Saving a Report (Report Builder 1.0)
After you create a report in Report Builder, you may want to save it for future use. When you save a Report Builder report, you are saving a description of how the report should look and the queries used to retrieve the data, not the actual data itself. The next time you run the report, the query retrieves the latest available data and formats it based on the report description generated by Report Builder. Reports can be saved to a report server or to a SharePoint library.
Note
To access and save reports in a SharePoint library, your report server must be configured for SharePoint integrated mode. If you are unsure about your report server configuration, contact your database administrator.
A saved report is called a report definition. A report definition is an .rdl file that contains report definition language (RDL) and a metadata query. When you run the report, the data returned by your query is combined with the RDL and rendered in Report Builder run mode. You can export the report to another program, like Microsoft Excel, and save the report--along with the data--in that file format. For more information, see Exporting a Report as a Different File Type (Report Builder 1.0).
Report Builder report definitions can be saved to any report server or SharePoint library that you have permissions to access, or to your local computer. Saving an .rdl file to a report server or library is also called publishing a report. When you publish the report, you can assign properties to the report that allow others to view it. Publish the report definition to the report server or library when you want to regularly run the report and view the current data, or if you want to share the report with others in your organization. Save the report definition to the local computer if you want to upload the file to a different report server or library, or if you want to open the report in the Reporting Services Report Designer.
Saving a Report to the Report Server or SharePoint Library
When saving a Report Builder report, you can choose which report server, library, or folder within a library that you want to use, regardless of which report server or SharePoint site that you used to start Report Builder. When saving the report to a report server, you must save it to the same report server where the source of data used in the report is stored. When saving the report to a library, you must save it to a Sharepoint site connected to the same report server as the site where the source of data is stored. Otherwise, the report cannot be rendered.
After the report is saved, you can continue to open the report, change the report, and save the report definition in Report Builder as often as you want.
Sharing Reports with Others
Once the report is published, it can be managed just like any other report. This means that you can run the report from the report server or library; distribute reports using subscriptions and delivery processes available in Reporting Services; create and manage schedules to automate report processing; and use role-based security to control access to the report. For more information about working with reports, see "Managing and Working With Published Reports" in Microsoft SQL Server.
Saving a Report to the Local Computer
When saving a Report Builder report to the local computer, the report can be saved to any folder location on the computer. A report saved to the local computer cannot be rendered simply by clicking the report. You can upload the report to a different report server or library, or open the report in Report Designer. To learn more about this Reporting Services tool, see the Reporting Services section of SQL Server Books Online.