Solution

Following are some general questions about SSRS development to see if general working knowledge of SSRS is known. 1) What are the different kinds of SSRS Reports? Reports can be categorized into operational and analytical reports. The distinction is based on the source of data and level of analysis facilitated by any particular report. Operational reports are based on OLTP sources and are static reports and Analytical reports are based on OLAP sources and generally facilitate drill-down and drill-through for analysis. Technically, SSRS reports can be categorized into parameterized, linked, snapshot, cached, etc...

2) What are parameterized reports? What are cascading parameters in SSRS reports? Reports that accept parameters from users to fetch and report data conditionally, are known as parameterized reports. When you have multiple parameters in a report and values of different parameters are dependent and populated dynamically based on the value of parent parameters, it's known as a cascading parameter.

3) How would you go about developing a SSRS report? General development methodology for a SSRS report is to start by creating a data source. Based on the data source create one or multiple datasets as needed for parameters and the body of the report. Add required controls from the toolbox which would act as a container for the fields in the dataset. Format the controls added to the report body. Verify and validate the report and finally deploy the report.

4) What is a dataset and what are the different types of datasets? A dataset is similar to a query definition, which is executed when the report is executed. Datasets are of two types: Shared and Embedded. An embedded dataset is private to the report in which it exists and shared datasets can be shared across reports.

5) Would you store your query in a SSRS report or a Database server? State the reason why. Storing SQL queries directly in text format in the dataset, should be avoided. Ideally it should be stored in a stored procedure in the database server. The benefit is that the SQL would be in a compiled format in a SP and brings all the benefits of using an SP compared to using an ad-hoc query from the report.

6) What is Tablix? A Tablix can be seen as a control with combined capabilities of a table and a matrix, which facilitates asymmetric and flexible, row and column level, static and dynamic groupings.

7) How would you access SSRS reports deployed on report server? Reports Manager is the most straight-forward way to access SSRS reports deployed on report server. Apart from executing the reports, it is the main administration console for SSRS server to manage reports.

8) Have you used the Report Viewer control / web part? What are the limitations? The report viewer control / web part is the basic control to integrate SSRS reports with external applications. Using these interface applications can link and display SSRS reports within the application. The parameters toolbar in these controls have a limited programmable interface to decorate and blend it with the theme of the application.

9) Which is the latest version of SSRS and what are the new enhancements? SSRS 2008 R2 is the latest RTM version of SSRS. Rich data visualizations, better programming functions for lookup and aggregation, improved performance and better control over exported data are some of the major enhancements.

10) What is Report Builder? Report Builder is an ad-hoc report authoring tool primarily targeted to be used by business analysts to facilitate self-service report authoring. Report Builder 3.0 is the latest version available as of date.

11) How would you deploy SSRS Reports using out-of-box functionality and how can you automate SSRS report deployment? Business Intelligence Development Studio is generally used to deploy SSRS reports. There is no out-of-box support in SSRS to automate reports deployment, but free third-party products like RSScripter can be used for this.

12) What is drill-down and drill-through in SSRS? Drill-down is a mechanism of decomposing summarized information to a detailed level. Drill-through is a mechanism of decomposing the problem by drilling information generally using more than one report.

General SSRS Questions

Question:

Which

versions

of

SSRS

have

you

used?

Comment: Differences between 2005 and 2008 are quite big so if someone hasn't used 2008 or 2008 R2 before (or vice versa) than make sure you know this will require a few days to get up to speed with the new/previous version. If the candidate used several versions Have ask you to describe got the differences of between your them. work?

Question:

samples

Comment: If SSRS is main skills for the role than it is worth asking for samples (before interview) they will often tell you a lot about the candidate quality of work. Question: Do you have Data Visualization skills? (optional)

Comment: If you need dashboards then it is worth asking this question (we will ask more specific questions later). This is also related to previous question. When you review samples ask the candidate or yourself two questions: What is the purpose? And is it useful? Someone who does not know anything about data visualization will usually use pie charts, gauges (exception is bullet chart which is classified as gauge in SSRS), 3D effects, make colourful designs (without any colour meaning). Some candidates may mention Stephen Few or Edward Tufte and this normally is a big plus. Question: How have you learnt SSRS (on the job, articles, books, conferences) Comment: The thing is that most people who read good books have usually an advantage over those who hasn't because they know what they know and they know what they don't know (but they know it exists and is available). Blog/Articles vary in quality so best practise articles is a big plus+, conferences can be also a plus.

