How to Create SSRS Report in SQL Server 2008 – Step-by-Step Guide

Creating an SSRS report in SQL Server 2008 might seem daunting at first, but with the right guidance, anyone can learn how to create a report. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the process of creating an SSRS report from start to finish.

First, we’ll cover the basics of SSRS, so you’ll have a good understanding of the system before we dive into the specifics. Then, we’ll show you how to install SQL Server Data Tools, a crucial tool for creating reports.

Once you’ve installed the necessary tools, we’ll guide you through creating a new report project, adding a data source and dataset to your report, and creating a report layout with Report Designer. We’ll also show you how to preview, save, and deploy your SSRS report.

If you’re ready to learn how to create an SSRS report in SQL Server 2008, follow along with our step-by-step guide. By the end of this article, you’ll have the knowledge and skills necessary to create your own reports.

Understand the Basics of SSRS

If you’re new to SSRS, it’s important to understand its basics. SQL Server Reporting Services is a server-based reporting platform that enables you to create, manage, and deliver a wide range of reports. You can use it to produce table, matrix, chart, and free-form reports from various data sources, and to distribute them in various formats.

SSRS is a powerful tool, but it can be intimidating at first. To make it less overwhelming, start with the basics. Learn about report design and data sources, and get familiar with SQL Server Data Tools, which is used to create reports. With a solid understanding of these fundamentals, you’ll be well on your way to creating stunning SSRS reports.

Additionally, SSRS has several advantages over other reporting tools. It’s highly scalable, enabling you to handle large volumes of data, and it’s secure, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive information. Furthermore, it’s highly customizable, allowing you to tailor your reports to your specific needs.

What is SSRS and Why is it Important?

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a Microsoft technology that enables the creation, management, and delivery of rich, interactive reports. With SSRS, businesses can easily generate reports from a variety of data sources, including SQL Server, Oracle, and other popular database systems.

One of the key benefits of using SSRS is its ability to provide insights into complex data sets in a clear, visual format. Reports can be customized to meet the specific needs of an organization and can include charts, graphs, tables, and other visual elements.

SSRS is an essential tool for businesses that need to make data-driven decisions. It helps to eliminate the guesswork from decision-making by providing accurate and up-to-date information in a format that is easy to understand. SSRS can be used to generate reports for various purposes, such as tracking sales performance, monitoring inventory levels, and analyzing customer behavior.

1. SSRS helps to improve efficiency: By automating the report generation process, businesses can save time and resources that would have been spent on manual report creation.
2. SSRS promotes collaboration: Reports can be easily shared across teams, enabling better collaboration and decision-making.
3. SSRS provides real-time insights: Reports can be generated on-demand, providing real-time insights into business operations.
4. SSRS enhances data security: Reports can be secured to ensure that sensitive information is only accessible to authorized users.
5. SSRS supports mobile devices: Reports can be accessed and viewed on mobile devices, providing greater flexibility and accessibility.

Whether you are a small business owner or a large corporation, SSRS can help you make better decisions and improve your bottom line. By providing valuable insights into your data, SSRS enables you to identify areas for improvement, optimize your operations, and stay ahead of the competition.

Key Features of SSRS

SSRS provides a wide range of features that allow users to create, manage, and deliver reports. Some of the key features of SSRS include:

• Report Designer: A powerful drag-and-drop interface that allows you to easily create and customize report layouts.
• Data Sources: SSRS supports a wide range of data sources, including SQL Server, Oracle, and ODBC data sources.
• Data Visualization: SSRS provides a variety of chart types and visualization options to help you better understand your data.
• Report Delivery: Reports can be delivered in a variety of formats, including PDF, Excel, and HTML.
• Report Management: SSRS provides tools for managing and organizing your reports, including scheduling and subscription options.

These features make SSRS a powerful tool for businesses and organizations that need to create, manage, and distribute reports. Whether you need to create simple reports or complex ones with multiple data sources, SSRS has the features and tools you need to get the job done.

