AddIn Software for

1

• Add-In Software for
• Crystal Enterprise
• BusinessObjects XI
• Presenter
• Dan Clements

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APOS Systems Corporate Background

• Business Objects Gold Partner
• APOS Systems Inc. formed in 1992
• Crystal partner since 1996
• development background
• APOS add-in customers world-wide
• exclusively focused on Crystal/Business Objects
• top level team of consultants, trainers and
  developers
• many custom projects enhancing Crystal Enterprise

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APOS Offerings

• APOS Systems can help in 3 ways . . .
• Add-In Solutions - extending your Crystal
  Enterprise or BusinessObjects XI system
• Professional Services special expertise to help
  implement Crystal Enterprise or BusinessObjects
• Custom Development from report development to
  custom user interfaces

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APOS Professional Services

• Consider APOS for . . .
• Crystal Consulting
• Business Objects Consulting
• Data Integrator Consulting
• Crystal Reports Training Mentoring
• Crystal Enterprise Training Mentoring
• Custom Development
• Remote Report Development
• Custom Interface Development

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Case Study Quotations Why APOS?
Because APOS was the only supplier I could find
for this type of solution. Their product
definitely fills a niche. . . . MIKE RUSSO,
SENIOR PROGRAMMER AUTOMATED PACKAGING
SYSTEMS Streetsboro, Ohio
Because Crystal Decisions recommended them.
Besides, the APOS consultant knew his stuff. We
have a very complex system and had some problems
during implementation, especially performance.
The APOS consultant not only helped us with
implementing the APOS tools, but also helped us
with system level performance issues. . . . GARY
POLICASTRO, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
SERVICES FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL
BOARD Fairfax, Virginia
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Case Study Quotations Why APOS?
Because their powerful add-in tools reflect an
obviously close relationship with Crystal . .
. . . . BRENT KOGER, SENIOR SYSTEMS ANALYST,
IT IMERYS Atlanta, Georgia
APOS was recognized for its expertise in
Crystal Enterprise and their Faststart service
offering was another factor in making the
decision to choose them as our technology
partner. Our collaboration with APOS amply
justifies their reputation of being a skilled
resource for Crystal Enterprise. . . . MIKE
LAHN, BUSINESS SYSTEMS ANALYST, IT CITY OF
KITCHENER Kitchener, Ontario
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Case Study Quotations Why APOS?
"Our IT team has the expertise to enhance
Crystal's technology but, in this case, we found
that the KPI tool was the simplest and most
cost-effective way to resolve the issue, . . .
DEL ROSS, REPORTING STRATEGY ENGINEER SOFTWARE
SPECTRUM Garland, Texas
Crystal Enterprise met our needs. And APOS got
us there more quickly. . . . DALE MILLS, VP OF
INFORMATION SERVICES RETIREMENT RESIDENCES
REIT Cambridge, Ontario
We chose APOS because they took the time to
understand our needs before selling to us. . .
. TOM JOHNSTON, CFO KAO PROFESSIONAL SALON
SERVICES Mississauga, Ontario
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Case Study Quotations Why APOS?
InfoScheduler allowed us to leverage the
emailing capability of Crystal Enterprise. We can
now disseminate information to our sales people
more effectively, . . . FRANCISCO CALDERON,
BUSINESS ANALYST THOMSON LEARNING Cincinnati, Ohio
"Because APOS was the only reputable supplier I
could find for this type of solution. It
definitely fills a niche." . . . MIKE RUSSO,
SENIOR PROGRAMMER AUTOMATED PACKAGING
SYSTEMS Streetsboro, Ohio
The APOS tool is easy to administer and to
integrate. It has helped us focus on report
publishing by knowing that we can populate
parameter pick lists as needed using Dynamic
Parameters . . . JEFF KORTSCH,
PROGRAMMER/ANALYST JL FIBER SERVICES Waukesha,
Wisconsin
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APOS Freeware for Crystal Enterprise

