The GIFTS application offers a set of predefined reports, as well as ad hoc reporting capabilities, which use the data in the GIFTS database. These will satisfy a large percentage of the system reporting requirements. For requirements like scheduling and analysis, 'Crystal Enterprise 8.5 Professional for Windows' - an off the shelf reporting tool is proposed. All predefined reports in GIFTS can be modified using Crystal Reports (Included in Crystal Enterprise 8.5).

The extract of capabilities\ features of Crystal Enterprise 8.5 are listed below: Crystal Enterprise is a web-based system for reporting, analysis and information delivery.

Reporting

Crystal Reports® is a world standard for high-performance reporting, included in Crystal Enterprise for Provide high-quality, interactive reports to end users. Crystal Reports provides:

• Web-based ad-hoc reporting (extra licensing required).
• Experts and wizards for creating reports quickly and without code
• Component reuse, custom functions and templates to speed report design
• Unlimited SQL control for advanced data access
• Export to popular formats, including Excel, PDF, Word and XML
• With Crystal Enterprise, end users can also use Microsoft® Excel to combine
• Live report data with other information and customize, format, refresh and share the results from within Crystal Enterprise.

Analysis
Crystal Analysis® is an interactive environment for analysing multi-dimensional data, included in Crystal Enterprise. Crystal Analysis provides:

• Zero-client analysis and interactivity.
• Full worksheet and charting functionality.
• Export to Excel and the ability to save views for later use.

Information delivery
Deploy reports to broad user bases using the security, administration and management services included in Crystal Enterprise.

• Multi-server architecture for reliability
• Comprehensive administration and configuration functionality
• Scheduling and automated email distribution
• Data-driven alerting and automated email distribution
• Fully customisable interfaces (JavaT, COM, .NET)
• Zero-client DHTML content delivery
  

System Interfaces

To create batch interfaces, IPP and the client's team will work together to specify the requirements for these interfaces.  Based on this, requirements specifications will be drawn up by IPP and MicroEdge consultants.

Client/User Interfaces

The following categories of users have been identified depending on their access to the system.

• Internal Users
• GIFTS Administrator. The GIFTS administrator is a user who has access to the server installation of GIFTS and works directly off the machine where the instance is installed.