Now that we have discussed the key features of SSRS, let’s move on to the next step in creating an SSRS report: installing SQL Server Data Tools.

Understanding SSRS Architecture

SSRS is a reporting tool that allows users to create, deploy, and manage reports. Understanding the architecture of SSRS can help users make informed decisions about designing and deploying reports.

Report Server: The Report Server is the central component of the SSRS architecture. It manages the processing and delivery of reports, manages security and data source connections, and provides a web-based interface for report management.

Report Manager: Report Manager is a web-based management tool that provides a centralized location for managing reports and report-related items. It allows users to manage reports, data sources, security settings, and subscriptions.

Report Designer: Report Designer is a visual report design tool that allows users to create reports with a drag-and-drop interface. It provides a wide range of data visualization options, including charts, tables, and graphs. It also allows users to add parameters, expressions, and calculations to their reports.

Install SQL Server Data Tools

SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) is a comprehensive development tool for building SQL Server databases and reports. To create SSRS reports, you’ll need to install SSDT along with Visual Studio. Here’s how to do it:

Download SQL Server Data Tools and install it on your local machine. Make sure to select the “Reporting Services” option during the installation process.

After the installation is complete, open Visual Studio and select “New Project”. You should see the “Reporting Services” templates in the list of project types.

If you don’t see the “Reporting Services” templates, you may need to manually add them to Visual Studio. To do this, go to the Visual Studio Marketplace and search for “SQL Server Reporting Services”. Install the extension, restart Visual Studio, and the templates should now be available.

Once you have the “Reporting Services” templates in Visual Studio, you’re ready to start building your SSRS reports.

Download and Install SQL Server Data Tools

Step 1: Go to the official Microsoft website and download the SQL Server Data Tools version that matches your SQL Server version.

Step 2: Double-click the downloaded file to start the installation wizard.

Step 3: Choose the installation location and click “Install” to begin the installation process.

Step 4: Wait for the installation to complete and click “Finish” to close the wizard.

Creating a New Project in SQL Server Data Tools

To create a new project in SQL Server Data Tools, you’ll need to follow a few simple steps. First, open SQL Server Data Tools and click on the “New Project” button. Next, choose the “Business Intelligence” category and select “Report Server Project” as the project type. Then, name your project and choose a location to save it.

Once you have created the project, you can begin designing your report. You can add data sources and datasets to your report, as well as design your report layout and add interactive elements like parameters and filters. You can also preview your report and make any necessary changes before publishing it to the report server.

Creating a new project in SQL Server Data Tools is an important first step in designing and creating SSRS reports. By following these simple steps, you can quickly and easily create a new project and begin building your report.

Create a New Report Project

Once you have installed SQL Server Data Tools, you can create a new report project by following these steps:

Step 1: Open SQL Server Data Tools and click on “File” in the menu bar.

Step 2: From the dropdown menu, click on “New” and then select “Project”.

Step 3: In the “New Project” window, select “Business Intelligence” from the left-hand side menu, and then choose “Report Server Project” from the options on the right.

Step 4: Give your project a name and choose a location to save it on your computer.

Step 5: Click “OK” to create your new report project.

Now you are ready to start creating your SSRS report!

Choosing the Right Report Type

When creating a new report project, one of the first decisions you’ll need to make is choosing the right report type for your needs.

• Tabular Reports: best suited for presenting data in a table format.
• Matrix Reports: ideal for displaying summarized data in a grid format.
• List Reports: useful for displaying data in a free-form format.
• Chart Reports: perfect for presenting data in a visual format.
• Sub-Report: allows you to embed one report within another report, which can be useful for creating a master-detail report.

Choosing the right report type is essential to create a report that meets your needs. It will help you to display your data in the best possible way and improve the overall usability of your report.

Once you’ve selected the appropriate report type, you can begin designing your report by adding data sources, datasets, and report items.