• ePortfolio Reschedule button
• reschedule a report right from the History page,
  loaded with the parameter values used when the
  report was originally scheduled
• ePortfolio Reschedule button plus Events Schedule
  page
• as above plus allows an end user to schedule
  reports based on an event
• ePortfolio tree Menu
• provides a tree style presentation of Crystal
  Enterprise folders, reports and instances
• Bulk Update of User Preferences
• update specific preferences settings across all
  Crystal Enterprise users system wide at the same
  time

but first . . . APOS Freeware For Crystal
Enterprise
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APOS Add-In Solutions Roadmap
Instance Administration
Scheduling
Extending the User Interface
Crystal Enterprise v.8..v.10 BusinessObjects XI..
System Administration
Row Level Security
System Monitoring
Extending Distribution
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InfoScheduler

• Excel-based batch scheduling / report bursting
• power users tool to generate lists of reports
• maintain batches - easily changed and processed
• batch recovery tool to easily rerun groups of
  reports
• auto load parameters, destination, etc. from
  existing report instance
• import email addresses if Address Book Gateway
  present
• executes externally generated CSV batch files
• may act as a batch scheduling bridge to CE for
  other systems

Scheduling
InfoScheduler Bursting Manager
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InfoScheduler
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Bursting Manager

• Burst existing large instance into smaller ones
• Schedule a report to burst to separate instances
• Destinations CE repository, email, network file
  location
• Instance owner scheduler or recipient
• Formats all Crystal Enterprise supported
  formats
• Selection formula your database, APOS VTS
  database or report parameter
• Scheduled burst CE program object scheduling
  (v10), command line scheduling (v9)
• Notification on alert, success or failure
• Report defaults schedule/database
  logon/parameters/filters/format/events
• Limited functionality for large instance bursting

Scheduling
InfoScheduler Bursting Manager
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Bursting Manager
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Instance Manager
Find and act on instances based on processing
state, date/time period and location
Instance Administration

• find all failed instances in certain folders and
  re-schedule them with scheduling changes
• find and hold recurring instances, release when
  ready

Instance Manager Archive Manager

• copy all instances from a folder to an Intranet
  location while changing their names using the
  instance information
• export the instance list for analysis of report
  and parameter usage
• print all instances from a certain folder

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Instance Manager
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Archive Manager

• Business rules for instance archiving by
• instance age limits
• of instances limits
• folder/subfolder/report
• user group/user

Instance Administration
Instance Manager Archive Manager

• External Archive/Restore
• copy and/or convert old instances to an external
  file system
• delete original from Crystal Enterprise
• restore from archive to original location or new
  location
• Internal Archive/Restore
• archive instances inside Crystal Enterprise
• restore from archive to original location or new
  location

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Archive Manager
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Dynamic Parameters

• Dynamic pick lists without storing rpt values
• parameter business rules stored within Crystal
  Enterprise
• cascading parameters

Extending the User Interface
Dynamic Parameters AddressBook Gateway

• view-on-demand and scheduling support
• system-wide parameter values - global parameters
• report-specific parameter values - local
  parameters
• default value list initial value setting per
  parameter multilingual
• retrieve values from SQL query, csv file or
  static settings
• hide a specific parameter to some users
• business rules maintenance tool included

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Cascading Parameters
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AddressBook Gateway
Provides users with a powerful Search capability
for email addresses when scheduling reports
Extending the User Interface

• displays email addresses as well as groups
• includes ePortfolio schedule page integration

Dynamic Parameters AddressBook Gateway

• supports direct look-up from Active Directory
• adds email address to the user record in Crystal
  Enterprise
• stores email addresses of non-CE users in Crystal
  Enterprise
• utility included to import email addresses from
  Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes Email, ADO
  database or csv file

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AddressBook Gateway
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Object Manager

• Bulk object settings - refresh from repository,
  notification, audit, refresh options, server
  preference
• Security settings - analyze/change by folder,
  report, user group, user
• Security roles create and assign

System Administration
Object Manager RunTime Manager

• Report promotion
• replace the destination report or create a new
  one
• keep existing instances or delete them
• promote to various folders simultaneously
• change report datasource or database logon
• bulk assign/deassign processing extensions to
  multiple reports

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Object Manager
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RunTime Manager
Control the availability time window on all the
various Crystal Enterprise components
System Administration

• runs as an unattended service, ready to
  enable/disable any Crystal Enterprise component
  based on your rules

