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Tutorial: Introducing Expressions

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In this Report Builder tutorial, you use expressions with common functions and operators to create powerful and flexible Reporting Services paginated reports.

You will write expressions that concatenate name values, look up values in a separate dataset, display different colors based on field values, and so on.

The report is a banded report with alternating rows in white and a color. The report includes a parameter for selecting the color of the non-white rows.

This illustration shows a report similar to the one you will create.

Screenshot of a report builder report that uses expressions.

Estimated time to complete this tutorial: 30 minutes.

Requirements

For information about requirements, see Prerequisites for Tutorials (Report Builder).

1. Create a Table Report and Dataset from the Table or Matrix Wizard

In this section, you create a table report, a data source, and a dataset. When you lay out the table, you will include only a few fields. After you complete the wizard you will manually add columns. The wizard makes it easy to lay out the table.

Note

In this tutorial, the query contains the data values, so it does not need an external data source. This makes the query quite long. In a business environment, a query would not contain the data. This is for learning purposes only.

To create a table report

  1. Start Report Builder either from your computer, the Reporting Services web portal, or SharePoint integrated mode.

    The New Report or Dataset dialog box opens.

    If you don't see the New Report or Dataset dialog box, on the File menu > New.

  2. In the left pane, verify that New Report is selected.

  3. In the right pane, click Table or Matrix Wizard.

  4. On the Choose a dataset page, click Create a dataset > Next.

  5. On the Choose a connection to a data source page, select a data source that is type SQL Server. Select a data source from the list or browse to the report server to select one.

    Note

    The data source you choose isn't important, as long as you have adequate permissions. You will not be getting data from the data source. For more information, see Alternative Ways to Get a Data Connection (Report Builder).

  6. Click Next.

  7. On the Design a query page, click Edit as Text.

  8. Paste the following query into the query pane:

    SELECT 'Lauren' AS FirstName,'Johnson' AS LastName, 'American Samoa' AS StateProvince, 1 AS CountryRegionID,'Female' AS Gender, CAST(9996.60 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-6-10' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT'Warren' AS FirstName, 'Pal' AS LastName, 'New South Wales' AS StateProvince, 2 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(5747.25 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-7-3' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Fernando' AS FirstName, 'Ross' AS LastName, 'Alberta' AS StateProvince, 3 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(9248.15 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-10-17' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Rob' AS FirstName, 'Caron' AS LastName, 'Northwest Territories' AS StateProvince, 3 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(742.50 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-4-29' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'James' AS FirstName, 'Bailey' AS LastName, 'British Columbia' AS StateProvince, 3 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(1147.50 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-6-15' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT  'Bridget' AS FirstName, 'She' AS LastName, 'Hamburg' AS StateProvince, 4 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(7497.30 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-5-10' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Alexander' AS FirstName, 'Martin' AS LastName, 'Saxony' AS StateProvince, 4 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(2997.60 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-11-19' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Yolanda' AS FirstName, 'Sharma' AS LastName ,'Micronesia' AS StateProvince, 5 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(3247.95 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-8-23' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Marc' AS FirstName, 'Zimmerman' AS LastName, 'Moselle' AS StateProvince, 6 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(1200.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-11-16' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Katherine' AS FirstName, 'Abel' AS LastName, 'Moselle' AS StateProvince, 6 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(2025.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-12-1' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Nicolas' as FirstName, 'Anand' AS LastName, 'Seine (Paris)' AS StateProvince, 6 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(1425.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-12-11' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'James' AS FirstName, 'Peters' AS LastName, 'England' AS StateProvince, 12 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(887.50 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-8-15' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Alison' AS FirstName, 'Nath' AS LastName, 'Alaska' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(607.50 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-10-13' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Grace' AS FirstName, 'Patterson' AS LastName, 'Kansas' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(1215.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-10-18' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Bobby' AS FirstName, 'Sanchez' AS LastName, 'North Dakota' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(6191.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-9-17' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Charles' AS FirstName, 'Reed' AS LastName, 'Nebraska' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(8772.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-8-27' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Orlando' AS FirstName, 'Romeo' AS LastName, 'Texas' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(8578.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-7-29' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Cynthia' AS FirstName, 'Randall' AS LastName, 'Utah' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(7218.10 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-1-11' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Rebecca' AS FirstName, 'Roberts' AS LastName, 'Washington' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(8357.80 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-10-28' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Cristian' AS FirstName, 'Petulescu' AS LastName, 'Wisconsin' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(3470.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-11-30' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Cynthia' AS FirstName, 'Randall' AS LastName, 'Utah' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(7218.10 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-1-11' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Rebecca' AS FirstName, 'Roberts' AS LastName, 'Washington' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Female' AS Gender, CAST(8357.80 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-10-28' AS date) AS LastPurchase  
UNION SELECT 'Cristian' AS FirstName, 'Petulescu' AS LastName, 'Wisconsin' AS StateProvince, 7 AS CountryRegionID, 'Male' AS Gender, CAST(3470.00 AS money) AS YTDPurchase, CAST('2015-11-30' AS date) AS LastPurchase

