I have two numeric fields in my database: one for month and another for year. My goal is to merge these fields into a single date representation in my report using the format MMM-YYYY (for example, converting 7-2008 to Jul-2008). I am using Reporting Services and need guidance on how to create this formatted date. Should I handle the conversion within SQL or directly in the report? Any detailed example or approach that explains the transformation process would be greatly appreciated.
Based on my experience, I tend to favor handling the conversion in SQL. By doing so, you ensure that the report receives data in the correct format right from the source, reducing the potential complexity in the reporting layer. For instance, using SQL Server’s built-in functions such as DATEFROMPARTS allows you to create a valid date object that can then be formatted using CONVERT or FORMAT. This method centralizes the data preparation process, which can be particularly helpful when managing multiple reports based on the same dataset.