SSRS Development open questions

Question: How do you normally create reports (wizard/manually)?

Comment: If wizard in most cases then you got rather inexperienced person, if manually than it is usually good answer. The best answer is using a template. Generally developers create reports from scratch which is not bad but it is not very efficient either.

Question: What languages have you used to query data for SSRS Reports?

Comment: Most answers will probably be SQL (TSQL). But T-SQL is not the only query language. If someone build reports based on cubes before than they will say MDX. You can also query data from other sources (not recommended) or use data mining expressions Question: Gives (DMX examples where = you used advanced). parameters?

Comment: Typically you use parameters to filter data in datasets (or data on reports) but you can also use them to restrict values like the well-known make->model->year example. You can also have hidden and internal parameters which get very handy for more advanced stuff.

Question: What types of graphs do you normally use and what effects do you apply to them? Comment: Good graph are bar, line, scatter, bullet graphs. Bad graphs are pie charts, area graphs, gauges (apart from bullet graph which classified as gauge in SSRS). Effects should be limited to minimum. Developers should avoid 3D effects, "glass" effect, shadows etc

SSRS Advanced questions

Question: Have you used custom assemblies in SSRS? If Yes give an example Comment: This allows to re-use code in reports and it is not very common. Reusability is good but building dependencies is not so good so one small mistake might break all Can reports you using it; so it should be used using with care. SSRS? possible.

Question: it

update is

report

data

Comment: This is not often used (and probably shouldn't be used in most cases) but

Question: What is the formatting code (format property) for a number with 2 decimal places? Comment: N2. Attention to details and good memory is always welcome.

SSRS interview "narrowed" questions

In this section I will give you fairly long list of short and narrowed questions:

Question: What does rdl stand for? Answer: Report Definition Language Question: How to deploy an SSRS Report? Answer: Configure project properties (for multiple environments) and deploy from bids, upload manually or use rs.exe for command line deployment. Question: What is Report Manager? Answer: Web based tool that allows to access and run reports. Question: What is Report Builder? Answer: Report Builder is a self-service tool for end users. Question: What permission do you need to give to users to enable them to use Report Builder? Answer: "Report Builder" role and "system user". Report builder should also be enable in report server properties. Question: What do you need to restore report server database on another machine? Answer: SSRS Encryption key Question: Can you create subscription using windows authentication? Answer: No. Question: What caching options do you have for reports on report server? Answer: Do no cache, expiry cache after x minute, on schedule. Question: How to find slow running reports? Answer: Check ReportExecution table Question: How can you make calendar available in report parameter? Answer: Set parameter data type to date. Question: How to pass multi-valued parameter to stored procedure in dataset? Answer: Join function in SSRS and split function in T-SQL Question: Which functions are used to pass parameter to MDX query? Answer: StrToMember and StrToSet Question: How to create "dependant" parameter "Make, Model, Year" Answer: They need to be in correct order, and previous parameter should filter next parameter dataset. For instance Model dataset should be filtered using Make parameter

Question: How to create "alternate row colour"? Answer: use RowNumber and Mod function OR visit our tutorial. Question: How to create percentile function? Answer: Custom code is required. Visit our tutorial for more details. Question: How to create median function? Answer: Custom code is required. Visit our tutorial for more details. Question: How to make conditional sum in SSRS? Answer: IIF condition true then SUM else nothing. Visit our tutorial for more details Question: How to find a value in another dataset based on current dataset field (SSRS 2008 R2)? Answer: Use lookup function. Question: How to change parameter value inside the report? Answer: Set action. "Jump to itself" and pass different value for the parameter. Question: How to identify current user in SSRS Report? Answer: User!UserID

