This is the second installment in this series of SQL Server Reporting Services 2012 Beginner posts. You can read the previous post here. If you are wondering why Beginner, please read the SQL Server 2012 for Beginners post to learn more. With that, let’s get started.
Before you can create a Report you must first learn how to create a project. To create a project you must have installed SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT). SSDT provides a development and design environment for building SQL Server Integration (SSIS), SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) projects. Over the course of this postings we will cover each of these types of solutions. For now, we will focus on SSRS.
When creating a project using SSDT, a solution is automatically created. Basically, a solution is a container of projects. In other words, you can create a solution that contains multiple projects. These projects include SSAS, SSIS and SSRS projects. The project contains items specific to the type of project that you create. For example, when you create an SSRS project, it will contain Data Sources, Data Sets and Reports.

Note: If you are running Windows 7 go to Start | All Programs | Microsoft SQL Server 2012 | SQL Server Data Tools




Your project is now created. Please save the project as it will be used in later posts. In the next post we will look at SSRS 101 – Creating a Shared Data Source.
Talk to you soon,
Patrick LeBlanc, founder www.sqllunch.com