Best ASP.NET reporting engine with custom reports creation ability

Question

We need to choose the reporting engine for our ASP.NET application. The main functional requirement is an ability for end users (not programmers, just normal users) to create custom reports. We will be using SQL Server as a database so I am aware of some options: SQL Server Reporting services, Crystal Reports, Active Reports, even WindwardReports.

But frankly speaking I've never used any of those except Reporting services and it's quite difficult to choose which one suits the best to customer needs of custom reports creation. Is it possible to get some pros and cons for these options or at least your advice on what would be better to use in this case. Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

One suggestion would be for you to do at least some evaluation of all these options. The primary reason would be so that you could learn just enough about them to judge how to keep them playing well together.

That way, if you either need to switch reporting engines, or perhaps to use a different engine for some particular requirements, you'll know how to do that.

Answer 2

Crystal Report which can be easily integrated with .net

Answer 3

DevExpress XtraReports Suite.

A report is simply a class, no web services or rpt files involved.

http://www.devexpress.com/Products/NET/Reporting/

Answer 4

SQL Reporting Services. They have a web tool to build ad-hoc reports that is as good as any other.

The general problem with ad hoc reporting is that the "thing" the user is trying to do is either beyond the tool or beyond the user and you have to do it any ways, and as a programmer SSRS is a better environment.

Answer 5

Reporting Services is the one I am most familiar with and it is the one most tightly ingrained in SQL Server, which is something that I prefer. I also happen to like the "feel" of RS a lot more than Crystal.

The other two options I am not familiar on at all, and I imagine they have a much smaller market share (and therefore much smaller community when it comes to finding help) than RS or Crystal.

Answer 6

If you have SQL Server as Database, so you don't need to purchase License for support of SQL Reproting Services, but there is an issue with SQL Reporting Services, SQL Reporting services only Compatible with IE. check these links ...
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms156511.aspx

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/951009/print-button-not-shown-in-mozilla-sql-reporting-services

On the other hand, If you use other than Reporting Services, You need to purchase License.

Answer 7

I've worked with all the major reporting tools and each has their plusses and minuses. About the only "plus" on SQL Report Services side is that there's no additional $$ expenditure above the SQL Server license. The downside is that the report designer is probably the most child-like of all.

Crystal has been around forever, some love it, many hate it, it does the job, but has a serious price tag involved if you want to use it for anything other than personal use. And the web reporting server for it is VERY expensive.

ActiveReports, XtraReports, Telerik all have good products and all are being actively improved (at different speeds, of course). Each has a web viewer, but they don't include the rest of the things you might want from a web reporting server.

And if you find you really want an enterprise-class web server option for Crystal, ActiveReports, XtraReports or Telerik reporting (or any other report designer, for that matter), that's now available from versareports.com.

Answer 8

Si trabajo con otro motor de base de datos u otro origen de datos cual es el mejor manejador de reportes, que no tenga problemas con futuras version y sean totalmente compatibles

Answer 9

Your keys are 1. .Net application 2. End users creating custom reports

Answer 10

I can recommend to see FastReport.Net. Royalty free visual report designer. Powerfull set of objects, export filters, fast and compact. Let see live ASP.Net report demo.

Answer 11

I use FastReport .NET too.