Working with Report Parameters

Report parameters are essential to generate dynamic reports that change based on the user input. They allow users to specify values for various filters and conditions, making reports more relevant and useful. You can create report parameters from the Report Data pane, and define their properties, such as data type, available values, and visibility options.

Once you create a report parameter, you can use it in various report elements, such as SQL queries, filters, expressions, and dataset queries. You can also add default values, allow multiple values, and provide prompting options to enhance the usability of the report parameters.

To preview the report with different parameter values, you can use the Preview tab and enter the desired values for the report parameters. You can also create subreports and drill-through reports that use the report parameters to navigate and filter data dynamically.

• Best Practices:
• Keep the number of report parameters to a minimum to avoid confusion and complexity.
• Use meaningful names and descriptions for report parameters to facilitate understanding and communication.
• Test the report with different parameter values to ensure that it behaves as expected and returns accurate results.
• Consider using cascading parameters to limit the available values of one parameter based on the selection of another parameter.

Add Data Source and Dataset to Your Report

Data Source: Before you can start creating a dataset for your report, you need to specify a data source. A data source is a connection to the database that contains the data you want to use in your report. In SSRS, you can create a data source for various data sources like SQL Server, Oracle, and more.

Dataset: A dataset is a collection of data that you want to use in your report. You can define a dataset based on a query that retrieves data from your data source. In SSRS, you can create a dataset by defining a query or a stored procedure. You can also use a shared dataset if you want to reuse the same dataset in multiple reports.

Adding Data Source and Dataset: To add a data source to your report, go to the Solution Explorer, right-click on the Data Sources folder, and select “Add New Data Source.” To add a dataset to your report, right-click on the Datasets folder in the Solution Explorer and select “Add Dataset.” You can then define your query or stored procedure to retrieve the required data for your report.

Creating a Data Source for Your Report

Data Source is an essential component of your report that defines the connection string and connection properties to your data source. SQL Server Data Tools supports a wide range of data sources, including SQL Server, Oracle, and Excel, among others.

To create a data source for your report, navigate to the Solution Explorer and right-click on the Data Sources folder. From the context menu, select Add New Data Source. This will open the Data Source Wizard, which will guide you through the process of creating a data source for your report.

In the first step of the wizard, you need to select the type of data source you want to create. You can choose from the available data sources, or you can create a new one if your data source is not listed. After selecting the data source type, you need to provide the connection details, such as the server name, database name, and credentials, if required. You can test the connection to ensure that the details are correct and the connection is established.

Building a Dataset with SQL Queries

When building a dataset in SQL Server Data Tools, you can create a query that retrieves data from a data source. This query can include one or more parameters that can be used to filter the data that is returned.

You can also use the query designer to create a query. The query designer allows you to visually build your query by selecting tables, columns, and criteria. You can then preview the results of your query and make any necessary adjustments.

Once you have created your query, you can use it to build a dataset for your report. In the dataset properties window, you can specify the query and any parameters that need to be passed to the query. You can also specify the fields that should be included in the dataset.

Using Stored Procedures as a Data Source

A stored procedure is a pre-written block of SQL code that can be called by a program or script. They are commonly used in database applications to execute complex queries or manipulate large amounts of data. In SQL Server Reporting Services, stored procedures can be used as a data source for a report.

To use a stored procedure as a data source, you first need to create a connection to the database that contains the stored procedure. Once you have established a connection, you can create a dataset that uses the stored procedure as its data source.

When creating a dataset from a stored procedure, you can pass parameters to the stored procedure by defining report parameters in your report. These report parameters can be used to filter the data returned by the stored procedure, which can be useful when you need to limit the amount of data returned or provide users with the ability to control the data displayed in the report.

Create Report Layout with Report Designer

Report Designer is a tool that allows you to create the layout of your report. It offers a variety of design elements to create a visually appealing report. You can access it through SQL Server Data Tools.

