SSRS Interview Questions-Part3

1. What are the tools available in Reporting Services for report design?
· Report Builder is a client-side application that builds reports based on a report
model. Using a simplified interface, you can query data and create on-demand
reports.
· Report Designer is a tool for creating and publishing report definitions. Report
Designer is installed through SQL Server 2005 and runs in the Microsoft Visual
Studio .NET shell.
2. Where Reporting Services stores report definitions? And what is the
language Used?
. Reporting Services stores report definitions in the report server database. These
report definitions are created using Report Definition Language (RDL), an XML
format that describes each element in a report, including the data model, format,
and expressions.
3. What are different ways to define the data for report?
· Data Sources: - Reporting Services supports SQL Server, Analysis Services,
Oracle, ODBC, and OLE DB databases. Reporting Services is also extensible;
developers can create additional data processing extensions that data sources can
use to connect to other sources of data.
A data source can be contained solely within a single report, or it can be shared by
several reports. The definition for a report-specific data source is stored within the
report itself, while the definition for a shared data source is stored as a separate
item on the report server. A report can contain one data source (report-specific or
shared) or many.
· Datasets:- A Reporting Services dataset contains information about the query to
be used by a report. A dataset includes a pointer to a data source, the query, and
information about the data, such as collation and case sensitivity.
· Fields:- Each dataset in a report contains a list of fields. Typically, the fields
refer to columns or fields returned by the query in the dataset.
4. What are the different kinds of Reporting services data regions?
· Table data region
· List Data region
· Matrix Data region
· Chart Data regions
5. What do you mean by Repeating Data Regions?
· You can use nested data regions to display the same data region multiple times
in your report. For example, you can create a sales order data report that repeats a
single sales order table multiple times, once for each employee. You do this by
creating another data region, such as a list, and setting the grouping on that data
region to employee. You would then place the table inside of the data region.
Datasets for both data regions must be the same. If you need to create a report that
uses grouping like this (such as in a master-detail page) but with different
datasets, use a subreport.
6. What do you mean by Empty Data Regions?
· When the dataset for a data region returns no data, the data region is not
 rendered. Instead, a text box is rendered that displays the value of the NoRows
property. You can edit the NoRows property in the Properties window of Report
Designer. The appearance properties for the data region (for example, Color,
Font, and Padding) apply to the NoRows text box.
7. Explain Table data region?
· A table is a data region that presents data row by row. Table columns are static.
Table rows expand downwards to accommodate the data. You can add groups to
tables, which organize data by selected fields or expressions
· You can create a tabular report automatically using the Report Wizard
· Each table data region is associated with a dataset. If the report contains a single
dataset, the table is automatically associated with that dataset when you place it
on the report. If the report contains multiple datasets, you must associate the table
with the correct dataset.
8. Explain The Matrix data regions?
When you first create a matrix in Report Designer, the matrix displays four cells.
The upper-left cell is the corner cell. You can use the corner cell to display a label
for the matrix, or you can leave it empty. The upper-right cell is a column header,
which can contain a field or expression by which to group the data. The lower-left
cell is a row header, which also can contain a field or expression by which to
group the data. The lower-right cell contains an aggregate expression for the
detail data.
9. Explain Chart Data Regions?
·A chart is a data region that displays a graphical representation of the data in a
report
Data for charts in Reporting Services is organized into three areas:
a. values,
b. category groups,
c. and series groups.
10. Explain the importance of Value series in chart data region?
· When you define a chart, you add at least one value series to the chart. Values
determine the size of the chart element for each category group. For example,
values determine the height of a column in a column chart and the size of a slice
in a pie chart.
· Value series are static. If you define a single value series and no series groups, a
single chart element is displayed for each category group. For example, a simple
column chart with one value series displays a single column for each category
group. If you define multiple values, the chart will display a chart element for
each value series. If there are multiple value series, the chart legend displays the
name of each value series.
11. Explain the importance of Categories in chart data regions?
· Use categories to group data. Categories provide the labels for chart elements.
For example, in a column chart, category labels are placed on the x-axis of the
chart, one for each set of columns.
