SAP Crystal Reports vs Phocas

SAP Crystal Reports is primarily a business reporting tool that produces simple reports and pixel-perfect documents. Whilst it can pull data from multiple sources, it offers limited interactivity, only allowing users to create static reports. To produce more complex reporting and handle trickier data tasks, users need to be proficient in Structured Query Language [SQL]. As a result, it is not considered suitable for end users and usage tends to be limited to in-house Crystal ‘experts’ such as IT teams. By SAP’s own admission, Crystal Reports is “not as focused on collaboration and real-time interaction”.¹

^{¹Source: Johann, Product and Topic Expert, Technology Blogs by SAP on community.sap.com}

Phocas is an all-in-one business planning and analytics platform that includes Analytics (BI), Financial Statements, Budgets and Forecasts, Rebates and CRM. Designed for mid-market businesses, Phocas caters to distribution, manufacturing and retail industries. Phocas partners with many ERP systems with a proven track record in connecting all your data (financial, sales, operational). Enabling data exploration that goes beyond the limitations of your ERP. Products are designed to be human-friendly and to work smoothly together - empowering whole businesses to access, analyze and understand their data, not just the data experts in IT or finance.

There are multiple versions of SAP Crystal Reports available for download from the SAP website, consisting of free and paid licenses, priced per user. Non-technical users may find it challenging to determine which version is right for their business. The implementation process is self-serve, with users requiring in-house IT expertise to follow an online installation manual. Although the overall implementation process can appear quicker than at Phocas, Crystal Reports is entirely 'off the shelf'. With limited support available, users then need to heavily customize it to fit their business' needs or employ a third-party Crystal specialist to do it for them which can elongate the process and increase the total cost.

Since 2001, Phocas has developed long-standing relationships and direct integrations with multiple ERP systems such as Epicor, Infor, Kerridge Commercial Systems, Sage and SAP. Data is pulled from your ERP or any other source directly into one centralized platform, providing a reliable data foundation that everyone can access and analyze. Phocas' finely tuned implementation process includes a thorough needs assessment, dedicated implementation team, secure data warehousing, data mapping, plus training and ongoing guidance from global support teams. All the heavy lifting is done by Phocas, and depending on the complexity of your implementation, we can have you up and running in a matter of weeks.

SAP describes Crystal Reports as "offering limited interactivity and is best suited for static reports"¹. Unlike Phocas which is fully interactive, users are unable to freely explore their business data in Crystal Reports. If someone has a question on a particular report, to find out the answer, they need to run another report, or brief someone else to run the report for them if they’re not technical. This prevents users from being able to follow their natural train of thought and slows down decision making. Although SAP Crystal Reports does offer custom reporting with lots of in-built customization options, users tell us that they take too long to prepare.

All Phocas products offer custom reports and dynamic dashboards as a standard offering. Designed for non-techies, everyone can independently create and customize unlimited reports and dashboards. You can set up automated alerts and reports, send your insights externally or tag relevant people or teams directly within the software. With Phocas you'll gain so much more than simple data overviews as you can freely explore underlying data, right down to transactional-level detail. It's fast, easy to use and empowers everyone to independently analyze data, share insights and improve the overall understanding of financial performance.

The most common feedback from Phocas customers who have migrated from Crystal Reports has been a lack of support. After downloading a version online, users have access to a live help and chat functionality but do not receive 1-2-1 tailored support in the form of a customer success manager like they would have with Phocas. This can result in heavily reliance on the Crystal user community and self-initiated training once it is installed. It also has a steep learning curve and if users want to make the most of the product, they need to invest in additional training. Some businesses even go to the lengths of hiring dedicated SQL experts to write Crystal Reports; an additional cost you may need to consider if you don't have the skill set or resource already in-house.

Like Phocas' human-friendly platform of products, customer support is people-centric. An initial needs assessment ensures our products are the right fit for your business right out the gate. A dedicated implementation team then supports you every step of the way. From there, Phocas employ dedicated support teams located in offices globally providing support that goes beyond just solving issues. We guide you through understanding your data, offering a helping hand whenever you need it. Through ongoing relationships with customers we also gain insights into ways we can push product development even further. Plus, our continued support is all rolled into our product pricing structure, so you won't need to worry about escalating consultation costs.