Can I create SSRS Reports in VS 2015 using SQL Server 2008 R2?

Question

I'm new to SSRS.

Recently upgraded my development environment from Visual Studio 2010 to Visual Studio 2015 Enterprise Edition. Currently my reports are made using Crystal Reports. I would like to to use SSRS and I'm trying find out my current environment will allow me to do it.

So now I'm using Visual Studio 2015 and SQL Server 2008 R2.

• Can I create SSRS Reports using these two?
• If yes, how can I create it?
• I know how to create a report and publish it using the Business Intelligence Development Studio in SQL Server 2008 R2. But could not understand how I could use those reports in my WebApplication project in Visual Studio 2015.
• Also would like to know - Is it possible to reuse my existing datasets which I'm using in my Crystal Reports?
• Should I upgrade my SQL Server version?

Answer 1

Yes, you can create reports for SSRS 2008 R2 with VS 2015. You will need to download, and install, the SQL Server Data Tools (SSDT) at the following link.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt204009.aspx

To build reports, create a new project using the Report Server Project template found under Templates/Business Intelligence in the New Project dialog. (After you install SSDT)

This is the replacement for BIDS, so much of what you see should look familiar. Not sure about the Crystal Reports datasets, but you should be able to reuse any SQL or stored procedures that may be a part of these.

Should you upgrade? At some point, sure, but it isn't required. SQL Server 2016 is about to be here, and you are working with a product that is over 4 years old, and more than likely going to be out of support soon, if it isn’t already.

Answer 2

There is a setting in Visual Studio (See above answers for more details.)

There is a setting in

Project --> Properties --> TargetServerVersion

Note that here, server means database server or db-server, as opposed to web server or report-server.

But note well: For me, it is only the version in the folder:

..Projects\myProject1\myProject1\bin\Debug 

that will actually deploy and work.