Reporting News

Highlight Key Metrics with Visual Gauges

August 13, 2025
Present key metrics in reports with vibrant visuals that show whether performance is on track, exceeding expectations, or needs urgent action.

A gauge is a visual reporting element, such as a dial, meter, or progress bar, designed to display a single metric’s value in relation to defined targets or thresholds. For software developers, gauges offer a quick and intuitive way to present key performance indicators, making it immediately clear whether performance is on track, exceeding expectations, or requires attention. By transforming raw data into a simple, at-a-glance visual, gauges reduce the need for users to analyze complex tables or charts, improve the readability of dashboards and reports, and support faster, more informed decision-making.

Several .NET Winforms Reporting controls include Gauges including:

  • DevExpress Reports (Multi-Platform) lets you add interactive gauges to reports, delivering instant visual feedback on KPIs across diverse platforms and devices.
  • Telerik Reporting allows you to integrate customizable gauges that clearly visualize performance metrics, enhancing clarity and speed of data-driven decisions.
  • Stimulsoft Reports.NET facilitates the creation of dynamic gauges, enabling quick interpretation of critical values and thresholds within professional, interactive reports.
  • FastReport .NET WinForms lets you embed visually engaging gauges, instantly conveying progress toward goals for efficient, results-focused report analysis.

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

Compare .NET Winforms Reporting Controls

Unlock Report Logic Flexibility with Nullable Variables

August 13, 2025
Stimulsoft Reports.PHP offers support for 'Not Assigned' variable states, enabling more accurate and dynamic report parameters.

Stimulsoft Reports.PHP is a reporting tool designed to be embedded within PHP applications. It offers a client-server architecture for generating, viewing, printing, and exporting reports online. The solution includes a JavaScript report engine for fast execution, a native JavaScript report designer for building reports with various data sources and visualizations, and a PHP server-side component for data processing. This integration allows developers to seamlessly add robust reporting functionality to their PHP applications.

The latest Stimulsoft Reports.PHP update introduces support for nullable variable states through a new 'Not Assigned' option in the Parameters Panel, allowing developers to define variables without preset values. This enhancement improves alignment with backend data models by accurately representing null or optional inputs, and enables more dynamic report logic by supporting conditional behavior based on whether a variable is assigned. It simplifies parameter management in complex reporting scenarios and enhances user experience by offering greater control over input flexibility.

Stimulsoft Reports.PHP is licensed per developer and is available as a Perpetual license with 1 year support and maintenance. See our Stimulsoft Reports.PHP licensing page for full details.

Stimulsoft Reports.PHP is available in the following products:

Enhance BI Reports with Accurate Color Matching

August 11, 2025
Stimulsoft BI Server offers a new Eyedropper Tool with hover zoom for precise color sampling from any image area and visual customization.

Stimulsoft BI Server is a comprehensive client-server Business Intelligence solution designed for reporting and analytics. The front end offers powerful data visualization capabilities, while the back end handles data processing and storage. It can function as a standalone report server or be embedded into other systems. The software includes a range of features such as report creation and editing, secure storage, scheduling, and automated delivery to clients.

The Stimulsoft BI Server introduces a new Eyedropper Tool in the Web Designer, enabling developers to sample colors directly from any area of an image with enhanced precision using a hover zoom feature. This tool improves the efficiency of UI customization by allowing quick identification and application of exact color values without external software. Additionally, it supports copying color codes in RGB, HEX, and HLS formats, offering greater flexibility when aligning report visuals with application themes, branding guidelines, or front-end design specifications.

Stimulsoft BI Server is available as a perpetual license and is licensed per creator. A creator has an account on the server, has access from the client-side, registered as an editor, and uses the product to work with report templates and dashboards - create, edit, view, delete, etc. See our Stimulsoft BI Server licensing page for full details.

Stimulsoft BI Server is available in the following products:

Connect Excel or CSV Files Directly to Your Reports

August 1, 2025
Use familiar file formats as native data sources in .NET 9 WPF apps to simplify reporting and speed up development.

Excel / CSV data connectivity in a .NET 9 WPF reporting controls refers to the built-in capability to directly import and use data from Microsoft Excel spreadsheets or comma-separated value files as data sources for generating reports. This allows developers to integrate reporting functionality into their desktop applications without needing intermediate data transformations or external database connections. It simplifies the development workflow by supporting widely used formats, ensures compatibility with existing business data, and reduces the need for additional parsing or data handling logic. The result is faster report generation and easier access to commonly used data formats.

Several .NET 9 WPF reporting controls offer Excel / CSV data connectivity including:

  • ActiveReports.NET by MESCIUS allows you to bind .NET 9 WPF reports directly to Excel or CSV files without external parsing hassle for data‑driven layouts.
  • DevExpress Reporting lets you connect reports to Excel or CSV sources at design or runtime using their ExcelDataSource wizard.
  • Telerik Reporting enables you to use Excel or CSV files as native data sources in WPF reports, supporting seamless integration and rendering.
  • List & Label Professional Reporting Edition by combit facilitates loading report data directly from Excel or CSV files via file‑based data sources without requiring external transformation logic.

For an in-depth analysis of features and price, visit our comparison of .NET 9 WPF reporting controls.

Compare .NET 9 WPF Reporting Controls

Generate Report Data with Built-In AI Tools

August 1, 2025
Stimulsoft Dashboards.WIN adds AI-powered data generation with Stimul AI, for faster report design using natural language prompts.

Stimulsoft Dashboards.WIN is a versatile suite of tools for crafting interactive data visualizations for web and desktop applications. It empowers developers to embed intuitive dashboards across various platforms, using platform-specific components or a centralized cloud designer. With data analysis elements, customization options, and pre-built templates, Stimulsoft Dashboards helps you transform complex data into clear, actionable insights for any audience.

The latest Stimulsoft Dashboards.WIN update introduces AI-powered data generation, enabling developers to quickly create realistic sample datasets using natural language prompts directly within the report designer. This improves the prototyping process by removing the need for manual data setup or external demo files, allowing for faster iteration, testing, and visualization of report layouts.

Stimulsoft Dashboards.WIN is licensed per developer and is available as a perpetual license with 1 year support and maintenance. See our Stimulsoft Dashboards.WIN licensing page for full details.

Stimulsoft Dashboards.WIN is available individually or as part of Stimulsoft Ultimate.