SSRS report with web service

Question

Is it possible to use web service instead of dll in the SSRS report?

Tuhin Paul · Answer

The web service provides real-time or dynamic data to the SSRS report.

Tuhin Paul · Answer

When to Use a DLL Instead of a Web Service Complex Logic: If you need to perform complex transformations or calculations, a custom DLL might be more appropriate. Offline Data: If the data does not need to be fetched dynamically, consider using a database or preprocessed dataset. Security Concerns: If exposing sensitive data via a web service is a concern, a DLL can provide better control over data access.

Tuhin Paul · Answer

Steps to Use a Web Service in SSRS Understand the Web Service: A web service provides data through endpoints (e.g., RESTful APIs or SOAP-based services). Ensure that the web service returns data in a format that SSRS can consume, such as JSON or XML. If the web service requires authentication (e.g., API keys, OAuth tokens), ensure you have the necessary credentials. Create a Data Source for the Web Service: In SSRS, you can use a Web Service Data Source to connect to the web service. Follow these steps: Open your SSRS project in SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) or Report Builder. Add a new Data Source to your report. Select the type as XML (for RESTful APIs) or SOAP (for SOAP-based services). Provide the URL of the web service endpoint. Define a Dataset: After setting up the data source, create a Dataset to query the web service. For RESTful APIs: Use the GET method to fetch data. If the API requires parameters, include them in the query string or headers. For SOAP-based services: Define the SOAP action and request payload in the dataset query. Transform the Data (if needed): If the web service returns data in JSON format, SSRS cannot directly interpret it. You may need to: Use a middleware layer (e.g., an ETL process or a custom script) to convert JSON to XML. Alternatively, use a custom assembly (DLL) to parse the JSON response and make it available to SSRS. Bind Data to the Report: Once the dataset is created, bind the fields returned by the web service to the report elements (e.g., tables, charts, matrices). Test the Report: Preview the report to ensure that the data from the web service is displayed correctly. Debug any issues related to data formatting, connectivity, or authentication.

Tuhin Paul · Answer

Yes, it is possible to use a web service instead of a DLL in an SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Services) report. SSRS supports integrating data from various sources, including web services, databases, and custom assemblies (DLLs). Using a web service can be particularly useful when you want to fetch dynamic or real-time data from an external API or service.

Amira Bedhiafi · Answer

You can't directly call a web service from the report itself. You can define a dataset that pulls data from a web service endpoint : Use XML or JSON as the data source. Supported in SSRS 2016+ (for JSON). Use Query Designer to configure HTTP calls if supported. https://yourapi.com/api/getdata

SSRS report with web service

Answers (5)