  9. On the query designer toolbar, click Run (!). The result set displays 23 rows of data in the following columns: FirstName, LastName, StateProvince, CountryRegionID, Gender, YTDPurchase, and LastPurchase.

    Screenshot of the Design a query step of the New Table or Matrix wizard.

  10. Click Next.

  11. On the Arrange fields page, drag the following fields, in the specified order, from the Available Fields list to the Values list.

    • StateProvince
    • CountryRegionID
    • LastPurchase
    • YTDPurchase

    Because the CountryRegionID and YTDPurchase contain numeric data, the SUM aggregate is applied to them by default, but you don't want them to be sums.

  12. In the Values list, right-click CountryRegionID and clear the Sum check box.

    Sum is no longer applied to CountryRegionID.

  13. In the Values list, right-click YTDPurchase and click the Sum option.

    Sum is no longer applied to YTDPurchase.

    Screenshot of of the Values list showing the Sum option ready to be cleared.

  14. Click Next.

  15. On the Choose the layout page, keep all the default settings and click Next.

    Screenshot of the Choose the layout step of the New Table or Matrix wizard.

  16. Click Finish.

2. Update Default Names of the Data Source and Dataset

To update the default name of the data source

  1. In the Report Data pane, expand the Data Sources folder.

  2. Right-click DataSource1 and click Data Source Properties.

  3. In the Name box, type ExpressionsDataSource

  4. Select OK.

To update the default name of the dataset

  1. In the Report Data pane, expand the Datasets folder.

  2. Right-click DataSet1 and click Dataset Properties.

    Screenshot showing how access the Dataset Properties in report builder.

  3. In the Name box, type Expressions

  4. Select OK.

3. Display First Initial and Last Name

In this section, you use the Left function and the Concatenate (&) operator in an expression that evaluates to a name that includes an initial and a last name. You can build the expression step by step or skip ahead in the procedure and copy/paste the expression from the tutorial into the Expression dialog box.

  1. Right-click the StateProvince column, point to Insert Column, and then click Left.

    A new column is added to the left of the StateProvince column.

    Screenshot showing how to insert a left column into a report.

  2. Click the header of the new column and type Name.

  3. Right-click the data cell for the Name column and click Expression.

    Screenshot showing how to insert an expression into a report.

  4. In the Expression dialog box, expand Common Functions, and then click Text.

  5. In the Item list, double-click Left.

    The Left function is added to the expression.

    Screenshot showing how to add a Left function to an expression.

  6. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions).

  7. In the Values list, double-click FirstName.

  8. Type , 1)

    This expression extracts one character from the FirstName value, counting from the left.

  9. Type &". "&

    This adds a period and a space after the expression.

  10. In the Values list, double-click LastName.

    The completed expression is: =Left(Fields!FirstName.Value, 1) &". "& Fields!LastName.Value

    Screenshot showing how to add a LastName value to an expression.

  11. Select OK.

  12. Click Run to preview the report.

(optional) Format the Date and Currency Columns and Header Row

In this section, you format the Last Purchase column, which contains dates, and the YTDPurchase column, which contains currency. You also format the header row.

To format the date column

  1. Click Design to return to design view.

  2. Select the data cell in the Last Purchase column, and on the Home tab > Number section, select Date.

    Screenshot showing how to set the Last Purchase column to Date.

  3. Also in the Number section, click the arrow next to Placeholder Styles and select Sample Values.

    Screenshot showing the Sample Values option in report builder.

    Now you can see an example of the formatting you selected.

To format the currency column

  • Select the data cell in the YTDPurchase column, and in the Number section, select Currency Symbol.

To format the column headers

  1. Select the row of column headers.

  2. On the Home tab > Paragraph section, select Left.

    Screenshot showing how to format headings in report builder.

  3. Click Run to preview the report.

Here's the report so far, with formatted dates, currency, and column headers.

