The Ultimate Guide to Migrating .rdl Reports to Power BI

Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not intend to substitute financial, educational, health, nutritional, medical, legal, etc advice provided by a professional.

The Ultimate Guide to Migrating .rdl Reports to Power BI

If you are looking for a powerful reporting solution that combines the flexibility of Power BI with the reliability of SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), then you have come to the right place. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the process of migrating your .rdl reports from Power BI Report Server and SSRS to Power BI.

In this article

  • Before you start
  • Pre-migration stage
  • Migration stage
  • Post-migration stage
  • Related content
  • Feedback
  • Additional resources

Before you start

Before diving into the migration process, it is important to understand the benefits and considerations of migrating your .rdl reports to Power BI. Power BI offers a wide range of powerful features and capabilities, including interactive visualizations, real-time data, and seamless integration with other Microsoft products. However, there are certain factors you need to keep in mind before starting the migration.

Preparing for migration

Before migrating your .rdl reports to Power BI, it is essential to assess your current reporting environment and plan your migration strategy accordingly. This involves identifying the versions of Power BI Report Server and SSRS that you are currently using, as well as the supported versions for migration.

Supported versions

Power BI Report Server and SSRS 2017+ offer built-in migration tools that make the migration process seamless and efficient. However, if you are using previous versions of SQL Server, you will need to use a different migration tool.

Migration tool for Power BI Report Server and SSRS 2017+

Power BI Report Server and SSRS 2017+ provide a migration tool that allows you to easily migrate your .rdl reports to Power BI. This tool automates the migration process and ensures that your reports are seamlessly transferred to the new environment.

Migration tool for previous versions of SQL Server

If you are using previous versions of SQL Server, such as SSRS 2016 or SSRS 2014, you will need to use a different migration tool. Microsoft provides a free tool called the SQL Server Migration Assistant (SSMA) that can help you migrate your .rdl reports to Power BI.

Pre-migration stage

Once you have planned your migration strategy and identified the appropriate migration tool, it is time to prepare your .rdl reports for migration. This involves several steps, including:

Discover

The first step in the pre-migration stage is to discover all the .rdl reports that need to be migrated. This involves identifying the location of the reports, as well as any dependencies or customizations that may exist.

Assess

After discovering the .rdl reports, the next step is to assess their complexity and compatibility with Power BI. This involves evaluating the structure, data sources, and functionality of each report to determine if any modifications or adjustments are required.

Prepare

Once you have assessed the reports, it is time to prepare them for migration. This may involve making changes to the report structure, data sources, or layout to ensure compatibility with Power BI. It is also important to test the reports in a development environment to identify any potential issues or errors.

Migration stage

Once you have prepared your .rdl reports for migration, it is time to perform the actual migration. This involves using the appropriate migration tool to transfer the reports from Power BI Report Server or SSRS to Power BI. The migration tool will automatically convert the .rdl reports to the Power BI format and ensure that all the data, visuals, and functionality are preserved.

Manual migration

In some cases, you may need to manually migrate certain elements of your .rdl reports to Power BI. This could include custom code, complex calculations, or data transformations that cannot be automatically migrated by the migration tool. Manual migration requires a thorough understanding of both Power BI and SSRS, as well as the ability to recreate the desired functionality in Power BI.

Automated migration

In most cases, the migration tool will automate the entire migration process and ensure that your .rdl reports are seamlessly transferred to Power BI. However, it is always a good idea to review the migrated reports and test them in a development environment to ensure that everything is functioning as expected.

Post-migration stage

Once the migration process is complete, it is important to perform a thorough review of the migrated reports to ensure that they are working correctly and meeting your requirements. This involves:

Setting query time-out for embedded datasets

Power BI allows you to embed datasets directly within your reports, which can improve performance and reduce dependencies on external data sources. However, it is important to set an appropriate query time-out value to prevent long-running queries from impacting report performance.

Configure data sources

After migrating your .rdl reports to Power BI, you may need to configure the data sources to ensure that they are correctly connected to the underlying data. This involves specifying the connection details, authentication method, and credentials for each data source.

Review report performance

Once the data sources are configured, it is important to review the performance of the migrated reports. This involves analyzing the query execution times, data refresh intervals, and overall report rendering speed to ensure that everything is running smoothly.

Reconcile issues

If you encounter any issues or errors during the post-migration stage, it is important to address them promptly. This may involve troubleshooting the issue, modifying the report structure, or adjusting the data sources to resolve any issues that may arise.

In this article

In conclusion, migrating your .rdl reports from Power BI Report Server and SSRS to Power BI can be a complex process, but with the right planning and tools, it can be accomplished smoothly and efficiently. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure a successful migration and take advantage of the powerful features and capabilities offered by Power BI.

Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not intend to substitute financial, educational, health, nutritional, medical, legal, etc advice provided by a professional.