Question

While learning about creating MS SQL Reporting and deploying reports to SQL Reporting Server, i found that there is no need to worry about creating a query that involves sorting, grouping and so on. All i need to do is fetch the columns and data i need from various tables and then once the data loads in dataset, i can use the GUI tools to do the groupings, aggregate functions, sorting, etc which will rid of duplicate e.g. categories name. I find it much easier than typing my own complex queries to write the report i need. Thus, from now i will just focus on writing a query that fetches data without worrying how the output should look like. Once the data is loaded in sql reports, i will use the tools available to format the data in the way i want.

I won’t focus much on coding grouping, aggregate functions, etc manually anymore (only when necessarily needed).

Is this the right and practical way to create reports?

Please confirm …

Thanks

Answer 1

I would lean on the reporting tool as much as possible as long as it doesn’t create a performance issue which in most cases it shouldn’t.

By leaning on the reporting tool you have more flexibility to work with the underlying data set the way you want to.