Professional Microsoft® SharePoint® Server 2007 Reporting with SQL Server 2008 Reporting Services

Introduction

Microsoft Office SharePoint 2007 is a great technology. It is the fastest growing product in the Microsoft suite of applications. It provides an easy to use portal interface that conveniently integrates document management and a collaborative environment for intranet and Internet web applications. Users without any technical background can easily create lists of data, alerts, and collaborative tools that enable colleagues, no matter how far apart, to work together to get their jobs done. And, with a little knowledge and motivation, users can even set up workflows and design elements to really make their portal come to life.

However, one of the things that could be improved in SharePoint is its reporting capabilities. While it is certainly true there are some reporting functions that come with SharePoint, they are fairly limited in use and extensibility. Fortunately, though, this is where Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) comes in.

SSRS provides a very rich environment to create stunning reports that quickly and accurately report data from your line of business applications. You can pull lists directly from your legacy systems and databases or even directly from SharePoint itself. You can present this data in tabular style reports with a matrix look and feel and full drill-down capabilities, or you can simply provide graphical representations of your data through the use of gauges and charts. Designing dashboards and similar reporting interfaces has never ...