Item Level Settings

By: Ray Barley

Overview

The second step in implementing Reporting Services security is to specify Item Level Settings.  As the name implies Item Level Settings have to do with securing folders, reports, and data sources.

Explanation
To begin open your browser and launch the Report Manager.  By default the Report Manager URL is http://SERVERNAME/reports unless you changed it by manually configuring Reporting Services.  You will see the Report Manager home page as shown below:

Click the Properties hyperlink to navigate to the Security page as shown below:

Note that the local administrators group is already added to the Content Manager role; this is done by default.  Click on the New Role Assignment button to display the New Role Assignment page as shown below:

There are a number of built-in roles available for item level security as shown above.  The description provides the details of what each role is able to do.  Wherever possible it's a good idea to assign role(s) to Windows groups rather than individual users.  Specify the group as DOMAIN\GROUP or an individual user as DOMAIN\USER then check the appropriate role(s).  If you want a group or a user to just be able to run reports, assign them to the Browser role.

When you create new folders in the Report Manager, they will automatically inherit the item level security settings of the parent folder.  When you navigate to a folder, click on the Properties tab then click the Security hyperlink, you will see an Edit Item Security button.  If you click Edit Item Security you will be asked whether to override the security as specified in the parent folder.

Typically setting item level security at the folder level is good enough.  However you can set security at the individual item level.  Navigate to the desired folder as shown below:

Click the Show Details button to display the detailed view as shown below:

Click the icon in the Edit column for an item then click the Security hyperlink on the Properties page; you will see the Security page as shown below:

Click the Edit Item Security button to override the security settings if necessary.