Custom Reports

This section describes how to build, deploy, manage, and manage reports. It also provides descriptions of the data services stored procedures, which provide the data to reports.

Users of this section should be familiar with the following tools and concepts:

Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services
Relational database concepts (SQL)
Business intelligence and reporting concepts

To better understand how reports work, you should be familiar with the following concepts. Reports are sometimes referred to as report templates.

Report Definition An XML file that specifies what the report does and how it looks. It is a template for the user to populate with parameters. There is no data in a report definition file. This is the file that users see in the Report list in the General tab when creating or editing report.
Parameterized Report Definition A report definition with user-defined parameters and an association to a work item or a resource team. There is no data in the parameterized report definition. This is the state of the reports listed in a user's Reports tab.
Report Instance (Rendered Report) A parameterized report definition that is populated and viewed by a user. A report instance contains data based on user-defined parameters. Users can redefine some of the parameters and view the report with these new parameters. The newly refreshed report is still a report instance. This is the state of the report when a user views a report on the Reports list. When a user closes the report window, the data is not saved. A report instance is not a document. It is a presentation of data in the report definition file.
Report A report instance that is printed or exported to an output format such as PDF, HTML, CSV, .tiff or Microsoft Excel. When a user prints or exports the report instance to one of the formats listed, the report instance becomes a report.
Scheduled Reports Reports that a user can specify to be run on a schedule, exported to an output format, and stored in the Documents Manager.

The following software is required for reporting:

Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services
Software configuration prerequisites: The OLE DB Provider, configuring a data source for working internally, and valid permissions as well as in Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services.

Downloading a report definition file template

You can use an existing report definition file (both custom and out-of-the-box) as a template for creating a new custom report definition file.

To download a report definition file template

From the application toolbar, click Setup, and then select System Settings.
Select the Report Templates tab.
Select a custom or out-of-the-box report definition and click Download a Report Definition File.
Save it to a location on your local computer.

Removing a custom report definition file

If you don't need a custom report definition file, you can delete it.

To remove a custom report definition file

From the application toolbar, click Setup, and then select System Settings.
Select the Report Templates tab.
Under Custom, select the report definition file you want to remove and click Delete a Report Definition File. Confirm.

Uploading a report definition file

After you have created a custom report definition file using the OLE DB Provider and Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services, you can add it.

To upload a report definition file

From the application toolbar, click Setup, and then select System Settings.
Select the Report Templates tab.
Click Upload a Report Definition file.
In the Upload Report Template dialog box, click Browse to specify which report definition file you want to upload and select the template type from the Type drop-down.
Click Upload. When the upload process is finished, click OK.

Viewing out-of-the-box reports

Out-of-the-box reports can be viewed from the Report Templates view in the System Settings module and are grouped in the upper section of the view.

To view out-of-the-box reports

From the application toolbar, click Setup, and then select System Settings.
Select the Report Templates tab.
Out-of-the-box reports are listed under System.

Viewing custom reports

Custom report templates can be viewed from the Report Templates view in the System Settings module and are grouped in the lower section of the view.

To view your organization's custom reports

From the application toolbar, click Setup, and then select System Settings.
Select the Report Templates tab.
Custom reports are listed under Custom.