0001 Create New Report

Find RdlDesigner in your start menu or in the folder you downloaded it into. Run RdlDesigner.exe and click the New Report button (or top menu bar option File..New Report) for the "New Report from Database" wizard...

Basic Report Information

Enter the report information. Select the report type. Select the page orientation that the report will use.

The information set here can be found later (after the wizard has completed) in the Properties pane on the right side of the designer, having selected Report in the drop-down selector.

Connection String

Now enter the connection info that the report will use to connect to the data source. This example is using SQLite but there are many other options. Some other connection options are: SQL (Microsoft), ODBC, OLEDB, Oracle, MySQL, Firebird, PostgreSQL and others.

The settings here can be found later (after the wizard has completed) from the top menu bar option Data..Data Sources

Report Parameters

If you want parameter the next thing to do is go to the parameters tab and add some parameters.

The settings here can be found later (after the wizard has completed) from the top menu bar option Data..Data Sets..Data (Query Parameters)

SQL Select

Now for the most important step, open the SQL tab to enter the SQL statement that will pull back the data. On the left side you will see a list of tables that you can select the data from. You can select a table and click the >> button to add all the columns from a table to the report. You can also write your own SQL to do a custom select, including calling a stored procedure with EXEC my_sp_test1 for example.

The settings here can be found later (after the wizard has completed) from the top menu bar option Data..Data Sets..Data (DataSet)

Report Grouping

You can add grouping if applicable to the report.

Report Syntax

Next you can review the report XML syntax if you want.

The RDL code can be seen at any time in the designer using the three tabs in the lower left, that switch between: Designer, RDL Text, Preview

Report Preview

Finally you can preview the report before creating it to see if it contains the information that you want.

The report can be previewed at any time in the designer using the three tabs in the lower left, that switch between: Designer, RDL Text, Preview

Report Designer

You are now done. To have the report created all you need to do is click the OK button. Once that is done the report will open in the designer and is ready for you to start editing.