Screenshot showing the preview of the formatted report.

4. Use Color to Display Gender

In this section, you add color to show the gender of a person. You will add a new column to display the color, and then determine the color that appears in the column based on the value of the Gender field.

To keep the color you've applied in that table cell when you make the report a banded report, you add a rectangle and then add the background color to the rectangle.

To add an M/F column

  1. Right-click the Name column, point to Insert Column, and then click Left.

    A new column is added to the left of the Name column.

  2. Click the header of the new column and type M/F.

To add a rectangle

  1. On the Insert tab, click Rectangle and then click in the data cell of the M/F column.

    A rectangle is added to the cell.

    Screenshot showing how to insert a rectangle.

  2. Drag the column divider between the M/F and the Name to make the M/F column narrower.

    Screenshot showing how to make a column narrower.

To use color to show gender

  1. Right-click the rectangle in the data cell in the M/F column and click Rectangle Properties.

  2. In the Rectangle Properties dialog box > Fill tab, click the expression fx button next to Fill color.

  3. In the Expression dialog box, expand Common Functions and click Program Flow.

  4. In the Item list, double-click Switch.

  5. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions).

  6. In the Values list, double-click Gender.

  7. Type ="Male", (including the comma).

  8. In the Category list, click Constants, and in the Values box, click Cornflower Blue.

    Screenshot showing how to use a color to show a gender.

  9. Type a comma after it.

  10. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions), and in the Values list, double-click Gender again.

  11. Type ="Female", (including the comma).

  12. In the Category list, click Constants, and in the Values box, click Tomato.

  13. Type a closing parenthesis ) after it.

    The completed expression is: =Switch(Fields!Gender.Value ="Male", "CornflowerBlue",Fields!Gender.Value ="Female","Tomato")

    Screenshot showing the complete expression in the Expression dialog box.

  14. Click OK, then click OK again to close the Rectangle Properties dialog box.

  15. Click Run to preview the report.

    Screenshot showing the preview with the M/F column.

To format the color rectangles

  1. Click Design to return to design view.

  2. Select the rectangle in the M/F column. In the Properties pane, in the Border section, set these properties:

    • BorderColor = White
    • BorderStyle = Solid
    • BorderWidth = 5pt

    Screenshot showing how to format the color rectangles in the M/F column.

  3. Click Run to preview the report again. This time the color blocks have white space around them.

    Screenshot showing the preview with the rectangles formatted in the M/F column.

5. Look Up the CountryRegion Name

In this section, you create the CountryRegion dataset and use the Lookup function to display the name of a country/region instead of the identifier of the country/region.

To create the CountryRegion dataset

  1. Click Design to return to design view.

  2. In the Report Data pane, click New and then click Dataset.

  3. In Dataset Properties, click Use a dataset embedded in my report.

  4. In the Data source list, select ExpressionsDataSource.

  5. In the Name box, type CountryRegion

  6. Verify that the Text query type is selected and click Query Designer.

  7. Click Edit as Text.

  8. Copy and paste the following query into the query pane:

    SELECT 1 AS ID, 'American Samoa' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 2 AS CountryRegionID, 'Australia' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 3 AS ID, 'Canada' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 4 AS ID, 'Germany' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 5 AS ID, 'Micronesia' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 6 AS ID, 'France' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 7 AS ID, 'United States' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 8 AS ID, 'Brazil' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 9 AS ID, 'Mexico' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 10 AS ID, 'Japan' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 10 AS ID, 'Australia' AS CountryRegion  
UNION SELECT 12 AS ID, 'United Kingdom' AS CountryRegion

  9. Click Run (!) to run the query.

    The query results are the country/region identifiers and names.

  10. Select OK.

  11. Click OK again to close the Dataset Properties dialog box.

    Now you have a second dataset in the Report Data column.

To look up values in the CountryRegion dataset

  1. Click the Country Region ID column header and delete the text: ID, so it reads Country Region.

  2. Right-click the data cell for the Country Region column and click Expression.

  3. Delete the expression except the initial equal (=) sign.

    The remaining expression is: =

  4. In the Expression dialog box, expand Common Functions and click Miscellaneous, and in the Item list, double-click Lookup.

  5. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions), and in the Values list, double-click CountryRegionID.

