Creating a form using SSRS

Question

We have some application forms in our system and want to define them as Reports using SSRS 2008 R2. So when users see the form on the screen and what to print it as a report in a print friendly format, they can.

I'm new to SSRS and wondering how it can be done. From what I can see the format of reports in SSRS is either tabular or matrix which none is what we need. If you imagine an application form (e.g.: Car registration), the data fields are distributed on the whole page not solely on a row.

I want to put the placeholders on the form as defined by the business analyst and link the columns of the Data source to these placeholders individually.

Any help is much appreciated.

Cheers, Nazila

Answer 1

Tabular and matrix are not formats of the report.

Try to create a report server project instead of report project wizard in SSRS. Create a new report item (through add->new item) and check the toolbox. You'll find labels, charts, tablices which you can arrange to your personal taste, and if you are using C# for the application you can use ReportingService library to connect reports with your app.

Answer 2

Imagine the report as an Excel table witch you can paint the borders and cells White so it looks like a text editor page. The data sources links can be put anywhere, just click on a cell and write =Fields!ANYFIELD.Value for example (ANYFIELD is the field from your datasource). You can also put external images.