How to: Create a Report Model Data Source (Report Designer)

New: 5 December 2005

You can create reports in Report Designer that use a published report model as the data source type. This capability allows you to create predefined, custom reports for clickthrough data exploration. For more information about how predefined reports are used in clickthrough data exploration, see Managing Models.

Before you can choose Report Server Model as a data source type, you must have a published model to work with.

You can specify a report model data source type for reports that you add to a report server project, or for reports that you create using the Report Wizard. The instructions in this topic assume you are adding a report to the current project. For more information about using the wizard, see Tutorial: Creating Model-Based Reports in Report Designer.

To create a report model data source type

  1. In Report Designer, add a report to the current report server project.

  2. In Data view, in Dataset, select New Dataset.

  3. Type a name for the dataset.

  4. In Data Source, select New Data Source.

  5. Type a name.

  6. In Data Source Type, select Report Server Model.

  7. In Connection string, type a connection string that specifies a URL to a report server and a path to the model. The following example provides an illustration of the syntax you should use:

    server=http://<webservername>/reportserver; datasource=/Models/AdventureWorks Model
    

    If you want to use localhost for the Web server, verify that TCP/IP is enabled. Otherwise, a connection error might occur. For more information, see Troubleshooting Server and Database Connection Problems.

    The model name is specified through the data source connection string argument. The argument must resolve to a fully-qualified model name in the report server folder namespace. In the example, the folder is named /Data Sources, and it is a child folder of the root node in the report server folder namespace. The path must start with a leading forward slash. If you are not sure about the path, use SQL Server Management Studio or Report Manager to navigate the folder hierarchy.

  8. In the Credentials tab, specify credentials to access the data source.

    Choose Windows authentication (integrated security) or stored credentials. If you choose prompted credentials, you will need to type credentials every time the report server establishes a connection to the data source. Do not use No credentials unless you have configured the unattended execution account.

  9. Click OK.

    The Report Model Query Designer opens so that you can create the query. If the Report Model Query Designer does not appear, a connection to the report model did not occur. Check the connection string and credentials to resolve the error and open the query designer.

See Also

Concepts

Report Server Folder Hierarchy
Configuring an Account for Unattended Report Processing
Query Design Tools in Reporting Services
Report Designer How-to Topics
Specifying Credential and Connection Information
Working with Report Model Query Designer

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance