Best Approach - Crystal To Excel

[bdaoust]

We currently have a Crystal Report that uses a SQL 2005 database as it's datasource. Both start date and end date are the only two parameters that are sent to stored procedure. These dates can vary - meaning it's not always MTD or YTD. The user would like the report details to be exported to Excel. I've used DTS in the past, but haven't had an opportunity to play with SSRS or SSIS. Which should I focus on for this task? We do have a Sharepoint portal and ideally, the process can start there by clicking a link. How would the parameters be inputted by the user? Thanks in advance.

[Mycroft Holmes]

One of the (minor) reasons we dumped (on) Crystal was the export to excel was so crappy. We use SSRS and the excel export is one hell of a lot better than Crystal used to be. Having said that SSIS does not support data dumps, it shouldn't it is a REPORTING tool. I repeat this line to my management weekly, it does not help. They still insist that data dumps are a requirement. So one of our devs has extended SSRS to export csv files via RS. This is not possible in CR and is pretty ugly even in SSRS, it means hacking the UI to a custom page that calls a stored proc that writes the file to a folder and then displays a link for the user to download the file. As I said ugly, but it works without having to pull major volume to the UI to export.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH