Getting Started with Report Builder 2.0
Report Builder 2.0 is a report authoring tool that you can use to design and publish your own reports. When you design a report, you specify where to get the data, which data to get, and how to display the data. When you run the report, the report processor takes all the information you have specified, retrieves the data and combines it with the report layout to generate each page as you view it. You can view your reports from within the Report Builder 2.0 tool, or you can publish your report to a report server where others can run it.
.gif "Sample report from the AdventureWorks database")
Sample of a report from the AdventureWorks 2008 sample database. Your system administrator can download the sample databases for you to use.
Using Report Builder 2.0, you can:
Create reports with tables, matrices, charts, or free-form areas. Start designing your report by using the Table, Matrix, or Chart Wizard. Choose a data source connection, drag and drop fields to create a dataset query, select a layout and style, and customize your report any way you want.
Modify your data by filtering, grouping and sorting data, or by adding formulas or expressions.
Change the appearance of your report by adding text boxes, images, or conditional formatting.
Add interactive features, such as interactive sorting, drillthrough reports, and toggling the visibility of report items.
Run the report to preview your changes. Toggle between design view and preview.
Save the report to your computer or to the report server, where you can manage it and share it with others.
Note
To access the report server, you must have adequate permissions. If you need permissions, contact your report server administrator.
- Export the report as a different file type, such as a TIFF, PDF, Excel, Word, or HTML file.
In This Section
Tutorial: Creating a Quick Chart Report Offline
This tutorial introduces you to Report Builder 2.0 and the wizards available to help you create reports. The tutorial provides a set of data for you to work with so you do not need to connect to a data source to get started.Tutorials (Report Builder 2.0)
More tutorials are available to help you learn about Report Builder features. To use these tutorials, you will need to have installed the AdventureWorks sample database that is provided with SQL Server, and you will need access to a report server. Talk to your report server administrator to use these tutorials.Report Life Cycle (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides a high-level description of how to author, manage, and deliver reports.Features (Report Builder 2.0)
Describes the available features in Report Builder 2.0.Reporting Concepts (Report Builder 2.0)
Defines key concepts used in throughout Report Builder 2.0 documentation.Planning a Report (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides information on what you should consider before you start to build your report.Getting Assistance (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides information about the various resources available to help you use Report Builder, including tutorials.Report Builder 2.0 How-to Topics
Provides links to all the procedural topics for Report Builder 2.0 in one location.How Do I Find Videos (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides links to video tutorials.How to: Start Report Builder 2.0 ClickOnce
Provides information about how to start Report Builder 2.0 as a ClickOnce application.
Related Sections
These sections of the documentation provide in-depth conceptual information about Report Builder 2.0 and Reporting Services, as well as procedural information about how to design, customize, and use Report Builder reports.
Working in Report Builder 2.0
Describes the Report Builder menus, panes, and ribbon.Connecting to Your Data (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides information about connecting to your data source and adding your data to your report.Designing the Report Layout (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides information about choosing a data region template, adding text boxes, images, lines, and rectangles to your report. Also describes interactive functionality that you can add to your report.Working with Your Data (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides information about how to add parameters, filters, and expressions to the report, and group and sort the data.Administering Report Builder 2.0
Describes how to publish your reports and data sources to a report server.Finding, Saving, and Managing Reports (Report Builder 2.0)
Describes how to view your reports while running Report Builder or when viewing the report on the report server.Exporting Reports (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides information about how to save your reports in another file format.Printing Reports (Report Builder 2.0)
Provides information about how to print your reports.Administering Report Builder 2.0
Provides information for the report server administrator about how to configure Report Builder in a Reporting Services environment that is configured to use native mode or SharePoint integrated mode.Report Builder 2.0 F1 Help
Describes the options available in each dialog box, query builder, and expression editor.Properties in Report Builder 2.0
Describes each of the Reporting Services properties that appear in the Properties pane. Many of these properties can be changed in the Report Builder dialog boxes; however, the Properties pane provides an alternative way to see and update report item properties. The topic describes the available values and default values for each property.
See Also