Starting with SQL Reporting Services in ASP.NET Application: Part I

This Article (PART I and PART II) is mainly to know HOW TO START WITH SQL REPORTING SERVICES.

Part I will brief you on How to Design Reports in VS.NET. And Part II will describe how to upload your reports on the Server and what code to write in the Application to invoke those reports.

Implementing the SQL Reporting Services in your ASP.NET Application can be categorized in three main Processes.

1. Creating your Reports i.e. .rdl Files (These file is used to design the Layout of your reports i.e. Look and Feel of the Report)
2. Uploading your Reports (.rdl Files) in SQL Report Server.
3. And writing code in your application to invoke these Reports from the SQL Report Server

Understanding How the Reports works

The above Diagram shows a simple architecture of a web scenario in which we have a Database Sever which is communicating to your Application Server. In addition we have a SQL Reports Server which contains the all the layout of the Reports i.e. your .rdl files along with the Database configuration.

The Application Server can communicate to your Database using ADO.NET (which is normally used by .NET Developers)

And Your Application Server will invoke your Reports via web service (provided by SQL Reporting Services).

Creating Reports

You can create reports as shown below:-

1. Select Business Intelligence Project - Report Project and give a name

2. In the Solution Add a New Item

3. Select a New Report and give a name.