title: "Extensions (SSRS) | Microsoft Docs"

ms.date: 03/14/2017

ms.assetid: 2bb0fdca-1837-49f5-b542-61826bab0b46

author: markingmyname

ms.author: maghan

- Open a connection to a data source.

- Analyze a query and return a list of field names.

- Run a query against the data source and return a rowset.

- Pass parameters to a query, if required.

- Iterate through the rowset and retrieve data.

- Analyze a query and return a list of parameter names used in the query.

- Analyze a query and return the list of fields used for grouping.

- Analyze a query and return the list of fields used for sorting.

- Provide a user name and password to connect to the data source.

- Pass parameters with multiple values to a query.

- Iterate through rows and retrieve auxiliary metadata.

- **HTML Rendering Extension** When you request a report from a report server through a Web browser, the report server uses the HTML rendering extension to render the report. The HTML rendering extension generates all HTML using UTF-8 encoding. For more information, see [Rendering to HTML (Report Builder and SSRS)](../reporting-services/report-builder/rendering-to-html-report-builder-and-ssrs.md) and [Browser Support for Reporting Services and Power View](../reporting-services/browser-support-for-reporting-services-and-power-view.md).

- **Excel Rendering Extension** The Excel rendering extension renders reports that can be viewed and modified in [!INCLUDE[ofprexcel](../includes/ofprexcel-md.md)] 97 or later. This rendering extension creates files in Binary Interchange File Format (BIFF). BIFF is the native file format for Excel data. Reports that are rendered in [!INCLUDE[ofprexcel](../includes/ofprexcel-md.md)] support all of the features available for any spreadsheet. For more information, see [Exporting to Microsoft Excel (Report Builder and SSRS)](../reporting-services/report-builder/exporting-to-microsoft-excel-report-builder-and-ssrs.md).

- **CSV Rendering Extension** The Comma-Separated Value (CSV) rendering extension renders reports in comma-delimited plain text files, without any formatting. Users can then open these files with a spreadsheet application, such as [!INCLUDE[ofprexcel](../includes/ofprexcel-md.md)], or any other program that reads text files. For more information, see [Exporting to a CSV File (Report Builder and SSRS)](../reporting-services/report-builder/exporting-to-a-csv-file-report-builder-and-ssrs.md).

- **XML Rendering Extension** The XML rendering extension renders reports in XML files. These XML files can then be stored or read by other programs. You can also use an XSLT transformation to turn the report into another XML schema for use by another application. The XML generated by the XML rendering extension is UTF-8 encoded. For more information, see [Exporting to XML (Report Builder and SSRS)](../reporting-services/report-builder/exporting-to-xml-report-builder-and-ssrs.md).

- **Image Rendering Extension** The Image rendering extension renders reports to bitmaps or metafiles. The extension can render reports in the following formats: BMP, EMF, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, and WMF. By default, the image is rendered in TIFF format, which can be displayed with the default image viewer of your operating system (for example, Windows Picture and Fax Viewer). You can send the image to a printer from the viewer. Using the Image rendering extension to render reports ensures that the report looks the same on every client. (When a user views a report in HTML, the appearance of that report can vary depending on the version of the user's browser, the user's browser settings, and the fonts that are available.) The Image rendering extension renders the report on the server, so all users see the same image. Because the report is rendered on the server, all fonts that are used in the report must be installed on the server. For more information, see [Exporting to an Image File (Report Builder and SSRS)](../reporting-services/report-builder/exporting-to-an-image-file-report-builder-and-ssrs.md).

- **PDF Rendering Extension** The PDF rendering extension renders reports in PDF files that can be opened and viewed with Adobe Acrobat 6.0 or later. For more information, see [Exporting to a PDF File (Report Builder and SSRS)](../reporting-services/report-builder/exporting-to-a-pdf-file-report-builder-and-ssrs.md).

- **Word Rendering Extension** The [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../includes/msconame-md.md)] Word rendering extension renders a report as a Word document that is compatible with [!INCLUDE[msCoName](../includes/msconame-md.md)] Office Word 2000 or later. For more information, see [Exporting to Microsoft Word (Report Builder and SSRS)](../reporting-services/report-builder/exporting-to-microsoft-word-report-builder-and-ssrs.md).

The background processing application uses delivery extensions to deliver reports to various locations. [!INCLUDE[ssRSnoversion](../includes/ssrsnoversion-md.md)] includes an e-mail delivery extension and a file share delivery extension. The e-mail delivery extension sends an e-mail message through Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) that includes either the report itself or a URL link to the report. Short notices without the URL link or report can also be sent to pagers, phones, or other devices. The file share delivery extension saves reports to a shared folder on your network. You can specify a location, rendering format, and file name, and overwrite options for the file you create. You can use file share delivery for archiving rendered reports and as part of a strategy for working with very large reports. Delivery extensions work in conjunction with subscriptions. When a user creates a subscription, the user chooses one of the available delivery extensions to determine how the report is delivered.