Customize
a Report Parameter for Each Linked Report
Once
we have created folders for each Sales Territory Group within SQL
Server Management Studio, within which we also placed the Linked Reports,
we have established a basis for at least rudimentary access control, to limit
each Sales Territory Group to only the Linked Report that we wish
for its members to see. Our objective is to allow each group to enter only its
designated folder, containing a Linked Report whose definition will
include a restriction that allows it to present only the data from the Sales Territory Group whose
members will be allowed access the parent folder.
We
will limit the data returned by each report via the filtering effects of the new
Sales Territory Group
parameter, by
taking the following steps.
1.
Open an
instance of Internet Explorer.
2.
Type in the
URL of the Report Server once again, as required.
Report
Manager appears,
as we arrive on the Home page, where we see the new folders that we
created within SQL Server Management Studio earlier.
3.
From the Home
page of the Report Manager, re-enter the Europe folder we created earlier.
4.
Click the Show
Details button in the upper right corner of the Contents tab, as
shown in Illustration 42.
Illustration 42: Click
Show Details ...
5.
Click the Properties
icon, underneath the Edit column heading, to the left of the Sales
Reason Comparison (Name column) Linked Report, as depicted in
Illustration 43.
Illustration 43: Editing
Linked Report Properties ...
The Properties
page for the Sales Reason Comparison Linked
Report opens.
6.
Click the Parameters
link, on the left side of the page (where it resides with other links), as
shown in Illustration 44.
Illustration 44: Click
the Parameters Link on the Properties Page ...
The Properties
– Parameters settings for the Sales Reason Comparison Linked Report appear.
7.
Within the row
for the SalesTerritorySalesTerritoryGroup parameter, using the drop-down
selector in the Default Value column, select [Sales Territory].[Sales Territory Group].&[Europe], as depicted in Illustration 45.
Illustration 45:
Selecting a "Folder-Specific" Default Parameter
NOTE: If the selector does not appear
to work – that is, it does not repopulate the Default Value box, then de-select
the Has Default checkbox, click Apply, and then leave the folder
by clicking the View tab, as if to execute the report. Return to the Parameters
properties page (click the Properties tab and then the Parameters
link, from the View tab), and re-select Has Default, which should
be blank at this point. As if attempting to select a value in the Default
Value box drop-down, click the downward arrow button. When the empty
selector opens, type in the MDX qualified name
( [Sales Territory].[Sales Territory
Group].&[Europe] , in this case), and it should repopulate the box when navigating out
of the selector in the following step.
8.
Click the Hide
checkbox to select it.
The
checkmark appears in the Hide checkbox, and the Prompt User checkbox
becomes automatically de-selected. Our new settings for the SalesTerritorySalesTerritoryGroup
parameter appear as shown in Illustration 46.
Illustration 46: Our New
Parameter Settings ...
The
effect here is to force a default Sales Territory Group of Europe, with no consumer option of
changing this filter, for the Europe Sales Reason Comparison report.
9.
Click the Apply
button to accept and save the modifications to the parameter.
We
will perform this parameter modification for the other two Linked Reports
next, within the context of their respective Sales Territory Groups.
10.
Return to the Home
page via the breadcrumb trail in the upper left corner of Report Manager,
once again.
11.
From the Home
page of the Report Manager, enter the North America folder we created earlier.
12.
Click the Properties
icon, underneath the Edit column heading, to the left of the Sales
Reason Comparison (Name column) Linked Report, as we did
within the Europe folder earlier.
The Properties
page for the Sales Reason Comparison Linked
Report opens.
13.
Click the Parameters
link on the Sales Reason Comparison Linked Report Properties page that appears next, on the
left side of the page (where it resides with other links), as we did within the
Europe folder before.
The Properties
– Parameters settings for the North America Sales Reason
Comparison Linked Report appear.
14.
Within the row
for the SalesTerritorySalesTerritoryGroup parameter, using the drop-down
selector in the Default Value column, select [Sales Territory].[Sales Territory
Group].&[North America] (or use the procedure we discussed in my NOTE
above, if issues arise).
15.
Click the Hide
checkbox to select it, as we did earlier.
The
checkmark appears in the Hide checkbox, and the Prompt User checkbox
becomes automatically de-selected, as before. With this Linked Report,
we are forcing a default Sales Territory Group of North America, with no consumer option of
changing this filter, for the North America Sales Reason Comparison
report.
16.
Click the Apply
button to accept and save the modifications to the parameter properties.
We
have only remaining Pacific Sales Reason Comparison report to modify, at
this point.
17.
Return to the Home
page via the breadcrumb trail in the upper left corner of Report Manager,
as before.
18.
From the Home
page of the Report Manager, enter the Pacific folder we created
earlier.
19.
Click the Properties
icon, underneath the Edit column heading, to the left of the Sales
Reason Comparison (Name column) Linked Report, as we did
within the Europe and North America folders earlier.
The Properties
page for the Sales Reason Comparison Linked
Report opens.
20.
Click the Parameters
link on the Sales Reason Comparison Linked Report Properties page that appears next, on the
left side of the page (where it resides with other links), as we did within the
Europe and North America folders before.
The Properties
– Parameters settings for the Pacific Sales Reason Comparison Linked Report appear.
21.
Within the row
for the SalesTerritorySalesTerritoryGroup parameter, using the drop-down
selector in the Default Value column, select [Sales Territory].[Sales Territory
Group].&[Pacific].
22.
Click the Hide
checkbox to select it, as we did earlier.
The
checkmark appears in the Hide checkbox, and the Prompt User checkbox
becomes automatically de-selected, as we saw for the two Linked Reports
earlier. With this Linked Report, we are forcing a default Sales
Territory Group of Pacific, again leaving no consumer option of
changing this filter, for the Pacific Sales Reason Comparison
report.
23.
Click the Apply
button to accept and save the modifications to the parameter properties.
24.
Return to the Home
page via the breadcrumb trail in the upper left corner of Report Manager,
once again.
We
have completed setup of the Linked Reports, establishing folders to
which we sill limit access based upon the criteria of Sales Territory Group membership.
In addition, we have restricted the data that each Linked Report
retrieves and displays, through the addition of a hidden, default parameter
filter to each, based, again, upon the intended Sales Territory Group audience.
We will verify operation for expected results in the section that follows.
» 
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