# Epicor Kinetic SSRS Reports vs Bold Reports: What Changed and How to Migrate > Source: https://netray.co/erp-help/epicor-kinetic-ssrs-vs-bold-reports > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: ERP Help ## Short answer Epicor reports have historically been Crystal and SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) RDL files. Newer Kinetic releases moved new report work to Bold Reports, a different reporting engine that uses an RDL-like format. Standard reports are customized by copying a report style and editing the design; custom SSRS reports must be inventoried, tested and re-built or converted. ## Kind how-to ## System epicor ## Erp Epicor Kinetic ## Module Reporting / SSRS and Bold Reports ## Query epicor kinetic ssrs report ## Alternate Queries - epicor kinetic bold reports - epicor ssrs to bold reports migration - epicor kinetic customize report - epicor bold reports designer ## Applies To Epicor Kinetic, recent releases. Exact SSRS support dates and Bold Reports features vary by version, so check Epicor's release notes for your release. ## Steps ### How to customize a Kinetic report and plan an SSRS migration **Items:** - Find the standard report and its Report Style in the Report Style Maintenance program (search the menu for Report Style). - Create a new Report Style copying the standard one, so your changes survive upgrades. - Open the design for the new style in the report designer your release provides, and edit the layout: add a field, move a logo, change the sort or format. - Save, then assign the style as the default for the company or run it from the report dialog by choosing the style. - For custom SSRS reports, list every one in use: name, owner, data source, parameters, who runs it. - Rank the list by use. Retire what nobody runs, rebuild the top used in Bold Reports, and compare output with the old report using the same data. - Run old and new in parallel for one close cycle before turning the old one off. ## Sections ### What changed between SSRS and Bold Reports **Body:** SSRS needs a Reporting Services server or its integration, SQL Server Data Tools or Report Builder to design, and RDL files deployed to a report server. Bold Reports is a separate engine that Epicor embeds, with its own web based designer and its own viewer. For you this means a different design tool, a different set of supported features, and in some cases different expression behaviour. Because both are RDL-based, simple reports can often be opened in the new designer. Reports with custom code, complex subreports, unusual data sources or heavy expressions need manual rework and testing. Treat a conversion as a rebuild with a head start, not a button press. ### Customizing a standard report safely **Body:** Do not edit the shipped design. Copy the Report Style, edit the copy, and keep a note of what you changed. Upgrades replace the standard styles, and your copy stays. After each upgrade, run both the standard and your copy on the same data and compare, because a standard report can gain new fields or logic. Where you need a new data item that is not in the report dataset, check whether a BAQ-based report fits better. A BAQ report lets you build the data set from a query, which is often simpler than extending a shipped report data definition. See the BAQ report parameter page. ### Planning the migration of custom SSRS reports **Body:** Start with an inventory, not a tool. Many sites find a third of their custom reports are unused. For each one you keep, record parameters, data source, subreports and any embedded code, and decide rebuild, convert or retire. Test with real month-end data and have the report owner sign off. Pay attention to page breaks, number and date formats, and parameters that default to the current user or date. Keep the old files archived until the next audit cycle has passed. ## Pitfalls - Editing the shipped Report Style instead of a copy, so an upgrade silently reverts changes. - Assuming every SSRS expression and custom code block works unchanged in the new designer. - Migrating everything. Retire unused reports first. - Not comparing numbers old versus new on real data before cut-over. - Skipping the print and PDF test with real paper sizes and fonts. ## Ai Angle An assistant can help build the inventory by reading report definitions, listing data sources and parameters, and drafting the equivalent BAQ for a report that is basically a query. Your report owner still signs off the output. Run on-prem, report definitions and sample data stay in your environment. ## Faq ### Is SSRS still supported in Epicor Kinetic? **Answer:** Support is being phased toward Bold Reports. The timing depends on your release, so read the release notes and the support lifecycle notes for your version before planning, and do not assume a date from a forum post. ### Can I open my SSRS RDL in Bold Reports? **Answer:** Simple RDL may open, but unsupported features, custom code and some data source types need rework. Plan for testing each report, not an automatic conversion. ### How do I add a field to a standard Epicor report? **Answer:** Copy the Report Style, edit the copy in the designer, and add the field from the report dataset. If the field is not in the dataset, you may need a BAQ report or a data definition change. ### Do I need a report server for Bold Reports? **Answer:** Epicor embeds the engine, so the setup differs from a standalone SSRS server. Confirm the installation requirements for your release with Epicor documentation. ## Search terms epicor kinetic ssrs report, epicor kinetic bold reports, epicor ssrs migration, epicor report style maintenance, epicor customize report, epicor bold reports designer, epicor kinetic reporting, epicor ssrs deprecated --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json