Overview of SQL Server Reporting Services 2012 Architecture, Features, and Tools - Learning SQL Server Reporting Services 2012 - page 157

Alerting
Database

Alert
Definition

Data Alert
Designer

Run
report

Create
alert
definition

Save alert
definition

Report

SQL
Agent Job
SQL Agent

SQL Agent job runs

SQL
Agent Job

1 Read data feed

Event to process
the alert

Data Feed

Apply rules to feed data

2

Alert Data

Monitor
queue

Alert
Queue

3 Create alert instance Alert

Instance

Alerting
Database

Deliver alert message via email

4

Recipients

Alerting service
(Reporting Services)

Data Alerts can be created for reports (RDL extension) using either Report Designer in
SSDT or with Report Builder. Data Alerts can be created even for very complex reports
but the report must have at least one data region of any type and the report data source
configured to use stored credentials, or no credentials. Another restriction regarding
Data Alert creation is that you cannot create data alerts for Power View reports. One
other requirement for Data Alerts is that the report for which Data Alert is created
should be saved (or uploaded) to a SharePoint Library, which means it is set up inside
SharePoint. This implies that if your computer is installed in Native mode you cannot
create Data Alerts (data driven subscriptions are not the same as Data Alerts). Data
Alerts do not use integrated security credentials or will not prompt for credentials.
The report processing and alert processing happen together and if credentials are not
present the Data Alert will not be processed.