How To Publish Reports Using Ssrs In Power BI
SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) remains a critical reporting platform for many enterprise organizations, particularly those with extensive on-premises infrastructure, paginated report requirements, and established operational reporting workflows. Power BI Report Server bridges the gap between legacy SSRS and modern Power BI, enabling you to publish both paginated RDL reports and interactive Power BI reports from a single on-premises portal. EPC Group has migrated hundreds of SSRS environments to Power BI Report Server and Power BI Service for clients across healthcare, finance, and government.
Understanding SSRS and Power BI Report Server
Power BI Report Server is an on-premises report server that hosts Power BI reports (.pbix), paginated reports (.rdl), mobile reports, and KPIs. It is essentially the successor to SSRS with added support for Power BI interactive reports.
- Power BI Report Server is included with Power BI Premium (Per Capacity) and SQL Server Enterprise Edition with Software Assurance
- It runs on-premises, meaning your data never leaves your network, which is critical for HIPAA and FedRAMP compliance
- Existing SSRS .rdl reports can be published directly to Power BI Report Server without modification
- Interactive Power BI reports require the Power BI Desktop version optimized for Report Server (separate download)
- The web portal interface is identical to the SSRS portal, minimizing retraining for existing SSRS users
Publishing Paginated (SSRS) Reports to Power BI Report Server
If you have existing SSRS paginated reports, the migration to Power BI Report Server is straightforward. Here is the step-by-step process.
- Step 1: Install Power BI Report Server on a Windows Server instance with at least 4 cores and 16 GB RAM
- Step 2: Configure the Report Server database (separate SQL Server instance recommended for production)
- Step 3: Open your existing .rdl files in Report Builder or Visual Studio (SSDT)
- Step 4: Update data source connections if the Report Server uses different credentials or connection strings
- Step 5: Deploy reports using the Report Server web portal (Upload .rdl) or directly from Report Builder (Deploy to Server)
- Step 6: Configure folder structure, permissions, and subscriptions in the web portal
- Step 7: Test each report with production data to verify parameters, rendering, and export functionality
Publishing Paginated Reports to Power BI Service (Cloud)
For organizations moving to the cloud, Power BI Service now supports paginated reports directly. This eliminates the need for on-premises infrastructure while preserving your investment in RDL report definitions.
- Paginated reports in Power BI Service require a Power BI Premium capacity (P1+) or Premium Per User (PPU) license
- Use Power BI Report Builder (free download) to author .rdl files and publish directly to the cloud service
- Supported data sources include Azure SQL Database, Azure Analysis Services, on-premises sources via gateway, and Power BI datasets
- Existing SSRS .rdl files may need minor modifications if they use features not yet supported in Power BI Service (e.g., custom assemblies)
- Use the Power BI REST API or XMLA endpoint to automate bulk publishing of paginated reports
Converting SSRS Reports to Native Power BI Reports
While paginated reports serve specific use cases (pixel-perfect printing, regulatory filings, long tabular outputs), many SSRS reports would benefit from conversion to interactive Power BI reports for a modern user experience.
- Identify which SSRS reports are candidates for conversion: reports with drill-down, filtering, and ad-hoc analysis needs are ideal
- Keep reports that require exact pixel formatting, multi-page printing, or mail-merge output as paginated reports
- Rebuild the data model in Power BI Desktop using Import or DirectQuery mode against the same data sources
- Recreate the visual layout using Power BI native visuals (tables, matrices, charts, slicers)
- Replace SSRS parameters with Power BI slicers and filters for a more interactive experience
- Implement row-level security in the Power BI model to replace SSRS data-driven subscriptions that filter by user
Data Gateway Configuration for Hybrid Environments
Most enterprise SSRS environments connect to on-premises SQL Server databases. When publishing to Power BI Service, you need an on-premises data gateway to bridge cloud and on-premises data sources.
- Install the on-premises data gateway on a dedicated server with reliable network connectivity to your data sources
- Configure gateway clusters (2+ nodes) for high availability in production environments
- Map on-premises data source credentials in the Power BI Service gateway settings
- Test connectivity from the gateway to every data source used by your paginated reports
- Monitor gateway performance and set up alerts for gateway offline events using Power Automate
Best Practices for Enterprise SSRS to Power BI Migration
A successful migration requires careful planning, especially in large environments with hundreds of reports and complex permission structures.
- Inventory all SSRS reports and classify them: convert to Power BI, migrate as paginated, or retire
- Map SSRS folder permissions to Power BI workspace roles (Viewer, Contributor, Member, Admin)
- Migrate SSRS subscriptions to Power BI email subscriptions or Power Automate distribution flows
- Test rendering fidelity for paginated reports, especially those with sub-reports, custom headers/footers, and drill-through
- Provide parallel access during the transition so users can compare old and new reports
- Train end users on the new portal interface and self-service filtering capabilities
Why EPC Group for SSRS to Power BI Migration
EPC Group has migrated hundreds of SSRS environments to Power BI Report Server and Power BI Service. Our team includes SQL Server reporting experts and Power BI architects who understand both platforms at a deep technical level. We specialize in zero-downtime migrations for compliance-heavy industries.
- Comprehensive report inventory and migration assessment
- Hybrid architecture design for organizations with mixed on-premises and cloud requirements
- Data gateway configuration and high-availability clustering
- Permission mapping and security model migration
- Post-migration monitoring and optimization
Planning an SSRS to Power BI Migration?
Contact EPC Group for a migration assessment. We will evaluate your SSRS environment and deliver a detailed migration roadmap with timelines and resource requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I run SSRS and Power BI Report Server on the same server?
No. Power BI Report Server replaces SSRS on a given server instance. However, you can run SSRS on one server and Power BI Report Server on another, allowing parallel access during migration. Power BI Report Server supports all SSRS report types (paginated, mobile, KPIs) plus Power BI interactive reports, so it is a superset of SSRS functionality.
Do I need Power BI Premium to use paginated reports in the cloud?
Yes. Paginated reports in Power BI Service require either a Power BI Premium capacity (P1 or higher) or a Power BI Premium Per User (PPU) license. With PPU, individual users can create, publish, and view paginated reports without a full capacity subscription, making it more accessible for smaller organizations.
Will my SSRS custom assemblies work in Power BI Report Server?
Custom assemblies are supported in Power BI Report Server (on-premises) with the same configuration as traditional SSRS. However, custom assemblies are not supported in Power BI Service (cloud). If you are migrating to the cloud, you will need to refactor custom assembly logic into embedded expressions, stored procedures, or external processing before publishing.
How do SSRS subscriptions translate to Power BI?
SSRS email subscriptions map to Power BI email subscriptions for paginated reports and Power BI report subscriptions for interactive reports. Data-driven subscriptions (where each recipient receives a filtered version) can be replicated using Power Automate flows with row-level security or parameterized exports. File share delivery can be replaced with Power Automate flows that save exports to SharePoint or Azure Blob Storage.
What is the typical timeline for an SSRS to Power BI migration?
Timeline depends on the number of reports and complexity. A small environment (under 50 reports) typically migrates in 4-6 weeks. Mid-size environments (50-200 reports) take 2-4 months. Large environments (200+ reports with complex subscriptions and custom assemblies) require 4-8 months. EPC Group recommends a phased approach: migrate paginated reports first, then convert suitable reports to interactive Power BI format in subsequent phases.