  6. Place the cursor immediately after CountryRegionID.Value, and type ,Fields!ID.value, Fields!CountryRegion.value, "CountryRegion")

    The completed expression: =Lookup(Fields!CountryRegionID.Value,Fields!ID.value, Fields!CountryRegion.value, "CountryRegion")

    The syntax of the Lookup function specifies a lookup between CountryRegionID in the Expressions dataset and ID in the CountryRegion dataset that returns the CountryRegion value from the CountryRegion dataset.

  7. Select OK.

  8. Click Run to preview the report.

6. Count Days Since Last Purchase

In this section, you add a column and then use the Now function or the ExecutionTime built-in global variable to calculate the number of days from today since a customer's last purchases.

To add the Days Ago column

  1. Click Design to return to design view.

  2. Right-click the Last Purchase column, point to Insert Column, and then click Right.

    A new column is added to the right of the Last Purchase column.

  3. In the column header, type Days Ago

  4. Right-click the data cell for the Days Ago column and click Expression.

  5. In the Expression dialog box, expand Common Functions, and then click Date & Time.

  6. In the Item list, double-click DateDiff.

  7. Immediately after DateDiff(, type "d", (including the quotation marks "" and comma).

  8. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions), and in the Values list, double-click LastPurchase.

  9. Immediately after Fields!LastPurchase.Value, type , (a comma).

  10. In the Category list, click Date & Time again, and in the Item list, double-click Now.

    Warning

    In production reports you should not use the Now function in expressions that are evaluated multiple times as the report renders (for example, in the detail rows of a report). The value of Now changes from row to row and the different values affect the evaluation results of expressions, which leads to results that are subtly inconsistent. Instead, use the ExecutionTime global variable that Reporting Services provides.

  11. Delete the left parenthesis after Now(, and then type a right parenthesis )

    The completed expression is: =DateDiff("d", Fields!LastPurchase.Value, Now)

    Screenshot showing the complete expression for the date since last purchase.

  12. Select OK.

  13. Click Run to preview the report.

7. Use an Indicator to Show Sales Comparison

In this section, you add a new column and use an indicator to show whether a person's year-to-date (YTD) purchases are above or below the average YTD purchases. The Round function removes decimals from values.

Configuring the indicator and its states takes many steps. If you want, you can skip ahead in the "To configure the indicator" procedure, and copy/paste the completed expressions from this tutorial into the Expression dialog box.

To add the + or - AVG Sales column

  1. Right-click the YTD Purchase column, point to Insert Column, and then click Right.

    A new column is added to the right of the YTD Purchase column.

  2. Click the column header and type + or - AVG Sales

To add an indicator

  1. On the Insert tab, click Indicator, and then click the data cell for the + or - AVG Sales column.

    The Select Indicator Type dialog box opens.

  2. In the Directional group of icon sets, click the set of three gray arrows.

    Screenshot showing how to add an indicator.

  3. Select OK.

To configure the indicator

  1. Right-click the indicator, click Indicator Properties, and then click Value and States.

  2. Click the expression fx button next to the Value text box.

  3. In the Expression dialog box, expand Common Functions, and then click Math.

  4. In the Item list, double-click Round.

  5. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions), and in the Values list, double-click YTDPurchase.

  6. Immediately after Fields!YTDPurchase.Value, type - (a minus sign).

  7. Expand Common Functions again, click Aggregate, and in the Item list, double-click Avg.

  8. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions), and in the Values list, double-click YTDPurchase.

  9. Immediately after Fields!YTDPurchase.Value, type , "Expressions"))

    The completed expression is: =Round(Fields!YTDPurchase.Value - Avg(Fields!YTDPurchase.Value, "Expressions"))

  10. Select OK.

  11. In the States Measurement Unit box, select Numeric.

  12. In the row with the down-pointing arrow, click the fx button to the right of the text box for the Start value.

    Screenshot showing how to select the fx button next to the Start text box.

  13. In the Expression dialog box, expand Common Functions, and then click Math.

  14. In the Item list, double-click Round.

  15. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions), and in the Values list, double-click YTDPurchase.

  16. Immediately after Fields!YTDPurchase.Value, type - (a minus sign).

  17. Expand Common Functions again and click Aggregate, and in the Item list, double-click Avg.

  18. In the Category list, click Fields (Expressions), and in the Values list, double-click YTDPurchase.

  19. Immediately after Fields!YTDPurchase.Value, type , "Expressions")) < 0

    The completed expression: =Round(Fields!YTDPurchase.Value - Avg(Fields!YTDPurchase.Value, "Expressions")) < 0

  20. Select OK.

  21. In the text box for the End value, type 0

  22. Click the row with the horizontal-pointing arrow and click Delete.

    Screenshot showing how to Delete an indicator.

