SSRS Subscription Manager allows you backup subscriptions for one or more reports, and allows a 1 click approach to select and backup all reports.
The backup of the subscriptions is stored in an Excel file with a subscription on each row. In this way the backup can be considered at a brick level- on a per subscription not on a per report basis.
Note the Excel file format must be .xls not .xlsx
Subscriptions may need to be backed up for several reason.
•Disaster recovery- so subscriptions can be restored at a later time.
•Deploying a new report- If the report is not overwritten but the old report is deleted and the new report deployed all subscriptions are lost.
•Parameter changes. Changes in the number and name of parameters will invalidate the subscriptions and they will need to be reentered. Backup and modifying the parameter names in the Excel file is the quick and easy way to resolve this issues, followed by a restore.
•Parameter values change. It is possible the values of the parameters become invalid, thereby invalidating the subscription. Backup and modifying the parameter values in Excel followed by a restore will fix this issue.
•Bulk change of execution times for subscriptions.
•Changing the description for the subscriptions.
Process to backup Subscriptions.
Explanations of items in the picture
1.Folder- this is the location of where the excel files containing the subscriptions will be saved to. The names and folders of the excel files will mirror the reports names and folders on the SSRS Server.
2.The Excel file will need to know how to represent the null and default values on the sheet
this is how the null and default are represented in the Excel file, for each delivery extension, eg email, file share etc.
3.Overwrite Excel file. If this is not checked and an Excel file already exists for a report a new Excel file will not be created.
Note you may get a warning if you have the Excel file open in Excel and you try to backup that report, simply close the file in Excel and press retry to save the file.
4.Create an Excel file for reports with no Subscriptions. You might wonder why you would need to create an excel file for a report with no subscriptions. The reason is you now have a template file to quickly fill in subscriptions.
Tip: Rather than start with a an empty subscription template Excel file it is quicker to create a single subscription from the Report Manager, backup the report and create new subscriptions from the single subscription in the Excel file.
5.Select the report(s) subscriptions you want to backup. This can be all the reports, a selection or even just 1 report. Note the backup of the reports will be under the folder specified in point 1.- see above.
Tip: to backup all subscriptions simply click on the Root checkbox- this will select all folder and reports.
