Best approach to define corporate colors in crystal reports 2020?

[pebeggan]

SAP Crystal Reports I'm working on migrating our 2016 crystal reports to 2020.

My company has a corporate color palette (13+ colors) and requirements as far as the ordering of these colors in our reports. For example, first series should always be Color X, second series should always be Color Y, and so on. This is all implemented in the existing reports. 

The catch: I'm having trouble identifying how the corporate colors were embedded in the 2016 reports. Could it just have been done manually? I'm searching in Crystal Desktop with a report open and there is zero indication. We use CRChart but I don't see any color-related macros in use. 

I hoped to find some centralized place the colors were defined...but haven't found it. 

It's not a blocker, but it would be good to have a centralized solution identified in case colors change, ordering changes, etc. 

Appreciate any help.

[william_vonzangenberg · Accepted solution]

It sounds like you're dealing with a bit of a puzzle! Here are a few possibilities and steps you can take to identify how the corporate colors were embedded in your 2016 reports:

1. Manual Embedding: It's possible that the colors were manually set for each chart or series. This would mean that each report was individually customized without a centralized color management system.

2. Check for Formulas: Sometimes, colors can be set using formulas within Crystal Reports. Look for any formulas that might be setting colors using RGB values or predefined color names. You can find these in the formula workshop or by checking the properties of the chart elements 

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3. CRChart Configuration: Even though you mentioned not seeing any color-related macros, it's worth double-checking the CRChart configuration files or documentation. There might be settings or scripts that define the color palette.

4. Centralized Color Management: If you want a more centralized solution moving forward, consider creating a shared formula or a parameter that defines the color palette. This way, you can update the colors in one place, and all reports using this shared resource will reflect the changes.

5. Consult Documentation or Support: If you're still having trouble, consulting the documentation for Crystal Reports or reaching out to their support might provide more insights. There might be features or best practices for managing color palettes that aren't immediately obvious.

Would you like more detailed steps on any of these suggestions?

[pebeggan · Accepted solution]

I suspect that a CRChart color macro was used like @MCOLOR. I didn't realize the colors persist w/ the report even after removing the macro. So, I think that would explain what I'm seeing. But I can't imagine why it would've been intentionally removed.

[DonWilliams]

Hit the F1 key to bring up CR's help file and then search for "custom chart colors"

See if that provides info on how to, possibly it can be used to find the original selections they used.