Microsoft SQL reports

Owned by Timothy Hitchcock
Jul 08, 2020
2 min read

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS)

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) provides a set of on-premises tools and services that create, deploy, and manage mobile and paginated reports.

Reporting Services in SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT)

SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) is a Microsoft Visual Studio environment for creating business intelligence solutions. SSDT features the Report Designer authoring environment, where you can open, modify, preview, save, and deploy Reporting Services paginated report definitions, shared data sources, shared datasets, and report parts.

SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) is not included with SQL Server. Download SQL Server Data Tools.

Design Reporting Services Paginated Reports with Report Designer (SSRS)

Use Report Designer to create full-featured Reporting Services paginated reports and reporting solutions. Report Designer provides a graphical interface in which you can define data sources, datasets and queries, report layout positions for data regions and fields, and interactive features such as parameters and sets of reports that work together.

In Report Designer, you work in both the Report Data pane and in Solution Explorer to define the data sources used in a report. For more information, see Report Data Pane.

You cannot use SQL Server Data Tools to open data sources that are published to a report server or SharePoint site, but not included in the SQL Server Data Tools solution. For that feature, use Report Builder authoring environment (SSRS).

Report Builder authoring environment (SSRS)

Report Builder Report Builder is a stand-alone authoring environment for creating Reporting Services paginated reports outside of Visual Studio. When you design a report, you specify where to get the data, which data to get, and how to display the data. When you run the report, the report processor takes all the information you have specified, retrieves the data, and combines it with the report layout to generate the report. You can install it from the Reporting Services web portal or from the Microsoft Download Center.

Install Report Builder from the Microsoft Download Center.

Report Builder in SQL Server

Report Builder is a tool for authoring paginated reports, for business users who prefer to work in a stand-alone environment instead of using Report Designer in Visual Studio / SSDT.

When you design a paginated report, you're creating a report definition (*.rdl) that specifies what data to retrieve, where to get it, and how to display it. When you run the report, the report processor takes the report definition you have specified, retrieves the data, and combines it with the report layout to generate the report.

You can preview your report in Report Builder. Then publish your report to a Reporting Services report server in native mode or in SharePoint integrated mode (2016 and earlier).

Report Design View (Report Builder)

Microsoft® Report Builder download

Report Builder provides a productive report-authoring environment for IT professionals and power users.

  • Version: 15.0.1473.0

  • File Name: ReportBuilder.msi

  • Date Published: 8/29/2019

  • File Size: 23.6 MB