Software Engineer D365
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With business landscapes evolving faster than ever, getting real-time insights into your data can mean the difference between making a strategic leap and missing an opportunity. For businesses using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) offers a robust way to turn raw data into clear, actionable reports. With SSRS, you can go beyond the surface, diving into trends, tracking KPIs, and understanding customer behavior – all in one centralized platform.
With the ability to customize reports that pull data directly from Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, your team can gain targeted insights right where they need them – no extra tools, no wasted time. This guide walks you through building SSRS reports in Microsoft Visual Studio, followed by seamless deployment into your Dynamics 365 environment. By following these steps, you’ll be set to create visual reports that serve your business needs, turning complex data into clear, actionable insights that drive meaningful decisions.
What is SQL Server Reporting Services?
SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a comprehensive reporting platform created using SQL Server Data Tools. This reporting platform offers a powerful toolkit for creating, deploying, and managing detailed SSRS paginated reports right from your own servers. With SSRS, you can build reports tailored to your needs, making it easy to organize, visualize, and share insights within your organization, all in a secure, on-premises environment.
SQL Server Reporting Services provides detailed visualizations of business statistics and analytics, enabling organizations to gain valuable insights into their performance. Using advanced SSRS reports, businesses can make more informed and data-driven decisions, leading to improved strategic planning and outcomes.
SSRS serves both database professionals and end users: database professionals handle report server management and subscription setups, while end users consume SSRS reports and can also create reports to suit their needs.
How to create an SSRS report in Microsoft Visual Studio?
Building reports might seem complex, but with SSRS in Visual Studio, it’s simpler than you would think. You can customize and design reports that fit your exact needs. Let’s walk through the steps to get your report up and running using Visual Studio.
Step 1: Download and install Microsoft Visual Studio 2019
Start by downloading and installing Visual Studio 2019. During the installation, ensure that the data storage and processing workload is selected, as it is required to enable report service project functionality.
Step 2: Add extensions for SSRS
After completing the installation, open Visual Studio and navigate to Manage Extensions from the top menu. Install the necessary extensions: Microsoft Reporting Services Projects and SQL Server Integration Services Projects.
Once the extensions are installed, create a new project. Search for Report Server Project, click Next, then provide a name and location for your project. Click Create, and the Visual Studio project will open.
Step 3: Set up a new report
In the Solution Explorer pane on the right, right-click on the Reports folder, then select Add > New Report. Follow the prompts and click Next to proceed with the report creation.
Step 4: Configure data source
In this step, enter a name for your Data Source. Under the Type section, select Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fetch, as SSRS reports for Dynamics 365 require the use of the FetchXML data format.
Step 5: Set up a connection string
In the next section, you will need to provide the Connection String, which is simply the URL of your Dynamics 365 CRM platform. This connection string links your report to the Dynamics environment.
Step 6: Specify the credentials
In the Credentials section, select the option to specify credentials. Enable the second option to provide your Username and Password for accessing the Dynamics 365 CRM platform. Once entered, click Next to proceed.
Step 7: Add the FetchXML query
On the following page, you will need to supply the FetchXML query. If you don’t have a FetchXML file, you can generate one by using Advanced Find in Dynamics 365. Build your desired query, then click Download FetchXML to obtain the file. Once downloaded, upload the FetchXML file to proceed with the report creation.
Open the downloaded FetchXML file using Notepad, then copy all the text from the file. Go back to the report setup in Visual Studio and paste the copied text into the Query String section. After pasting the FetchXML, click Next to continue.
Step 8: Choose the report layout
On the next page, choose the report layout format (Tabular or Matrix) based on your reporting needs. Once selected, click Finish. Your SSRS report project will now be created in Visual Studio, and you can begin customizing and designing your report.
How to create and develop an SSRS Report?
Creating SSRC reports involves more than simply displaying data, it requires thoughtful structuring and design to ensure clarity and usability. Drawing from our experience in developing SSRS reports, here are key guidelines on how to effectively build reports using fields, tables, images, and expressions, along with multiple datasets.
