Datasheet

Application Integration
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FIGURE 1-20
APPLICATION INTEGRATION
The title of this category could really mean two different things. First of all, any kind of report could
be integrated into an application of some kind. For example, a web page could include, among other
content, a chart report or a gauge dashboard placed in a frame or panel next to the menus and nav-
igation buttons coded using programming tools that make up a standard web application page. The
other definition of an integrated application report is a report that contains the menu functionality and
buttons, rather than simply sharing the page with these controls. Because online reports can include
navigation links and programming logic, where do reports end and applications start? Conversely,
where do applications end and reports start? That’s a very good question, and one that doesn’t always
have a simple answer.
Using powerful capabilities in SQL Server Reporting Services, a lot of the programming logic typically
created using traditional application development tools can now be designed into reports. As a moder-
ator on the MSDN support forum for Reporting Services, I hear users constantly asking how to extend
reports to make them behave more like applications. And, although it’s possible to achieve a lot of this
behavior through advanced features and custom programming, an important question comes to mind:
is this the right tool for the job? Like using a pair of pliers to pound in a nail (rather than taking the
time to go to the garage to get the hammer), always consider using the best tool for the job.