> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.abbyy.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create a custom report

> Step-by-step instructions for building an ABBYY FlexiCapture custom report in Microsoft Visual Studio or Report Builder using a RepDataSet data set.

Build a custom report in either Microsoft Visual Studio or Microsoft Report Builder. Both procedures produce a report you can enable in the Administration and Monitoring Console.

<Info>
  Name the data set `RepDataSet`. This is the only name that generates reports from data in the Administration and Monitoring Console.
</Info>

## Create a custom report in Microsoft Visual Studio

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a Visual Basic Class Library">
    1. On the main menu, click **File → New → Project**.
    2. Choose the **Class Library** element in the **Templates → Visual C#** menu.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a report to the project">
    1. On the **Project** menu, click **Add New Item**.
    2. In the **Add New Item** dialog box, select the **Report** item from the **Visual C# Items → Reporting** template group.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Associate the report with a data set">
    In the **Report Data** pane, click **New → Data Set...**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name the data set">
    Select an existing data set and set its name to **RepDataSet**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Design the report">
    Lay out the report contents.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the XML description file">
    Create the [XML description file](/flexi-capture/reports/development/xml-file) for your report.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable the report">
    [Enable your custom report](/flexi-capture/reports/overview/connection) by copying the XML description file and the `.rdlc` report file to the `FlexiCapture12\CustomReports` subfolder of the IIS root folder. The report then appears in the **Custom reports** submenu of the Administration and Monitoring Console.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Create a custom report in Microsoft Report Builder

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a data source">
    1. Start Microsoft Report Builder.
    2. In the **Report Data** pane, right-click **Data Source** and click **Add Data Source...** on the shortcut menu.
    3. Enable the **Use a connection embedded in my report** option.
    4. Click **OK**.

    You can leave **Microsoft SQL Server** selected in the **Select connection type** drop-down list.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a data set named RepDataSet">
    1. In the **Report Data** pane, right-click **Datasets** and click **Add Data Set...** on the shortcut menu.
    2. Set the name of the data set to **RepDataSet**.
    3. Enable the **Use a dataset embedded in my report** option.
    4. Specify the data source you created earlier.
    5. Click **OK**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Describe the data set fields">
    1. In the **Report Data** pane, right-click **RepDataSet** and click **Dataset Properties** on the shortcut menu.
    2. Select the **Fields** tab, describe the fields of the data set, and specify the other report settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create the XML description file">
    Create the [XML description file](/flexi-capture/reports/development/xml-file) for your report.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable the report">
    [Enable your custom report](/flexi-capture/reports/overview/connection) by copying the XML description file and the `.rdl` report file to the `FlexiCapture12\CustomReports` subfolder of the IIS root folder. The report then appears in the **Custom reports** submenu of the Administration and Monitoring Console.
  </Step>
</Steps>