What is new in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services

Microsoft has released MS SQL Server 2008 R2 recently. Now Business Intelligence (BI) developers want to learn what is new in Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services features.

Here is a short list of new features in Reporting Services 2008 R2.

Shared Data Sets
Report Part Gallery
Sparklines, Data Bars and Indicators
Aggregation on Aggregates
Rendering Features
Browser Support

Shared Data Sets

Just as Shared Data Sources, with the release of SQL Server 2008 R2 now datasets can be shared between reports. So called Shared Data Sets can be stored individually, shared, processed and cached. Shared Data Sets management can be easily managed using Reporting Services Management screens.

Report Part Gallery

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 enables to separate a report into parts using Visual Studio Report Designer (BIDS - Business Intelligence Development Studio) or Report Builder 3.0. BI developers can place each part of an .rdl report into a Report Part gallery. Placing report parts means publish and sharing SSRS report components. Report parts in Report Part gallery can be re-used by developers and report authors in other reports. Working with report parts is as easy as simply drag and drop report parts onto the report design layout.

Sparklines, Data Bars and Indicators

Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 ha new virtual components to make your reports better. These new virtual controls include sparklines, data bars and indicators. These controls are in-cell controls which means sparklines and databars are charts that are one cell in size. Using spark lines, databars and indicators are very easy so that even power users that are not from IT background can use these controls without any problem. Report authors can choose indicators from a large set of indicators gallery suitable for their report.

Aggregation on Aggregates

Aggregation on aggregates mean nested aggregate expressions in your reporting services formules.

Rendering features

SQL Server 2008 R2 introduces BI developers with new rendering features.
For example, report authors can now rotate text in 270 degrees. I had once required this feature to use on data table headers.
Another rendering feature is related page numbering. Developers now have a better control on page numbers.
Reporting Services authors can now name Excel worksheets after exporting Reporting Services reports to Excel.
An other feature is conditional check on Rendering Format. This means developers can develop code according to RenderFormat using expression Globals!RenderFormat.Name

Browser Support

With the release of SQL Server 2008 R2 Reporting Services now supports browsers other than Internet Explorer.