SQL Server Reporting Services – Insufficient Rights Error

http://www.sql-server-performance.com/2011/security-ssrs-reporting-error/

SQL Server Reporting Services – Insufficient Rights Error

BY FRANCO LOPES

Introduction

At times when we successfully deploy the reports to the report server and try to view them through report manager we may encounter am insufficient rights error. This article focuses on resolving that error.

Solution

After deploying the reports to the report server we can view them in the Report Manager web app provided by Microsoft for managing, delivering and applying the security to deployed reports. Generally the path to the report server is http://localhost/ReportServer if it is a default instance orhttp://localhost/ReportServer_InstanceName  for a named instance. Similarly the report manager can be viewed at http://localhost/Reports for the default instance and http://localhost/Reports_InstanceName for the named instance.

By default the built-in Administrators group has permission on the report server to access all the reports and the data sources deployed on the report server. If you are in the Administrators group you may not come across the following error while viewing the reports

The permissions granted to user ‘domain\username’ are insufficient for performing this operation. (rsAccessDenied)

But if you are a domain user (which in most cases we are). you will have to follow the below steps to resolve the error.

1. Right-click on the Internet Explorer icon and select on Run as administrator.

2.  Type the report manager’s URL in my case http://localhost/reports

3. The report manager window opens where you can see various icons and links. Go to site settings link in the report manager.

4. Click on Security.

5. Click on New Role Assignment and add the Domain\user and depending upon the role of the user in the organization assign them the appropriate role. You can either assign the role of System Administrator or System User both have different rights. In this example I will be providing the user with the role of System Administrator.  Click Ok.

6. You will see that the user has been added to the role specified. Click on Home button.

7. Go to the Folder Settings on the Home page.

8. Click on New Role Assignment and add the Domain\user and depending upon the role of the user in the organization assign them the appropriate role. You can either assign the role of the Content Manager who can delete, modify and manage all the content on the report server or Browser who can view the reports and subscriber depending upon your need. In this example I will assign the Content Manager role.

9. You will then see the user added to the Folder Setting.

10. Close the browser which was currently running into the Administrator mode.

11. Now you can open the report manager in my case  using http://localhost/reports