---
title: Options for Creating and Modifying Forms and Reports
description: You can work with a consultant, buy a Crystal Reports license to create or modify reports, or consider using Microsoft Excel Query.
---

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1. [Knowledge Base](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles?hsLang=en)
2. [Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en)
3. [Crystal Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#crystal-reports)

March 30, 2026

# Options for Creating and Modifying Forms and Reports

## You can work with a consultant, buy a Crystal Reports license to create or modify reports, or consider using Microsoft Excel Query.

Acctivate includes more than 140 standard reports and forms.

Reports are available for purchasing, sales, inventory, customers, and more. Standard reports include essential information such as product IDs, descriptions, quantities, and prices.

If your business has specific requirements, you may need to customize or create a report to better meet your needs.

### SAP Crystal Reports

All reports and forms in Acctivate are created using SAP Crystal Reports, a business intelligence tool designed to create rich, paginated reports with robust formatting and data capabilities.

Acctivate includes the free Crystal Reports Viewer, which allows you to generate, view, and print reports from within Acctivate.

To edit standard report files (.rpt files), [a licensed version of Crystal Reports](https://www.sap.com/products/data-cloud/crystal-reports.html) is required. With the full Crystal Reports designer software, users can modify existing reports or create entirely new ones.

Acctivate uses SAP Crystal Reports because of its strong documentation and extensive community resources. In addition, Acctivate-specific resources are available to help you get started:

- [Crystal Reports for Acctivate (video)](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/crystal-reports?hsLang=en)
- [Building Crystal Reports (video)](https://acctivate.com/webinar/crystal-reports/)
- [Crystal Reports Resources (Acctivate Docs)](https://docs.acctivate.com/docs/ResourceCrystalReports.html)
- [Managing the Report Catalog in Acctivate (Acctivate Docs)](https://docs.acctivate.com/docs/ConfigurationReports.html)

SAP Crystal Reports is not sold or supported directly by Acctivate Support. While general reporting guidance may be available, Acctivate does not provide technical support for the Crystal Reports software under the standard software license or subscription.

 

The Acctivate software license and subscription do not include custom report creation. However, our Professional Services team may assist with certain report and data-related questions. The custom report work is available as a billable service. To request a report modification, please reach out to **ProfessionalServices.SMB@caisoft.com**.

 

### Microsoft Excel & third-party tools

Acctivate uses Microsoft SQL Server as its database engine. This allows integration with many third-party tools, including products from Microsoft such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Power BI.

If you want to pull data directly from the Acctivate database into Excel for reporting, consider using a [Microsoft Excel Query](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/excel-database-query?hsLang=en)to connect to SQL Server and build custom reports outside of Acctivate.

- [Getting Started](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#basics)
    - [User Interface](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#user-interface)
    - [Manager windows](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#manager-windows)
    - [List windows](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#list-windows)
    - [Transaction windows](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#transaction-windows)
    - [License and Users](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#license-and-users)
    - [Email](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#email)
    - [Getting Help](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/getting-started?hsLang=en#getting-help)
- [Installation](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Acctivate](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#acctivate)
    - [Database Server](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#database-server)
    - [Mobile WMS Setup](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#mobile-wms-setup)
    - [Software Updates](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#software-updates)
    - [Email Setup](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#email-setup)
    - [Remote Access](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/installation?hsLang=en#remote-access)
- [Configuration](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#basics)
    - [Users](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#users)
    - [Company Info](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#company-info)
    - [Customers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#customers)
    - [Sales Orders](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#sales-orders)
    - [Inventory](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#inventory)
    - [Custom Fields](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#custom-fields)
    - [Email Message Templates](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#email-message-templates)
    - [Services](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/configuration?hsLang=en#services)
- [Inventory](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Products](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#products)
    - [Costing](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#costing)
    - [Prices and Units](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#prices-and-units)
    - [Warehouses and Locations](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#warehouses-and-locations)
    - [Lot Numbers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#lot-numbers)
    - [Inventory Manager](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#inventory-manager)
    - [Receipts](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#receipts)
    - [Assemblies](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#assemblies)
    - [Kits and Assortments](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#kits-and-assortments)
    - [Landed Cost](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#landed-cost)
    - [Transfers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#transfers)
    - [Adjustments](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#adjustments)
    - [Counts](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#counts)
    - [Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/inventory?hsLang=en#reports)
- [Purchasing](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Purchase Orders](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#purchase-orders)
    - [Purchase Order Manager](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#purchase-order-manager)
    - [Purchase Invoices](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#purchase-invoices)
    - [Vendors](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/purchasing?hsLang=en#vendors)
- [Customers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Customers](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#customers)
    - [Locations](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#locations)
    - [Credit & Terms](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#credit-terms)
    - [Pricing](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#pricing)
    - [Broadcast Email](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/customers?hsLang=en#broadcast-email)
- [Sales](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Orders](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#orders)
    - [Sales Order Manager](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#sales-order-manager)
    - [Picking](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#picking)
    - [Drop Shipments](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#drop-shipments)
    - [Sales Tax](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#sales-tax)
    - [Packaging](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#packaging)
    - [Shipping](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#shipping)
    - [Invoices](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#invoices)
    - [Payments](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#payments)
    - [Credits](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/sales?hsLang=en#credits)
- [Business Activities](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/business-activities?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Business Activities](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/business-activities?hsLang=en#business-activities)
    - [Business Alerts](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/business-activities?hsLang=en#business-alerts)
- [QuickBooks](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/quickbooks?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/quickbooks?hsLang=en#basics)
    - [QuickBooks Online](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/quickbooks?hsLang=en#quickbooks-online)
    - [QuickBooks Desktop](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/quickbooks?hsLang=en#quickbooks-desktop)
- [Mobile WMS](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#basics)
    - [Picking](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#picking)
    - [Receiving](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#receiving)
    - [Counts](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#counts)
    - [Assemblies](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/mobile-wms?hsLang=en#assemblies)
- [Web Store Integrations](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/web-store-integrations?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/web-store-integrations?hsLang=en#basics)
    - [Templates and Options](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/web-store-integrations?hsLang=en#templates-and-options)
- [EDI](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#basics)
    - [Orders - 850](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#orders-850)
    - [Shipments - 856](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#shipments-856)
    - [Invoices - 810](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#invoices-810)
    - [Warehouse - 940/945](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/edi?hsLang=en#warehouse-940-945)
- [Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#basics)
    - [Standard Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#standard-reports)
    - [Crystal Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#crystal-reports)
    - [Excel](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/reports?hsLang=en#excel)
- [Database](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [Basics](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#basics)
    - [Backup & Restore](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#backup-restore)
    - [Microsoft SQL Server](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#microsoft-sql-server)
    - [Imports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/database?hsLang=en#imports)
- [Troubleshoot](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#main-content)

    - [General](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#general)
    - [Installation](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#installation)
    - [Inventory](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#inventory)
    - [Purchasing](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#purchasing)
    - [Sales](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#sales)
    - [Shipping](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#shipping)
    - [QuickBooks Desktop](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#quickbooks-desktop)
    - [QuickBooks Online](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#quickbooks-online)
    - [Mobile WMS](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#mobile-wms)
    - [Web Store Integration](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#web-store-integration)
    - [EDI](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#edi)
    - [Reports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#reports)
    - [Database](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#database)
    - [Imports](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#imports)
    - [Email](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#email)
    - [Integrations](https://hub.acctivate.com/articles/troubleshoot?hsLang=en#integrations)

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