ASP.NET Web Forms Report Viewer

Bold Reports® ASP.NET Web Forms Report Viewer is a reporting component that displays RDL, RDLC, SSRS, and Bold Report Server reports inside ASP.NET Web Forms applications. It renders reports directly in the browser so users can view, interact with, and export report data without leaving your Web Forms pages.

You can bind data sources and parameters, render reports with the full range of RDL reporting capabilities, and export the output to PDF, Microsoft Excel, CSV, Microsoft Word, and HTML. This page introduces the ASP.NET Web Forms Report Viewer, its key capabilities, and where to go next to add it to your application.

What is the ASP.NET Web Forms Report Viewer?

The Report Viewer is a server control that you add to an ASP.NET Web Forms page to render paginated RDL and RDLC reports. It works with reports stored locally in your project, served through SSRS, hosted on Bold Report Server, or delivered from a SharePoint server, so you are not limited to a single reporting backend. The control communicates with a Web API service on the server side to process report data and return rendered output to the page, keeping report processing off the client.

Because it targets the classic ASP.NET Web Forms model (.aspx pages and server controls), it integrates with existing Web Forms projects without requiring a move to ASP.NET MVC or ASP.NET Core.

With the ASP.NET Web Forms Report Viewer, you can

  • Display RDL and RDLC reports with or without SSRS or Bold Report Server.
  • Render interactive reports with drill down, drill through, hyperlinks, and interactive sorting.
  • Bind data sources and set report parameters at run time.
  • Export reports to PDF, Microsoft Excel, CSV, Microsoft Word, and HTML formats.

Key features

Interactive report rendering

  • Drill down and drill through navigation.
  • Hyperlink navigation within report content.
  • Interactive sorting.

Customizable UI and events

  • Customize the toolbar, parameter panel, and export options.
  • Control behavior at each stage of rendering through available events.

Broad report source support

  • Displays RDL and RDLC reports from local files, SSRS, Bold Report Server, and SharePoint server.
  • Gives flexibility in how reports are stored and served.

Multi-platform report format compatibility

  • Report definitions also work with the JavaScript, Angular, React, Blazor, ASP.NET Core, ASP.NET MVC, WPF, and UWP versions of Report Viewer.
  • Stay portable across a Bold Reports® project.

Common use cases

Embedding operational reports in Web Forms applications

  • Add the Report Viewer to an existing .aspx page.
  • Display operational reports, such as sales summaries or inventory reports.

Displaying SSRS reports without a report server

  • Render SSRS RDL reports in your application.
  • Avoid deploying or managing a separate report server.

Connecting to Bold Report Server

  • Point the viewer at reports published to Bold Report Server.
  • Keep report definitions and data connections centrally managed.

Exporting reports for offline use

  • Let users take report output outside the application for offline review or archiving.
  • Support sharing with stakeholders who don’t use the application directly.

Who should use this guide?

This guide is intended for:

  • ASP.NET Web Forms developers adding reporting to an existing application.
  • Developers migrating reports from Syncfusion® Essential Studio to Bold Reports®.
  • Report authors who need to confirm how RDL/RDLC reports render in a Web Forms environment.
  • Administrators configuring report data sources and connections to SSRS or Bold Report Server.

Prerequisites

Before you begin:

  • An ASP.NET Web Forms application (.NET Framework) to host the Report Viewer control.
  • An RDL or RDLC report to display, created in Report Designer or another compatible tool.
  • Access to SSRS or Bold Report Server, if you plan to render reports from either.

No separate report server is required if you display reports stored locally in your application.

Considerations and limitations

  • The Report Viewer targets the classic ASP.NET Web Forms model and does not apply to ASP.NET Core or ASP.NET MVC projects, which use their own Report Viewer versions.
  • RDL specification support has version-specific limitations; see the dedicated Limitations page before relying on advanced RDL features.
  • Report processing depends on a Web API service configured in your application; verify this service is reachable when reports fail to render.

FAQ

Can the ASP.NET Web Forms Report Viewer display reports without SSRS or Bold Report Server?

Yes. You can display RDL and RDLC reports stored locally in your application without connecting to SSRS or Bold Report Server.

Which report formats does the Report Viewer support?

It renders RDL and RDLC reports and exports them to PDF, Microsoft Excel, CSV, Microsoft Word, and HTML.

Can I use the same reports across other Bold Reports® platforms?

Yes. RDL and RDLC report definitions are portable across the JavaScript, Angular, React, Blazor, ASP.NET Core, ASP.NET MVC, WPF, and UWP versions of Report Viewer.

Do I need to migrate my application to ASP.NET Core to use the Report Viewer?

No. The Report Viewer supports the classic ASP.NET Web Forms model directly, so you can add it to an existing .aspx based application.

How do I move an existing Syncfusion® Essential Studio Report Viewer application to Bold Reports®?

Follow the steps in the Migrate Report Viewer application guide, which covers the Web API service and client-side script changes required.

Getting help

If you run into issues while setting up or using the Report Viewer, check the Frequently asked questions page for answers to common issues, or review the Limitations page to confirm whether a behavior is expected. For further assistance, contact Bold Reports® support through the official Bold Reports® website.