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CRM 4.0 Outlook Client - Running reports (2008) offline RRS feed

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    Hello,

    I'm trying to get offline reporting working with reports (RDL) written for SQL Server Reportings Services (SSRS) 2008. On my offline client I have installed SQL Server Express 2008 with all necessary updates as well as the CRM Outlook Client + Update Rollup 10 for the Outlook Client for CRM (KB979347).

    When trying to run my reports created for SSRS 2008 I only get the standard non-saying CRM error - any way to activate local tracing? The standard CRM reports (e.g. user overview) DO work probably because they are written for SSRS 2005?

    I have tried several different custom written reports - even the most simple ones, just having one table as dataset, don't work - that's why I am guessing that the Outlook Client doesn't work with newer reports. I have tried installing the Report Viewer Redistributable 2008 SP1, no luck - same error. When looking at the called processes via Procmon I can see that the Outlook client tries to render the reports via a GAC component which looks very CRMish - it somehow is not using the standard report viewer, so basically how do I update the report viewer used?

    Many questions arise, but let me sum up my basic question: It seems that the Outlook Client does not understand reports with version 2008 in offline mode. Reports for version 2005 are rendered correctly. How do I make the Outlook Client render reports for SSRS 2008?

    Outlook Client system setup:
    SQL Server Express 2008
    Office 2007 Enterprise - Outlook
    Dynamics CRM 4.0 Outlook Client + Update Rollup 10
    Report Viewer 2008 SP1 Redistributable

    Monday, May 17, 2010 7:56 AM

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    I opened a Microsoft Support Case for this topic and this is a known issue and they are currently working on a hotfix which will be release with Update Rollup 11 for Dynamics CRM 4.0.

    The current workarounds are to open the report created with RDL version 2008 with Visual Studio 2005 and save it in the 2005 RDL version - the problem of course is that Visual Studio cannot convert stuff, which wasn't specified in 2005 RDLs like Tablix controls, hence you would need to rewrite / redesign these. The other workaround suggested is to use SQL Server 2008 Express, which didn't work for me as the offline client is using the report viewer 2005, not the official reporting components from the sql server.

    So... 2008 reports currently cannot be run in offline mode with Dynamics CRM Outlook Client. Gotta wait for the UR 11.

    Tuesday, May 25, 2010 10:47 AM

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    HI

    when running the ssrs report where is the datasource pointed to?

    is it to the local version of SSRS on the client or to the CRM installation?

    Is the user that run's the report added to the security configuration of SSRS?

    Tiaan van Niekerk http://crmdelacreme.blogspot.com Skype:tiaan.van.niekerk1
    Monday, May 17, 2010 8:12 AM
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    My datasource:

     

      <DataSource Name="MyOrgCRM">
   <ConnectionProperties>
    <DataProvider>SQL</DataProvider>
    <ConnectString>data source=localhost;initial catalog=MyOrg_MSCRM</ConnectString>
    <IntegratedSecurity>true</IntegratedSecurity>
   </ConnectionProperties>
   <rd:DataSourceID>1506dae4-d7ca-4fdc-aa15-f9d16de0657a</rd:DataSourceID>
   <rd:SecurityType>Windows</rd:SecurityType>
  </DataSource>
    CRM User overview report:

     

     

      <DataSource Name="CRM">
   <ConnectionProperties>
    <DataProvider>SQL</DataProvider>
    <ConnectString>data source=localhost;initial catalog=Adventure_Works_Cycle_MSCRM</ConnectString>
    <IntegratedSecurity>true</IntegratedSecurity>
   </ConnectionProperties>
   <rd:DataSourceID>05ddfd4d-9c76-4724-9731-e23b1c5b9e0f</rd:DataSourceID>
   <rd:SecurityType>Windows</rd:SecurityType>
  </DataSource>

     

    I thought the datasource is overwritten by CRM anyways?

    The local version of SSRS is on the client (standard SQL Server Express 2008 installation) - the CRM version of SSRS shall not be accesible during offline mode (as the user can not access the CRM).

    How do I add a user to the SSRS security configuration? The user is local administrator, as well as MSCRM_MSDE database owner - the whole installation was actually done by this user for testing purposes. The installation is very recent (Friday) and everything was installed freshly downloaded form MS. I cannot open the SSRS configuration manager:

    Unable to connect to the Report Server WMI Provider

    Details: Invalid namespace

    The Windows XP, SP3 machine is running in a domain.

    Monday, May 17, 2010 8:47 AM
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    have you laoded the latest cumalatice update for sql?

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956717

    will still try to get more info for you

    Tiaan van Niekerk http://crmdelacreme.blogspot.com Skype:tiaan.van.niekerk1
    Monday, May 17, 2010 10:32 AM
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    I also uninstalled SQL Server Express 2008 and installed SQL Server Express 2008 with Advanced Services - no luck, same result

    I also uninstalled the Outlook Client, and reinstalled it anew including Update Rollup 10 - no luck

    I installed the Cumulative Update Package 1 - no luck.

