This is the third article of a series that uses ASP.NET and Crystal Reports to build reports using the Adventure Works Sample Database. Before reading this article it would be helpful to have read Part 1 and Part 2, but it is not required. This article focuses on redeveloping the Invoice created in Part 1 using disconnected datasets instead of connecting directly to the database. Using disconnected datasets gives the developer the flexibility to manipulate the data and implement rules in a C# business class rather than in the report.

Before you begin you will need to have installed Visual Studio 2008 with Crystal Reports for .NET.  The samples are written in Visual Studio 2008, but they will work with Visual Studio 2005 as well.  You also will need to download the AdventureWorks sample database from http://msftdbprodsamples.codeplex.com/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=18407 for SQL Server 2008. Download and install the SQL2008.AdventureWorks_All_Databases.x86.msi file. If you do not have SQL Server 2008, you can use SQL Server 2005, but you will need to download the 2005 AdventureWorks samples.

The goal of this article is to create an invoice that looks like the following image. 

Figure 1

If you have read Part 1 then you will notice that this is the same report. If you have not read Part 1 then this article will also demonstrate how to use master\detail records, create formula fields, use variables in a report, insert groups in a report, dynamically format groups using the Section Expert, and how to create summary fields.