Reporting Technology Components

A reporting technology presents query results from a data source to an end user, using a report template designed by a report author. This report uses the following terms for major reporting technology components.

Design software. Software such as SQL Server Report Builder or Power BI Desktop enables report designers to create report templates. Some design software (such as Excel for Windows) also serves as a client for end users to view reports.

Format. Design software outputs report templates in a format such as SQL Server’s Report Definition Language (RDL). A report template format provides a language for designers to create report templates and submit them to the server software, hosted services, and client software that render and deliver reports. A report template specifies how to query data and present results to end users. This includes how to render results as elements such as paged text, tables, charts, maps, and dashboards (which combine a fixed set of multiple elements). A template also specifies how the end user interacts with the report; for example, how users refresh the data displayed, filter them, and view them in more or less detail (called drill-down).