Tag Archives: SSRS

How to turn a month name and year into a date field in SQL

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When would I use this?

Say you have an SSRS report which provides users with the parameter options month and year and the report returns data for that month and year. You will likely need that month name (varchar) and year (int) to be converted into a date fields representing the first and last day of that month/year. Once you have those two dates they can then be used in the WHERE clause of your SQL query to return data within that range. The logic below will allow the conversion of month name and year into start and end dates described above. You can now take this logic and input it into a stored procedure or user defined function.

There will only ever be 12 months going forward but to create an ever updating parameter option for years please see this tutorial.

DECLARE @year AS INT
DECLARE @month AS VARCHAR(9)
DECLARE @monthNumber AS CHAR(2)
DECLARE @startDate AS DATE
DECLARE @endDate AS DATE;

SET @year = 2016
SET @month = 'February'

IF @year IS NOT NULL
BEGIN
	WITH monthPicker
	AS (
		SELECT CASE 
				WHEN @month = 'January'
					THEN '01'
				WHEN @month = 'February'
					THEN '02'
				WHEN @month = 'March'
					THEN '03'
				WHEN @month = 'April'
					THEN '04'
				WHEN @month = 'May'
					THEN '05'
				WHEN @month = 'June'
					THEN '06'
				WHEN @month = 'July'
					THEN '07'
				WHEN @month = 'August'
					THEN '08'
				WHEN @month = 'September'
					THEN '09'
				WHEN @month = 'October'
					THEN '10'
				WHEN @month = 'November'
					THEN '11'
				WHEN @month = 'December'
					THEN '12'
				ELSE NULL
				END AS monthPicked
		)
	SELECT @monthNumber = (
			SELECT monthPicked
			FROM monthPicker
			)

	SET @startDate = (
			SELECT CAST(CAST(@year AS VARCHAR(4)) + @monthNumber + '01' AS DATETIME)
			)
	SET @endDate = (
			SELECT DATEADD(s, - 1, DATEADD(MM, DATEDIFF(M, 0, @startDate) + 1, 0))
			)
END
ELSE
BEGIN
	SET @startDate = (
			SELECT DATEADD(m, DATEDIFF(m, 0, GETDATE()), 0)
			)
	SET @endDate = (DATEADD(MONTH, 1 + DATEDIFF(MONTH, 0, GETDATE()), - 1))
END

PRINT @startDate
PRINT @endDate
report cartoon

How to keep an SSRS Report on one page

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Using visual studio left click just under design to focus on the report.

Image showing where to click

Now the report properties window should be visible in the bottom right of the screen.

Set the interactive height to 0 as shown below.

Properties windowYou will get the following warning sign below. Limiting the report to one page, by setting the interactive height to zero, means everything needs to be loaded all at once. This will create lag when a user loads the report and interacts with it.

warning message stating can cause performance issuesIf you are basically using SSRS as a means for end users to pull a data dump via excel, heed this warning. If you just have a few aggregated tables and you want them all on the same page you should be fine.

Image with the text 3000 years later in giant letters

How to provide a dynamic parameter drop-down of year options in SSRS

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Say you’ve developed a report which returns data based on a inputted year parameter value, e.g. “give me all the sales in 2014”.

How do you provide the year options for the SSRS report?

Well there’s three ways that come to mind.

Select distinct from a date field, e.g. SELECT DISTINCT YEAR(SalesDate) FROM Sales

This would certainly provide you with all the available years but the database could have millions of sales. So it’s not too efficient.

You could manually populate years in the parameter settings in the SSRS report, kind of primitive but it would work.

But for me the robust and efficient way is the solution provided below.

The following SQL query dynamically populates an integer field in a temporary table with years. The query uses a base year variable, which can be set to as far back as when the required data fields and values existed in the database. A loop then provides the years up to and including the current year. This query can be used to generate a dataset for an SSRS report and then this dataset can then be used to provide parameter values for the report. The report will then always create a list of years between the base year and the current year. Meaning the years parameter will never need to be adjusted again.

(For a tutorial on how to turn a month name and year into dates for the first and last day of the month see this tutorial)

/*Create temp table populated with the years from a base year to the present year*/
IF OBJECT_ID('tempdb..#availableYear') IS NOT NULL
    DROP TABLE #availableYear

CREATE TABLE #availableYear ([Year] INT)

DECLARE @baseYear AS INT
DECLARE @i AS INT

/*Change the base year to the earliest year the database has the required data available*/
SET @baseYear = 2013
SET @i = 0

WHILE @i <= YEAR(GETDATE()) - @baseYear
BEGIN
    INSERT INTO #availableYear
    SELECT @baseYear + @i

    SET @i = @i + 1
END

SELECT * FROM #availableYear

Within the Stored Procedure that populates the report you can then do something like below to make sure the date range matches the year chosen.

