.NET News

Connect Reports to Cloud Spreadsheet Data

April 16, 2026
FastReport .NET Ultimate can access live Google Sheets data directly within reports, enabling integration with cloud-hosted sources.

FastReport .NET Ultimate is a comprehensive reporting solution for developers working within the Microsoft .NET ecosystem. It supports the creation, design, and delivery of rich, interactive reports across Windows Forms, ASP.NET, MVC, and .NET Core applications. The Ultimate edition includes server deployment capabilities and extensive export options, such as PDF, Excel, Word, and HTML. It connects to various data sources, including SQL databases and business objects, providing flexibility for enterprise-level reporting. With the integrated FastReport Online Designer, users can edit reports directly in their browsers, enabling efficient collaboration and modern, full-featured report design across both desktop and web platforms.

The latest FastReport .NET Ultimate update introduces support for Google Sheets as a data source, allowing reports to connect directly to cloud-based spreadsheets. It enables developers and data professionals to work with up-to-date information without manual data transfers, making it easier to incorporate shared or frequently updated datasets into reports. It simplifies access to external data while maintaining the familiar reporting experience, making it particularly useful for teams already relying on Google Sheets for data management.

FastReport .NET Ultimate is licensed per named user and is available as a perpetual license with a one-year subscription for updates and support. See our FastReport .NET Ultimate licensing page for full details.

For more information, visit our FastReport .NET Ultimate product page.

Celebrating 5 Years Partnership with AlterNET Software

April 15, 2026
ComponentSource and AlterNET Software have worked together for 5 years to help developers build feature rich .NET applications.

ComponentSource and AlterNET Software have built a long standing partnership focused on making advanced .NET development tools more accessible to developers worldwide. AlterNET Software provides UI controls and frameworks for code editing, scripting, and UI design, enabling developers to extend applications with custom functionality across WinForms, WPF, and other .NET platforms.

A key part of this collaboration is their product AlterNET Studio, which brings together code editing, scripting, debugging, and UI design features into a single toolkit that developers can embed directly into their applications.

Through this partnership, ComponentSource expands its range of specialized developer tools, helping it stand out beyond standard UI libraries while supporting global distribution, licensing, and access to AlterNET Software products.

Learn more about AlterNET Software.

Highlight Key Content in PDF Files

April 15, 2026
Make important text stand out in .NET WPF PDF applications with clear visual emphasis that supports review, feedback, and document readability.

Highlight text annotation in PDF WPF .NET controls is a feature that visually marks text with a colored overlay to draw attention to important content without modifying the original document. For software developers, it helps deliver clearer document review experiences by making key passages easier to identify, supporting user feedback and content emphasis, and improving readability and interaction in PDF-based business applications.

Several .NET WPF PDF components offer highlight text annotation including:

  • Telerik UI for WPF PdfProcessing (part of Telerik UI for WPF) lets you create text markup annotations that highlight important PDF passages for clearer review.
  • ImageGear for .NET by Accusoft lets you add highlight markup in WPF PDF applications, supporting visual review, annotation workflows, and document collaboration.
  • XFINIUM.PDF WPF Edition facilitates adding, editing, removing, and flattening highlight annotations, giving developers flexible control over PDF review scenarios directly.
  • Syncfusion WPF PDF (part of Syncfusion Essential Studio Enterprise) allows you to add, customize, and track highlight annotations, including color, opacity and author details.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of .NET WPF PDF components.

Compare .NET WPF PDF Components

Apply Custom Expressions with Calculated Fields

April 13, 2026
Transform reports into meaningful insights by combining fields, enabling flexible grouping and sorting, and reducing reliance on source changes.

Calculated fields in reports allow you to apply custom expressions to one or more data fields, enabling data to be transformed directly within the reporting environment. This makes it possible to create new metrics such as percentages, ratios, or combined values without changing the underlying data source. As a result, reporting becomes more flexible and efficient, helping users uncover deeper insights and tailor outputs to specific needs. Calculated fields can also be used to group and sort data dynamically, improving how information is organized and presented. Common use cases include calculating profit margins, creating performance indicators, and combining fields to enhance report clarity.

Several .NET reporting controls offer calculated field functionality including:

  • DevExpress Reporting lets you create calculated fields to transform data, build custom metrics, and enable flexible grouping and sorting within reports.
  • Telerik Reporting allows you to define calculated fields that combine data sources, generate meaningful insights, and enhance report organisation through grouping.
  • Stimulsoft Reports.NET facilitates calculated fields to process data using expressions, create tailored values, and improve report clarity with advanced grouping capabilities.
  • FastReport .NET WEB lets you use calculated fields to manipulate report data, derive new metrics, and organise information through custom sorting and grouping.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of .NET Reporting controls.

Compare .NET reporting controls

Organize Data with Structured Spreadsheet Tables

April 10, 2026
Improve data management with spreadsheet tables for structured organization, sorting, filtering, consistent calculations and clearer formulas.

Spreadsheet tables provide a structured way to organize and manage data by grouping related information into defined rows and columns with built in functionality. They enhance usability by enabling automatic sorting and filtering, consistent formula application through calculated columns, and clearer data interpretation with structured references and styling. Tables can also expand dynamically as new data is added, reducing manual updates and errors. Common use cases include managing financial records, analyzing sales performance, tracking inventory, and working with data bound to external sources, making them a powerful tool for both everyday tasks and advanced data analysis.

Several .NET spreadsheet controls offer table support including:

  • DevExpress Excel Spreadsheet API for .NET (part of DevExpress Office File API) allows you to manage spreadsheet tables with data binding and calculated columns.
  • EPPlus by EPPlus Software facilitates creation of spreadsheet tables with built in filtering, totals, and structured references to simplify data organization.
  • Infragistics Excel Framework lets you work with spreadsheet tables supporting dynamic ranges, consistent formulas, and enhanced formatting for efficient data handling.
  • Xceed Workbooks for .NET lets you create spreadsheet tables with structured data, enabling sorting, filtering, and consistent calculations across dynamic datasets.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our .NET spreadsheet controls comparison.

Compare .NET Spreadsheet Controls