Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Business Intelligence Development and Maintenance: Developing SSRS Reports

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) plays an important role in the Microsoft SQL Server 2008 business intelligence (BI) platform. Reports built in SSRS query relational and multidimensional databases and other data sources and distribute information throughout the organization. In SQL Server 2008, SSRS features significant enhancements. You can create interactive reports that contain rich data regions, including the new Tablix report item, charts, and gauges. In this chapter, you will first learn how to create SSRS projects and reports in Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS). You will also see how to develop report objects by using the Report Designer and how to work with advanced report object properties. You will then see how to use a SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) database as the source for your report. And last, after looking at how to create a dataset from a data source, you will learn how to apply dataset filters and groups.

Exam objectives in this chapter:

• Implement report data sources and datasets.

• Implement a report layout.

• Create an SSRS report by using an SSAS data source.

• Implement interactivity in a report.

• Implement report items.

Before You Begin

To complete this chapter, you must have:

• Administrative access to an SSRS server.

• General understanding of the SQL Server BI platform.

• Familiarity with the SQL Server Database Engine.

• Experience working with SQL Server 2008 BIDS projects and solutions.

• Experience working in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).

• The SQL Server 2008 AdventureWorks2008 and AdventureWorksDW2008 databases installed.

• The Lesson 1, Exercise 3, “Create a UDM Cube to Examine Data,” practice in Chapter 9, “Working with SSAS Data Mining,” completed and deployed.