Syspro To Integrate Crystal Reports Into ERP Products

Enterprise resource planning software maker Syspro plans to integrate Business Objects' Crystal Reports XI business intelligence tool into its ERP system, hoping to yield a series of XML-related benefits from the combination.

Syspro and Business Objects on Wednesday announced an OEM and reseller agreement to integrate Crystal into Syspro 6.0, the former vendor's flagship product. The combined tool set is expected to be generally available in late 2005 or early 2006.

Syspro users will be able to access reporting and analytical capabilities from within their ERP systems as a result of the agreement, Syspro said. Crystal Reports XI is an enterprise-class reporting tool that works well with XML, a data exchange mechanism used extensively within Syspro business tools.

Syspro will use Crystal Reports with XML as the standard data source rather than targeting databases directly. The vendor hopes the XML technology means any customized report will work unchanged at the time of its generation and in the future.

The initiative also means reports can be delivered to a user's desktop in a variety of formats, including PDF, Syspro said.