Q3. What are the three stages of Enterprise Reporting Life Cycle ? a. Authoring b. Management c. Access and Delivery Q4. What are the components included in SSRS? 1. A Complete set of Tools that can be used to create, manage and view reports 2. A Report Server component that hosts and processes reports in a variety of formats. Output formats include HTML, PDF, TIFF, Excel, CSV, and more. 3.An API that allows developers to integrate or extend data and report processing in custom applications, or create custom tools to build and manage reports. Q5. What is the benefit of using embedded code in a report? 1. Reuseability of Code: function created in embedded code to perform a logic can be then used in multiple expressions 2. Centralized code: helps in better manageability of code. Q6. Which programming language can be used to code embedded functions in SSRS? Visual Basic .NET Code. Q7. Important terms used in the reporting services? 1. Report definition: The blueprint for a report before the report is processed or rendered. A report definition contains information about the query and layout for the report. 2. Report snapshot: A report that contains data captured at a specific point in time. A report snapshot is actually a report definition that contains a dataset instead of query instructions.

3. Rendered report: A fully processed report that contains both data and layout information, in a format suitable for viewing (such as HTML). 4. Parameterized report: A published report that accepts input values through parameters. 5. Shared data source: A predefined, standalone item that contains data source connection information. 6. Shared schedule: A predefined, standalone item that contains schedule information. 7. Report-specific data source: Data source information that is defined within a report definition. 8. Report model: A semantic description of business data, used for ac hoc reports created in Report Builder. 9. Linked report: A report that derives its definition through a link to another report. 10. Report server administrator: This term is used in the documentation to describe a user with elevated privileges who can access all settings and content of a report server. If you are using the default roles, a report server administrator is typically a user who is assigned to both the Content Manager role and the System Administrator role. Local administrators can have elevated permission even if role assignments are not defined for them. 11. Folder hierarchy: A bounded namespace that uniquely identifies all reports, folders, report models, shared data source items, and resources that are stored in and managed by a report server. 12. Report Server: Describes the Report Server component, which provides data and report processing, and report delivery. The Report Server component includes several subcomponents that perform specific functions. 13. Report Manager: Describes the Web application tool used to access and manage the contents of a report server database. 14. Report Builder: Report authoring tool used to create ad hoc reports. 15. Report Designer: Report creation tool included with Reporting Services. 16. Model Designer: Report model creation tool used to build models for ad hoc reporting. 17. Report Server Command Prompt Utilities: Command line utilities that you can use to administer a report server. a) RsConfig.exe, b) RsKeymgmt.exe, c) Rs.exe Q8. what are the Command Line Utilities available In Reporting Services? Rsconfig Utility (Rsconfig.exe): encrypts and stores connection and account values in the RSReportServer.config file. Encrypted values include report server database connection information and account values used for unattended report processing RsKeymgmt Utility: Extracts, restores, creates, and deletes the symmetric key used to protect sensitive report server data against unauthorized access RS Utility: this utility is mainly used to automate report server deployment and administration tasks.Processes script you provide in an input file. Q. How to know Report Execution History? ExecutionLog table in ReportServer database store all the logs from last two months. SELECT * FROM ReportServer.dbo.ExecutionLog

-Development Q. What is difference between Tablular and Matrix report? OR What are the different styles of reports? Tablular report: A tabular report is the most basic type of report. Each column corresponds to a column selected from the database. Matrix report: A matrix (cross-product) report is a cross-tabulation of four groups of data: a. One group of data is displayed across the page. b. One group of data is displayed down the page. c. One group of data is the cross-product, which determines all possible locations where the across and down data relate and places a cell in those locations. d. One group of data is displayed as the "filler" of the cells. Martix reports can be considered more of a Pivot table. Q. How to create Drill-through reports? Using Navigation property of a cell and setting child report and its parameters in it. Q. How to create Drill-Down reports? To cut the story short: - By grouping data on required fields

-Then toggle visibility based on the grouped filed