Mastering SSRS Report Design: Cross-Chart Filtering and Repeating Headers

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is not just about displaying data; it’s about presenting it in a way that is clear and easy to work with. This post explores two sophisticated features: creating cross-chart filtering refresh effects and ensuring column headings repeat across multiple pages.

Creating Cross-Chart Filtering in SSRS Reports

Cross-chart filtering is a powerful feature often seen in modern BI tools. While not natively supported in SSRS, you can achieve similar functionality with a creative workaround.

Steps for Cross-Chart Filtering:

• Step 1: Create a hidden/internal SSRS parameter, HotSelect.
• Step 2: Set up the ‘Report Action’ feature for data points in each chart, relaunching the report with the HotSelect parameter.
• Step 3: In each chart, set a Color Expression to dynamically highlight data points based on the HotSelect parameter value.

Repeating Column Headings Across Pages in SSRS Reports

Solution for Repeating Headers:

• Use the Advanced Mode in the report designer to access the Static Row Groups.
• Set the RepeatOnNewPage property to TRUE for each Static Group above the first actual group.

Both techniques make a noticeable difference to report usability, especially when dealing with longer reports or dashboards with multiple charts.

For more SSRS work, see my posts on complex multi-dimensional reports and column-level security with drill-down.