    It's always the same result: CRM internal reports work (RDL version 2005), RDLs of version 2008 do not work. Somehow I think that CRM is using it's own reporting services viewer instead of the standard viewer or something like that...

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

    I narrowed it down some further: The Outlook Client IS actually using the report Viewer 2005. See the following web.config from C:\...\Client\res\web\web.config

    <httpHandlers>
<add path="Reserved.ReportViewerWebControl.axd" verb="*" type="Microsoft.Reporting.WebForms.HttpHandler, Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" validate="false" />
</httpHandlers>		
<assemblies>
<add assembly="Microsoft.ReportViewer.WebForms, Version=8.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a"/>
</assemblies>

    Version 8.0.0.0 = Report Viewer 2005. It should read Version 9.0.0.0 so the report viewer 2008 is used.

    Only problem: It doesn't work. When just changing the version numbers to 9 the standard CRM error message remains (PublicKeyToken is the same).

    Tuesday, May 18, 2010 8:17 AM
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    HI, you are right, reports created in VS 2008 (rdl version 2008) dont work offline, its a very lovely feature of reportviewer control, it should be supported in .NET 4.0

    Best regards Jan

    Wednesday, May 19, 2010 1:07 PM
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    I opened a Microsoft Support Case for this topic and this is a known issue and they are currently working on a hotfix which will be release with Update Rollup 11 for Dynamics CRM 4.0.

    The current workarounds are to open the report created with RDL version 2008 with Visual Studio 2005 and save it in the 2005 RDL version - the problem of course is that Visual Studio cannot convert stuff, which wasn't specified in 2005 RDLs like Tablix controls, hence you would need to rewrite / redesign these. The other workaround suggested is to use SQL Server 2008 Express, which didn't work for me as the offline client is using the report viewer 2005, not the official reporting components from the sql server.

    So... 2008 reports currently cannot be run in offline mode with Dynamics CRM Outlook Client. Gotta wait for the UR 11.

    Tuesday, May 25, 2010 10:47 AM
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    I believe the problem you are having is related to the offline client running with SQL Express 2005. Your CRM DB may be running on SQL 2008 and the 2008 reports prob work fine when not offline. There are a a couple of solutions. One you have already figured out which is to go back to designing the reports in 2005. At the moment the other solution is almost as painful, on the client (for each user that uses the offline client) you have to uninstall the offline client and sql express 2005 then install SQL Express 2008 with a named instance for CRM then reinstall the outlook client and it should see SQL Express 2008 instance and use it instead. Now the 2008 .rdl will run offline. This is really and issue Microsoft CRM Group needs to address with the Offline Client install.

    -Benj

    This thread does a more detailed job of explaining:

    http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en/crm/thread/88b37f6a-8f6b-4444-a74b-bf73c1a9758f

     

    • Proposed as answer by Ben Fishing Monday, June 7, 2010 3:43 PM
    Monday, June 7, 2010 1:45 PM
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    Yes, you can install SQL2008 express with a named "CRM" instance

    Yes, CRM for Outlook will work and go offline

    No, reports in 2008 won't work because even if you install SQL Express 2008 with advanced services (report server), when in offline mode  CRM client will always use Report viewer 2005 (not upgradable to 2008)

    No, reports with  multi-valued parameters won't work; at all.

    No, Rollup 11 (and even 12) won't solve the offline problem

     

     

    Wednesday, September 1, 2010 3:34 PM
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    Thank you both for your answers Andrea and Ben0jam0in. As I said previously I had a Microsoft Support Case and was in direct contact with the CRM Team.

    As Andrea suggested already, even if installing a local SQL Express 2008, .rdl files designed with Visual Studio 2008 will not work. As Andrea correctly suggested, the CRM client will still use the report viewer 2005 redistributable and one cannot change it by any means. You are missing one minor thing though: The CRM team did update the Report Viewer Redistributable being used with the Rollup 11, meaning that the Outlook Offline Client actually IS using the Report Viewer Redistributable 2008.

    Here comes the final glitch: When going offline, the CRM Offline Client actually switches the Report Viewer Redistributable to local mode. And in local mode the Report Viewer 2008 Redistributable uses the rendering engine of 2005 . Yes, you read right. Only the Report Viewer Redistributable 2010 finally solves this issue and uses the correct version, even when being in local mode.

    The problem is that Microsoft officially states, that the Report Viewer Redistributable 2010 will NOT be rolled out to CRM 4, hence we will never be able to run reports designed with Visual Studio 2008 offline with the Dynamics CRM 4.0 Offline Client when going offline. The solution proposed by Microsoft is either to redesign the reports with Visual Studio 2005 (as suggested by Benj), or to wait for CRM 5 which will be coming out soon too.

    You will not be able to force the offline client to use the Report Viewer Redistributable 2010 as the 2008 version (as of rollup 11) is hardcoded in the sources. So I'm sorry to have to inform you that the only solutions are the ones presented above: CRM5 or redesign with VS2005

    Cheers

    Dennis

    Wednesday, September 1, 2010 10:58 PM