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

4.1. Introduction to BIDS 2008

BIDS 2008 is a report-authoring tool hosted within Microsoft Visual Studio 2008. BIDS 2008 looks very similar to Visual Studio 2008, as shown in Figure 4-1. With the exception of a few extra tools on the toolbox and new tool windows such as report data, report designer, and preview you can consider BIDS as Visual Studio for Business Intelligence. BIDS consists of several tool windows. The one mostly used when developing reports are:

• Server Explorer

• Solution Explorer

• Report Data

• Toolbox

• Properties Window

• Report Designer Surface

• Report Preview

• Grouping

• Errors List and Output Windows

Figure 4-1. Figure 4-1

4.1.1. The Server Explorer

This tool window allows you to connect to different servers you will use in your data connections. It allows you create data connections directly to the database server. On this tool window, you can see all the database tables, views, stored procedures, and functions without having to log in to SQL Management Studio, as shown in Figure 4-2. You can also directly modify the tables, columns, and data on the database server through this tool window.

With the Server Explorer, you can get direct access to your database and make modifications as needed without having to leave BIDS. To enable the Server Explorer, click on View Server ...