Data Sources Supported by Reporting Services (SSRS)

Reporting Services retrieves report data from data sources through a modular and extensible data layer that uses data processing extensions. To retrieve report data from a data source, you must select a data processing extension that supports the type of data source, the version of software running on the data source, and the data source platform (32-bit or 64-bit).

When you deploy Reporting Services, a set of data processing extensions are automatically installed and registered on both the report authoring client and on the report server to provide access to a variety of data source types. Reporting Services installs the following data source types:

• Microsoft SQL Server

• Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services for MDX, DMX, Microsoft Power Pivot, and tabular models

• Microsoft Azure SQL Database

• Oracle

• SAP BW

• Hyperion Essbase

• Microsoft SharePoint List

• Teradata

• OLE DB

• ODBC

• XML

In addition, custom data processing extensions and standard Microsoft .NET Framework data providers can be installed and registered by system administrators. To process and view a report, the data processing extensions and data providers must be installed and registered on the report server; to preview a report, they must be installed and registered on the report authoring client. Data processing extensions and data providers must be natively compiled for the platform where they are installed. If you deploy a data source programmatically by using the SOAP Web service, you must define the data source extension. Use data extension values from the RSReportDesigner.config file. By default, the file is located in the following folder:

<drive letter>\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\PrivateAssemblies  

For example, the Analysis Services data extension is OLEDB-MD.

Many third-party standard .NET Framework data providers are available as downloads from the Microsoft Download Center and from third-party sites. You can also search the SQL Server Reporting Services public forum for information about third-party data providers.

For more information about custom data processing extensions, see Implementing a Data Processing Extension. For more information about standard .NET Framework data providers, see the System.Data namespace.

Platform Support for Report Data Sources

The data sources you can use in a Reporting Services deployment vary by SQL Server edition, Reporting Services version, and by platform. For more information about features, see Reporting Services Features Supported by the Editions of SQL Server. The table later in this topic provides information about supported data sources by version and by platform.

Platform considerations for Reporting Services data sources are separate for the report authoring client and the report server.

On the report authoring client

SQL Server SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence is a 32-bit application. SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence is not supported on an Itanium-based platform. On an x64 platform, to edit and preview reports in Report Designer, you must have 32-bit data providers installed in the (x86) platform directory.

On the report server

When you deploy a report to a 64-bit report server, the report server must have natively compiled 64-bit data providers installed. Wrapping a 32-bit data provider in 64-bit interfaces is not supported. For more information, check the documentation for the data provider.

Supported Data Sources

The following table lists Microsoft data processing extensions and data providers that you can use to retrieve data for report datasets and report models. For more information about an extension or data provider, click the link in the second column. The table columns are described as follows:

• Source of report data: The type of data being accessed; for example, relational database, multidimensional database, flat file, or XML. This column answers the question: "What types of data can Reporting Services use for a report?"

• Reporting Services Data Source Type: One of the data source types you see in the drop-down list when you define a data source in Reporting Services. This list is populated from installed and registered DPEs and data providers. This column answers the question: "What data source type do I select from the drop-down list when I create a report data source?"

• Name of Data Processing Extension/Data Provider: The Reporting Services data processing extension or other data provider that corresponds to the Reporting Services data source type selected. This column answers the question: "When I select a data source type, which corresponding data processing extension or data provider is used?"

• Underlying Data Provider version (Optional): Some data source types support more than one data provider. These could be different versions of the same provider or different implementations by third-parties for a type of data provider. The provider name frequently appears in the connection string after you have configured a data source. This column answers the question: "After selecting the data source type, what data provider do I select in the Connection Properties dialog box?"

• Data Source <platform>: The data source platform supported by the data processing extension or data provider for the target data source. This column answers the question: "Can this data processing extension or data provider retrieve data from a data source on this type of platform?"

• Version of data source: The version of the target data source supported by the DPE or data provider. This column answers the question: "Can this data processing extension or data provider retrieve data from this version of the data source?"

• RS <platform>: The platforms for the report server and report authoring client where you can install a custom DPE or data provider. The built-in Reporting Services data processing extensions are included with any installation of Reporting Services. A custom data processing extension or .NET Framework data provider must be compiled natively for a specific platform. This column answers the question: "Can this data processing extension or data provider be installed on this type of platform?"

Types of data sources

For information about using external data sources, see Add Data from External Data Sources (SSRS).

Many standard .NET Framework data providers are available from third parties. For more information, search the third-party Web sites or forums.

To install and register a custom data processing extension or standard .NET Framework data provider, you will need to refer to the data provider reference documentation. For more information, see Register a Standard .NET Framework Data Provider (SSRS).