1: Open the SSRS project
Launch your SSRS project in Visual Studio. The Report Data section will be displayed on the left side, which includes several folders such as Images, Data Sources, and Datasets. Use these folders to organize your report components. For instance, place any images you plan to use in the Images folder.
2: Configure data source
The Data Source contains the necessary details about your database server, including the connection string and login credentials. Ensure that this is correctly configured to connect to your data.
Set up datasets
A Dataset defines the specific entity query that retrieves data for your report. Each dataset should be tailored to fetch the relevant data required for your reporting needs.
4: Add fields to the report
In SSRS reports, you can use various elements such as fields, tables, images, and expressions. There are two primary methods for adding fields to your report:
5: Drag and drop from dataset
Open the Dataset and drag the desired field into the report area. To modify properties such as alignment, text size, or label name, right-click on the field and select Placeholder Properties. Adjust the settings according to your requirements.
- Using expressions: Alternatively, you can add fields through expressions. Right-click on a blank area of the report, choose Insert Placeholder, and enter the expression for your field.
- Displaying list-type data: To present list-type data, use a Table in the report. Add your dataset to the Tablix properties. Right-click on the table, open Tablix Properties, and specify the dataset name. Modify the table properties as needed to fit your design.
5: Add images in SSRS reports
SSRS supports different types of image sources:
• External: Select a dataset field that contains a URL pointing to the image.
• Embedded: Choose this option when your image is located in your project’s Images folder.
• Database: Select this option when you specify a database field that contains the image data.
Building and deploying the SSRS report in CRM environment
Once you have completed the development of your SSRS report, follow these steps to save and build your project for deployment:
1: Save all changes
Ensure that all your changes are saved in Visual Studio. It’s important to save your work to prevent any loss of data or modifications.
2: Build the project
Right-click on your project in the Solution Explorer pane and select Build from the context menu. The system will initiate the build process, which may take a few moments to complete. This process compiles your report and checks for any errors.
3: Check for errors
Once the build process is complete, review the Error List window in Visual Studio. If there are any errors, address them before proceeding to deployment.
4: Deploy the report
After successfully building your project, you can deploy the report to your CRM environment. Right-click on the project again and select Deploy. Ensure that your deployment settings are correctly configured to point to the appropriate SSRS report server.
5: Verify the deployment
After deployment, navigate to your SSRS report server or CRM environment to verify that the report is available and functioning as intended. Test the report to ensure that it retrieves data accurately and displays correctly.
Following are the steps to deploy your project in the CRM.
Step 1: Open the CRM environment
Launch your Dynamics CRM environment.
Step 2: Navigate to advanced settings
Go to the Advanced Settings section.
Step 3: Access solutions
Click on the Solutions option in the Advanced Settings menu.
Step 4: Open your solution
Locate and click on your specific solution to open it.
Step 5: Open the reports section
In your solution, navigate to the Reports section.
Step 5: Create a new report
Click on the New button to create a new report.
Step 6: Select report type
In the report creation window, change the Report Type to Existing File.
Step 7: Choose the RDL file
Select the RDL file from your Visual Studio project. To locate the RDL file, navigate to your project folder on your computer, then go to the bin folder, followed by the Debug folder.
Step 8: Enter report details
Provide a name for your report in the Report Name field. Additionally, set the Categorization section to organize your report appropriately.
Step 9: Save the report
After filling in the necessary information, click Save to complete the deployment process.
Empower your business with custom SSRS reports
Creating SSRS reports in Visual Studio for Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement equips businesses with a powerful tool to visualize data and make informed decisions. From setup through deployment, the process may seem complex at first, but with each step, you gain the skills needed to tailor reports to your organization’s unique needs.
By following these guidelines, you now have the foundation to build, customize, and deploy SSRS reports that provide clear, actionable insights, enabling your team to make the most out of data in meaningful ways. For questions or assistance with SQL Server Reporting Services, reach out to us at marketing@confiz.com.
