Introduction to Drill-down Reporting in SSRS through Dynamics 365

INTRODUCTION

Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) offers robust reporting capabilities, including the creation of drill-down reports, which are pivotal in providing detailed insights. Drill-down reports allow users to start with a summary view and then click to access more detailed data, making it easier to manage large datasets. When integrated with Dynamics 365, these reports empower businesses to visualize and explore their data dynamically, enhancing decision-making processes and operational efficiency. in this blog we will explore Drill-down Reporting in SSRS through Dynamics 365.

Dynamics 365 seamlessly integrates with SSRS to offer advanced reporting features. Through this integration, users can create drill-down reports that not only provide high-level summaries but also enable in-depth exploration of specific data points. By leveraging the power of SSRS within Dynamics 365, organizations can gain a more granular understanding of their data, leading to more informed business strategies and improved outcomes.

SETTING UP THE ENVIRONMENT

To start working with SSRS, it is essential to have the following installed on the system:

• Report Services Project Extension
• SQL Server Data Tools
• Visual Studio 2019

Once you have installed all the required extensions and tools, open Visual Studio 2019 and create a new Report Server Project using wizard.

Once you have selected your project destination, you will be prompted with a wizard that would make your project establishment easy. From the first wizard, create your connection string, name and method. Since Dynamics 365 is used, we’ll go with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Fetch

Once the FetchXML is added and all the required credentials are populated, the report is initialized successfully.

INTRODUCTION TO DRILL DOWN REPORTING

For the demonstration, we have a Sales Order entity in Dynamics 365 from which we are retrieving the Sales Order ID, Order Name, Total Amount and Status Code. The drill-down will occur in a manner such that the Sales Order ID drills down to the Name of the Order and the Total Amount drills down to the Status Code respectively.

For the sake of the project, the entity is populated with the following records:

The sales order table has been fetched using FetchXML query with the following:

In the Row Group, right-click the Details and go to Add Groups and select Parent Group

Group the Tablix group by Sales Order ID and click Ok

Again, click on the Parent Group and Add the Child Group

Group the Tablix group by Name and click Okay

Perform the same for Total Amount and Status Code such that the final hierarchy looks something like this…

Once you successfully configure the hierarchies, set up the visibility accordingly. For that right-click on the Child Groups, access their property.

Do the same for the Status field as well (and set the Total Amount as the toggled property)

Preview the Report and it will look something like this…

Clicking the plus or minus sign will drill up or down the report fields respectively

INTEGRATING SSRS REPORT WITH DYNAMICS 365

Open the environment that you have used in your SSRS report. Navigate to Power Apps and add a new Report.

Change the Report Type to Existing File and upload your project report that you made in Visual Studio. Build your solution before retrieving the report. You can extract the report from the Debug folder in the project.

To view your report, go to Advanced Find and then select the Reports entity and click Result.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the integration of SSRS drill-down reports with Dynamics 365 offers a powerful toolset for businesses seeking to enhance their data analysis and reporting capabilities. This synergy allows users to navigate through data hierarchies seamlessly, providing both high-level overviews and detailed insights as needed. By leveraging these capabilities, organizations can make more informed decisions, optimize their operations, and ultimately drive better business outcomes. The combination of SSRS’s robust reporting features and Dynamics 365’s comprehensive business applications ensures that users have the tools they need to turn data into actionable intelligence.

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