Lesson 1: Creating a New Report (Report Builder 2.0)
In this lesson, you will learn how to create a new report definition, add a title, save the report to a report server, and run the report.
To create a new report
Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Report Builder, and then click Report Builder 2.0.
A new report opens in design view. There are two views: design and preview. In design view, you create a report definition. You specify data in the Report Data pane and the report layout on the design surface. In preview, the report processor runs the report definition, combining report data and the report layout. The report is rendered on-demand as you view each page.
By default, a new report definition includes a report body and a page footer, and has the following items:
A text box that contains "Click here to add title".
A placeholder with a link to the Table or Matrix wizard and to the Chart wizard. You will use this feature in the next lesson.
A text box that contains the built-in field [&ExecutionTime] in the page footer. This adds the date and time that the report ran to the bottom of each page.
Next, you will add a title to the report and save it to the report server. A report server manages and processes published reports.
To add a report title
On the design surface, click Click here to add title.
Type Sales Orders and then click outside the text box.
This title will appear at the top of the report. Items at the top of the report body when there is no page header defined are the equivalent of a report header.
To save the report on a report server
From the Report Builder button, click Save As.
Click Recent Sites and Servers.
Select or type the name of the report server where you have permission to save reports.
The message Connecting to report server appears. When the connection is complete, you see the contents of the report folder that the report server administrator specified as the default location for reports.
In Name, replace the default name with Sales Orders.
Click Save.
The report is saved to the report server. The report server that you are connected to appears in the status bar at the bottom of the window.
Next, you will preview the report.
To preview a report
Click Run.
The report runs on the report server and displays the title and the time the report processing occurred.
Next Task
You have successfully created a new report named Sales Order and saved it to a report server.
Next, you will add a table by using the Table wizard. The wizard also helps you specify the data to display in the table. See Lesson 2: Adding a Table with the Table or Matrix Wizard (Report Builder 2.0).