Webinar Notes: SSRS Migration in .NET 10—A Deep Dive

TL; DR:

SSRS 2022 is the final release. Bold Reports lets you migrate your existing RDL/RDLC reports to a web-native engine in .NET 10 without rebuilding layouts or rewriting data sources. Bold Reports offers three embedding options (local, enterprise server, direct SSRS bridge) and pixel-perfect PDF, Excel, and Word parity.

Introduction

Organizations that continue relying on SSRS risk falling behind in modern analytics capabilities, slowing reporting efficiency and decision-making. With no future innovation planned, technical debt will only grow.

SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) has been the backbone of paginated reporting for thousands of enterprise teams for nearly two decades. But the platform is showing its age. SSRS 2022 is officially the final release, and Microsoft has placed it in maintenance mode; meaning security patches only, no new features, and no modernization roadmap. For teams running on .NET 8, .NET 9, or the upcoming .NET 10, that creates a real gap between the reporting platform they rely on and the modern web stacks they want to build on.

In our recent webinar, “SSRS Migration in .NET 10: Transform Your Reporting Workflow,” we walked through exactly how to close that gap. We demonstrated a step-by-step migration path that preserves your existing RDL/RDLC investments while unlocking modern web rendering, responsive layouts, and ASP.NET Core integration. These show notes cover the key insights, live demo highlights, and best practices from the session.

Time stamps

• • [00:00] Welcome and webinar introduction
  • [00:30] Agenda overview
  • [01:30] Why move from SSRS to Bold Reports
  • [03:00] RDL vs. RDLC: Key differences
  • [04:30] Mapping embedded data sources in SSRS
  • [06:00] Mapping shared data sources in SSRS
  • [07:30] Embedded vs. shared data source XML structures
  • [08:00] Poll: preferred data source option
  • [08:30] Achieving pixel-perfect report fidelity
  • [10:00] Embedding reports in ASP.NET Core
  • [11:00] Option 1: Local embedded reports
  • [12:00] Option 2: Enterprise server integration
  • [13:00] Option 3: Direct SSRS Server connection
  • [14:00] Live demo: Inspecting RDL XML in SSRS
  • [15:00] Uploading the report to Bold Reports enterprise server
  • [16:30] Previewing the migrated report
  • [17:30] Configuring performance settings
  • [18:30] Generating a personal access token
  • [19:30] Wiring up the ASP.NET Core viewer
  • [20:30] Rendering the report inside the .NET 10 app
  • [21:30] Best practices for migration and integration
  • [22:00] Key takeaways and closing poll

If you missed the session or want a quick recap, the full webinar recording is available on our YouTube channel and embedded below for easy access.

Why move from SSRS to Bold Reports?

The case for moving starts with what SSRS can no longer do for you:

• • SSRS 2022 is the final release.
  • Limited modernization and feature updates: no new chart types, no responsive layouts, no modern web viewer.
  • No native web viewer support: the SSRS web portal still relies on legacy controls that don’t play well with SPAs and modern front ends.

Bold Reports offers:

• • Modern web framework support: Including ASP.NET Core, React, Angular, and MVC.
  • Interactive and responsive reporting: Reports that adapt to any screen size and support drill-down, filtering, and parameters out of the box.
  • Long-term scalability: A reporting engine built for the cloud, multitenancy, and enterprise workloads.

Introduction to RDL/RDLC migration

The first question every team asks is: “Do I have to rebuild all my reports from scratch?” The answer is no. Bold Reports supports both RDL (server-based) and RDLC (client-side) report definitions natively:

• • RDL (server-based): Requires a report server. Supports shared data sources, scheduling, and role-based access control (RBAC).
  • RDLC (client-side): Processes locally within your application. Uses custom data sources such as JSON, REST APIs, or in-memory objects.

Both formats are supported with consistent rendering, so your existing layouts, expressions, and data bindings carry over without manual rework.

Mapping SSRS data sources

One of the biggest sources of friction in any migration is data source mapping. SSRS reports rely on data sources that are either embedded directly in the report XML or referenced from a shared .rds file. Bold Reports handles both cases cleanly.

Embedded data sources in SSRS

• • Defined within the report XML.
  • Connection string is stored inside the report.
  • No migration changes required: Bold Reports reads the embedded data source automatically.
  • Auto data retrieval by Bold Reports.
  • Results in faster and simpler migration.

Shared data sources in SSRS

• • Reports using shared data sources reference .rds files.
  • The migration steps are:
    1. Download the report and its .rds file from SSRS.
    2. Upload both into the Bold Reports Enterprise Server.
    3. Update the path reference in the report to point to the shared data source on the server.
  • All linked reports continue to work seamlessly.
  • Ensures smooth migration without structural changes.
  • Provides centralized management of shared sources.

The underlying XML structures are similar enough that the migration is essentially a file upload plus a path rebind; no data source code must be rewritten.

Achieving pixel-perfect report fidelity

A common concern from teams that have invested in finely tuned SSRS layouts is whether the migrated output will look the same. The short answer is yes.

• • Exact rendering parity with SSRS:
    • Matches charts, tables, and layouts down to the pixel.
    • Export formats are preserved: PDF, Excel, and Word.
  • No manual adjustments are required:
    • Critical for compliance-heavy industries where report layouts must match regulatory templates exactly.

Embedding RDL reports in ASP.NET Core

Bold Reports is designed for modern web stacks. Reports can be embedded in modern apps using multiple integration approaches, including:

• • ASP.NET Core
  • React
  • Angular
  • MVC

The framework-agnostic viewer component and server-side APIs make it flexible enough to fit any architecture your team is already running.

