Restoring Missing Report Templates and RDL Definitions in SIMATIC Information Server

When SIMATIC Information Server reports fail with 'Template cannot be found' after deleting duplicate template folders in the web UI, the root cause is the deletion of report definitions from Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS). Running the Information Server Web Configurator does not re-upload default templates because the SQL database already marks the component as installed. To restore them, manually upload the source Report Definition Language (.rdl) files from the Information Server installation directory (C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\InformationServer\ReportTemplates\) into SSRS via the SQL Server Reporting Services Report Manager web portal (http://<ServerName>/Reports), or recreate the template folder structure in the IS administration console.

SIMATIC Information Server and SSRS Reporting Architecture

SIMATIC Information Server (IS) provides plant-wide web-based reporting, automated shift reports, and dashboard KPIs by aggregating data from SIMATIC Process Historian (PH) and WinCC OS Servers. Rather than using proprietary reporting engines, Information Server is built directly on top of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) and Internet Information Services (IIS).

Report layouts, calculation formulas, and graphic styles are authored as standard Report Definition Language (.rdl) files. In the Information Server web interface, templates appear organized into folders (such as 'Process Values', 'Alarms', 'Messages', and 'Energy Analytics'). When an engineer attempts to clean up duplicate folders in the web GUI, the underlying SSRS catalog physically deletes the associated .rdl files from the reporting database.

Why Web Configurator Fails to Re-upload Deleted Templates

Engineers frequently attempt to restore missing templates by re-running the Information Server Web Configurator. However, this fails to restore the missing .rdl files.

The Web Configurator inspects the SQL Server metadata table IS_Configuration. If the database schema already indicates that Information Server is installed and configured, the configurator skips the initial template deployment step to avoid overwriting custom user templates. Because the templates reside inside the SSRS database repository (stored as binary blobs in SQL Server's ReportServer database) rather than an IIS physical folder, standard IIS repairs have no effect.

Locating Source .RDL Template Files on the File System

The golden master template files are installed locally on the Information Server operating system drive during software setup. They are located at:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\InformationServer\ReportTemplates\Templates\

Subdirectories contain the localized .rdl definitions for each supported report type:

ProcessValues: Standard trend and table reports for WinCC tag logging.
Messages: Alarm sequence of events, frequency analysis, and operator interventions.
Trends: Multi-axis comparative process charts.
ShiftReports: Production batch and shift operational summaries.

Step-by-Step Restoration Procedure via SSRS Report Manager

To restore deleted or corrupted templates and reconnect them to Information Server:

Access SSRS Report Manager: On the Information Server machine, open Internet Explorer or Chrome and browse to the SSRS portal: http://localhost/Reports (or http://<ServerName>/Reports_<InstanceName>).
Navigate to Template Directory: Open the folder named Siemens.InformationServer or ReportTemplates.
Recreate Folder Structure: If the entire folder was deleted, click New Folder and recreate the directory with its exact original system name (e.g., Process Values).
Upload .RDL Files: Open the recreated folder, click Upload File, browse to C:\Program Files (x86)\Siemens\InformationServer\ReportTemplates\Templates\..., and select the required .rdl files.
Configure Shared Data Source: Open the properties of the uploaded report. In the Data Sources tab, ensure the report is bound to the shared data source Siemens_InformationServer_DataSource pointing to the Process Historian database.
Refresh Information Server Web Interface: Open the Information Server portal (http://<ServerName>/InformationServer). Navigate to Templates. Confirm that all templates appear and can be instantiated.

Information Server Template Component Matrix

The following table lists core Information Server report template categories and their source file locations:

Report Template CategorySource Folder on DiskPrimary .RDL FileTarget Data Source in SSRSProcess Values Trend...\ReportTemplates\Templates\ProcessValuesProcessValues_Trend.rdlProcessHistorian_ArchiveProcess Values Table...\ReportTemplates\Templates\ProcessValuesProcessValues_Table.rdlProcessHistorian_ArchiveAlarm Hit List...\ReportTemplates\Templates\MessagesAlarmHitList.rdlProcessHistorian_MessagesAlarm History Summary...\ReportTemplates\Templates\MessagesAlarmSummary.rdlProcessHistorian_MessagesShift Production Report...\ReportTemplates\Templates\ShiftReportsShift_Overview.rdlProcessHistorian_Shared

Verification

Verify template restoration and report generation through the following steps:

Log into the Information Server web portal with administrative credentials.
Navigate to Reports > Create Report.
Select the restored template (e.g., 'Process Values Trend'). Confirm that the report parameter wizard loads successfully.
Select a live Process Historian archive tag and choose a 24-hour time window. Click Generate Report.
Verify that the report compiles into PDF, Excel, or HTML format without database connection errors or missing sub-report warnings.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Consider these operational rules when managing Information Server:

Never Delete Folders Directly in SSRS Without Backup: Always export .rdl files and shared datasets to an external engineering drive before modifying SSRS directory permissions or deleting obsolete items.
Service Account Permissions: Ensure the SSRS execution account has db_datareader and db_datawriter permissions on the ReportServer and ReportServerTempDB databases in Microsoft SQL Server.
Version Compatibility: Never copy .rdl files from newer versions of Information Server (e.g., IS 2020) into older installations (e.g., IS 2014 / PCS 7 V8.2), as SSRS schema definitions are forward-incompatible.

Engineer FAQ

How do I link an uploaded RDL file to Process Historian?

In SSRS Report Manager (/Reports), open report properties, select Data Sources, and point it to the shared data source Siemens_InformationServer_DataSource.

What causes error 'The report execution failed because the shared dataset could not be opened'?

This occurs when the SQL Server Reporting Services service account lacks permissions to access the Process Historian database or SQL service is stopped.

Can Information Server generate reports automatically on schedule?

Yes, Information Server includes an integrated scheduler that compiles and emails reports in PDF/Excel format to distribution lists on hourly, daily, or monthly cycles.