Item: Microsoft SQL Server
Rating: 7
Author: Keri Schneider

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I use Microsoft SQL Server to write SQL queries for my healthcare organization to do reporting for national quality metrics.
It allows me to write efficient, fast queries that export nicely to Excel.

Pros and Cons

Error logging and indicators
Colors keywords
Allows for easy formatting
Allows for multiple tabs
Allows for multiple subqueries

Needs more specific error messages
Sometimes it seems "buggy" with the predictive text
Needs an in application help resource that is easier to understand

Return on Investment

Positive: fast reporting
Excel exporting
Can meet national guidelines with the data
Can be used for import files for reporting which saves money that we would usually use for manual data entry

I use Crystal and Microsoft SQL Server with each other. Each has a unique role that it brings to every query. Microsoft SQL Server allows me to write and refine my base query. Crystal allows me to take that query and make it more visually appealing and easier to interpret.

Other Software Used

SAP Crystal Reports, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Power BI

Likelihood to Recommend

Microsoft SQL Server is well suited for Excel exports of data for on the fly reporting.
It smoothly incorporates subqueries that allow large pieces of data to be joined together without bogging down resources. It can also easily be used in other applications.
For fancy visual effects or pictures it is not well suited. It is a very "bare bones" application.

Usability

For the easy queries and on the fly results that are easily exportable to Excel and then used for graphing, pivot charts. It can also export nicely to other reporting systems like Crystal.

Usability Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Like to use Relatively simple Easy to use Technical support not required Well integrated Consistent Convenient Feel confident using	None

Easy Tasks

Predictive text
Color for keywords
Error checking is decent

Difficult Tasks

Error messages can be vague.
Queries can be hard to stop.
It allows joins that don't make sense (joining a table/column back to itself) without an error.

Microsoft SQL Server great for refining

Overall Satisfaction with Microsoft SQL Server