Unit4 has recently announced their plans to phase out their ARC reporting tool and migrate to an upgraded version of XtraReports. This is due to the increasing number of issues that users are experiencing when running reports on a 64-bit operating system, alongside other factors such as security concerns and compatibility with ERPx products.
Why the change?
The switch from ARC reports (.rpx files) to XtraReports allows for improvements in modern report designing with a user-friendly interface, faster report processing and larger file creation. In addition, memory handling becomes much more efficient and advanced features including graphs, charts, QR codes and modern image file types can be integrated easily into your reports. There is also improved multi-language support out-of-the-box and PDF/A support, meaning that text display is crisp without any screen resolution issues.
How do I switch?
To make the switch from ARC to XtraReports, Unit4 has released an ‘ARC to Xtra Convertor’ tool which customers can use for a smooth transition. This includes two steps:
- Convert your reports from .rpx files to NARC (.rerx)
- Migrate the NARC reports into XtraReports
What are the benefits?
Unit4's migration to XtraReports is a major advancement in reporting capabilities and a welcome change for businesses looking to stay up-to-date and secure. With this upgrade, customers will be able to take advantage of a range of enhanced features such as enhanced reporting options, more advanced security protocols, improved data management, and quicker execution times. Additionally, the tool itself makes it easy for existing ARC reports to be quickly and safely converted over so that the transition is seamless. This ultimately saves time and effort which could otherwise be spent on manually reworking existing reports or creating new ones from scratch.
How can I make the switch easier on my team?
The ARC to Xtra Convertor Tool can help make the transition easier, but businesses should also consider investing in training in order to maximise their internal knowledge and skillset surrounding this new functionality. By investing in training your staff on XtraReports, you’ll get a better comprehensive understanding of these new features that’ll help your team get the most out of the change.
Final thoughts
Overall, migrating from ARC reports to XtraReports is an important step for businesses looking to ensure that their reporting capabilities remain up-to-date and secure. And if you’re looking for customise training programs for your staff, Agilyx can help your organisation make a smooth transition while taking advantage of all the upgraded features that XtraReports offers.
