1214731 - Unable to group on a memo field in Crystal Reports

• Field not available to group on.
• How do you insert a group based on a memo field?
• In Crystal Reports, when attempting to create a group based on a memo field, the memo field is not visible for selection from the drop-down list of available database fields.

• Crystal Reports 2008
• SAP Crystal Reports 2011
• SAP Crystal Reports 2013

1. In Crystal Reports, create a report off any data source.
2. To create a group, select "Group" under the menu "Insert"   
3. In the "Insert Group" window, notice the database field of data type: Memo is missing from the list of database field to group by.
     
   

• The data type: Memo, indicates it is a database fields defined with more than 255 characters, and grouping on database field that contains large string values does not generally contains the same value, as it is generally used for descriptions, comments,... and this is why that by design, it is not possible to group by a memo field.

• If the database field is defined as text that contains more than 255 characters, but the actual values stored in the database are smaller text string that contains a name, a country, a product,... or only the first N characters will be used for the group, then you can create a group based on the formula that use the memo field.
     
1. Create a formula that uses the memo field like:
     
        {Database.MemoField}     
     
2. Save and close the formula.
3. Under the menu "Insert", select "Group"
4. In the "Insert Group" window, select the formula created in the previous steps to group by.
      
• Note:  If you want to display only a portion of the memo field for the group, create a formula that specifies the range of characters in the memo field like:
    
     - Example 1:  Mid({Database.MemoField}, 25, 50)
   
     - Example 2:  If length({Database.MemoField})>= 50 Then {Database.MemoField}[1 to 50] Else {Database.MemoField}

 

 

 

Memo, group, "Insert Group" Crystal Reports Sorting/Grouping Creating/Changing Groups memo fields , , KBA , BI-RA-CR , Crystal Reports designer or Business View Manager , Problem

Crystal Reports 2008 V1 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2011 ; SAP Crystal Reports 2013