Lesson 2: Adding Parameters to Create a

List of Available Values (SSRS)

SQL Server 2008 R2
Other Versions

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Available values, or valid values, provide a users with a list of possible values for a report
parameter. As a report author, you can provide valid values from a query specifically
designed to retrieve a set of values from the data source, or you can provide a predefined
set of values. By binding a set of available values to a dataset query that runs when the
report is processed, you make sure that only values that exist in the database can be chosen
from the drop-down list.
In this lesson, you will modify the Sales Orders report to present a drop-down list of
available salesperson names from the SQL Server AdventureWorks2008R2 database. You
will set a table property to display a message when there are no rows in the result set for the
selected parameter value. When you choose a name and view the report, the report shows
the sales for that salesperson only.
To replace the existing dataset
1. In the Report Data pane, right-click the
dataset AdventureWorksDataset, and
then click Dataset Properties.
Note
If you do not see the Report Data pane, from the View menu, click Report Data.
2. In Data source, verify that
AdventureWorks_Ref is selected.
3. In Query type, verify that Text is
selected.
4. Click the Query Designer button to open
the query designer.
5. Replace the text with the following
query into the text box:
Copy
SELECT
soh.OrderDate AS [Date],
DATENAME(weekday, soh.OrderDate)
as Weekday,
soh.SalesOrderNumber AS
[Order],
pps.Name AS Subcat, pp.Name
as Product,
SUM(sd.OrderQty) AS Qty,
SUM(sd.LineTotal) AS
LineTotal
FROM Sales.SalesPerson sp
INNER JOIN
Sales.SalesOrderHeader AS soh
ON sp.BusinessEntityID =
soh.SalesPersonID
INNER JOIN
Sales.SalesOrderDetail AS sd
ON sd.SalesOrderID =
soh.SalesOrderID
INNER JOIN Production.Product
AS pp
ON sd.ProductID =
pp.ProductID
INNER JOIN
Production.ProductSubcategory AS
pps
ON pp.ProductSubcategoryID
= pps.ProductSubcategoryID
INNER JOIN
Production.ProductCategory AS
ppc
ON ppc.ProductCategoryID =
pps.ProductCategoryID
GROUP BY ppc.Name,
soh.OrderDate,
soh.SalesOrderNumber,
pps.Name, pp.Name,
soh.SalesPersonID
HAVING
ppc.Name = 'Clothing'
AND (soh.OrderDate BETWEEN
(@StartDate) AND (@EndDate))
AND soh.SalesPersonID =
(@BusinessPersonID)
This is the same query as before, except
that a condition has been added that
limits the result set to one sales person:
AND soh.SalesPersonID =
(@BusinessPersonID)
6. Click the Run (!) button. When
prompted for the query parameters, use
the following table to enter values.
@StartDate 1/31/2001
@EndDate 1/31/2003
@BusinessPersonID 290
7. Click OK. The result set appears for the
sales person Ranjit Varkey Chudukatil
with SalesPersonID = 290.
To populate a valid values list for a report parameter
1. In the Report Data pane, click New, and
then click Dataset. The Dataset
Properties dialog box opens.
2. In the Name field, type
BusinessPersons. This dataset will be
used to populate the valid values list for
the SalesPersonID report parameter.
3. Verify that the data source is
AdventureWorks_Ref.
4. Paste the following Transact-SQL query
in the query pane:
Copy
SELECT SP.BusinessEntityID,
C.FirstName, C.LastName
FROM Sales.SalesPerson AS SP
INNER JOIN
HumanResources.Employee AS
E ON E.BusinessEntityID =
SP.BusinessEntityID INNER JOIN
Person.Person AS C ON
C.BusinessEntityID =
E.BusinessEntityID
ORDER BY SP.BusinessEntityID
Click OK twice. A list of fields is
populated for the BusinessPersons
dataset. This dataset will be used to
provide valid values for the parameter
BusinessPersonID.
5. You will notice that the
BusinessPersons dataset has fields
called FirstName and LastName. Next,
we will concatenate these fields into one
field called Name.
To define a calculated field in the Report Data pane
1. In the Report Data pane toolbar, right-
click the BusinessPersons dataset, and
click Add Calculated Field. The Fields
page of the Dataset Properties dialog
box opens with a new row added to the
grid.
2. In the last Field Name text box, type
Name.
3. In the Field Source text box, paste the
following expression:
=Fields!LastName.Value & ", " &
Fields!FirstName.Value
4. Click OK.
5. In the Report Data pane, under the
BusinessPersons dataset, the new field
Name appears in the field collection for
the dataset.
To populate the report parameter with a list of available values
1. In the Report Data pane, expand the
Parameters node and right-click
BusinessPersonID, then click Parameter
Properties.
2. In Prompt, type Select business person:.
3. In Data type, select Integer.
4. Click Available Values.
5. Select the Get values from a query
option.
6. From the Dataset drop-down list, select
BusinessPersons.
7. From the Value field drop-down, select
BusinessEntityID.
8. From the Label field drop-down, select
Name.
By selecting Name for the label, the
drop-down list of valid values for the
BusinessEntityID parameter will now
show the name of each sales person
instead of the sales person number.
9. Click Default Values.
10. Select the Get values from a query
option.
11. From the Dataset drop-down list, select
BusinessPersons.
12. From the Value field drop-down list,
select BusinessEntityID.
13. Click OK.
14. Click the Preview tab. The report shows
a drop-down list with business person
names.
15. Click View Report. Select other
parameter values to review the results.
Next Steps

You have successfully added a list of available values for a parameter to an existing report.
Next, you will modify the DayoftheWeek and SalesPersonID parameters to be multivalued.
See Lesson 3: Adding Parameters to Select Multiple Values in a List (SSRS).