Don’t want to buy VS.NET to author reports? Try Cizer Report Builder

Many of you probably know that one of the Microsoft RS partners, Cizer, offers an ad-hoc reporting tool called Cizer Query (mentioned in my book).

Now, Cizer has released a report designer tool – Cizer Report Builder, as an alternative for authoring reports if you don’t have or want to purchase VS.NET. According to the vendor:

“Cizer Report Builder (CRB) 2004 v1.00 is now available.  Bringing full-featured production report design into the browser, CRB makes the rapid deployment of reporting with Microsoft Reporting Services a reality.  Cizer .NET Reporting now provides both ad hoc and production report design in a single web interface with zero client installation or download required.   Charts, graphs, parameters, images, calculations and formatting are now easy to develop and manage.  Other highlights include:

• Guided Report Development Wizards

• Links to Cizer Quick Query

• Access to Multiple Data Sources

• Drag and Drop Placement of Report Objects

• Local and Global Libraries for Report Templates, Queries and Parameter Panels

• Private and Public Report Sharing

• Saves as RDL Format Which Easily  Exports to Multiple Formats Including Excel and PDF

• Deploys to Microsoft Reporting Services to Support Enterprise-Wide Distribution

Cizer Report Builder is available for purchase on the Cizer website (www.cizer.com). “

Please let me know if you like Cizer Report Builder. Do you think that it provides a viable alternative to the RS Report Designer?