6 Tips for Real Estate SSRS Reports

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) reports are helpful for real estate companies wanting to analyze Yardi data – but they can be challenging to create and prone to user error. Our Yardi consulting team at Saxony Partners relies on decades of technical and industry-specific experience to design ideal SSRS reports for our clients.

Here are a few tips and best practices for real estate SSRS reports from our team of data experts.

Our Top Tips for Real Estate SSRS Reports

1. Start by creating a custom template to save time.

When you create a series of real estate SSRS reports, it will be much easier to ensure the design is consistent if you create a custom template at the beginning.

You can use code inside the SSRS report or create a new database table to accomplish this. This will allow for consistency in your font, margins, row and column cell colors, and more. You can also add the company logo in the header and page numbers in the footer of each page automatically.

2. Use views or stored procedures for all of your data sets.

Let’s say you want to add a new field to an underlying data source. It can be complicated to make changes to your data without breaking the SQL functions.

If you have views and stored procedures applied to your data sets from the get-go, you can ensure that reports continue to run properly regardless of what changes you make. You can also add new fields into views more easily without needing to make changes to underlying tables.

3. Always define your data sets.

Along the same lines, it is best practice to always define a data set when referencing fields, even if it happens to be the only one in its particular report. You never know when you might need to add more data sets later.

4. Name all objects and items within the reports.

If you name everything within your reports, you will definitely thank yourself later during the testing process. Naming all objects and items will streamline inevitable debugging.

5. Manually repeat column headings across multiple pages.

If your tabular report spans multiple pages, the SSRS viewer doesn’t automatically carry column headings over throughout the data, making it difficult for users to review. To fix this problem, go into the Advanced Mode section at the bottom of the report designer. Use the F4 key to bring up the full property sheet and use RepeatOnNewPage.

6. Eliminate extra blank pages when exporting reports.

Sometimes extra blank pages pop up at the end (or even right in the middle) of your reports when you export them to PDF docs. This typically happens when the body of your content exceeds the allowable width for its page.

Reduce the size of your report table and the outer edge of the design area to fit correctly within the established margins. Then SSRS won’t generate any extra pages.

Create Better Real Estate SSRS Reports

If your organization needs real estate reporting solutions and support, reach out to us at Saxony Partners. Our team was built by real estate, for real estate and has the industry context and experience necessary to help you Do More With Your Data®.

Touch base with our Real Estate VP, Breanna Guntert, on LinkedIn, or fill out our contact form for more information.