Object Manager RunTime Manager

• disable specific Crystal Enterprise components
  during specific time slots
• enable extra Crystal Enterprise Job Servers after
  hours
• enable extra Crystal Enterprise Page Servers for
  peak viewing hours
• all Crystal Enterprise components (except APS)
  may be controlled
• fast and easy-to-use utility included to display
  and set availability

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RunTime Manager
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Distribution Server
Adds powerful post processing capabilities to
Crystal Enterprise
Extending Distribution

• foundation for additional customization
• apply workflow report approval procedure, then
  distribute

Distribution Server Subscription Manager

• email a report as content
• file destination with formats html, dhtml
• run the report as an rpt AND email it as content
• run the report as an rpt AND email it as
  xls/pdf/doc/etc
• run the report as an rpt AND send to network file
  location
• run the report as an rpt AND send it to printer
• and much more . . .
• Functionality varies based on Crystal Enterprise
  version

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Distribution Server - Workflow Instance Approval
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Subscription Manager
When a new instance appears, distribute to
specific users or notify them
Extending Distribution

• if subscription needed and newer instances exist
  - distribute or notify
• service scans the subscription database on
  regular intervals

Distribution Server Subscription Manager

• Destinations
• email notification click on an email link to
  login and retrieve report
• email attachment RPT, Excel, Excel Data Only,
  PDF, RTF, Text, CSV
• email content embedded DHTML, embedded XML
• small device output formatted for small display
• specify which reports are available for
  subscription
• bulk subscribe/unsubscribe specific users/groups
• all settings stored within Crystal Enterprise, no
  external database

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Subscription Manager
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Instance Monitor
Administrator email notification of report
processing failures, across the whole Crystal
Enterprise system
System Monitoring
Instance Monitor KPI

• service scans the subscription database on
  regular intervals

• be informed of report processing failures before
  your users are
• scan the entire Crystal Enterprise environment
  for failed instances within the last x minutes
• repeat the scan for failed reports every x
  minutes
• automatically generate an SMTP email message if
  any failed report instances are found

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Instance Monitor Email
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KPI
Metadata of historical Crystal Enterprise
operational activity, for off-line analysis and
reporting extends CE auditing
System Monitoring
Instance Monitor KPI

• snapshots to a KPI database every x seconds/x
  hours
• system performance snapshot - users, licenses
  used by type, jobs pending/running/waiting/faile
  d/etc., plus much more
• job server activity history file all
  successful/failed instances
• pending schedules all scheduled and pending
  instances
• report design content metadata
• users/groups with security settings
• security by folder object, etc.
• sample reports and graphs

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KPI Metadata
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View Time Security
Processing extension row level security solution
Row Level Security

• Microsoft Access/SQL Server/Oracle database
• no VB/C development required

View Time Security Processing Ext RAD

• row level security solution
• filter report content for the current user using
  database business rules
• support for run on demand, viewing a historical
  instance or scheduling
• business rules can be shared with Bursting
  Manager
• activity logging solution
• writes a database log record every time a report
  is accessed
• support for run on demand, viewing a historical
  instance or scheduling
• Procession Extensions RAD fast-track your own
  VB development

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APOS Add-In Solutions Roadmap
Instance Administration
Scheduling
Extending the User Interface
Instance Manager Archive Manager
InfoScheduler Bursting Manager
Dynamic Parameters AddressBook Gateway
Crystal Enterprise v.8..v.10 BusinessObjects XI..
System Administration
Row Level Security
Object Manager RunTime Manager
View Time Security Processing Ext RAD
System Monitoring
Extending Distribution
Instance Monitor KPI
Distribution Server Subscription Manager
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Customization, Licensing and Support

• 3rd party solution - no Business Objects support
• site licenses and license/server - 1, 2-5, 6-15,
  gt15
• license costs start at 2,500. for a 1 server
  system
• no named user, concurrent or CPU restrictions
• annual maintenance (20) provides technical
  support plus any new versions for 12 months
• support desk for phone and email support
• web portal support knowledgebase and case entry
• download demo version - some limits
• proof of concept license - no limits
• customization is the key to some projects
• until Jan 1, 2005

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Visit us on the web at www.apos.on.ca
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• Add-In Software for
• Crystal Enterprise
• BusinessObjects XI
• Presenter
• Dan Clements

Warren Kobbeltvedt warrenk_at_apos.on.ca 604-864-0766
www.apos.on.ca