Tag Archives: SQL Server Reporting Services and OfficeWriter

Working with Reporting Services in SharePoint integration mode

Problem

From version 3.9.2 and above support has been added to OfficeWriter Designer to work seamlessly with Reporting Services running in SharePoint integrated mode. All operations such as retrieve, publish and view reports are supported.

This feature is available in the client-side OfficeWriter Designer for Excel and Word. The server-side components of OfficeWriter require no special modification to work with Reporting Services running in SharePoint integrated mode with one exception, outlined below. We recommend always using matching versions of the designer and the server-side installation of OfficeWriter.

There are a few things to note when using the Designer in SharePoint integrated mode that differ from regular use, which are outlined in this post.

Solution

The Designer

When publishing or retrieving a report using the Designer, enter your SharePoint root site in the server URL textbox, like in the image below. Enter the address without the additional /ReportServer usually added for Reporting Services not running in integrated mode:

Please Note: Adding /ReportServer after the SharePoint site address will cause the operation to fail with the following error message:

The operation is not supported on a report server that is configured to run in SharePoint integrated mode.

For more information about using the OfficeWriter Designer, refer to our documentation on the OfficeWriter SSRS Integration.

Server-side

In SQL Server Reporting Services 2012, Microsoft changed the structure of SharePoint integrated mode for SharePoint 2010 and above. Essentially, SSRS is run through SharePoint service applications, rather than through the traditional Reporting Services configuration. All configuration settings are stored in a database, rather than config files.  This affects how OfficeWriter’s server-side renderer is installed in SSRS integrated with SharePoint.

Starting in 8.5.1, OfficeWriter can install against SSRS 2012 with SharePoint 2010 or 2013. During installation, the user will be prompted to select their SSRS instance as well as the SharePoint service application to install the renderer to.

There are no other changes to how OfficeWriter behaves in SSRS and SharePoint integrated mode.