· You can nest categories. When you define multiple categories, each category is
nested within another category. For example, in a column chart that displays
products by model, the first category group would be model, and the second
 category group would be product. The column chart would display groupings of
products by model on the x-axis.
12. Explain the importance of Series Groups in chart data regions?
· Series groups are optional. You can define a series group to add an additional
dimension of data to a report. For example, in a column chart that displays sales
by product, you can add a series group to display sales by year for each product.
Series group labels are placed in the legend of the chart
13. Explain the different kind of charts supported by reporting Services?
Reporting Services supports the following chart types:
a. Column Charts:Column charts display data as sets of vertical columns. Includes
information about hybrid column /line charts.
b. Bar Charts:- Bar charts display data as sets of horizontal bars.
c. Line Charts:- Line charts display data as a set of points connected by a line.
d. Pie Charts:- Pie charts display data as percentages of the whole.
e. XY (Scatter) Charts:- XY charts display data as a set of points in space.
f. Bubble Charts:-Bubble charts display set of symbols whose position and size
are based on the data in the chart.
g. Area Charts:-Area charts display data as a set of points connected by a line,
with a filled-in area below the line.
h. Doughnut Charts:-Doughnut charts display data as percentages of the whole.
Stock Charts : Describes stock charts. Stock charts display data as a set of lines
with a. markers for high, low, close, and open values.
14. What is parameterised Report?
A parameterized report uses input values to complete report or data processing.
With a parameterized report, you can vary the output of a report based on
placeholder values that are set when the report runs.
15. What are the different kinds of report parameter?
Reporting services uses two different kinds of parameters
a. Query Parameter:-
· A Query parameter is variable defined at the data set level that affects the way
that reporting services Queries the data source.
· The query parameters are defined as part of the dataset query and processed on
the database server.
· Parameters are created in a report automatically if the query includes query
parameters.
· If the query contains a query parameter, Reporting Services automatically
creates a report parameter based on the name of the query parameter. Query
parameters are mapped to report parameters so that users or report authors can
pass back the value to use in the query.
b. Report Parameter:-
· A report parameter is variable defined at the report level that allows the
personalization of report at the run time.
· In Reporting Services, you can use report parameters to manipulate report data,
connect related reports together, and vary report presentation
· Report parameters differ from query parameters in that they are defined in a
report and processed by the report server.
 · Each time you add a report parameter to the report, a new member is added to
the Parameters collection for you to use in an expression.
16. How define filter based on report parameter?
· Before defining a filter using a report parameter, you must first add the report
parameter to the report
· Then, you add a filter definition to the applicable object, such as the report’s
main dataset, using the object’s Properties dialog box.
17. What is the advantage of filtering data based on report parameter?
· Filtering data based on report parameter limits the data that is displayed to the
user after all of the data is retrieved from the dataset.
· We can Use filters when the data source does not support query parameters.
· Also use filters when persisted reports, such as snapshots, are run by users that
view different sets of data.
18. What is the disadvantage of using Report Parameters to filter the data?
Because the full set of data is retrieved and then filtered on the report server, the
report may not perform as well as a report that filters data at the source using
query parameters.
19. How To add a filter to a dataset ?
a. In Data view, from Dataset, select the dataset to which to apply the filter and
click the edit (...) button.
b. On the Filters tab, for Filter, do the following:
· In Expression, type or select the expression that you want the filter to evaluate.
· In Operator, select the operator that you want the filter to use to compare the
evaluated field and the value.
· In Value, type the expression or value against which you want the filter to
evaluate the value in Expression.
20. How To add a filter to a data region?
a. In Layout view, if the data region is a table or matrix, click the table or matrix
so that column and row handles appear above and next to the table or matrix.
b. Right-click the corner handle of the table or matrix, or anywhere within the list
or chart, and then click Properties.
c. On the Filters tab, for Filter, do the following:
· In Expression, type or select the expression that you want the filter to evaluate.
· In Operator, select the operator that you want the filter to use to compare the
evaluated field and the value.
· In Value, type the expression or value against which you want the filter to
evaluate the value in Expression.