Visual CUT

1
Visual CUT

• View, Export, Burst, Email, and Schedule Crystal
  Reports

2
Visual CUT

• The Swiss Army knife for Crystal Reports
• Use in place of Crystal Enterprise for
  distributing reports
• Send standardized or dynamic content emails
• Electronically burst reports to include static or
  dynamic content as email attachments
• Schedule reports for printing and distributing,
  export to ODBC databases.

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Push vs. Pull

• Visual Cut is a push solution.
• Most users (gt85) prefer to have report content
  pushed to them on a periodic or exception
  basis, rather than pull reports on their own.
• Visual CUT allows dynamic naming of export files
  and folders, merging dynamic content into email
  messages, exception reporting and into email
  alerts.
• It also has special export functionality (pdf,
  Excel, ODBC, HTML, etc.)

4
Visual CUT

• Works only with Crystal Reports create the
  report and include fields/data from Report
  Headers/Footers, Detail Lines, and Group 1
  Header/Footers
• You must create a report with at least a Group
  Level-1 if you wish to burst/email.
• Example Group by name with email address field
  in group footer
• You can also place other dynamic data in Group
  Level-1 that you wish included in the emails.

5
Visual CUT

• Simplest use Send same email to everyone on a
  distribution list. Your Crystal Report is a
  list/sort/group of names and email addresses.
  Or, you can specify a text file with email
  addresses
• Uses standard SMTP email protocol
• Supports cc, bcc, and attachments
• Attachments can be any format supported by
  Crystal, usually PDF, text, or Excel.
• In newest version can also export to ODBC data
  source, prompts for overwrite or append to
  database. Failures handled more gracefully
  than with stand alone Crystal.

6
Visual CUT

• Send dynamic-content messages based on data in
  Rpt Hrd/Ftr and Group Level-1.
• Body of message can contain dynamic content,
  attachment is either entire report or customized
  sections electronically burst for that recipient.
• Example Accounting report distributed to twenty
  people at once with customized email Dear Joan
  Doe.and include only the pages applicable to
  her department.

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Visual CUT

• Use to send mail merge type reports to recipients
  both inside and outside your company.
• Send announcements with dynamic content based on
  recipient.
• Standard electronic report distribution, throw
  away your printers.
• OR -- schedule printing overnight so you dont
  tie up printers during the day.

8
Visual CUT

• Use in conjunction with Windows Scheduler, you
  can schedule unattended running of Visual CUT.
• Using the options and settings within Visual Cut
  you can abort processing empty reports, create
  log files for later inspection
• Restrict access to filtered data by shrinking
  the RPT file containing the saved data.

9
Visual Cut

• Easy to use as
• 1- 2 - 3

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Visual CUT
Step 1 Select the Crystal Report you want to use
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Step 2. Preview the report. This report sends
same email to everyone on this list. Names,
email addresses are on Group Footer-1 line
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Step 3. Set up email. Drag and drop dynamic
content to fields on the left
Note dynamic content embedded in body of email,
Save button allows saving of all parameters.
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Step 3. Set up email. Drag and drop dynamic
content to fields on the left
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Note dynamic content embedded in body of email
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• Processing can be triggered by a command line
  (see Scheduling String above) from
• Batch File
• Windows Task Scheduler (free)
• Another Program
• Many optional Command Line arguments are
  available (Parameter Values, Date Constants,
  Special PDF Processing, Login Info, etc.

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Visual CUT

• In newest version of Visual Cut, you get the
  ability to write records to ODBC databases.
  Unlike Crystal Reports, you can append records as
  well as replace. This, combined with the
  scheduling function opens up new options such as
  keeping snapshots of data over time.
• This function also allows using Visual Cut as a
  poor mans method of loading data into a data
  warehouse without needing expensive tools or
  consultants.

17
Visual CUT

• Special exporting capabilities include
• PDF exports can include Color-Coded Bookmarks
  Table of Contents for easy online hardcopy
  navigation.
• PDF exports can be password protected (128-bit
  encryption) and/or restricted (for example,
  prevent editing).
• PDF files can be Merged to create mixed page
  layouts, combine staple output.
• Bursting to Excel can generate either a separate
  Excel workbook file for each Group or multiple
  sheets (tabs) within a single workbook.
• Excel exports can be inserted as tabs in a
  specified excel file to create briefing books.
• ODBC Exports can be appended to or replace
  existing tables.

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Visual CUT

• Special exporting capabilities include
• Print to multiple printers in a single pass.
• Split the printout of a PDF file to different
  printer trays.
• Export to multiple file formats in a single
  pass.
• HTML exports (including charts logos) can be
  embedded in email message bodies.

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Visual CUT

• Pricing
• 275 per license now
• 300 per license by later 2005
• Contact Millet Software (ido_at_MilletSoftware.com)
  for a free 30-day evaluation
• From start up less than three years ago, Visual
  Cut is now used by 575 companies, mostly through
  word-of-mouth recommendations.

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Visual CUT

• For more information
• www.milletsoftware.com
• or
• ido_at_MilletSoftware.com
• Heard About at DC Users Group Meeting