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Reporting Services Data Processing Extensions

The following data processing extensions are automatically installed with Reporting Services and SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence. For more information and to verify the installation, see RSReportDesigner Configuration File and RsReportServer.config Configuration File.

For more information about data processing extensions supported by Report Builder, see Create data connection strings - Report Builder & SSRS.

Microsoft SQL Server Data Processing Extension

The data source type Microsoft SQL Server wraps and extends the .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server. This data processing extension is natively compiled for and runs on x86 and x64-based platforms.

In SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence, the query designer associated with this data extension is the Visual Database Tool Designer. If you use the query designer in graphical mode, the query is analyzed and possibly rewritten. Use the text-based query designer when you want to control the exact Transact-SQL syntax that is used for a query. For more information, see Graphical Query Designer User Interface.

For more information, see SQL Server Connection Type (SSRS).

In Report Builder, the query designer associated with this data extension is the Relational Query Designer.

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Microsoft Azure SQL Database Processing Extension

The data source type Microsoft Azure SQL Database wraps and extends the .NET Framework Data Provider for SQL Server.

In SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence, the graphical query designer associated with this data extension is the Relational Query Designer not the Visual Database Tool Designer that you use with the Microsoft SQL Server data source type.

SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence automatically differentiates between Microsoft Azure SQL Database and Microsoft SQL Server data source types and opens the graphical query designer associated with the data source type.

If you use the query designer in graphical mode, the query is analyzed and possibly rewritten. A text-based query designer is also available for writing queries. Use the text-based query designer when you want to control the exact Transact-SQL syntax that is used for a query.

Retrieving data from SQL Database, Azure Synapse Analytics and SQL Server is similar, but there are a few requirements that apply only to SQL Database. For more information, see Azure SQL Connection Type (SSRS).

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Microsoft SQL Server Parallel Data Warehouse Processing Extension

This data source has been deprecated. Use the SQL Server data source type to connect to Microsoft Analytics Platform (APS).

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Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services Data Processing Extension

When you select data source type Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services, you are selecting a Reporting Services data processing extension that extends the .NET Framework Data Provider for Microsoft Analysis Services. This data processing extension is natively compiled for and runs on x86 and x64-based platforms.

This data provider uses the ADOMD.NET object model to create queries using XML for Analysis (XMLA) version 1.1. Results are returned as a flattened rowset. For more information, see Analysis Services Connection Type for MDX (SSRS), Analysis Services Connection Type for DMX (SSRS), Analysis Services MDX Query Designer User Interface, and Analysis Services DMX Query Designer User Interface.

When using a Power BI Premium dataset as a data source, only Import mode and DirectQuery are supported.

When connecting to an Analysis Services data source, the Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services data processing extension supports multivalue parameters and maps cell and member properties to extended properties supported by Reporting Services. For more information, see Extended Field Properties for an Analysis Services Database (SSRS).

You can also create models from SQL Server Analysis Services data sources.

OLE DB Data Processing Extension

The OLE DB data processing extension requires the choice of an additional data provider layer based on the version of the data source you want to use in your report. If you do not select a specific data provider, a default is provided. Choose a specific data provider through the Connection Properties dialog box, accessed through the Edit button on the Data Source or Shared Data Source dialog boxes.

For more information about the OLE DB associated query designer, see Graphical Query Designer User Interface. For more information about specific support for OLE DB providers, see Visual Studio .NET Designer Tool Supports Specific OLE DB Providers in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

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OLE DB for SQL Server

When you select data source type OLE DB, you are selecting a Reporting Services data processing extension that extends the .NET Framework Data Provider for OLE DB. This data processing extension is natively compiled for and runs on x86 and x64 platforms.

For more information, see OLE DB Connection Type (SSRS).

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OLE DB for OLAP 7.0

OLE DB Provider for OLAP Services 7.0 is not supported.

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OLE DB for Oracle

The data processing extension OLE DB for Oracle does not support the following Oracle data types: BLOB, CLOB, NCLOB, BFILE, UROWID.

Unnamed parameters that are position-dependent are supported. Named parameters are not supported by this extension. To use named parameters, use the Oracle data processing extension.

For more information about configuring Oracle as a data source, see How to use Reporting Services to configure and to access an Oracle data source. For more information about additional permissions configuration, see How to add permissions for the NETWORK SERVICE security principal in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

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OLE DB Standard .NET Framework data provider

To retrieve data from a data source that supports OLE DB .NET Framework data providers, use the OLE DB data source type and select the default data provider, or select from the installed data providers in the Connection String dialog box.

