How Can I Efficiently Pass Multiple Values to a Multi-Select Parameter in Reporting Services?

Handling Multiple Values in Reporting Services Multi-Select Parameters

Reporting Services' multi-select parameters provide users with the ability to choose multiple options. However, transmitting these selections via a web query string can present difficulties.

The Problem

Passing multiple values to a multi-select parameter often results in errors if only a single value is provided. This typically manifests as an error message similar to:

<code>The parameter 'MyParam' has a data type of 'Multiple Values' and cannot be used with a single value.  The parameter must be used with multiple values or an array.</code>

A Common (But Less Efficient) Solution

A frequent solution involves a scalar-valued user-defined function (UDF) to convert a comma-separated string of values into an array. While functional, this approach can be computationally expensive, especially with large datasets.

A More Efficient Approach

A superior method leverages Reporting Services' inherent capabilities:

1. Access the report's query definition and locate the "Parameters" tab.
2. Within the "Parameter Value" field, utilize this expression:

<code>=join(Parameters!>.Value,",")</code>

3. Modify your SQL query to reference the parameter using:

<code>where yourColumn in (@>)</code>

This streamlined approach avoids the overhead of UDFs, leading to significantly improved performance when handling multiple parameter values.

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