Create a RDL report

This section describes simple steps to design a RDL report using the Standalone Report Designer. First, launch the Bold Reports Designer application shortcut from your desktop/start menu.

RDL Report designer icon

The Bold Reports® Designer will be launched with a new blank report.

Report designer initial view

Create Data

  1. To add a data, click on the Data icon in the Data Configuration panel. It opens the Data panel. Data panel icon
  2. Click on the New Data button in the data panel. New data button
  3. Choose the SQL type to connect the data. Data source types panel
  4. In the new data source panel,
    • In the Name field, specify the data source name without any special characters.
    • In the Server Name field, you need to select an existing server in the local network from the dropdown list or specify the specific remote server name like myserver.domain.com.
    • In the Authentication Type field, choose Windows or SQL Server authentication.
    • If you have chosen SQL Server authentication, specify the username and password of the server.
    • In the Database field, choose or enter an existing valid database, e.g., AdventureWorks. Data source fields panel
  5. Click the Connect button. Now the following view will be displayed. Query designer initial view

Here, an AdventureWorks database is used for the demonstration.

Edit dataset name

You can edit the name of the Data in the Name field that is available in the toolbar pane.

Dataset name field

Drag and drop table in query designer

The left pane holds the tables, views, and procedures associated with the connected database. Drag your preferred table or view from the left pane and drop into the center pane labeled with Drag and Drop table here like below:

Drag and drop query table to design area

Now, the table will be dropped into the design area as shown below.

Query designer with query table

Execute query

  1. You can execute and visualize the data by using the Run option in the tools pane. Run query icon
  2. Now, the data will be retrieved based on the specified query. Execute query output

Save Data

  1. Click on the Finish button in the tools pane. Finish data button
  2. Your dataset should now be listed on the Data panel as shown below. Data list view
  3. Expand the icon to view the data fields. Data fields list

Add table report item

The left pane in the design view consists of basic items, data regions, data visualization, and sub reports to design an interactive report.

Here, the Table report item is used for a demonstration.

  1. Select the Table item under Data Regions in the item panel, then drag and drop it to the design area. Table report item
  2. The above action will render the Table with two rows and three columns in the design area. Table initial view

Assign data

This step is applicable only for the report items that belongs to data visualization and data region category.

Assign the dataset to the Dataset property of the table. Assign dataset to the table

Add column header

  1. Select the first cell in the table, click the Text Editor icon to open the dialog, and enter ProductID as the column header text.
  2. To set the column header text as ProductID, follow the steps outlined in the Set header text using data assign menu section. Enter text in table cell
  3. Similarly, you can add required column header text to other cells in the table. Assign column text output

Assign data fields in table cell

  1. Select the table cell and click on the Data assign menu icon to open data assign menu. Open data assign menu
  2. Assign the ProductID field in the table cell. Assign fields to table cell
  3. Similarly, you can assign the required data fields to the table cell. Output of assign fields procedure
  4. To add the =Fields!OrderQty.Value*Round(Fields!UnitPrice.Value,2) expression into a selected Tablix cell, follow the steps outlined in the Set expression using data assign menu section.
  5. Now, the table will look like below, Assign expression to table cell

Resize the column

To improve the report readability, we can resize the table row height and column width.

  1. Place the mouse pointer on the respective column border. Resize the table column
  2. Drag the column gripper horizontally to adjust the column width. Adjust column width of the table

Resize the row

  1. Place the mouse pointer on the respective row border. Resize the table row
  2. Drag the row gripper vertically to adjust the row height. Adjust row height of the table

Customize the appearance

Open the PROPERTIES pane. This pane holds some general settings and some specific to the report item. Configure the desired settings on the table for better report design and to improve report readability.

Customize table cell properties

Add total

  1. Select the second row, first cell and Right click -> Add Total Add total menu

  2. Now, select the third row, first four columns and Right click -> Merge cells Merge cells in table

  3. Modify the cell content to Total using the Multi-Text Run Editor dialog, and align the content to Right side. Modify the cell content

  4. Select the last cell in the third row, and to add the expression =Sum(Fields!OrderQty.Value*Round(Fields!UnitPrice.Value,2)), follow the steps outlined in the Set expression using data assign menu section.

Now, the table design will look like below.

Final design view

Save report

Once you are done with the report design to save a report, refer to the How to save report section.

Preview report

  1. To see the report preview, click on the Preview button in the tools pane. Preview icon in design view
  2. Now, the report preview can be visualized as shown below. Table report preview

Download the above report design from the link.