Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Another common reporting design involves highlighting information by con-
ditionally appending graphics beside the data values. The following example
expression, implemented in a column of a report, returns the name of an
indicator graphic to display when the current account balance is less than 75
percent of the prior period's balance:
=IIF(Sum(Fields!AccountBalance.Value) /
Sum(Fields!AccountBalanceLastPeriod.Value) <
.75, "indicator_small", "nothing")
Similarly, you can use report expressions to alter the color or other text box
appearance attributes in order to draw attention to the values under given
conditions. The following example expression changes the color of the
AccountBalance
field when the value is a negative amount:
=IIF(Fields!AccountBalance.Value < 0, "Red","Black")
Ultimately, Reporting Services expressions enable many dynamic and interac-
tive report design features that can aid in effectively communicating the data
stories found within the data.
BuSIneSS InTellIgenCe DeVeloPMenT
STuDIo AnD VISuAl STuDIo VeRSuS
RePoRT BuIlDeR
Understanding what tools are available to design and publish reports is an
essential part of working with Reporting Services. In this section two primary
tools are contrasted, Report Builder and Business Intelligence Development
Studio (BIDS).
BIDS has been the defacto report design and publishing tool of Reporting
Services since the product's inception. The base of Business Intelligence
Development Studio (BIDS) is a core subset of Microsoft's Visual Studio devel-
opment environment which is successfully used to develop other forms of
software and as a result has significant investments in usability and key devel-
opment tools such as source code control.
Report Builder has been, at best, a confusing product that was originally
introduced as a tool to provide end users with a report design experience.
The confusion surrounding this product centers on the abandonment of the
