This is a quick look at how to create and use subtotals in your Matrix objects.

Subtotals 101

SQL Server Reporting Services makes it relatively easy to add totals to your columns and rows in a matrix object. In short, it’s as easy as right-click>Subtotal. Seriously, that’s it. Well, unless you want to format them, but that’s another issue entirely (an not quite as straight forward).

Let’s do this step-by-step :

1. Open or create a new SSRS project
2. Add a report item to your project.
3. Add a dataset
4. Add a matrix object
5. Configure matrix to desired specification
6. Add totals to outer groups by right-clicking the outer column/row group for which you require the subtotals and select subtotal.
7. Add subtotals for inner groups by right-clicking the inner column/row group for which you require the subtotals and select subtotal.
8. Tidy up by hiding the inner group line items initially – by right-clicking the inner group and selecting Properties>Visibility and then setting the properties accordingly.

Here’s a quick 2 minute screen cast of how to create subtotals in a Matrix object in SSRS 2005. It illustrates creating row group Totals & subtotals, but applies to column groups as well:

Here’s a link to another version if you are having any trouble: http://www.screencast.com/t/OGE1MmI4