May 10, 2012 at 2:55 pm
polkadot (5/10/2012)
If you insist on not using something like this, I would eliminate Word and just use Excel.
But then what triggers it to run? Maybe a form on Auto_Open to fill in?
Thank you Greg.
Indeed, because the page that delivers the report must have regions in it where end user can free style type I also think Excel with an Add-In is a worthy consideration that is more in line with the business request. Excel allows for Save&Send ie. is well integrated with Outlook and allows for seamless experience.
I believe the Auto-Open is a VB script term? So, the scripting would be done in VB?
I welcome other visitors comments ofcourse. Lynn I would like to believe that SSRS is the solution because it would eliminate a headache of work, but I believe it would force users to adapt to the technology I was most comfortable with rather than the available technology to them.
Once they have run the report, click the Export and Choose Excel, it is just that - an Excel document with full functionality.
It sounds like the free style typing is done as notes after the report is run.
So the main difference is they would use a URL to launch the report.
Create a quick report with a graph and run this by a user and see if this is acceptable.
Sometimes unless they have seen it, they don't know what their options are.
We have a lot of people that seem engrained in Excel that have no problem running these reports.
Auto_Open - if a module (VBA) has this name, it would execute on opening the document.
So it could launch a form to gather user input for example.
VBA is the native language available in the Office products.
Very similar to Visual Basic.
May 10, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Lynn Pettis (5/10/2012)
polkadot (5/10/2012)
I have edited the attachment and reuploaded.Thank you for helping me through this. I was never clear on the free text area, tho in my mind I had taken it for granted. You aren't reading my mind???? 😉
Nope. Had a supervisor like that, I was never right. 😉
Sounds like Gus did too at on point, and found a way to work around it. 😀
I would think between the 2 choices - where you sound like you have limited experience in each, do the sample in Reporting Services first to see if that is acceptable. This will be faster than learning all you would need to create the code to replicate that functionality directly in Excel.
And if you would push Word into the picture, it gets even more complicated.
The RS solution is more or less tying the parts together, vs. building all the pieces.
May 10, 2012 at 3:12 pm
The link you provided is pretty old and some of the links are no longer active. OBA is an acronym I'm not familiar with, but I did find this
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/steve_fox/archive/2008/04/15/create-your-first-oba-part-1.aspx
it's the first in a series of 6 articles (I could only see 5, one appears to be missing). The little reading I've done on the subject leads me to think that Microsoft are pushing Sharepoint as part of their OBA solution.
Dave
May 10, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Once they have run the report, click the Export and Choose Excel, it is just that - an Excel document with full functionality.
Greg, 'once they have run the report' where? My reports are actually written in Excel powerpivot and uploaded to Sharepoint.
Will you please explain this mock-up a bit more? I am really looking for steps to execute what I outlined to begin with, which is either an Excel or Word template which calls a query and returns the report back to Excel and/or Word.
As it stands we are a total Microsoft outfit here utilizing Sharepoint, MS SQL Server, and Office. There is currently not a single report written in SSRS and to do so would involve a bigger shift. Since it doesn't satisfy the business requirements I'm not willing to go in that direction to try to persuade users of something else.
The requirement is Excel/Word based....I will read link provided and ask if there is anyone who has done this before to simply break down in steps, what I will need to do.
ie..
1. install add - in
2. write script to call query
3. etc.
--Quote me
May 10, 2012 at 6:41 pm
Just another tidbit of information, SQL Server Reporting Services can be intgrated with SharePoint as well.
May 10, 2012 at 9:40 pm
Lynn can you please explain the direction that you are going with this? What are you laying down that I should be picking up? How does that help? (I am also not a mind reader :-)):-D
--Quote me
May 10, 2012 at 9:54 pm
polkadot (5/10/2012)
Lynn can you please explain the direction that you are going with this? What are you laying down that I should be picking up? How does that help? (I am also not a mind reader :-)):-D
Research Reporting Services, that is what I am going. There is much that RS can do.
May 10, 2012 at 11:44 pm
You can create a report in Reporting Services and let it render the report in Excel or in Word.
For users, they would just click on the link and they get the report in the desired format.
Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP
May 11, 2012 at 1:36 am
Koen Verbeeck (5/10/2012)
You can create a report in Reporting Services and let it render the report in Excel or in Word.For users, they would just click on the link and they get the report in the desired format.
Thanks Koen!!! Can this report be passed parameters from a Word document?
--Quote me
May 11, 2012 at 1:44 am
polkadot (5/11/2012)
Koen Verbeeck (5/10/2012)
You can create a report in Reporting Services and let it render the report in Excel or in Word.For users, they would just click on the link and they get the report in the desired format.
Thanks Koen!!! Can this report be passed parameters from a Word document?
I'm not sure what you're getting at?
You want the users to fill in the parameters in the word document?
Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP
May 11, 2012 at 2:11 am
Yes, Koen:smooooth:
Users will open a Word template which will allow for free text summary of project status. It should also contain two fields each of which accepts a parameter which after entered should return to the word document a report which summarizes the status of that project as of that moment, along with a chart.
I uploaded an img file that shows a sketch of what I'm after (opening post). This document will then be saved and disseminated as a report to other interested parties.
Yes???:exclamationmark:
--Quote me
May 11, 2012 at 2:19 am
A simple .NET application would be easier I guess.
You have a simple form, people fill in information in a textbox, fill in parameters into other textboxes (or select them from a dropdown) and you show the report with the ReportViewer control.
After that, you export it to whatever format you want.
Your other alternative is to look into the OBA you mentioned, or use macro's, but I ain't touching that stuff with a 10 foot pole 🙂
Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP
May 11, 2012 at 8:41 am
OK, thank you Koen.
Lynn, Koen reiterated exactly what I need. I like the use of the word form. I didn't use it but it is really appropriate. A form that retrieves a real time status report and can be disseminated.
Lynn, CAN this be done with SSRS?
--Quote me
May 11, 2012 at 8:46 am
polkadot (5/11/2012)
OK, thank you Koen.Lynn, Koen reiterated exactly what I need. I like the use of the word form. I didn't use it but it is really appropriate. A form that retrieves a real time status report and can be disseminated.
Lynn, CAN this be done with SSRS?
Told you, you need to research SSRS to determine this. I am not an SSRS expert nor do I claim to be. I have a very basic knowledge of the subject. I'd have to do the same research as you to learn more. Only thing I can suggest is learn more, it will be to your benefit.
May 11, 2012 at 9:42 am
Time is the issue. I am on this forum to ask someone who is experienced with SSRS if they know the answer. I am not asking for them to write the solution for me but whether that is the tool I can go to and KNOW that it will support the functionality I described.
--Quote me
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