Customizing Alarm and Archive Report Templates in SIMATIC Information Server 2014 SP2 (Process Historian)

In SIMATIC Information Server 2014 SP2 (paired with SIMATIC Process Historian 2014 SP2), customizing historical alarm and trend report templates beyond standard factory layouts requires utilizing Microsoft SQL Server Report Builder or Visual Studio Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS) to edit RDL (Report Definition Language) files. Standard factory templates support dynamic runtime filtering and sorting by alarm priority, area, and time ranges; however, modifying column structures, adding company branding, or aggregating data from multiple redundant OS projects requires downloading the base template RDL, updating SQL dataset queries, and publishing the custom template back into the Information Server web portal.

Information Server Reporting Architecture and Process Historian Binding

SIMATIC Information Server (IS) provides web-based reporting across plant data archived in SIMATIC Process Historian (PH):
* Reporting Services Integration: Operates directly on top of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS).
* RDL Template Structure: Reports are defined using standardized Report Definition Language (RDL) XML files containing dataset queries, tabular matrices, charts, and parameter bindings.
* Aggregated Historical Data: Connects to the central Process Historian database, aggregating long-term Tag Logging archives, Alarm Logging messages, and SIMATIC BATCH batch protocols across multiple WinCC OS projects.

Template Customization Workflow - RDL Editing via Report Builder

When factory templates require adaptation (e.g. custom sorting, filtering by plant area, or calculating MTBF/MTTR metrics):
1. Export Base Template: Download the standard template (e.g. Alarm_Messages.rdl) directly from the Information Server web interface: Administration -> Templates.
2. Edit in SQL Server Report Builder: Open the .rdl file in Microsoft Report Builder matching the installed SQL Server version (SQL Server 2014).
3. Dataset Parameterization: Modify the underlying SQL query:
* Adjust ORDER BY clauses to sort messages chronologically or by area.
* Add company logos, specialized headers, or custom color coding for high-priority alarms.
4. Publish Custom Template: Upload the modified .rdl file as a new user template in Information Server.

Step-by-Step Procedure to Create and Publish Custom Templates

Follow this procedure to deploy customized report templates:

[Phase 1: Export Base Template from Information Server Web Portal]
   │  • Log into Information Server web interface as Administrator
   │  • Navigate to: Administration -> "Templates"
   │  • Locate target template: "Alarms_Tabular" -> Click "Download"
   │  • Save file locally as: "Custom_Alarm_Report.rdl"
   │
[Phase 2: Customize Template in Microsoft Report Builder]
   │  • Open "Custom_Alarm_Report.rdl" in Microsoft Report Builder 2014
   │  • In Report Data pane -> Expand "Datasets" -> Open dataset properties
   │  • Add custom columns (e.g. Plant Area, Equipment Tag, Acknowledge Time)
   │  • Configure table sorting: Right-click Tablix -> Tablix Properties -> Sorting:
   │      - Add sort expression: [DateTimeStamp] DESC, [Priority] ASC
   │  • Insert corporate logo image in the report header
   │  • Save the modified RDL file
   │
[Phase 3: Upload and Authorize Template in Information Server]
   │  • In Information Server web portal: Administration -> Templates -> Click "Upload"
   │  • Select "Custom_Alarm_Report.rdl" -> Assign Category: "Plant Operations"
   │  • Configure user access permissions
   │  • Create a scheduled reporting task or generate on-demand PDF/Excel reports!

Reporting Tools and Customization Capabilities Matrix

Compare reporting tools available for SIMATIC Process Historian:

Tool / TechnologySkill RequirementCustomization CapabilityOutput FormatsReal-Time Query PerformanceIS Web DashboardLow (No-code)Pre-configured widgetsWeb displayHighIS Standard TemplatesLowParameter filters onlyPDF, Excel, WordHighCustom RDL (Report Builder)Medium (SQL/RDL)Full layout & query controlPDF, Excel, CSV, XMLOptimized SQL viewsVisual Studio BIDSHigh (BI Developer)Advanced multi-source datasetsFull enterprise SSRSComplex data cubes

Verification

To confirm that the custom template executes properly:
1. In the Information Server web portal, select Reports -> New Report.
2. Select the custom template Custom_Alarm_Report.
3. Configure the time filter for the past 24 hours; click Generate.
4. Verify that the output report renders cleanly in the web viewer, displaying the company logo, custom column alignments, and sorted alarms.
5. Export the report to PDF and Excel; confirm formatting integrity in both formats.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Never query raw Process Historian storage tables (RuntimeArchive) directly using unindexed SQL queries, as doing so bypasses the Historian caching layer and can severely degrade archiving performance. Always build report datasets using the officially supported Process Historian Public Database Views (e.g. v_Alarms, v_TagValues).

Engineer FAQ

Where can I download Microsoft Report Builder for Information Server 2014?

Microsoft Report Builder 2014 is a free download available directly from the Microsoft Download Center or from the Information Server installation media.

Can custom templates combine data from both alarms and trends?

Yes. By creating multiple datasets in the RDL template linked to v_Alarms and v_TagValues, a single report can present both alarm tables and trend curves side-by-side.

How do I automate email delivery of reports?

In Information Server, create an automated Subscription (Reports -> Subscriptions); define a cron/time schedule, output format (PDF), and destination email addresses.

What license is required for Information Server reporting?

Information Server requires the base server license (SIMATIC Information Server Basic Package, 6AV6361-1AA01-4AH0) and client access licenses (CALs) for concurrent web users.