If you work with BI teams, report developers, or manage legacy .rpt files, check out this new utility: CrystalReportVersioner.

This lightweight Windows tool, built on .NET Framework 4.8, provides versioning, archiving, and rollback for SAP Crystal Reports .rpt files.
github.com/kokblackbird/CrystalReportVersioner

Key Features

• Compare original vs changed .rpt files.
• Automatically create timestamped archives under archive/<reportName>/vYYYYMMDD-HHmmss/ with zipped artifacts.
• Generate readable changes.html, metadata.json, and changelogs for each report.
• Revert to previous versions instantly.
• Works with or without the Crystal runtime installed.

Why This Matters
In many organizations, Crystal Reports live on file shares and get overwritten without proper version control. This tool introduces a simple, transparent workflow for tracking and restoring report changes. It provides structure and accountability without requiring a full version-control system.

How to Get Started

1. Download from GitHub: github.com/kokblackbird/CrystalReportVersioner
2. Build or run directly on Windows (.NET 4.8 required).
3. Select your Original and Changed .rpt files.
4. Choose the archive location (defaults to \<original directory>\archive).
5. Optionally add a change message, click Push Changes, and generate archives and summaries.
6. Use Revert to Last Change to roll back when needed.

Tips and Best Practices

• Maintain clear directory structures for shared reports.
• Even without Crystal runtime, binary diff and archiving features remain useful.
• Integrate changelogs and metadata into your QA and documentation workflow.
• Monitor disk usage; archives can accumulate over time.
• Continue performing regular full backups.

Conclusion
CrystalReportVersioner solves the common “Which version is live?” problem for Crystal Reports users. It’s a focused, efficient utility that brings version control discipline to your reporting environment with minimal setup.

Link: CrystalReportVersioner on GitHub