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.

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

Create Data

1. To add a data, click on the Data icon in the Data Configuration panel. It opens the Data panel.
2. Click on the New Data button in the data panel.
3. Choose the SQL type to connect the data.
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.
5. Click the Connect button. Now the following view will be displayed.

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.

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:

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

Execute query

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

Save Data

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

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.
2. The above action will render the Table with two rows and three columns in the design area.

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.

Add column header

1. Select the first cell in the table and enter the column header text as ProductID into the Content property of the table.
2. Similarly, you can add the required column header text to other cells in the table.

Assign data fields in table cell

1. Select the table cell and click on the Data assign menu icon to open the data assign menu.
2. Assign the ProductID field in the table cell.
3. Similarly, you can assign the required data fields to the table cell.
4. Assign the expression to the table cell.
5. In the expression dialog, add the following expression =Fields!OrderQty.Value*Round(Fields!UnitPrice.Value,2) and click OK.
6. Now, the table will look like below.

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.
2. Drag the column gripper horizontally to adjust the column width.

Resize the row

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

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.

Add total

1. Select the second row, first cell and Right-click -> Add Total
2. Now, select the third row, first four columns and Right-click -> Merge cells
3. Modify the cell content as Total and align the content to the Right side.
4. Select the third row, last cell and open the Data Assign menu. Then, click on Add Expression.
5. In the expression dialog, add the following expression =Sum(Fields!OrderQty.Value*Round(Fields!UnitPrice.Value,2)) and click OK.

Now, the table design will look like below.

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.
2. Now, the report preview can be visualized as shown below.

Download the above report design from the link.