In previous article, I have mentioned best free asp.net hosting provider and asp.net apm tools, now in this article, I will be listing best reporting tool which you can use with asp.net mvc, asp.net core or asp.net web-forms, with a brief discusion about the tools.
SSRS (SQL Server Reporting Service, Free)
I have listed SSRS as one of the most useful and widely used reporting tool in ASP.NET. SSRS is free to use with SQL Server.
You can use this reporting tool with MVC, Core or web-forms, if you are using SQL Server as database, then you should probably use SSRS for creating report in MVC or any other ASP.NET web-application.
In SSRS data can only be embedded or shared in the report.
Here is the sample output of SSRS in MVC
Crystal Reports (Paid)
While I am not big fan for Crystal reports, but this is another useful reporting system which you can use in ASP.NET.
Crystal Reports is good for those who have little programming experience as it provides an easy to use drag and drop solution that is friendly for users, and it offers more report formatting capabilities.
Crystal Reports aren't free means you need to buy a license for using it.
In Crystal report, data can only be embedded in the report.
One of the drawbacks of Crystal Report is when the query is complex and you need to fetch lots of records, then it will slow down your report generation.
Telerik Reporting (Paid)
Telerik reporting is another useful reporting tool which you can use with .NET Core also.
But you need to buy Telerik license for using these reports.
Here is the sample code to use it in .NET Core
@page
@model IndexModel
@{
ViewData["Title"] = "Home page";
}
@section Head {
<link href="https://kendo.cdn.telerik.com/2020.1.114/styles/kendo.common.min.css" rel="stylesheet" />
<link href="https://kendo.cdn.telerik.com/2020.1.114/styles/kendo.default.min.css" rel="stylesheet" />
}
<div class="text-center">
<div id="reportViewer1" style="width:940px; height:1300px">
</div>
</div>
@section Scripts {
<script src="/api/reports/resources/js/telerikReportViewer"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function () {
$("#reportViewer1")
.telerik_ReportViewer({
serviceUrl: "api/reports",
reportSource: {
report: "Report Catalog.trdp"
},
scaleMode: telerikReportViewer.ScaleModes.SPECIFIC,
scale: 1.0
});
});
</script>
}In the above code, telerik_ReportViewer is a jQuery extension method that creates and configures the viewer object. In this example, the viewer object is created inside the #reportViewer1 div element. The serviceUrl matches the URL of the ReportsController route and the report option value is the file name of the report definition.
Considering you have C# controller code as below
Route("api/reports")]
public class ReportsController : ReportsControllerBase
{
public ReportsController(IReportServiceConfiguration reportServiceConfiguration)
: base(reportServiceConfiguration)
{
}
}Your Telerik report with data will look like below
Stimulsoft Reports (Paid)
Stimulsoft Reports is a fast and comprehensive set of tools for generating reports of any complexity.
The report writer has a powerful report engine, an easy-to-use designer and viewer, a large number of export formats, supports for working with reports from code.
You can use components like Texts, tables, bar-codes, images, shapes, infographics and many more.
Using Stimulsoft reports, it is very easy to configure and use the drill down option, sorting, editing, tooltips, and other functionality.
You can also automatically translate text in any other language using globalization string.
Works with .NET Core, MVC, Web-Forms, JS etc.
But yes, unlike SSRS, you need to buy a license to use it.
Grapecity Reporting tool (Paid)
Grapecity reporting is a popular and powerful reporting tool. Grapecity ActiveReports has been a reporting solution since 1998 by introducing the first reporting tool to work inside the Visual Basic IDE, and then the first 3rd party Visual Studio integrated designer in .NET.
You can easily design and deliver powerful reports with intuitive, reliable, and user-friendly report designers and controls for ASP.NET, ASP.NET MVC, WinForms, and WPF with support for .NET Core and .NET 5.
They have a wide variety of Reporting tools templates, so you can choose output layout using it.
You can distribute reports in your JavaScript, ASP.NET, WPF, or WinForms applications without additional licensing.
With a wide variety of reporting features, this can be a very useful reporting tool for any developer.
Seal report (Free)
Seal Report offers a complete framework for producing everyday reports and dashboards from any database.
The product focuses on an easy installation and reports design: Once setup, reports can be built and published in a minute.
Seal Report is an Open Source for the Microsoft .Net Framework entirely written in C#.
You can easily use it with .NET Core projects also.
You can customize reports using HTML5 Razor engine with it.
FastReport (Free)
FastReport provides free open source report generator for .NET 6/.NET Core/.NET Framework. You can use the FastReport Open Source in MVC, Web API, console applications.
FastReport is a band-oriented report generator.
There are 13 types of bands available: Report Title, Report Summary, Page Header, Page Footer, Column Header, Column Footer, Data Header, Data, Data Footer, Group Header, Group Footer, Child and Overlay. In addition, sub-reports are fully supported.
Wide range of available report objects : text, picture, line, shape, barcode, matrix, table, checkbox.
FastReport Open Source can save documents in HTML, BMP, PNG, JPEG, GIF, TIFF, EMF.
You might also like to read:
Free SQL Server Reporting Tool
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