Working with Models

  • Article

A report model is a metadata description of a data source and its relationships. To create reports using Report Builder, you must first build a report model based on a Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or SQL Server 2005 database, SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services cube, Oracle database running version 9.2.0.3 or later versions, or Teradata database running version 12.0 or 6.20. Models can be created by using Model Designer, Report Manager, Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, or SQL Server Management Studio. Model Designer provides the most flexibility for designing models based on SQL Server or Oracle databases. By using Model Designer, you can select which rules are applied during the model generation process, and you can modify the model and its underlying data source view. By using Report Manager, Office SharePoint Server , or Management Studio, you can generate models based on SQL Server databases, Oracle databases, Teradata databases, or Analysis Services cubes. Only models based on Oracle, Teradata, and SQL Server can be further edited in Model Designer.

Note

If your model is generated from a SQL Server Analysis Services cube and the cube has been changed, you should regenerate the model. To make the Analysis Services cube-based model more efficient, it is recommended that you make your changes within the cube. For more information about the rules of model generation for AS cubes, see Creating and Using Cube-Based Report Models.

Tool Comparison

The following table presents a visual comparison between the tools available to create a report model. Models based on SQL Server databases, Oracle databases, and Teradata databases can be edited in Model Designer, regardless of which tool is used to generate the model.

Tool SQL Server Database Analysis Services Cube Oracle Database Teradata Database

Model Designer

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

Report Manager

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Management Studio

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

SharePoint Server

Yes

Yes

Yes

No

In This Section

See Also

Concepts

Model Designer
Report Builder
Ad Hoc Reporting with Report Models

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance

Change History

Release History

17 November 2008
Changed content:
  • Added information about Teradata databases.

12 December 2006
Changed content:
  • Added information about Oracle databases.
  • Added information about Office SharePoint Server .

14 April 2006
Changed content:
  • Added information about which versions of SQL Server models can be built from.