Interview Questions and Answers for SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) : Series 1

Question: What is SQL Server Reporting Services?

Answer: SSRS is reporting tool which comes with Microsoft SQL Server. It’s a part of BI suite which SQL Server incorporates with it.

SSRS is free with Microsoft SQL Server and used to create reports for client purpose. With reporting service reports can be created in different format such as tabular, matrix.

Question: What are the different types of possible reports?

Answer:  

Report can be of three types in terms of format

1.      Tabular Report: In this format report will come in tabular format. Fields for which data required are in columns and data comes in the form of row. It’s a static report no change in the format is possible at run time (i.e. No of columns will remain same)

2.      Matrix Report: Matrix reports are the dynamic reports and columns can be changed at run time according to the data.

3.      Chart Report: In chart report chart can be used in report for graphical representation of the data. You can create dashboard using various charts and gauge.

Question: What is the extension for report file?

Answer:  Report file saves with the extension of .rdl and same file exist at report server.

Question: What are the shared data sources in SSRS?

Answer:  Shared data source is the source which can be shared across the different reports. Then need of created a separate data source each time can be removed. Reports firing on same databases can used the same data source.

Question: What are the different types of report?

Answer:  Using BIDS reports can be created in two ways. I.e. two ways to retrieve the data from SQL Server data source.

1.      TSQL Reports: TSQL Reports are made up of plain SQL Query. Data source in this case is SQL server database engine.

2.      MDX Reports: MDX reports are created through cubes. For this data source is analysis services cubes.