Create a Custom SIMATIC BATCH Report Template in Information Server

A custom report can be created in the SIMATIC Information Server by editing a compatible report template and uploading it, but the correct workflow depends on whether the output is a SIMATIC BATCH batch report or a report over PCS 7/Process Historian data. Siemens documents an RDL workflow with Microsoft Report Builder for specific Information Server data sources. Its batch-report examples are version-specific and distinguish supplemental tabular reports from a complete batch report, so an arbitrary set of subreports cannot be assumed to replace the installed standard.

Identify the reporting path first

Before editing a report, determine whether the requested output is a SIMATIC BATCH batch report or a custom Information Server report over PCS 7/Process Historian data. The distinction matters: Siemens documentation describes the PCS 7 Information Server's default batch template as “Batch Stepping Protocol” and notes a separate SIMATIC BATCH add-on for batch reporting. A custom report template for archived process or message data is a different reporting path; do not assume it replaces the installed batch report.

The ticket does not identify the Information Server, Process Historian, PCS 7, or SIMATIC BATCH versions. Existing subreports alone do not establish how the parent template references them or whether the report is a native batch template. Confirm the template type, data source, and release-specific support before editing.

Create and upload a custom RDL template for supported Information Server data

For Information Server report templates that use the documented RDL workflow, Siemens' 2018 application example describes Microsoft Report Builder as the tool for creating and editing report templates in RDL format. It presents a workflow to create a template, define its data content and layout, upload it to Information Server, and then create a report with the client.

Confirm that the Information Server release and intended data source match the applicable Siemens application example. The example covers reports based on Process Historian data in the WinCC and PCS 7 environment; it does not establish that an arbitrary RDL template is a SIMATIC BATCH report.
In Information Server, download or export the matching report template if the example and release require a base template. Preserve the original and work on a copy.
Use the compatible Microsoft Report Builder to edit the RDL template. Define the supported data fields and layout for the intended report. Existing subreports must be referenced and parameterized as expected by the parent report; creating subreport files alone does not create a usable parent template.
Save the edited report template with a distinct name to avoid confusing it with the standard template.
In the Information Server client, upload the RDL file using the report-template upload function. Siemens' RDL application example describes choosing the local file and uploading it.
Create a report from the uploaded template and verify the data source, parameters, subreport resolution, and generated output before using it operationally.

The exact folders, parameters, data-source bindings, security permissions, and supported controls depend on the installed Information Server version and the template family. Follow its matching manual rather than copying paths from an example for another release.

When the required output is a SIMATIC BATCH batch report

Do not substitute a Process Historian report template for the native BATCH report based only on a shared Information Server interface. A Siemens tabular BATCH report example for Information Server 2014 SP3, Process Historian 2014 SP3, SIMATIC BATCH V9.0 SP1, and PCS 7 V9.0 SP1 identifies a frame report and several subreports, with specific upload folders. It also explicitly says the tabular template is not a complete batch report and directs users to the standard “Batch Report” template for a complete batch report.

That example demonstrates that frame and subreport files are linked parts of a version-specific template family. It does not provide a general procedure for replacing the standard batch report with any custom template. For a replacement or a different batch-report design, use documentation or an application example matching the installed SIMATIC BATCH and Information Server versions, and verify the required parent/subreport links and data bindings before deployment.

Verification

In a test project or approved nonproduction environment, create a report from the uploaded template and confirm that it appears under the intended report-template family. Verify that all expected parent and subreports resolve, the report uses the intended source and parameters, and representative batch or archive records appear in the correct sections. Compare the result with the standard report for the same selected batch or time range. A successful upload alone does not establish that the template is complete or that the report uses the intended dataset.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

No Information Server or SIMATIC BATCH versions, RDL files, template names, or data-source configuration are included in the question. The exact way to build a replacement batch report therefore remains unresolved. The available Siemens examples are version-bounded and cover specific template families; their folder locations and data model must not be generalized.

Keep the standard template and all original RDL files unchanged. Make changes on copies, preserve a rollback copy of the Information Server template set, and validate the output before relying on it for production batch records. Do not change SQL queries or data-source definitions without confirming their schema and redundancy behavior for the applicable product release.

Engineer FAQ

Can existing subreports be used to create a new report template? They can be components of a template family, but a parent report must reference them correctly and match their parameters and data sources. Their presence alone is not enough.

Does an uploaded RDL template automatically replace the standard BATCH report? The documentation reviewed does not establish automatic replacement. Treat the custom upload as a separately named template unless version-specific documentation explains a supported replacement path.

What tool is identified for Information Server RDL templates? Siemens' 2018 application example identifies Microsoft Report Builder for creating and editing RDL templates.

Is a Process Historian RDL template a complete batch report? Not necessarily. Siemens' version-bounded tabular BATCH example says that its tabular template is not complete and points to the Information Server standard “Batch Report” template for a complete batch report.

Can folder locations from an older example be reused on another release? Only after checking the matching manual. The tabular example specifies folders for Information Server 2014 SP3 and SIMATIC BATCH V9.0 SP1; it does not establish later-release paths.

Technical References

Siemens, SIMATIC Information Server System Manual, 08/2020, section 3.5 Reporting. The manual describes the PCS 7 default “Batch Stepping Protocol” and refers to a separate SIMATIC BATCH add-on for batch reports: PDF.
Siemens, Report Templates for Information Server, Entry ID 64906050, V2.1, 03/2018, section 4.3 and the template upload procedure. The application example describes Microsoft Report Builder and uploading RDL templates to Information Server: PDF.
Siemens, Tabular BATCH Report, Entry ID 64906050, V1.0, 10/2018, section 1.2. The listed validity is Information Server 2014 SP3, Process Historian 2014 SP3, SIMATIC BATCH V9.0 SP1, and PCS 7 V9.0 SP1; it distinguishes the reduced-scope tabular template from a complete batch report: PDF.

Create a Custom SIMATIC BATCH Report Template in Information Server