Edit reports in Bold Reports^® Report Server

Editing a report opens an existing report from the Bold Reports^® Report Server directly in Web Report Designer, or, for direct source-level changes, in an XML editor. You can update its layout, data, or report items without starting over. A report launched for editing keeps its existing data sources, datasets, and permissions.

You can edit a report in two ways: launch it into Web Report Designer for visual editing, or open its underlying XML for direct changes.

What is report editing?

Report editing modifies a report that’s already stored on the Report Server, rather than a local copy you’d need to re-upload. Bold Reports^® supports two approaches: launching the report into the full Web Report Designer for drag-and-drop layout and data changes, or opening the report’s underlying XML directly for targeted edits without downloading the file or using a separate text editor. Both approaches save changes back to the Report Server when published.

What can I do with report editing?

With Bold Reports^® report editing, you can:

Open any report you have permission to edit directly from the report listing page.
Modify layout, data bindings, parameters, and report items using the full Web Report Designer.
Make direct changes to a report’s XML definition without downloading it.
Publish edits back to the Report Server so other users see the updated report.

Who should use this guide?

This guide is intended for:

Report authors updating reports they or others have published.
Administrators managing or troubleshooting edit permissions.
Developers comfortable editing RDL XML directly for targeted fixes.

What do I need first?

Before you edit a report in Bold Reports^® Report Server, make sure you have:

Permission from your administrator to edit the report.
Familiarity with Web Report Designer for visual edits, or with RDL XML structure for direct XML edits.

No additional server-side setup is required beyond having edit permission.

Steps to edit a report

You edit a Report Server report either in Web Report Designer or as XML.

Edit in Web Report Designer

You open a Report Server report in Web Report Designer from the Edit icon on the report listing page.

Click the Edit icon on the report listing page to open the report in Web Report Designer.
Make your changes in the designer, where the selected report opens.

Note: Editing an existing report requires permission from your administrator.

Edit an existing report as XML

The Report Server XML editor provides a straightforward way to modify a report’s underlying definition directly on the server, without downloading it or using a separate text editor.

Select the Edit As XML option from the report’s context menu.
Make your modifications in the new tab, where the report opens as XML. Publish from the XML editor to save your edits.

What are the key features?

Bold Reports^® report editing offers the following key features:

Launch straight into Web Report Designer: Open a report from the listing page directly into the full visual designer, without a separate export or import step.
Direct XML editing: Make targeted changes to a report’s underlying definition on the server, without downloading the file or using an external editor.
Permission-based access: Editing requires permission granted by an administrator, keeping changes to published reports controlled.
Changes saved back to the server: Whether you edit visually or as XML, publishing writes your changes back to the same report on the Report Server.

What are common use cases?

Bold Reports^® report editing supports the following common use cases:

Updating report layout or data after publishing: Adjust a report’s design, data bindings, or parameters after it’s already live on the server.
Making a quick fix via XML: Correct a text value, expression, or property directly in the report’s XML without opening the full designer.
Correcting a report without redesigning it: Fix an issue in an existing report instead of recreating it from scratch.
Reviewing and adjusting reports created by another user: Open a colleague’s published report to make updates, provided you have edit permission.

What are the limits?

Report editing in Bold Reports^® Report Server has the following considerations and limitations:

Editing a report requires permission granted by an administrator; without it, the Edit option isn’t available.
Direct XML edits bypass the visual designer’s validation, so review changes carefully before publishing.
Changes made in the XML editor take effect only after publishing from that editor.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need special permission to edit a report?

Yes. Editing an existing report requires permission from your administrator.

What’s the difference between editing in Web Report Designer and editing as XML?

Web Report Designer gives you the full visual, drag-and-drop editing experience. The XML editor lets you make direct changes to the report’s underlying definition without opening the designer.

Can I edit a report without downloading it?

Yes. Both editing methods work directly on the report stored on the Report Server, so you don’t need to download the file first.

How do I save changes made in the XML editor?

Publish the report from the XML editor to save your changes back to the Report Server.

How do I get help?

If the Edit option isn’t available for a report, or you run into issues publishing changes, contact your administrator to confirm your permissions. You can also see the following related articles for adjacent report-management tasks.

Create Report if you need to design a new report from scratch instead of editing an existing one.
Update Report to change a report’s category, description, or file without opening the designer.
Upload Reports to add an already-designed RDL file to the server for editing later.
View report to check how your edits render before sharing the report with others.

Edit reports in Bold Reports® Report Server