Enhance Report Readability: A Guide to Alternating Row Colors in SSRS
- You'll create a new column within a row group (a way to organize data in your report). This column's purpose is to determine the background color, so let's call it "RowGroupColor."
- We hide this column later, so it won't clutter the report.
Setting the RowGroupColor Value:
- We use an expression to define the value in the "RowGroupColor" textbox. A common approach is the
IIF
function (similar to an if-else statement). - The expression checks if the current row number divided by 2 (modulo operator) is equal to 0. If true (even row number), it assigns a color (e.g., "LightGray"). If false (odd row number), it assigns a different color (e.g., "White").
Linking Background Color to RowGroupColor:
- Now, we connect the background color formatting of your actual data cells to the "RowGroupColor" column.
- Set the background color property of all your data cells in the table to an expression. This expression references the value in the "RowGroupColor" column.
Hiding the Helper Column:
- Finally, to hide the "RowGroupColor" column from the report viewers, set its width to 0 points and the "CanGrow" property to false in the report designer.
Benefits:
- This approach offers a dynamic way to alternate row colors, making your reports easier to scan and understand.
- You can customize the colors to match your report's theme.
Additional Notes:
- This method works for alternating colors by row. If you need to alternate by column, you can create a "fake parent group" using expressions and similar logic for background color formatting.
- For more complex formatting scenarios, you might explore using custom code within SSRS.
Right-click on the textbox within the "RowGroupColor" cell and choose "Expression..."
Here's the expression to use:
=IIF(RowNumber("groupName") Mod 2 = 0, "LightGray", "White")
Explanation:
RowNumber("groupName")
: This function assigns a unique number to each row within the group specified by "groupName" (replace with your actual group name if using groups).Mod 2
: This calculates the remainder when the row number is divided by 2.IIF
: This function acts like an if-else statement. If the remainder is 0 (even row number), it assigns "LightGray". Otherwise (odd row number), it assigns "White".
Right-click on any data cell in your table and choose "Background Color..."
Set the expression to:
=Fields!RowGroupColor.Value
This simply references the value in the "RowGroupColor" column for each cell, determining its background color.
Right-click on the header of the "RowGroupColor" column and choose "Properties."
- Set the "Width" property to "0pt" (points).
- Set the "CanGrow" property to "False".
This hides the column from the final report view.
This method is simpler but has limitations. It only works for reports with a single details row group and no nested groups.
=IIF(RowNumber() Mod 2 = 0, "LightGray", "White")
This is similar to the previous method, but RowNumber()
refers to the overall row number in the report, not within a specific group.
Method 2: Using RunningValue Function (For Complex Reports):
This method is more flexible and works well for reports with complex groupings and subtotals.
=RunningValue(Fields!YourFieldName, Sum(1)) Mod 2
RunningValue(Fields!YourFieldName, Sum(1))
: This calculates a running total based on a field ("YourFieldName") and increments by 1 for each row. It essentially keeps track of row position across groups.Mod 2
: This calculates the remainder when the running total is divided by 2, determining even or odd rows.
- Link Background Color to RowColor: Similar to the previous method, set the background color expression of your data cells to:
=IIF(Fields!RowColor.Value = 0, "LightGray", "White")
Benefits of Alternate Methods:
- Method 1 offers a quick solution for simple reports without groups.
- Method 2 provides more flexibility for complex reports with groups and subtotals.
Choosing the Right Method:
- If your report has a single details row group and no complex formatting, Method 1 might be sufficient.
- For reports with groups, subtotals, or the need for more control over color logic, Method 2 is a better choice.
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