Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services vs Windward Core comparison

Microsoft and Windward Studios are both solutions in the Reporting category. Microsoft is ranked #5 with an average rating of 7.6, while Windward Studios is ranked #24. Microsoft holds a 3.4% mindshare in RT, compared to Windward Studios’s 0.7% mindshare. Additionally, 85% of Microsoft users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Windward Studios users who would recommend it.

Microsoft SQL Server Report...

Read 21 Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services reviews

2,580 Views
732 Comparison Views

85% willing to recommend

Windward Core

Read 36 Windward Core reviews

526 Views
97 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Microsoft SQL Server Report...

Windward Core

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 4, 2025

Windward Core and Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services are competing products in the reporting domain. Windward Core's flexibility in template design gives it an edge, while Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services stands out for seamless integration and scalability within Microsoft's ecosystem.

Features: Windward Core supports dynamic document generation, versatile template creation, and robust customization. It seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Word and Excel for template design, offers a user-friendly interface through AutoTag, and reduces the need for coding with Javelin Server RESTful API. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services provides enterprise-grade analytics, strong integration with SQL Server, and offers features like drill-down data, graphs, and charts that enhance reporting capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Windward Core could enhance its analytics capabilities and integration into broad IT infrastructures for larger enterprises. Furthermore, expanding support for non-Microsoft environments and increasing scalability options would be beneficial. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services faces challenges with complex initial setups, requiring technical expertise. Simplifying its interface for non-SQL users and offering more out-of-the-box templates could improve user accessibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Windward Core is praised for its straightforward deployment and accessible support, utilizing a flexible architecture that simplifies setup. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services benefits from its integration with Microsoft's ecosystem, although initial setups can be complex, requiring technical expertise. Overall, Windward Core is noted for its quicker deployment, while Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is favored for integrated solutions.

Pricing and ROI: Windward Core offers attractive initial pricing with rapid ROI due to flexible template capabilities and streamlined deployment. Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services may incur higher initial costs but justifies this with deep integration and scalability, making it a preferred option for businesses heavily using Microsoft technologies. Windward Core presents a lower financial barrier, while Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services delivers a worthwhile investment for comprehensive integration.

To learn more, read our detailed Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services vs. Windward Core Report (Updated: June 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft SQL Servering Services vs. Windward Core

June 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Microsoft SQL Server Report...

Ranking in Reporting

5th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Windward Core

Ranking in Reporting

24th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Document Generation Tools (1st)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Reporting category, the mindshare of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services is 3.4%, down from 4.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windward Core is 0.7%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Reporting

Featured Reviews

MartinSimons

Senior Consultant at X1F

Ensures database access and monitoring have been manageable, but batch load analysis needs better support

There are occasions during maintenance runs when the Check Point monitoring system reports a lot of blocked sessions. This is typically due to system processes or maintenance processes that temporarily block themselves. Additionally, a tool within the studio for performing SQL analysis does not provide useful information for batch load processes, often advising not to use an index, which is expected with batch loads.

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Christopher Heinz

Sr. Systems Analyst at a tech services company with 5,001-10,000 employees

Strong layout and design capabilities; leverages every aspect available in Word-native formatting

The licensing key is a little bit twitchy. I'd like to see more HTML formatting support in templates. It has a basic stock of HTML formatting capability, but it doesn't have a rich vocabulary. I have to work around that sometimes. The help documentation and blog posts are extensive, but not always up to date. The error reports also need improvement. If you don't key it in right, it's a little hard to find the root cause. It gives you information as much as it can, but it doesn't really hone in and tell you explicitly what you should do to correct the problem.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The initial setup is easy."

"The best features of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services are that it is easy to get the reports out because it is integrated with SQL and we have many of these tables."

"We were able to embed the report builder within our internal proprietary systems, improving our reporting capabilities."

"Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is reliable for management dashboard and reporting purposes. It is helpful for user reporting and administrative tasks, such as monitoring progress. It is easy to use since it is lightweight and integrates well with the SQL Server database, making reporting straightforward. The visualization capabilities enhance our reporting needs with good pagination and KPI features. It integrates well with data servers and workbooks, allowing us to publish reports on mobile applications and tablets easily. Integrating other tools and platforms in our tech ecosystem is generally straightforward. However, if we need to perform something very specialized, we might have to use third-party tools rather than inbuilt options."

"I am impressed with the product's seamless integration. It can work with different databases like Oracle."

"In Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services, the installation and configuration are easy."

"It is scalable."