One of the main design elements is the Report Body. It’s the area where you place report items, such as tables, charts, and textboxes. You can also add headers and footers to your report.

Report Designer provides various formatting options to make your report look professional. You can format text, change font styles, and adjust alignment. You can also add borders, shading, and backgrounds to your report items.

Report Designer offers a Preview mode that lets you view your report as it will appear to users. This is useful for testing and making any necessary adjustments before finalizing your report. You can also export your report to various file formats, such as PDF, Excel, and Word.

Introduction to Report Designer

Report Designer is a tool used in SQL Server Reporting Services that enables you to create and modify reports. It is a drag-and-drop interface where you can add report elements, such as text boxes, tables, charts, and images, and configure their properties.

With Report Designer, you can also apply formatting to your reports, such as font style and color, and add interactive features like drilldown and document maps. It allows you to create complex reports that provide actionable insights to your business.

Report Designer has a user-friendly interface that makes report creation easy, even for non-technical users. It provides a wide range of customization options and features that allow you to create reports that meet your specific needs.

Designing a Report with Report Designer

Report Items: Report items are the building blocks of a report. They include text boxes, tables, charts, images, and more.

Data Binding: Data binding is the process of connecting report items to data sources, so they can display dynamic data. In Report Designer, you can bind data to report items using drag-and-drop functionality or the properties panel.

Report Layout: The report layout defines the structure and style of the report. You can customize the layout using tools like the Report Wizard, the Toolbox, and the Properties panel.

Formatting: Formatting involves adjusting the appearance of report items to make them more visually appealing and easier to read. This can include changing font size and color, adjusting borders and shading, and adding conditional formatting based on data values.

Adding Charts, Graphs and Images to Your Report

One of the advantages of creating a report with Report Designer is that you can add charts and graphs to make your data more visually appealing and easier to understand. There are many different types of charts and graphs to choose from, such as bar charts, pie charts, and line graphs, and you can customize them to fit your specific needs.

In addition to charts and graphs, you can also add images to your report to help illustrate your data or to make your report more visually appealing. You can add images in various formats, such as JPEG, PNG, or BMP, and you can resize and position them as needed.

To add charts, graphs, or images to your report, simply drag and drop the corresponding tool from the toolbox onto your report. You can then configure the properties of the chart, graph, or image using the properties window, such as choosing the data source and selecting the type of chart or graph to display.

Preview, Save and Deploy Your SSRS Report

Preview your report: Before saving or deploying your SSRS report, it’s important to preview it to ensure it looks as intended. Use the preview tab in the Report Designer to generate a preview of your report.

Save your report: Once you’re satisfied with the preview of your report, save it to a location on your computer or on a shared network drive. This will ensure that your report is accessible to others who need it.

Deploy your report: After saving your report, you’ll need to deploy it to a report server so that others can access it. You can deploy your report to a local report server or to a remote report server.

Set report properties: When deploying your report, you can set properties such as the report name, description, and access permissions. This ensures that only authorized users can access the report.

Test your report: Before making your report available to others, it’s important to test it thoroughly. Test the report by running it in different environments and under different scenarios to ensure it works as expected.

Previewing Your Report in Report Designer

Preview tab: The Preview tab allows you to view your report in Report Designer before you deploy it. This is useful for checking the layout and verifying that the data is displaying correctly.

Export options: You can export your report to different file formats such as PDF, Excel, and Word. This feature is useful when you want to share your report with others who do not have access to Report Designer.

Print options: The Print option allows you to print your report directly from Report Designer. You can specify the printer, paper size, and orientation to customize your report for printing.

Zoom and Search: The Zoom feature allows you to adjust the size of the report preview. The Search feature allows you to search for specific text in your report.

Page Navigation: The Page Navigation feature allows you to move between pages in your report preview. You can also use the Table of Contents pane to navigate through your report if you have added one.

Frequently Asked Questions