SQL Server Reporting Services, or SSRS, is a tool we utilize to take the data we gather from various systems and build reports to help with various tasks such as performance measurement and tracking, adding functionality to a system that it doesn't have innately, or to assist with planning and execution of tasks.
Accessing SSRS does not require you to be at a CMS location or on a CMS network, but it does require you to have active CMS credentials. To access SSRS from a company computer, simply open the Chrome browser, click on the Chalk Links folder, then click on SSRS. The page will prompt for your username and password and will then take you to the home page and display the folders and reports that you have access to. Below are a few tips on how to navigate and use SSRS more efficiently.
Favorite Reports
At the upper left of the home page, you'll see 2 tabs; Favorites and Browse. Browse allows you to click on any folder or report that you have access to and navigate to the desired one. Favorites is a collection of all reports that you flag. While you are not able to Favorite an entire folder, this will allow you easier access to your most used reports without having to bookmark them all in Chrome. To flag a report as a Favorite, follow the below steps:
1. Navigate to the report you want to Favorite.
2. Each report is surrounded by a box. Click the 3 dots in the upper right of the box.
3. Click on the option for Add To Favorites.
4. You can now click on the Favorites tab at the upper left of the page and see the reports you have starred.
Viewing and Downloading Reports
Viewing reports in SSRS is a fairly simple process, but there are some features that are easy to overlook. Below is a look at the basic structure of an SSRS report.