Astacom are one of the oldest names in their industry (the manufacture of components for communication devices) but not one of the more pre-eminent. Time whittled down their market share, and the company had come increasingly to stagnate and to drift aimlessly towards an uncertain future. However, the future seems now to have arrived, in the form of a takeover by Korean electronics conglomerate Junsang Tech - and the new owners want to streamline their acquisition in order to make it as efficient and profitable as possible.

To this end, Junsang need to have a more complete picture of the state of their acquisition, and have put Martin in charge of providing that information. He's confident that he and his colleagues can collate all the data that their employers require, giving the clearest picture possible of where this new union ought to be headed. However, it's not enough to merely gather the information together - Martin is also ultimately responsible for ensuring that his bosses receive the requested details in the most comprehensible and accessible manner; they need not only to receive the information, but to be able to understand it immediately.

In order to turn the raw data into the answers his superiors need, Martin knows to use Crystal Reports. From past experience, he knows that a Crystal dashboard offers the best solution to the matter at hand, and that in Crystal Reports, he'll find all of the tools he needs to fill that dashboard with concise, effective information. He also knows that a Crystal dashboard will have the visual appeal and professional style to show both the data and his own department in the best light.

As there's a lot of information to work with, coming from the many different departments of Astacom, it's very important to Martin that the report can use data from a range of different sources. In the years of stagnation, these departments had grown disjointed, and the software they've used for different tasks hasn't always been the same. Fortunately, Crystal Reports can use all manner of sources, such as Excel spreadsheets, Oracle databases, Business Object Enterprise business views, and local file system information. A range of attractive and informative charts can then be made available directly from the dashboard, giving a clear illustration of details that might otherwise be hidden in a mass of figures. Of course, the dashboard still gives access to the original data, so Martin can be sure that his employers will be well served, whether they're looking for at-a-glance understanding or to drill down into the data to see all the details.

In addition to giving direct access to information and charts, a Crystal Reports dashboard can also include what-if scenarios. After all, Junsang are interested in developing Astacom over the medium- to long-term, so it's of great advantage to Martin if he can produce a dashboard that offers his bosses the means to more accurately consider the future. By instantly illustrating the impact on the company of changing an element of the data, Martin and his employers can be confident that the companies will come through the complex takeover in the most profitable and effective shape.

Martin can also be confident that everyone who needs to access the information can do so. Crystal Reports doesn't rely on the end user having the same software as the report's creator; the report can be distributed via email or through a web browser, it can be viewed using Microsoft Office software or even as an Adobe .pdf file.

The great advantage to Martin of using Crystal Reports is that it cuts away the chaff, the irrelevant details and the confusing web of alternative interpretations, presenting his employers with a clear and immediate route to understanding the most vital information and to making the key decisions that the company relies upon. Knowledge is power, after all, and Crystal Reports can play a very significant role in empowering Martin's superiors. He might benefit from a short training course to ensure that he's getting the most out of the software, and with that under his belt, he'll know that through working with Crystal Reports, he's helped ensure that the business will continue to thrive.