How To: Export RDL files from SQL Server 2005 or SQL Server 2008 R2

Sometimes I get questions from customers about rdl-files. Even though I already posted an article about how to upload rdl-files , I also get questions about how to download them. Why would some one want do that? Well, suppose you’ve made some nice customized Reports with Ad-Hoc Report Builder, people like to save those Reports outside the SSRS instance as well.

Since exporting those rdl-files isn’t very straight forward process, I have decided to blog about it. So next time I get a question about it, all I have to do is to refer to this posting.

One must know there are differences in procedures how to download rdl-files between SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2008 R2. Therefore I’ll describe both of them. Let’s start.

SQL Server 2005
It starts with the Report Server, which is a web based interface. When running a straight forward installation/configuration – the default SQL instance – the url is /Reports">/Reports">/Reports">/Reports">http://<yourSSRSservername>/Reports.

1. Open IE and browse to your Report Server and click on the button (left side of the screen) Show Details;
2. Select the Report you created earlier with Ad-Hoc Report Builder and you want to export now;
3. Click the Properties button;
4. Now the Report is shown in Edit mode with the tab General selected by default. In that screen there is a header named Report Definition. Under this header the option Edit is shown. Click it;
5. The dialogue box File Download is shown. Click the Save button and now one can save the file to any location.

SQL Server 2008 R2
It starts with the Report Server, which is a web based interface. When running a straight forward installation/configuration – the default SQL instance – the url is /Reports">/Reports">/Reports">/Reports">http://<yourSSRSservername>/Reports.

1. Open IE and browse to your Report Server;
2. Select the Report you created earlier with Ad-Hoc Report Builder and you want to export now;
3. In the drop down menu: select the option Edit in Report Builder;
4. Report Builder 3.0 (!) is started. Click on the SQL logo (top right of the screen);
5. Select the option Save As and now one can save the file to any location.

As you can see it isn’t a difficult process, only it’s a bit hidden. None the less there are two things to reckon with:

1. When you import the Report into another SSRS instance the Report might need some modifications (like the data source it connects to) and the default values (which will be different when the Report is targeted against another Management Group);
2. When you have added a Description to the Report you export, that Description isn’t exported with the rdl-file.