SAP Knowledge Base Article - Public

1205130 - Error: "This document could not be opened. It does not appear to be a Crystal Reports document" occurs in Crystal Reports

Symptom

  • Error: "This document could not be opened"
  • When attempting to open a report in Crystal Reports, it displays the error:

       "This document could not be opened. It does not appear to be a Crystal Reports document"

    or it displays the following error:

       "This document could not be opened."

Environment

  • SAP Crystal Reports 2016 
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2020
  • SAP Crystal Reports 2025

Reproducing the Issue

  1. Start Crystal Reports.
  2. When attempting to open an existing report, it displays the error:
         
         "This document could not be opened"

Cause

  • There are at least two parameters with identical names in the report and one is unused.
  • Crystal Reports version 9 had a product defect allowing identical names for parameters, this issue was resolved and it is now no longer possible to have 2 parameters with the same name. And if it occurs, it is unfotunately not possible to open the report in Crystal Reports.

Resolution

  • To resolve the issue, open the report in Crystal Reports for Enterprise designer, and delete or rename the unused parameter with duplicated names.

Keywords

CR, duplicate parameter name , KBA , BI-RA-CR , Crystal Reports designer or Business View Manager , Problem

Product

SAP Crystal Reports 2016 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2020 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2025