What is SSRS?

-          Acronyms is SQL Server Reporting Service

-          SSRS is components of Microsoft Business Intelligence Stack

-          Microsoft BI Stack consist of SQL Data base engine, SSRS, SSAS, SSIS and other tools

-          SSRS provides functionality to create, manage and deploy reports

-          We can create rich reports (like tabular/graphical/interactive) using Microsoft BI SSRS with rich data visualization (like charts/maps). All reports can see in web browsers

-          SSRS also allows to export reports in different formats (like .xls, pdf, word etc)

-          SSRS also allows security features to control who can see which reports

Here we consider that we have already done setup of SQL Server Reporting Service. If you have any difficulty in installing setup then you can find videos on YouTube.

We will use Microsoft Business Intelligence Development Studio to develop/create reports.

We just need to select required features during SQL Server setup to install Business Intelligence Development Studio, it’s very easy. Here we consider that we already installed that.

You can see the database table details in following screen which I have use to create report

So, now we can start creating report. Please follow below steps to create report.

Step 1: Open Business Intelligence Development Studio (run -> Microsoft SQL Server 2008 -> SQL Server Business Intelligence Studio). It will open following screen

Step 2: Select Business Intelligence Projects -> Report Server Project Wizard. Enter your report name and select any location to save it. Click OK. It will open up following screen.

Step 3: In that you can see the different steps which we will perform to create report. Click Next.

Step 4: After clicking Next we can see the following screen. Here we can select our data source for report. If you want to share data source for multiple reports then you first need to create shared data source and then select that shared data source here. Or you can create New Data source from here. You can enter connection string or you can edit connection by clicking Edit... button. You also can make that new data source as shared data source by selecting check box below. Click Next.

Step 5: Now our data source is ready, it’s time to create query to display result in report.  You can write query directly there or you can use Query Builder to create query by clicking Query Builder... button. Select necessary tables, after that you can verify your query by clicking "!" button. You can see the result also. If your query is ready then, click Next.

Step 6: Here you need to select your Report Type. Two options available like (Tabular, Matrix). You can see the layout right hand side. After selecting type then click Next.

Step 7: Here is the screen from where you can specify design of report table. If you want to group data then you just need to select that column and you are done. Records automatically display in group pattern. Click Next.

Step 8: Here is the screen from where you can specify layout of report. You can see the preview at right hand side. You can select any color theme. Click Next.

Step 9: Here is the screen for preview of report wizard. Click Finish.

Step 10: You can see how report will look like in Business Intelligence Development Studio. Above steps will create one .rdl file in your solution. Which you can see in Solution Explorer.

You can see preview of report on Preview tab

Step 11: You can upload this .rdl on your report server. To deploy Right click on your project, and click Deploy.