NAV 4.0 SP1 and SQL Report Services

jaustin

I've been doing some research to find out what SQL Report Services (SRS) is all about and how it interfaces (or will interface with NAV2009)...but I still have some questions. Can anyone tell me if I can use SRS with my current version of NAV 4.0 SP1 (the non-SQL version)? Do I have to upgrade to to NAV 5.0 to use it?
I know that any reports written in NAV 5.0 won't work in NAV2009 but I want to try it out and get used to SRS before 2009 comes out. If anyone has an details (or links) on how to get started using SRS with NAV...please let me know.

Thanks,
Jim

Ian_Piddington10199

Hi Jim

We have been using SRS with NAV pretty much since it came out for SQL2000. I think we have some NAV3.60 clients using it. SRS is effectively looking at the SQL database and generating reports from that.

Currently none of the NAV versions allow you to author SRS reports directly that will be a function of NAV2009 (I hope).

There is a sample download at http://www.mibuso.com/dlinfo.asp?FileID=593 that contains exapmles using Version 4.

Regards

Ian

ara3n

If you want to use SQL SRS, I recommend to get on sql instead of Native.
You can use SRS on any version. For Nav 2009, it only uses the rendering of reports. The report is still run in middle tier using Nav business logic generating an xml file.

The example SQL Reports in download section hit the db directly. So as long as you are on sql you can use SRS with any versions.

Jason_Allor_[MSFT]

Ian_Piddington wrote:

Hi Jim

Currently none of the NAV versions allow you to author SRS reports directly that will be a function of NAV2009 (I hope).

Just to confirm this, yes, NAV 2009 integrates with the standard SRS report designer so you can easily author new SRS reports. You can also transform legacy reports to SRS and then edit those in the SRS report designer.

Thanks.

DenSter

This is new to me. Are you saying that you will be able to run SSRS reports that are not created as NAV reports from within the new client? I understand that NAV reports are integrated with SSRS, but SSRS reports are not integrated with NAV.

In other words, will we be able to create an SSRS report and call it and run it from within a NAV client session? Up until now the story was that only report objects in the NAV IDE creates the RDL file that you can then modify in SSRS. Regular SSRS reports though will have to run outside the NAV client context.

Jason_Allor_[MSFT]

DenSter wrote:

This is new to me. Are you saying that you will be able to run SSRS reports that are not created as NAV reports from within the new client? I understand that NAV reports are integrated with SSRS, but SSRS reports are not integrated with NAV.

In other words, will we be able to create an SSRS report and call it and run it from within a NAV client session? Up until now the story was that only report objects in the NAV IDE creates the RDL file that you can then modify in SSRS. Regular SSRS reports though will have to run outside the NAV client context.

I was only referring to the use of the report designer tools. NAV will launch VS at the appropriate time to allow you to edit your SSRS report using the report designer.

DenSter

Right that's what I thought. What you said though:

"Jason wrote:

"]NAV 2009 integrates with the standard SRS report designer so you can easily author new SRS reports.

that kind of sounded to me like new SSRS reports would be integrated with NAV.

So just to make sure... that will still not be the case correct? The only reports inside the NAV client will be the ones actually created as a NAV report object?

SobyOne

Dynamics NAV doesn't work with "SET" data. For very large or long running reports, SQL Reporting Services create much more efficient designs.

The problem is that the "CURSOR" report design created by Dynamics NAV 5.0 and earlier will not be efficient SQL reports.

An astute developer should be able to look at a Navision report and create SQL statements that returns data an order of magnitude faster than the NAV client can.

For example: 6 minute report using Dynamics NAV client on SQL 2005 only takes 30 seconds on SQL 2005 Reporting Services.

ara3n

For most report yes, they should be running on sql, but for certain reports

E.g. Inventory aging report to a sql report. It will take a long time to translate.

Jason_Allor_[MSFT]

DenSter wrote:

Right that's what I thought. What you said though:

"Jason wrote:

"]NAV 2009 integrates with the standard SRS report designer so you can easily author new SRS reports.

that kind of sounded to me like new SSRS reports would be integrated with NAV.

So just to make sure... that will still not be the case correct? The only reports inside the NAV client will be the ones actually created as a NAV report object?

In NAV 2009 you'll still need a report object behind your report.

DenSter

"Jason wrote:

"]In NAV 2009 you'll still need a report object behind your report.

Thank you for confirming that . Maybe for the release after 2009 we can get SSRS reports that can run from within the context of the NAV client and really make it an integration

I think you guys are making very good progress, this is all very exciting stuff.