DECLARE @yearChosen AS INT

SET @yearChosen = 2013

DECLARE @startDate date
DECLARE @endDate date

SET @startDate = CONVERT(CHAR(4), @yearChosen) + '0101'
SET @endDate = CONVERT(CHAR(4), @yearChosen) + '1231'

PRINT @startDate
PRINT @endDate    

--OR For example

YEAR(SaleDate) = @yearChosen

How to remove NaN and Infinity from a SSRS table

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Typically this occurs when a field uses an expression in a report table were the expression tries to divide a number by zero (Or the field can populate with #Error when there is a NULL involved). The best solution to resolve this problem is to create a custom function.

Right click on the background of your report (i.e. just below where it says Design) and go to Report Properties as shown:

picture showing user where to click in the reportThen you can left click on Code and add enter the custom code below in the window provided:

Public Function Divide(ByVal dividend As Double, ByVal divisor As Double) As Double
   If IsNothing(divisor) Or divisor = 0 Or IsNothing(dividend) Or dividend = 0 Then
      Return 0
   Else
      Return dividend / divisor
   End If
End Function

IsNothing() is used to avoid #Error and check whether the divisor or the dividend are 0 to avoid NaN and Infinity.

Now change the field expression from, for example:

SUM(Fields!A.Value)/SUM(Fields!B.Value)

To the expression below using the newly defined function Divide:

= Code.Divide(Sum(Fields!A.Value), Sum(Fields!B.Value))

Next you can update the fields textbox properties to make the number display as a percentage.

NOTE: Inserting a user defined function into a table will mean that that table will no longer be able to be copied and pasted as this throws an error. To copy and past the table you will need to look at the code of the report by right clicking on the report and choosing View Code. Search for “Code.Divide” and comment it out with an apostrophe ( ‘ ). You will now be able to copy the table.

How to fix an SSRS Report that cannot find stored procedure fields or parameters while displaying the define query parameters window

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When setting up your data sets in an SSRS report if you are using a complicated stored procedure, i.e. a SP which relies on dynamic SQL, temp tables or finishes with an IF statement, chances are the SSRS report will not be able to figure out what the SP returns. When this happens you will not be able to populate the data set with data.

This happens because the execution plan of the SSRS software isn’t smart enough and won’t be able to determine what fields the SP creates and therefore will not be able to create a means of storing the data on the report end.

Subsequently you’ll see the, often misleading, table below popup.

 

SSRS Pop up Define Query Parameters

The solution to stop this from happening is quite simple, but considering how expensive this software is it’s a solution that shouldn’t have to be employed.

The solution is to trick the SSRS software by simplifying the SP. Basically perform a select on the specific fields you need with no additional logic or create a table with the exact fields you need with corresponding data types and select from that.

Use this dumb SP to populate the dataset in the SSRS report.

In the “Choose a data source and create a query” window as below, click refresh fields.

SSRS window refresh fields
The software should now pick up the fields.
Change the SP back to the way it was before and do not refresh the fields again in the SSRS software and the fields should continue to populate as you need them.

How to pass a multi-value parameter to a stored procedure from a SSRS Report

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When you allow for multiple field values to be selected in a SSRS report there needs to be additional logic added to the back end to deal with this.

This is best explained with an example scenario.

I have a table called Ireland with two columns, ID_Column and County. You can use the script below to create and populate this table. Run the query below to follow the working example.

CREATE DATABASE [TEST_DB];

USE [TEST_DB];
GO

/****** Object:  Table [dbo].[Ireland]    Script Date: 07/15/2015 10:49:49 ******/
SET ANSI_NULLS ON
GO

SET QUOTED_IDENTIFIER ON
GO

SET ANSI_PADDING ON
GO

CREATE TABLE [dbo].[Ireland] (
	[ID_Column] [int] IDENTITY(1, 1) NOT NULL
	,[County] [varchar](9) NULL
	,PRIMARY KEY CLUSTERED ([ID_Column] ASC) WITH (
		PAD_INDEX = OFF
		,STATISTICS_NORECOMPUTE = OFF
		,IGNORE_DUP_KEY = OFF
		,ALLOW_ROW_LOCKS = ON
		,ALLOW_PAGE_LOCKS = ON
		) ON [PRIMARY]
	) ON [PRIMARY]
GO

