After having created custom SQL Server Views to connect to Visual FoxPro tables, upon adopting a modern student information system; adapting those View to new, and very different SQL table structure required reverse-engineering their database design and transforming values to maintain compatibility with the front end applications using the related views.
Upon mastering the database design, adopting Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services to master paginated reports for our report card and internal analysis reports was the next objective. These reports were used to both provide real-time access to student performance, as well as predictive assumptions to student progress and risks.
There is both dataset queries, and the necessary conditional statements to deliver on report filtering sets, as well as mastering the report writer block structure, and leveraging conditional presentation functionality to hide/show and/or alter text appearances.
Within a year of adopting the new student information system, the adaptations and built report system was exceeding the workflow goals the staff and teams had become accustomed to.
