Crystal Report In QuickBooks Desktop

In QuickBooks, there are available crystal reports to create custom reports from several data sources. You can easily use it to monitor the information. The CData ODBC driver is required to access the crystal report.

Using Crystal Reports to Reverse

Crystal report is generally known as the tool that allows you to extract the data from your QuickBooks software. But for using the Crystal reports with QuickBooks, you need to download and make use of the driver named QuickBooks ODBC.

This is not the usual driver that is used as it has some special features whenever there is a Query made for the QuickBooks table, the QODBC will show the counter panels of every QuickBooks table, displaying the documentation that was reinstated from the table.

The QODBC will allow you to access and modify the QuickBooks accounting data files with the help of some standard query language.

How to Create the Crystal Report with QuickBooks Desktop

• First of all, launch your QuickBooks software.
• Then start creating the report either by the manual method or by the New Report Wizard.
• Next, you need to click on the Create New Connection folder node to expand it.
• After that click on the plus symbol to open the ODBC (RDO) window.
• Now choose the QuickBooksData.dsn option and tap on the Next button.
• Further, tap on the finish button at the bottom of the window.
• Then you can see that the selection for the QuickBooks table is visible on the screen.
• Now you have to choose the different or suitable tables for making your report.
• Next, go through the data layout and associate the tables.
• After following this process you will see the fields of the table are accessible and ready for selection.
• At last, you need to click on the Run Report button to create a report.

Note: Now another most important thing that you need to download and configure is the QODBC as without the database connection you won't be able to fetch and save any data.

How to Configure QODBC driver for Crystal Reports?

To configure the ODBC driver follow the instructions step-wise and make sure you do not skip any of the steps, otherwise, it can create some sort of issues with the configuration and the connection with the QuickBooks data.

• First of all, you need to launch your QuickBooks Desktop software.
• Then go to the menu bar and select the File menu.
• Next, choose the Utilities tab and click on the Setup ODBC option.
• After that tap on the General tab and select the option named “Use the Company file that’s now open in QuickBooks”.
• Further, go to the data source name field and type in QuickBooks Data there.
• And then you need to search for the Test connection button and tap on it to check if the connection has been acquired or not.
• Note: If you want to run your test connection successfully, then make sure that you have logged in as the administrator in the QuickBooks software.
• Now if there is a successful connection and you receive a message saying the test connection is successful then you need to tap on the OK button and choose the Apply option.
• Then go to the messages section and tap on it, if you find that the detail tracing checkbox is checked then uncheck it.
• Next, check the checkbox named Display Optimizer Status Panel.
• Further, tap on the Apply button.
• Now go to the Optimizer section and tap on it select the Use Optimizer checkbox
• Make sure the default and favorable Optimizer file path are set as(%AppData%\QODBC Driver for QuickBooks\Optimizer).
• Next, select the start button of each query and tap on the OK button to exit the setup of the ODBC Driver.

Issues Faced By Users

• At times, the user is not able to set up the connection of ODBC and this causes an error while generating the report.
• The user also faces issues of data not being displayed in the report and failure in publishing the reports.

How to Generate a New Report with SQL or Existing QB reports?

1. In the scenario of Manual SQL statements or sp_reports, you need to select the ‘Add Command’ and rotate to the right side of the panel.
2. A new screen will pop up.
3. Either copy & paste or enter manually your SQL statement or sp_report command as shown, then click "OK"
4. This will enter the SQL statement in order to edit, right-click on ‘Command’, and then select an OK tab.
5. The result will be an occurrence of fields labeled within the SQL statement for the selection process.

Anticipations when using the QODBC Driver with CR

• QuickBooks functions on a flat database and even after using the OBDC driver, the database does not convert to a relational database. This is the only reason why relating more than several tables will begin to severely affect the performance and there will be no indexes. The problem can be faced in the different versions in future versions of SDK and QODBC developed by Intuit.
• QODBC functions like a cover/shield around the Intuit SDK that helps customers to acquire their required information through regular database tools and attempts to learn the SDK. Thus it is the best way to garner QuickBooks Crystal Reports.
• The latest filters can be used for filtering particular date ranges whenever needed.
• Next, add the fields that you need in order to use sp_reports correctly.
• With the new VB Demo find out which fields you required
• Enable the sp_report to use the QuickBooks report engine that already "relates" the tables. You can relate a sp_report and a table to draw a list of results.
• Await for QODBC to function similarly to other relational-based ODBC drivers that will cause some annoyance as through XML only Intuit unveils its data.
• While grouping via a table field, you can use a formula to put the field within it. This authorizes  Crystal to do the grouping, in comparison to the driver which is much faster.
• Many crystal reports are developed by the QODBC Development team to arrange and have modified for you. If time and learning curve are considered imperative factors, it is probably a cheaper option.

Need Experts Help?

To get the solution to all these issues, feel free to contact our SMB QuickBooks experts. They will provide you with round-the-clock assistance. For more information, contact our SMB QuickBooks Technical Team at a time convenient to you. They will guide you properly and will give the best solution. 

Frequently Asked Questions