Plan for Report Design and Report Deployment (Reporting Services 2014)
SQL Server Reporting Services provides several approaches for authoring and deploying reports. Use this topic to help plan a report authoring environment and report server that work together. This topic is an overview of report definition support by Reporting Services components. A report definition is an XML file that is written in the Report Definition Language (RDL) or the Report Definition Language for Clients (RDLC). Each report definition conforms to a specific schema version that is listed at the beginning of the file.
RDL files are authored in Report Designer in SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence projects, and in Report Builder 3.0. RDLC files are authored by using the ReportViewer controls that are included in Visual Studio.
In this topic:
RDL Schema Versions
The following table lists each available schema version and the abbreviation that is used throughout the rest of this topic:
| Abbreviation | Schema version |
|---|---|
| 2010 RDL | https://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/reporting/2010/01/reportdefinition |
| 2008 RDL | https://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/reporting/2008/01/reportdefinition |
| 2005 RDL 2005 RDLC |
https://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/reporting/2005/01/reportdefinition |
| 2000 RDL | https://schemas.microsoft.com/sqlserver/reporting/2003/10/reportdefinition |
For more information on RDL and RDL schemas, see the following:
For more information about ReportViewer controls, see ReportViewer Controls (Visual Studio).
Report Server and RDL Schema Support
A report definition file can be deployed to a SQL Server 2014 Reporting Services (SSRS) report server in the following ways:
Report Designer: Deploy a report from Report Designer in SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence.
Report Builder: Save a report to the report server from Report Builder.
Report Manager: Upload a report to a native mode report server from Report Manager.
SharePoint: Upload a report to a SharePoint site that is configured with a SharePoint mode report server.
Programmatically: Programmatically publish a report by using the SOAP API interfaces to a report server. For more information, see Report Server Web Service.
The following table lists the supported rdl schema version by version of the report server.
| Report server version | RDL schema version |
|---|---|
| SQL Server 2014 Or SQL Server 2012 Or SQL Server 2008 R2 |
2010 RDL 2008 RDL 2005 RDL 2000 RDL |
| SQL Server 2008 | 2008 RDL 2005 RDL 2000 RDL |
| SQL Server 2005 | 2005 RDL 2000 RDL |
When you upload a report definition to the report server or upgrade a report server that contains existing reports, the report server preserves the report definition in the original format. On first use, the report server upgrades the report in the report server database to a binary format that is preserved for subsequent views. The report definition (.rdl) itself is not upgraded.
You can extract from the report server a read-only copy of the report definition file (.rdl). On a native mode report server, browse to report manager, select the report and click Download. In a SharePoint mode deployment, browse to the document library, select the report and click Download a Copy.
To upgrade the report definition, you must open the report in a report authoring environment and then save it.
For more information about report upgrades and the schema versions that are supported, see Upgrade Reports.
Report Authoring and Deployment Support
Report authoring environments are Report Designer in SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence projects, and Report Builder. Report authoring environments provide a variety of support for report upgrade, report design, report preview in local mode, report preview on the report server, and report deployment.
The following table summarizes support for authoring and deploying report definitions for different schema versions:
| Authoring environment | RDL version Authored | Deploy RDL version | Deploy to report server versions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report Designer in SQL Server 2014 Data Tools - Business Intelligence for Microsoft Visual Studio 2012, on Microsoft download center. Or Report Designer in SQL Server 2012 Data Tools - Business Intelligence for Microsoft Visual Studio 2012, on Microsoft download center. Or Report Designer in SQL Server 2012 Data Tools, included in SQL Server 2012. |
Authors 2010 RDL. On open of existing RDL: 2000 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL 2005 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL 2008 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL |
2008 RDL 2010 RDL |
SQL Server 2014 SQL Server 2012 SQL Server 2008 R2 |
| Report Designer in SQL Server 2008 R2 Business Intelligence Development Studio | Authors 2010 RDL. On open of existing RDL: 2000 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL 2005 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL 2008 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL |
2008 RDL 2010 RDL |
SQL Server 2008 R2 |
| Report Designer in SQL Server 2008 Business Intelligence Development Studio | Authors 2008 RDL. On open of existing RDL: 2000 RDL, upgrades to 2008 RDL 2005 RDL, upgrades to 2008 RDL |
2008 RDL | SQL Server 2008 |
| SQL Server 2014 Report Builder | Authors 2010 RDL. On open of existing RDL: 2000 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL 2005 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL 2008 RDL, upgrades to 2010 RDL |
2010 RDL | SQL Server 2014 Reporting Services SQL Server 2012 Reporting Services SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services |
| Visual Studio RDLC Report Designer Report Designer | 2005 RDLC | N/A | N/A |
For more information on SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence for Visual Studio 2013, see the following:
Deployment and Version Support in SQL Server Data Tools (SSRS)
Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence for Visual Studio 2012.
ReportViewer Controls
A Visual Studio ReportViewer control can display an .rdlc report in local preview mode or in remote mode, the control can display an .rdl file hosted on a Reporting Services report server. The following table provides the list of RDL versions supported by the ReportViewer controls for local processing (.rdlc). Server side RDL support is summarized in the section Report Server and RDL Schema Support.
| ReportViewer control in product | Version of RDL for local preview |
|---|---|
| Visual Studio 2013 Or Visual Studio 2012 Or Visual Studio 2010 |
2008 RDL |
| Visual Studio 2005 Or Visual Studio 2008 |
2005 RDL |
For more information, see the following:
See Also
Reports, Report Parts, and Report Definitions (Report Builder and SSRS)
Reporting Services Tools
Report Definition Language (SSRS)