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You can run Report Builder reports by double-clicking on them. They will open in an SSRS screen. If there are parameters in the report, you will see prompts at the top of the screen. If you look to the right-hand upper corner of the report, you will see a blue question mark. Click on this symbol to pull up the documentation for the report.
Excel template: Example: 'Template - Check spreadsheet.xlsx'
We've taken all of our SQL views and created templates for them in SSRS. Whenever you need to create a new spreadsheet, please start with one of the Templates. There's a fair amount of pre-processing done in the views and the templates to try to ensure that you get the appropriate data. Double click on the spreadsheet name and choose 'Open' to pull up the spreadsheet. You can now consider yourself to be outside of the SSRS environment, and all normal Excel functionality should be in place. If you go to the Data tab and click on Refresh, Excel will go and get updated data for you from the Colleague ODS. If you look in the right-hand upper corner of the spreadsheet, you will see a blue question mark. Click on this symbol to pull up the documentation for the underlying view.
If this is a one-time usage spreadsheet, you can use it and delete it. If you plan to use it again or would like to share it with others, you should upload your final draft of the spreadsheet back up into the SSRS environment. To do this, simply go into the proper SSRS folder and choose the Upload option. SSRS is a secure place to store data and spreadsheets, and it is also backed up every night to a server. Please give your spreadsheet a name that will tell people about it's purpose, and also consider documenting right inside of your spreadsheet.
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