"I'm very satisfied with the customer service. And usually, whenever we have any issue or details, we get to the person for the support. I'm really satisfied with the service. Within a few minutes or within a few hours, the support person will be available."

More Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services pros

"One of the things they added in the last two or three years is PODs, Portable Object Doclets. One of our clients said they wanted to use PODs. They're a good way to make some constructs modular and keep things in one place."

"The ultimate feature is the product it produces. The ROI around that saves hours and hours. It's probably about a hundred days per year. The time savings and the ability to turn it around quickly pleases our customers."

"The ability for users to have design and layout control is also critically important. Without this ability, procuring report designs would represent a huge bottleneck. Report design tools also enable upsell opportunities for customized reports, with quick turnaround times."

"The most valuable feature is the fact that it uses Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel as base templates, so when you generate, it's easy for clients to upgrade, and maintain, and generate out either a PDF or an actual Excel spreadsheet."

"For the designer we use AutoTag which is a Microsoft Word plugin. In general, it's easy to use, it doesn't have a very steep learning curve. It's not difficult, for people who know Microsoft Office well, to start using the AutoTag tool... It feels just like you're in a Microsoft Office environment with some extra functionality."

"It's very feature-rich. You can create tables, you can create graphs, you can import pictures, and those features are also easy to use."

"The design tool, with all of its features and sample output fidelity tests, and being able to work with JSON data and output PDF and HTML, were also both crucial."

"The solution is very flexible, so you can create anything you want. Think of the possibilities you have in Excel or in Word, because these are the two document generators that are used the most. I only use Word, but I can use nearly every feature in Word, including making charts and tables, and produce those features in Windward, parametrically."

More Windward Core pros

Cons

"Tableau is more user-friendly because it doesn't need to do any extra programming. It has drag-and-drop functionality."

"We encounter some barriers while trying to build a report."

"I would like the solution to add the scheduling feature for reports."

"They could improve the scalability and stability of SQL Server Reporting Services."

"The complex tuning for report performance is complicated. There is a lack of native support for source code control. We often need to use separate tools like VS Code or other software to manage version control and changes in the database. It would be beneficial if source code management were integrated directly into SSRS, thus eliminating the need to rely on external tools. While CLI-based operations are exemplary, the trend is towards GUI for a better user experience. Integrating both visualization and source code management within SSRS would simplify the process for users."

"Technical support is in minor need of improvement so that they can solve problems in a more timely manner."

"There is room for improvement in the pricing model."

"The solution's interface is old."

More Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services cons

"One thing that frustrated us a little bit is that we have to use the Office PDF generation, because the native PDF generation is always slightly different compared to the one in Office. The formatting is just a little bit off here and there... This means that we need to have Office installed on the server to be able to generate these documents via API."

"The next release could benefit from a cloud-based environment."

"Is there any way to avoid AutoTag loading in Word/Excel each time? I need to use it from time to time - quite rarely. AutoTag affects performance of Word/Excel. I do not want to install/uninstall AutoTag each time I need it."

"There are some Excel formatting things that you lose when you implement a template: some default Excel validation scripts, macros. You could create them in Excel if you were just using Excel, but in creating a template that generates a report, some of those validation things are lost."

"It would be nice to have a black-and-white, ideal setup for servers, to maximize capabilities. We went through a lot of scenarios to get something that is scalable. An ideal AWS-package server setup could have saved us a lot of time. But I understand this is very company specific."

"Regarding AutoTag, we do notice that when you want to refactor a little bit of your template design or when you want to implement changes, sometimes you need a lot of clicks to get the change done. For instance... it would be helpful to be able to find all the identifiers with the old name and replace them with the new name. We haven't found a way to do that with the find-replace tool. Throughout the user-interface of Windward, you need a lot of clicks to get that done."

"About six months ago, we raised the possibility of improving the way they manage the HTML 5. Sometimes, when you insert a lot of data in the data source, you get an error because it is not managing HTML 5 features well. I believe they have addressed this in later versions of their product."

"It needs better support for upgrades and more control over layout of elements. Upgrades tend to break existing output. Elements do not position where expected due to insertion of blank lines and page breaks. It takes time to fix these through trial and error."

More Windward Core cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product pricing is reasonable in terms of suitable features for business."

"Value-wise, the solution's pricing is good for the price that we pay."

"The solution is free to use for developers."

"The pricing is high."

"The tool's licensing costs are expensive."

"The solution is cheaper than its alternatives."

"The price is pretty good."

