Updated May 5, 2023
Introduction to SSRS Interview Questions and Answers
SQL Server Reporting Services, shortly known as SSRS, is a Microsoft component that creates reports using charts, graphs, maps, and other visualization techniques from multi-dimensional sources. You use SSRS to create, manage, test, and deploy reports to business users. SSRS is one of the components of the Microsoft Business Intelligence platform.
So you have finally found your dream job in SSRS but are wondering how to crack the 2023 SSRS interview and what could be the probable SSRS interview questions. Every interview is different, and the job scope is different too. Keeping this in mind, we have designed the most common SSRS interview questions and answers to help you get success in your interview.
Below are the top SSRS Interview Questions that are mostly asked in an interview.
Part 1 – SSRS Interview Questions (Basic)
This first part covers basic SSRS Interview Questions and Answers.
Q1. List some of the important features of SSRS.
Answer:
Below are some of the essential features of SSRS that are useful in creating Business Reports:
- You can build reports using relational, XML, Excel, or multi-dimensional sources and retrieve data from ODBC and OLE DB connection providers.
- In SSRS, users can create reports in tabular, free-form, graphical, charts, and matrix form.
- It also supports web-based features; anyone can interact with the report server on the web directly and can view reports in web-based applications.
- You can create ad hoc reports using graphics, images, or external content and save them on a server.
- All the reports created in the SSRS can be exported in various formats like XML, CSV, TIFF, PDF, HTML, and Excel.
- It has the automated option for subscribing reports to the user’s mailbox, mobile, and shared location.
- It supports the Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) programming interface and pluggable architecture.
Q2. What are the advantages of SQL Server Reporting Services?
Answer:
Below are some of the advantages of SQL Server Reporting Services:
- It is straightforward to deploy, as reports are stored in one centralized web server where users can run a report from one place.
- Since SSRS allows exporting reports in various formats, it is easy to further analyze reports with multiple file formats.
- The processing of final reports is faster on relational or multi-dimensional data.
- Information delivery to a business organization is faster, so it helps provide better decision support.
- There is no need for a specialist to manage SSRS, so there is no need for expensive specialist skills.
- Business users can interact with information without involving IT professionals.
- You can apply security to folders and reports in SQL Server Reporting Services and manage it in a role-based manner.
Q3. What are the drawbacks of SQL Server Reporting Services?
Answer:
Even though SSRS is an excellent tool with many advantages, there are a few drawbacks of it; they are:
- SSRS is mainly built for developers. Learning SQL code and SSRS functions to use all the SSRS features. It is not understandable to the average business user.
- When you are running a huge report with lots of data, it takes up many resources on the server.
- SSRS runs only in Windows, so many companies not using Windows cannot use this tool.
- A separate Mobile server is required to run reports on mobile devices.
- There is no option to share values between main reports and subreports; you can only pass the values from the subreport to the main report through parameters.
- You required an expert to debug the expression and custom code.
Q4. What are the minimum software requirements of SSRS?
Answer:
Below is the list of minimum software requirements of SQL Server Reporting Services:
- Processor: Intel Pentium II or higher processor.
- Operating System: Windows Server 2003 (Standard or Enterprise edition), Windows 2000, or Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 4 or higher.
- Memory: 256 MB of RAM and 512 MB or more based on requirements.
- Hard Disk: 50 MB for report server, 100 MB for .Net framework, 30 MB for report designer, and 145 MB for samples.
- Database: SQL Server 2000 with service pack 3 (standard, enterprise, and developer edition).
Q5. List and explain the components of SSRS architecture.
Answer:
Below are the important components of SQL Server Reporting Services:
- Report Builder: In this component, you can use report design functionality that is very helpful for creating ad-hoc reports. It is a report-publishing tool that executes the report on the client’s computer.
- Report Designer: It is used to develop simple and complex reports and as a publishing tool.
- Report Manager: All web-based reports can be accessed using this component.
- Report Server: The SQL database engine stores the metadata information.
- Report Server Database: It stores metadata, report definition, security settings, data delivery, and other information.
- Data Sources: SSRS receives the data from relational, XML, Excel, and multi-dimensional sources.
Q6. What are the core components of SSRS?
Answer:
Below are the three main components of SQL Server Reporting Services:
- Full Set of Tools: That is used to develop, test, manage and view reports.
- Report Server Component: Process reports in various formats like HTML, XML, PDF, Excel, CSV, etc.
- An Application Programming Interface (API): To integrate with other applications and build and manage reports.
Part 2 – SSRS Interview Questions (Advanced)
Let us now have a look at the advanced SSRS Interview Questions.
Q7. List out the different types of reports that SSRS creates.
Answer:
Below are the different types of SSRS reports that are created:
- Ad-hoc reports
- Drilldown reports
- Drillthrough reports
- Linked reports
- Subreports
- Parameterized reports
- Cached reports
- Snapshot reports
- Clickthrough reports
Q8. What is the different Reporting Life Cycle in SSRS, and Explain?
Answer:
There are three phases in the Reporting Life Cycle of SSRS; they are:
- Report Development: This phase involves mainly the developers; here, all the reports are designed and developed by report developers
- Report management: This phase involves mainly the Data Base Administrator (DBA), who has to make sure
- Only authorized users can access the reports.
- Optimize the data source performance when executing the report.
- Maintaining the scheduling of reports to users.
- Report Delivery: This phase will ensure that the developed and executed reports reach business users for decision-making. If the reports require any changes or corrections, they return to the development phase for the necessary modifications.
Q9. List out and explain some of the command prompt utilities for SSRS.
Answer:
You can use many command prompt utilities to administer the report server for SQL Server Reporting Services. These utilities will be automatically installed when you are installing a report server. Below is the list of utilities:
- RSS Utility: The command file is ‘RS.exe’; this supports Native and SharePoint development modes. This is used to perform a scripted operation and to deploy the reports on the report server.
- Powershell cmdlets: This supports only SharePoint mode; it will install Reporting SharePoint service and proxy servers; it also provides provisioning and managing of Reporting service applications and proxies.
- Rsconfig utility: The command file is ‘rsconfig.exe’; this supports only Native development mode. It is used to configure and manage the report server connection to a repository database.
- RsKeymgmt utility: The command file is ‘rskeymgmt.exe’; it supports only Native developer mode. It is an encrypted key management tool to back up, delete, apply, and recreate symmetric keys via the command line.
Q10. List the different types of data sources supported in SSRS.
Answer:
SSRS supports many data sources; below is the list of data sources in SSRS:
- Oracle
- XML
- ODBC
- OLE DB
- SAP BW
- Teradata
- Microsoft SQL Server
- Hyperion
- Report Server Model
- Microsoft SharePoint List
- Microsoft Azure SQL DB
Recommended Articles
This has been a guide to the List of SSRS Interview Questions and Answers. Here we have listed the most useful 10 interview sets of questions so the jobseeker can easily crack the interview. You may also look at the following articles to learn more-