Three ways to migrate and embed reports

We walked through three concrete approaches your team can choose from, depending on your goals.

Option 1: Local embedded reports

• • No server required.
  • Uses an embedded data source directly.
  • Quick setup for developers.
  • Ideal for POCs and lightweight applications.

Option 2: Enterprise server integration

• • Centralized report management.
  • Shared data sources and datasets.
  • Secure, token-based access.
  • Scalable for enterprise use.
  • Consistent reporting across teams.

Option 3: Direct SSRS server connection

• • Connects directly to the SSRS server.
  • Uses server URL and credentials.
  • Requires no migration for the initial phase.
  • Displays existing SSRS reports as-is.
  • Works for transitional setups where you want to evaluate before committing to a full migration.

Tip: Option 3 is a common pattern is to start with to validate the experience. Then. move reports over to option 2 as confidence grows. Use option 1 for new, lightweight apps.

Live demo highlights

The demo portion of the webinar covered the entire migration workflow end-to-end. Bold Reports Software Engineer Sanmati demonstrated how to:

• • Inspect the raw RDL XML of a typical SSRS report (such as the AdventureWorks sales-order-detail report) to understand its data source and layout.
  • Upload the .rdl file directly into the Bold Reports Enterprise Server and bind it to an existing AdventureWorks data source and dataset.
  • Open the report in the Bold Reports Report Designer to confirm layouts, fields, and parameters.
  • Configure performance settings, including smart rendering, auto grow text, and page creation mode (background vs. on demand), to optimize for very large datasets.
  • Preview the migrated report rendering at scale (the demo showed a 1,000+ row sales order dataset paginating cleanly).
  • Generate a personal access token (PAT) from the Bold Reports profile to secure the ASP.NET Core viewer integration.
  • Wire up the viewer in an ASP.NET Core Razor view using the <bold-report-viewer> tag helper, pointing it at the Enterprise Server URL and the report path.
  • Render the report inside the .NET 10 host application, with the familiar SSRS-style Sales Order Detail layout appearing unmodified inside the modern viewer.

Best practices for migration and integration

To make your migration as smooth as possible, the presenter made several recommendations:

• • Start with a representative subset: Migrate one or two high-value reports first to validate the workflow before scaling.
  • Prefer shared data sources when possible: They give you centralized credential management and avoid duplication.
  • Tune performance settings up front: Smart rendering, auto grow text , and on-demand page creation make a measurable difference on large reports.
  • Use personal access tokens for embedding: PATs give you scoped, revocable access from your ASP.NET Core app to the enterprise server.
  • Validate pixel parity on regulated layouts: Compare exported PDFs side-by-side with the original SSRS output before flipping the switch.
  • Plan for a transitional phase: Use the direct SSRS Server connection to keep legacy reports running while you migrate in parallel.

Takeaways

• • Seamless migration without rework—your existing RDL and RDLC files carry over.
  • Support for embedded and shared data sources.
  • Pixel-perfect report fidelity—the layout you designed is the layout you get.
  • Flexible embedding options—local, enterprise server, or direct SSRS bridge.
  • High-performance, scalable, and built for modern .NET workloads.
  • Enterprise-ready solution with token-based security, RBAC, and centralized management.

Conclusion

Migrating off SSRS doesn’t have to mean rebuilding every report or losing the layouts your auditors and stakeholders require. With Bold Reports, your existing RDL and RDLC definitions move forward, your data sources come with you, and your reports gain a modern, web-native home that fits naturally into .NET 10 and the rest of your modern stack.

Teams benefit from:

• • A migration path that preserves report logic and layout.
  • A modern viewer that works in ASP.NET Core, React, and Angular.
  • Token-based security and centralized report management.
  • Pixel-perfect parity with existing SSRS exports.
  • Performance tuning options for very large datasets.

Ready to see this in your own environment? Watch the full webinar recording and try it on your own reports today. You can also request a free personalized demo or start a Bold Reports trial to migrate a real report from your SSRS environment in under an hour.

Frequently asked questions

1. 1.

   Do I have to rebuild my SSRS reports to migrate to Bold Reports?

   No. Bold Reports reads your existing RDL and RDLC files natively, so your report layouts, expressions, and parameters carry over without manual rework. You only need to rebind data sources (or upload .rds files for shared sources) and re-upload the file to the enterprise server.

2. 2.

   What happens to my SSRS shared data sources during migration?

   You download the report and its .rds file from SSRS, upload both to the Bold Reports Enterprise Report Server, and then update the path reference inside the report to point to the shared data source on the server. All linked reports continue to work seamlessly, and you gain centralized credential management as a bonus.

3. 3.

   Will the rendered output look the same as SSRS?

   Yes. Bold Reports is designed for pixel-perfect parity with SSRS; charts, tables, layouts, and exports to PDF, Excel, and Word all match the original. This is especially important for compliance-heavy industries where report layout must match regulatory templates exactly.

4. 4.

   Can I run SSRS and Bold Reports side by side during migration?

   Yes. The direct SSRS Server connection option lets you point the Bold Reports viewer at your existing SSRS Server URL with credentials, so legacy reports render as-is with no migration required. This is the recommended transitional setup while you migrate reports in parallel.

5. 5.

   How does Bold Reports handle performance for very large SSRS reports?

   The Report Designer exposes performance settings such as smart rendering, auto grow text, virtual evaluation, and page creation mode (background vs. on demand). The webinar demo showed these settings being used to paginate a 1,000+ row sales order dataset cleanly inside the modern viewer.