User`s guide

Parameter Fields and Prompts
21.1 Parameter and prompt overview
Parameters are Crystal Reports fields that you can use in a Crystal Reports formula. As a formula
component, a parameter must have a value before the program can process the report. By using
parameters in formulas, selection formulas, and in the report itself, you can create a single report that
changes its behavior depending on the values entered by your users. Parameter fields can also be
used in subreports.
Prompts are elements that help users set a value for report parameters. Prompts are different from
parameters in several ways:
• Prompts are not used directly by a Crystal Reports formula.
• Prompts include user-interface settings that help you determine the appearance of the prompting
dialog box that your users see.
• Prompts include an optional list of values that your users can choose from. This list of values can
be a static list that is stored in each report, or a dynamic list that is retrieved from a database (this
type of prompt includes multi-level cascading lists that are also retrieved from a database).
• Prompts can be set so that the parameter itself is optional.
When your users select values in the prompting dialog box, they are setting values for prompts. The
Crystal Reports prompting engine then assigns that value to the corresponding parameter, which is
finally used by the report.
When you create and edit a parameter field, you work with one parameter and one or more prompts.
21.1.1 Parameter field considerations
There are a number of things to keep in mind when working with parameter fields:
• Parameter fields support the following data types:
• Boolean: Requires a yes/no or true/false answer.
Example: Include planned budget numbers in the summary?
2012-03-14451
Parameter Fields and Prompts