Databases Reference
In-Depth Information
Overview of Reporting Services 2012
SQL Server Reporting Services
(
SSRS
) has changed by a quantum leap from
its 2000 version. From 2000 to 2012, it has gone through 2005, 2008, and 2008 R2
versions of SQL Server. It is not attempted to describe here all the changes that
have taken place in details, as it would take volumes, but to highlight the major
ones that have changed since the irst edition of this topic in 2008.
Visual Studio
Business Intelligence
(
BI
) has changed over to
SQL Server Data
Tools
(
SSDT
), wherein the Visual Studio Shell is endowed with only BI project
templates that are installed with SQL Server 2012. This translates to not needing a
separate license for Visual Studio in order to create BI projects. Visual Studio 2012
(for example, the Ultimate edition) does not have templates of BI projects, but is
used to create reports using Report Viewer Controls. This said, if you have both
SQL Server 2012 and Visual Studio 2012, you will find the templates for BI projects
in Visual Studio. SSDT installs when you install SQL Server 2012.
Major enhancements in SSRS 2012 are, taking ad-hoc reporting to the next level
of experience, by leveraging the
Business Intelligence Semantic Model
(
BISM
)
and tying it up with SharePoint Server to render, by the now famous, Power Views,
and
Data Alerts
.
Power View
reports can be exported to PowerPoint maintaining
the interactive features while connected to SharePoint Server, adding an extra
dimension of interest to the stake holders.
The server-based SSRS in the SQL Server 2012 platform provides the
following enhancements:
• Comprehensive reporting functionality, including the services of SharePoint
• Data acquisition from a variety of data sources
• A complete set of tools for reports from creation to delivery
• APIs that help developers to integrate and/or extend custom reporting
• Complete integration with Microsoft Visual Studio and SharePoint Server
environments
• In practical terms one can create interactive, tabular, graphical or free-form
reports from relational, multidimensional, or XML data sources
• Rich data visualization of data from the preceding sources is possible,
including charts, sparkline, data bars, and maps
• Publish immediately, or schedule reports, or access reports on-demand
• Support for several report view formats—capability of exporting to Excel
and subscribing to published reports are possible
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