How to: Store Credentials for a Data Source (Report Manager)

You can specify a single set of stored credentials that a report server uses to access external data for a report. Stored credentials are used if the report runs unattended. The report server retrieves and uses the credentials when report processing is scheduled or triggered by an event rather than a user request.

The account must have Allow log on locally permission on the report server computer. For more information and instructions on how to grant this permission, see Specifying Credential and Connection Information for Report Data Sources (SSRS).

To specify stored credentials for a report-specific data source

  1. In Report Manager, navigate to the Contents page. Navigate to the report for which you want to configure a report-specific data source, and click the report item.

  2. Click the Properties tab. The General properties page opens.

  3. Click the Data Sources tab.

  4. Select A custom data source.

  5. In the Connection Type list, specify the data processing extension that is used to process data from the data source.

  6. For Connection String, specify the connection string that the report server uses to connect to the data source. The following example illustrates a connection string used to connect to the SQL Server AdventureWorks2008R2 database:

    data source=<servername>;initial catalog=AdventureWorks2008R2
    
  7. For Connect Using, select from Credentials stored securely in the report server.

  8. Type a user name and password.

    • If the account is a Windows domain user account, specify it in this format: <domain>\<account>, and then select Use as Windows credentials when connecting to the data source.

    • If the user name and password are database credentials, do not select Use as Windows credentials when connecting to the data source. If the database server supports impersonation or delegation, you can select Impersonate the authenticated user after a connection has been made to the data source.

  9. Click Apply.

To specify stored credentials for a shared data source

  1. In Report Manager, navigate to the Contents page. Navigate to the shared data source item. The following icon indicates a shared data source item:

    Shared data source icon

  2. Click the item to open it. The General properties page opens.

  3. In the Connection Type list, specify the data processing extension that is used to process data from the data source.

  4. For Connection String, specify the connection string that the report server uses to connect to the data source. Microsoft recommends that you do not specify credentials in the connection string.

    The following example illustrates a connection string used to connect to the local SQL Server AdventureWorks2008R2 database:

    data source=<localservername>; initial catalog=AdventureWorks2008R2
    
  5. Type a user name and password.

    • If the account is a Windows domain user account, specify it in this format: <domain>\<account>, and then select Use as Windows credentials when connecting to the data source.

    • If the user name and password are database credentials, do not select Use as Windows credentials when connecting to the data source. If the database server supports impersonation or delegation, you can select Impersonate the authenticated user after a connection has been made to the data source.

  6. Click Apply.