SET ANSI_PADDING OFF
GO

SET IDENTITY_INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ON

INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (1, N'Antrim')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (2, N'Armagh')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (3, N'Carlow')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (4, N'Cavan')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (5, N'Clare')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (6, N'Cork')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (7, N'Derry')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (8, N'Donegal')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (9, N'Down')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (10, N'Dublin')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (11, N'Fermanagh')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (12, N'Galway')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (13, N'Kerry')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (14, N'Kildare')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (15, N'Kilkenny')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (16, N'Laois')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (17, N'Leitrim')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (18, N'Limerick')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (19, N'Longford')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (20, N'Louth')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (21, N'Mayo')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (22, N'Meath')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (23, N'Monaghan')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (24, N'Offaly')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (25, N'Roscommon')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (26, N'Sligo')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (27, N'Tipperary')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (28, N'Tyrone')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (29, N'Waterford')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (30, N'Westmeath')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (31, N'Wexford')
INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] ([ID_Column], [County]) VALUES (32, N'Wicklow')
SET IDENTITY_INSERT [dbo].[Ireland] OFF

 

If I wanted to allow a user to select every county from the Ireland table in an SSRS report I would create a stored procedure that simply executes the following query.

SELECT * FROM Ireland

 

However an SSRS report which allows users to choose counties in Ireland like below means that a WHERE clause needs to be introduced and be able to respond to the field values selected.

Image showing an SSRS report parameter options

But the issue is that the SSRS report will pass the multi-valued parameter as a string with the values separated by a comma.

So instead of receiving the required: ‘Antrim’, ‘Armagh’, ‘Carlow’, ‘Cavan’ etc. for use in the WHERE clause.

SQL Server is passed: ‘Antrim, Armagh, Carlow, Cavan’ etc. which cannot be used.

So the first additional logic and code to be added to the back end to deal with the multi-value parameter is a User Defined Function (UDF) which splits the parameter. The following function and quotations are taken from the 4guysfromrolla website.

Function Scope:

“There are generally two parameters to a split function: the list to split and the character(s) to split on, the delimiter. In the following function we begin by declaring our input variables – @List, the list to split, and @SplitOn, the delimiter(s) to split on. The return value of this UDF is a table with two fields: Id, an identity column, and Value, an nvarchar(100) column.”

Function Logic:

“The main body of the function simply loops through the string finding the first occurrence of the delimiter on each pass. Once the delimiter has been found, the string is broken into two pieces. The first piece is inserted into the result table while the second piece replaces the original list. The loop continues until no more occurrences of the delimiter are found. Lastly, the remainder of the list is added to the result table. Return the table and you have a split function.”

Run the query below to follow the working example.

USE [TEST_DB];
GO

CREATE FUNCTION [dbo].[Split] (
	@List NVARCHAR(2000)
	,@SplitOn NVARCHAR(5)
	)
RETURNS @RtnValue TABLE (
	Id INT identity(1, 1)
	,Value NVARCHAR(100)
	)
AS
BEGIN
	WHILE (Charindex(@SplitOn, @List) > 0)
	BEGIN
		INSERT INTO @RtnValue (value)
		SELECT Value = ltrim(rtrim(Substring(@List, 1, Charindex(@SplitOn, @List) - 1)))

		SET @List = Substring(@List, Charindex(@SplitOn, @List) + len(@SplitOn), len(@List))
	END

	INSERT INTO @RtnValue (Value)
	SELECT Value = ltrim(rtrim(@List))

	RETURN
END

 

(For a line by line break down of the function please see the webpage.)

Now that the split function exits within the database it is now possible to use a Stored Procedure to SELECT from the Ireland table pulling back specific counties by way of a WHERE clause.

Run the query below to follow the working example.

USE Test_DB;
GO

IF OBJECT_ID('[GetCounties]') IS NULL
	EXEC ('CREATE PROCEDURE dbo.[GetCounties] AS SELECT 1')
GO

ALTER PROCEDURE [dbo].[GetCounties] @County VARCHAR(MAX)
AS
	/*

NAME OF SP: GetCounties
Author:		Bloggins86
Date:		15/07/2015
Purpose:	Test multi-parameter select

*/
	------------------------------------------------------
	------------------------------------------------------
	--INSERT STORED PROCEDURE LOGIC HERE
	SELECT *
	FROM Ireland
	WHERE County IN (SELECT Value FROM dbo.Split(@County, ','))

	------------------------------------------------------
	------------------------------------------------------

 

Now that the populated table, split function and county select SP exists run the query below passing a string with multiple counties to return Dublin, Meath and Cork from the Ireland Table.

EXEC dbo.[GetCounties] 'Dublin, Meath, Cork'

 

You should now have returned the table with Dublin, Meath and Cork as separate row entries.

And that’s it, thanks for reading.