"The solution is expensive."

"Windward is very expensive when the volume of documents being generated is low and it is cheap when the volume is high."

"From my experience in this field, the product is reasonably priced, at least with the RESTful engine implementation. It's definitely not a cheap option. People say, "That's a fair amount of money to pay for a document generation tool." At the same time, you do get good functionality and the support is good."

"We negotiated our prices many years ago, and while they go up a little bit here and there, they've been pretty steady."

"The only problem with the pricing of Windward is the limitation on the number of reports generated. It is costly in that sense. If you want to increase, you have to pay more, based on the number of reports generated per day. It is not the same with Crystal Reports. With the latter, you buy a license at one point in time and that's it."

"The pricing is very reasonable for what it provides. The report builder is about one grand per user... We are paying for a support contract, which is 20 percent of the price, but because the licenses are perpetual, I think the pricing is very reasonable."

"I'm starting to hear clients squeal about the price of their software. The cost of the software has gone up."

"Pricing is a bit higher than normal desktop applications, but it's well worth it. The ROI is simple to understand and the monthly payment for an annual license is affordable and worth it."

"It is absolutely worth the value. They have flexibility, depending on what you're looking for from a buying standpoint. The current pricing models are quite flexible, with the ability to use it on an as-needed basis, or to get a perpetual license that covers a customer that might have extensive needs. I think it's pretty good."

More Windward Core pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Government

11%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

19%

Computer Software Company

12%

Real Estate/Law Firm

Healthcare Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services?

I mainly use the solution for the ease of reporting and for executive dashboards.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services?

I don't recall the current pricing as it changes frequently.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services?

They could improve the scalability and stability of SQL Server Reporting Services. I haven't used it recently, so I can't provide detailed suggestions on improvements.

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Comparisons

TIBCO Jaspersoft vs Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

Compared 17% of the time

Tableau vs Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

Compared 16% of the time

IBM Cognos vs Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

Compared 13% of the time

Oracle OBIEE vs Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

Compared 12% of the time

SAP Crystal Reports vs Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services

Compared 9% of the time

More Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services Competitors

SAP Crystal Reports vs Windward Core

Compared 38% of the time

Microsoft Power BI vs Windward Core

Compared 36% of the time

Longview Analytics vs Windward Core

Compared 26% of the time

More Windward Core Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft SQL Servering Services

May 2025

Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services report

Download Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services product report

Buyer's Guide

Windward Core

May 2025

Download Windward Core product report

Also Known As

SQL Server Reporting Services, Microsoft SSRS, SSRS, MS SQL Server Reporting Services

Windward, Windward Studios

Overview

At Microsoft, our mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our mission is grounded in both the world in which we live and the future we strive to create. Today, we live in a mobile-first, cloud-first world, and the transformation we are driving across our businesses is designed to enable Microsoft and our customers to thrive in this world.

We do business in 170 countries and are made up of 114,000 passionate employees dedicated to fulfilling our mission of helping you and your organization achieve more.

Microsoft

What is Windward Studios?

For over a decade, Windward has been a leader in the software development industry by creating the most innovative and advanced document automation and reporting software on the planet.

Data-Driven Document Automation

Generate stunning documents that incorporate relevant data easily and seamlessly.

Visually Striking Designs

Our software provides innovative tools and features to build beautiful designs and stunning layouts, all within the familiar Microsoft Office Suite. Your imagination is the only limitation.

Agile Document Logic

We offer the best document automation software for the new millennium. With our conditional logic functionality, you can swiftly personalize the document content to gratify your end users.

Huge Time Saver

Looking for faster template creation that enables you to keep pace with your business? With our software, template creation takes minutes and you do not need any programming experience to get it done.

Exceptionally Intuitive Interface

Our program's design offers documents that can be edited, customized and designed using MS Office. Enjoy a stress-free document automation experience in programs you already know.

Efficient Savings

Significantly reduce the resources and time required for template development by using our streamlined template design and document automation tools.

Windward Studios

Sample Customers

CMS Wire, The New York Times

HAL, Inc., Axe Group, White Clark Group, Blueprint Software, Aspect Security, Nucleus Software, LeBlanc’s Food Stores, South Sound 911, Aegon, Barclays, Fidelity Investments, ArisGlobal LLC, USDA, RepLink, AON Hewitt

Buyer's Guide

Microsoft SQL Servering Services vs. Windward Core

June 2025

Free Report: Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services vs. Windward Core

Find out what your peers are saying about Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services vs. Windward Core and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.

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