: xxx window → Border tab → Margins
• The Properties – Field: xxx window → Color tab → Highlight
• The Print Preferences window → General tab → Print Text as Picture

© SAP AG 2010 30
How to Work with Crystal Converter in SAP Business One

Copyrights, Trademarks, and Disclaimers

© Copyright 2010 SAP AG. All rights reserved.

The current version of the copyrights, trademarks, and disclaimers at

http://service.sap.com/smb/sbocustomer/documentation is valid for this document.

© SAP AG 2010 31