Database Reference
In-Depth Information
Reporting Services best practices
As we round out this chapter on Reporting Services, it's worth taking a moment to review some best
practices you can follow to ensure successful reporting adoption:
Keep it simple.
Complexity is the enemy of user adoption when it comes to information.
Always keep your reports simple and easy to understand.
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Include standard metadata.
Be sure to include metadata and methodology definition in
your reports. The best approach is to drive your metadata off a central repository that
allows you to define your metrics and attributes once and then reuse them on different
reports.
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Include detailed data to back up your graphs.
Sometimes using graphs makes it easier to
spot trends and anomalies; however, most people need the underlying data for further analy-
sis and confirmation. Make it a habit to give users access to graph data in a tabular format to
avoid confusion and to increase user adoption.
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Take advantage of advanced formatting.
SSRS has several advanced formatting options,
including multi-axis support for graphs and exception highlighting. Be sure to explore these
advanced options and take advantage of them to make your reporting more relevant to users'
business needs.
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Keep text and formatting consistent.
One of the main turnoffs for users is inconsistency
with how terms and definitions are presented, as well as an inconsistent approach to building
reports. Make sure you adopt strict standards when it comes to building your reports so that
they all have the same look and feel even if they're built by different developers.
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