Creating, Modifying, and Deleting Embedded Data Sources (Report Builder 2.0)

An embedded data source is a set of data source connection properties that is used by a single report. When the report is published to a report server, the embedded data source can be managed separately from the report definition, but, unlike a shared data source, no other report can include a reference to it. For more information, see Embedded and Shared Data Sources (Report Builder 2.0) and How to: Create a Data Source Reference (Report Builder 2.0).

An embedded data source consists of the following parts:

Part

Description

Name

The name of the data source item in the report definition.

Connection type

The data processing extension used with the data source. You can only use data processing extensions that are installed on your local computer.

Connection string

The connection string for the source of data. For more information and to view examples of connection strings to frequently used data sources, see Example Connections (Report Builder 2.0).

Credential type

Specifies how credentials are obtained for the connection and whether they are to be used after the connection is made. For more information, see Specifying Credentials for a Report Data Source (Report Builder 2.0).

Stored credentials are not saved with the report. If you save the report to the local file system and then re-open it, you must enter your credentials again.

An embedded data source does not contain query information that is used to retrieve data. The query is always kept within a report definition.

You can create multiple embedded data sources, each of which points to the same or different sources of data. You can edit existing embedded data sources and change the name, the connection type, connection string, and the type of credentials to use. If you change the connection type, you must change any dataset queries to use the corresponding query command and syntax for that connection type.

To delete an embedded data source, in the Report Data pane, you must delete all datasets that appear under the data source. After all the datasets for a data source are deleted, you can then delete the data source. Delete the data source in the same you delete any report item: right-click the item, and then click Delete.