Types Of Reports In SSRS

What is SSRS?

SSRS is a server-based reporting platform that you can use to create and manage tabular, matrix, graphical, and free-form reports containing relational and multidimensional data sources. The reports you make can be viewed and ordered over a World Wide Web-based connection. SSRS competes with crystal reports and other business intelligence tools and is included in express, workgroup, standard, and enterprise editions of Microsoft SQL Server as an install option.

Components of SSRS

SSRS reports are traditionally accessed via a central web portal. Permissions can be specified on a site-wide, folder level, or even on individual reports. This allows for a granular set of permissions, which can be vital if you are dealing with financial data or audited reports. The following are the significant components of SSRS.

• Report Server
• Report Server database
• Report Designer
• Report Builder
• Report Manager

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Types of Reports in SSRS

There are different types of reports in SSRS. With reporting services, you can create the following types of reports.

1) Parameterized Reports: 

A parameterized report uses input values to complete the report or data processing. With a parameterized report, you can vary the report's output based on matters set when the report runs. Parameterized reports are frequently used for drilling through, linked, and subreports, connecting and filtering reports with related data.

2) Linked Reports:

• A linked report is a report server item that provides an access point to an existing report. Conceptually, it is similar to a program shortcut that you use to run a program or open a file. A linked report is derived from an existing report and retains the original report definition. It always inherits the report layout and data source properties of the original report. All other properties and settings can be different from those of the original report, including security, parameters, location, subscriptions, and schedules.
• You can create a linked report on the report server when you want to create additional versions of an existing report. For example, you could use a single regional sales report to create region-specific reports for all of your sales territories. However, linked reports are typically based on parameterized reports. You can create linked reports whenever you want to deploy an existing report with different settings.

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3) Snapshot Reports:

A report snapshot is a report that contains layout information and query results that were retrieved at a specific point in time. Report snapshots are not saved in a particular rendering format. Instead, report snapshots are rendered in a final viewing format (such as HTML) only when a user of an application requests it. The report can be rendered in the correct format for the requesting device or web browser. Report snapshots serve three purposes.

• Report history: By creating a series of report snapshots, you can build a record of a report that shows how data changes over time.
• Consistency: Use report snapshots when you want to provide consistent results for multiple users who must work with identical sets of data. With volatile data, an on-demand report can produce different results from one minute to the next. A report snapshot, by contrast, allows you to make valid comparisons against other reports or analytical tools that contain data from the same point in time.
• Performance: By scheduling large reports to run during off-peak hours, you can reduce the processing impact on the report server during core business hours.

4) Cached Reports: 

A cached report is a saved copy of a processed report. Cached reports improve performance by reducing the number of processing requests to the report processor and reducing the time required to retrieve large reports. They have a mandatory expiration period, usually in minutes.

5) Clickthrough Reports:

• A clickthrough report is a report that displays related data from a report model when you click the interactive data contained within your model-based report. The report server generates these reports based on the information contained within the report model. The person who created the model determines which fields are interactive and which fields are returned when a clickthrough report is opened. These field settings cannot be changed in the report authoring tools.
• Clickthrough reports are auto-generated. However, you can create an alternative customized report to the model for interactive data items that are displayed instead. The custom report is a standard reporting services report.

6) Drilldown Reports: 

Drilldown reports initially hide complexity and enable the user to toggle conditionally hidden report items to control how much detailed data they want to see. Drilldown reports must retrieve all possible data that can be shown in the report. For reports with large amounts of data, consider drillthrough reports instead.

7) Drillthrough Reports:

• Drillthrough reports are standard reports that are accessed through a hyperlink on a text box in the original report. Drillthrough reports work with the main report and are the target of a drillthrough action for a report item such as placeholder text or a chart. The main report displays summary information, for example, in a matrix or chat. Actions defined in the matrix or chart provide drillthrough links to reports that display greater details based on the aggregate in the main report.
• Parameters can filter Drillthrough reports, but they do not have to be. Drillthrough reports differ from subreports in that the report does not display within the original report but opens separately. They differ from clickthrough reports in that they are not auto-generated from the data source but are instead custom reports that are saved on the report server. They differ from drill down reports in that they retrieve the report data only for the specified parameters or for the dataset query.

8) Subreports:

• A subreport is a report that displays another report inside the body of the main report. Conceptually, a subreport is similar to a frame on a web page. It is used to embed a report within a report. Any report can be used as a subreport. The subreport can use different data sources than the main report. The report that the subreport stored on a report server is usually in the same folder as the parent report. You can set up the parent report to pass parameters to the subreport.
• Although a subreport can be repeated within data regions using a parameter to filter data in each instance of the subreport, those are typically used with the main report as a briefing book or as a container for collecting related reports.

Advantages of SSRS

• SSRS is faster and cheaper
• No need for expensive specialist skills
• In SSRS, the default report designer is integrated with visual studio.net. This allows us to create an application and reports in the same environment.
• The Security is managed in a role-based method which can be applied to folders and reports.

Conclusion

We have learned about the types of reports in SSRS. It covered components of SSRS and its advantages of SSRS. SQL Server Reporting Services is a server-based reporting platform that allows you to create and manage a wide range of different types of reports and deliver them in various formats. There are various types of reports that can be used for different purposes; whether you want to track the progress of your strategies or stay compliant with financial laws, there is a separate report for each task. To help you identify when to use them, we have covered the top standard report formats used for business today.

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