For on-demand scenarios the most common method is to view the reports online using a browser through the reporting services web application, SharePoint site, or through a custom application that interfaces with the report server. Another scenario where users will typically view a report online is with data alerts. When a data alert is triggered, the generated e-mail sent to the user will contain a link to the source report.

There are plenty of scenarios where users might need to view standard reports in an offline format through applications such as Microsoft Excel or Word. In these cases, users can obtain offline copies of the report in one of two ways. The first way is to view the report online and export a copy of it in one of the offline file formats shown in the following screenshot. The other method to view a report offline is to set up a subscription to execute the report and deliver...