Chapter 2 First Steps

In the following, we will show you how to log in to ReportServer. Please note that the login dialog may look slightly different depending on how ReportServer is configured in your organization. To find out which login procedure is used in your company, please contact your system administrators.

In addition to entering the login information, further options can be configured when logging in. These only apply to the subsequent session. These include the language displayed. You can find out what other configuration options you have on the Options subpage.

When you log in, the following data is requested in the login window:

• User name
• your password
• Confirmation

Please note that a maximum number of incorrect login attempts may have been configured. If the maximum number of incorrect login attempts is reached, your account will be automatically blocked. It can only be used again after a waiting period or after a manual reset by an administrator.

If you have forgotten your password, select the Forgot password option in the menu next to the OK button. Now enter your user name in the Forgot password window. A new password will then be sent to your registered e-mail address.

Please note that your administrator can deactivate the ''Forgot password'' button. This is described in the configuration manual.

After successfully logging in to ReportServer, you will find yourself in the Dashboard module, which allows you to create an individual overview page. In addition to the dashboard, ReportServer is divided into further modules, which you can access depending on the configuration. You can switch between different modules using the module bar at the top of the screen. You will also find the search function at the top of the screen, and you can view and edit your user profile by clicking on your name.

In the user profile you will also find the option to change your password. At the bottom of the window is the status bar; depending on the configuration of the system, further information can be displayed here, e.g. the current data status.

The main workspace for ReportServer users is the TeamSpace. You can access the TeamSpace module by selecting the in the module bar at the top of the screen.

TeamSpace offers separate working environments for user groups or teams. A team is a group of users of any size that works with shared report objects. Users can join together to form teams and manage their TeamSpaces independently using simple role-based user administration. For example, it is possible to create individual users as guests in a TeamSpace so that they cannot make any changes.

The TeamSpace provides a folder structure similar to Windows Explorer. You can open the explorer bar on the left-hand side to get an overview of all existing directories. Click on a folder to open it in the content area in the middle of the screen. The root folder (the top directory) is displayed here by default. You can reconfigure the display using the view buttons in the toolbar of the content area.

Further information on the currently selected object is displayed in the detailed view. Depending on the object, different information is available, which you can switch between using the tabs at the bottom.

Double-click on an object to open it. With the right mouse button, you can open the context menu, which contains further commands. Objects can be moved as usual using drag-and-drop.

Further information on TeamSpace can be found in the TeamSpace chapter.

ReportServer distinguishes between different report types that cover different aspects of reporting. Further details on the different report types that are relevant from the user's point of view can be found in the Reports chapter. The different report types are described in detail in the administration manual. Reports are created and managed by administrators or report designers in ReportServer. Individual reports are made available to you as a user in TeamSpace, from where you can further configure, execute, schedule and export them in various formats depending on the report type. Once configured, reports can be saved as variants and executed again at any time with the latest data.

Double-click on a report object in the content area to open the report view. An additional Executed reports area now appears in the module bar, which allows access to the reports that are currently open. If the last report is closed, the area is no longer displayed. If several reports are open at the same time, you can switch between them using the tabs at the bottom of the screen. Reports can be closed via the corresponding symbol in the tabs or via their context menus.

The view of an open report is structured as follows. The toolbar contains general commands for executing and saving the report. On the left-hand side, you can choose between various aspects of the report configuration. To get a preview of the report you have configured, select the Preview aspect. You can use the Export menu to download the executed report in the desired format and save it on your computer.

If available, you can make predefined settings via the Parameters aspect. Various parameter types allow you to configure the report easily. In addition to pure text input, there are special parameter types for dates and for selecting from predefined lists.

All parameters can be reset to their default value via the context menu. The list parameter can be configured by double-clicking on it. This displays a selection window, which is also used in other places in ReportServer. All selectable values are displayed in the list on the left. This can be filtered using the search field. To select a value, drag and drop or double-click it into the right-hand area, which contains the currently selected values.

The Add all button allows you to quickly select all currently displayed values. The Remove and Remove all buttons delete values that have already been selected.

The configuration made can be saved in TeamSpace as a new report object. Such a report object is called a variant. A variant contains all the settings made, but not the actual data; this is reloaded each time the report is run. All settings are also summarized in the report documentation. It therefore provides a quick overview of the configuration of the variant. Please note that the report documentation always refers to the saved object, so changes to a variant only become visible in the report documentation after it has been saved.