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ODBC Data Processing Extension

When you select data source type ODBC, you are selecting a Reporting Services data processing extension that extends the .NET Framework Data Provider for ODBC. This data processing extension is natively compiled for and runs on x86 and x64 platforms. Use this extension to connect to and retrieve data from any data source that has an ODBC provider.

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ODBC Standard .NET Framework data provider

To retrieve data from a data source that supports a standard ODBC .NET Framework data provider, use the ODBC data source type and select the default data provider, or select from the installed data providers in the Connection String dialog box.

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Oracle Data Processing Extension

When you select data source type Oracle, you are selecting a Reporting Services data processing extension that uses Oracle's Data Provider directly and no longer uses the Microsoft System.Data.OracleClient provider as it has been deprecated. To retrieve report data from an Oracle database, your administrator must install Oracle client software and the version must be 11g or later. It must be installed on the report authoring client to preview reports and on the report server to view published reports.

To install the Oracle client software, see Oracle Connection Type (SSRS).

Named parameters are supported by this extension. For Oracle version 11g or later, multivalue parameters are supported. For unnamed parameters that are position-dependent, use the OLE DB data processing extension with the data provider Microsoft OLE DB Provider for Oracle. For more information about configuring Oracle as a data source, see How to use Reporting Services to configure and to access an Oracle data source. For more information about additional permissions configuration, see How to add permissions for the NETWORK SERVICE security principal in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

You can retrieve data from stored procedures with multiple input parameters, but the stored procedure must return only one output cursor. For more information, see Returning results with Oracle REF CURSORs in "Retrieve data using a DataReader."

For more information, see Oracle Connection Type (SSRS). For more information about the associated query designer, see Graphical Query Designer User Interface.

You can also create models based on an Oracle database.

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Teradata Data Processing Extension

When you select data source type Teradata, you are selecting a Reporting Services data processing extension that extends the .NET Framework Data Provider for Teradata. To retrieve report data from Teradata, the system administrator must install the .NET Framework Data Provider for Teradata on the report authoring client to edit and preview reports on the client and on the report server to view published reports.

For report server projects, there is not a graphical query designer available for this extension. You must use the text-based query designer to create queries.

The following table shows which versions of the .NET Data Provider for Teradata are supported for defining a data source in a report definition in SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence:

Multivalue parameters are supported by this extension. Macros can be specified in a query by using the EXECUTE command in query mode TEXT.

For more information, see Teradata Connection Type (SSRS).

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SharePoint List Data Extension

Reporting Services includes the Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SharePoint List Data Extension so that you can use SharePoint lists as a source of data in a report. You can retrieve list data from the following:

• SharePoint Server 2019

• SharePoint Server 2016

• SharePoint Server 2013

There are three implementations of the SharePoint List data provider.

1. From a report authoring environment such as Report Builder or Report Designer in SQL Server Data Tools - Business Intelligence, or for a report server that is configured in native mode, list data comes from the Lists.asmx Web service for the SharePoint site.

2. On a report server that is configured in SharePoint integrated mode, list data comes from either the corresponding Lists.asmx Web service or from programmatic calls to the SharePoint API. In this mode, you can retrieve list data from a SharePoint farm.

3. For SharePoint Server 2013 and SharePoint Server 2016, the Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Add-in for Microsoft SharePoint Technologies enables you to retrieve list data from a Lists.asmx Web service for a SharePoint site, or from SharePoint site that is part of a SharePoint farm. This scenario is also known as local mode because a report server is not required.

The credentials that you can specify depend on the implementation that the client application uses. For more information, see SharePoint List Connection Type (SSRS).

XML Data Processing Extension

Reporting Services includes an XML data processing extension so that you can use XML data in a report. The data can be retrieved from an XML document, a Web service, or a Web-based application that can be accessed by way of a URL. For more information, see XML Connection Type (SSRS). For more information about the associated query designer, see the text-based query designer section in Graphical Query Designer User Interface.

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SAP BW Data Processing Extension

Reporting Services includes a data processing extension that allows you to use data from an SAP BW data source in a report.

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Hyperion Essbase Business Intelligence Data Processing Extension

Reporting Services includes a data processing extension that allows you to use data from a Hyperion Essbase data source in a report.

For more information, see Hyperion Essbase Connection Type (SSRS). For more information about the associated query designer, see Hyperion Essbase Query Designer User Interface.

For more information about Hyperion Essbase, see Using SQL Server Reporting Services with Hyperion Essbase.

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See Also

Create data connection strings - Report Builder & SSRS
Report Datasets (SSRS)
More questions? Try the Reporting Services forum