One of the heavily used tool/services available for SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is the report builder tool. Users could create a wide variety of reports and be able to manage them systematically through this reporting service. SQL server integration services and SQL Server Analysis Service and the SQL Server Reporting Services make up a vital support system for the SQL Server. SQL Server Reporting Services provides a report authoring tool. Business users who are familiar with the Microsoft Office environment will find the SSRS report builder very easy to get used to and use. When creating a report, the user needs to specify the source of the data and what exact data to be picked and how exactly they are to be displayed.
The report processor in the SSRS will retrieve the data as specified and create a report for the user as per the specified template. You can specify basic data tables and charts drawn from the data in the tables. The ribbon style menu in the reporting services will let you add elements to the report very easily. Besides the tables and charts users will be able to us the map wizard and format the data to be included in the report created with the SQL server reporting services.
It is possible to export the reports created into Excel environment. Other export formats are also available in this report building tool. The report builder makes it possible to save the reports into a SharePoint library. Alternately these can be saved into a report server or if you prefer, the local host. The SSRS reporting tool also makes it possible to take a look at how the reports will look in HTML format or in print format. The tool works through a web interface. It also needs Internet Explorer 6.0 or later and .NET framework 2.0 to work properly. The SQL Server Reporting Services can get the reports from the report server. This reporting service has many features that are similar to the report designer, meant for specialist (developers, administers) use.
The user will need to take care of quite a few configuration issues before they can start using the SSRS report builder. This ad hoc tool installs when the user installs the SQL Server Reporting Services in its native mode or the SharePoint integration mode. For proper access to the report server properties that indicate the availability of the report builder on the server should be set properly. The reporting services access to specific groups or individual users is controlled and right parameters must be set. Authentication parameters determine if an instance of access is being done by authorized users.
Availability of SQL server reporting services is based on the edition you are going to use. Not all editions of the SQL server include the reporting services and hence the SSRS report builder. The SSRS was originally made available with the 2003 release. Initially it used to be an adjunct product but was enhanced significantly with the 2008 and 2008 R2 releases.