    Now there are only two arrows, either up or down.

  23. In the row with the up-pointing arrow, in the Start box, type 0

  24. Click the fx button to the right of the text box for the End value.

  25. In the Expression dialog box, delete 100 and create the expression: =Round(Fields!YTDPurchase.Value - Avg(Fields!YTDPurchase.Value, "Expressions")) >0

  26. Select OK.

  27. Click OK again to close the Indicator properties dialog box.

  28. Click Run to preview the report.

    Screenshot showing the preview with the + or - AVG Sales column including all of the new indicators.

8. Make a Banded Report

Create a parameter so report readers can specify the color to apply to alternating rows in the report, making it a banded report.

To add a parameter

  1. Click Design to return to design view.

  2. In the Report Data pane, right-click Parameters and click Add Parameter.

    Screenshot showing how to add a parameter.

    The Report Parameter Properties dialog box opens.

  3. In Prompt, type Choose color

  4. In Name, type RowColor

  5. On the Available Values tab, click Specify values.

  6. Click Add.

  7. In the Label box, type Yellow

  8. In the Value box, type Yellow

  9. Click Add.

  10. In the Label box, type Green

  11. In the Value box, type PaleGreen

  12. Click Add.

  13. In the Label box, type Blue

  14. In the Value box, type LightBlue

  15. Click Add.

  16. In the Label box, type Pink

  17. In the Value box, type Pink

    Screenshot of the Report Parameter Properties dialog box showing the Choose the available values for this parameter step.

  18. Select OK.

To apply alternating colors to detail rows

  1. Select all the cell in the data row except the cell in the M/F column, which has its own background color.

    Screenshot showing cells selected in a data row.

  2. In the Properties pane, click BackgroundColor.

    If you don't see the Properties pane, on the View tab select the Properties box.

    If the properties are listed by category in the Properties pane, you will find BackgroundColor in the Misc category.

  3. Click the down arrow and then click Expression.

    Screenshot of the Properties box showing how to associate an expression with a BackgroundColor.

  4. In the Expression dialog box, expand Common Functions, and then click Program Flow.

  5. In the Item list, double-click IIf.

  6. Under Common Functions, click Miscellaneous, and in the Item list, double-click RowNumber.

  7. Immediately after RowNumber( type Nothing) MOD 2,

  8. Click Parameters and in the Values list, double-click RowColor.

  9. Immediately after Parameters!RowColor.Value, type , "White")

    The completed expression is: =IIF(RowNumber(Nothing) MOD 2, Parameters!RowColor.Value, "White")

    Screenshot showing the complete banded color expression.

  10. Select OK.

Run the Report

  1. On the Home tab, click Run.

    Now when you run the report, you don't see the report until you choose a color for the non-white bands.

  2. In the Choose color list, select a color for the non-white bands in the report.

    Screenshot showing how to choose a color for non-white bands.

  3. Click View Report.

    The report renders and alternating rows have the background that you chose.

    Screenshot showing the preview with rows with the alternating colors.

(optional) Add a Report Title

Add a title to the report.

To add a report title

  1. On the design surface, click Click to add title.

  2. Type Sales Comparison Summary, then select the text.

  3. On the Home tab, in the Font box, set:

    • Size = 18
    • Color = Gray
    • Bold

  4. On the Home tab, click Run.

  5. Select a color for the non-white bands in the report, andn click View Report.

(optional) Save the Report

You can save reports to a report server, SharePoint library, or your computer. For more information, see Saving Reports (Report Builder).

In this tutorial, you save the report to a report server. If you do not have access to a report server, save the report to your computer.

To save the report to a report server

  1. On the File menu > Save As.

  2. Click Recent Sites and Servers.

  3. 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 will see the contents of the report folder that the report server administrator specified as the default report location.

  4. Give the report a name and click Save.

The report is saved to the report server. The name of report server that you are connected to appears in the status bar at the bottom of the window.

Now your report readers can view your report in the Reporting Services web portal.

Screenshot of the new report complete with each expression visible.

See Also

Expressions (Report Builder and SSRS)
Expression Examples (Report Builder and SSRS)
Indicators (Report Builder and SSRS)
Images, Text Boxes, Rectangles, and Lines (Report Builder and SSRS)
Tables (Report Builder and SSRS)
Report Datasets (SSRS)