WebReports is a web-based reporting and visualization platform that gives users browser access to reports, dashboards, visualizations, and operational data. The WebReports application runs on a server; users connect to it through an HTTPS website.
Use this article before installing or upgrading WebReports to plan the hosting platform, server capacity, application database, browser access, and network connections. Preparing these components first helps prevent startup failures, database connection errors, and reports that cannot reach their data sources.
How WebReports Works
- A user opens the WebReports URL in a supported browser and signs in using the authentication method configured for the installation.
- The WebReports application checks the user's access and processes the selected report and its parameters.
- The application uses its configured connections to retrieve the report's data from the appropriate reporting data source.
- WebReports prepares the report or visualization and returns the result to the browser. Scheduled processing uses the application server and its configured connections without requiring a user to keep a browser open.
The WebReports application database supports application operations, including configuration, users, and scheduling information. Reporting data sources contain the business information used by reports. These serve different purposes; preparing the application database does not automatically configure access to every reporting data source.
Supported Deployment Platforms
| Deployment option | How it hosts WebReports | Why it is needed |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Server with IIS | Internet Information Services (IIS) hosts the website and works with the ASP.NET Core Hosting Bundle to run WebReports. | Provides the Windows web-hosting components, website bindings, and application process used by the deployment. |
| Docker in a supported Linux-based environment | A container created from the WebReports image runs the application and its included runtime. | Packages the application and runtime for container deployment. The installation still needs its database, configuration, certificate, and persistent application data. |
Choose one supported hosting approach for the application. Both approaches require a supported application database and access to the data sources and services used by the installation.
Windows Server Deployment
BridgeWorks supports WebReports on:
- Windows Server 2019
- Windows Server 2022
- Windows Server 2025
WebReports may operate on older Windows Server versions, such as Windows Server 2016, but those versions are not officially supported by BridgeWorks. Plan an upgrade to a supported Windows Server version if an existing installation uses an older server.
A Windows Server deployment requires the following components:
| Component | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Internet Information Services (IIS) | Receives browser requests for the WebReports website and provides the site's bindings and hosting configuration. |
| ASP.NET Core Hosting Bundle 10.x | Installs the .NET runtime and ASP.NET Core Module that IIS uses to host WebReports. Install the supported .NET 10 Hosting Bundle for the WebReports release being deployed. |
| SQL Server 2025 or later, or MySQL 8 or later | Stores the WebReports application database. The server must be able to connect using the configured database address and credentials. |
| HTTPS configuration and a valid certificate | Protects browser traffic and identifies the WebReports website at the DNS name used by its users. |
Install IIS before the Hosting Bundle. If the Hosting Bundle was installed first, repair it after installing IIS. Follow the bundle's restart instructions before testing WebReports. See Microsoft's ASP.NET Core hosting guidance for IIS.
Follow the complete sequence in Installing WebReports on Windows. Detailed steps are available in:
- Install Internet Information Services (IIS) for WebReports
- Download and Install the ASP.NET Hosting Bundle
- Configure IIS and Deploy WebReports
Docker Deployment
WebReports can run in a Docker container in supported Linux-based environments. The WebReports image includes its runtime, so the Windows IIS Hosting Bundle is not a separate installation step for this hosting approach.
The container still needs valid application configuration, license information, database connectivity, an HTTPS certificate, and access to the storage used by the deployment. Plan how configuration and persistent data will be retained when the application container is replaced during an update.
Contact BridgeWorks Support before deploying with Docker to confirm that the proposed Linux distribution and deployment environment are supported. Then follow WebReports Setup for Docker.
System Requirements and Capacity Planning
The following requirements apply to a standard WebReports deployment. Use them when planning the environment, then assess the actual report workload and storage needs before deployment.
| Component | Requirement | Planning consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 4 CPU cores | Concurrent users, report execution, and background processing affect processor demand. |
| Memory | 32 GB RAM | Report size, visualizations, and concurrent work affect memory use. |
| Storage | 10 GB of available disk space | Also plan capacity for generated reports, application data, logs, and backups. Retention periods and output volume affect growth. |
| Application database | SQL Server 2025 or later, or MySQL 8 or later | Plan database capacity, access, backup, and connectivity for the WebReports application database separately from reporting data sources. |
| Network | HTTPS connectivity to WebReports | Also provide the application server's required database, data-source, and integration connections. |
Larger deployments or environments with many concurrent users may need additional processor, memory, database, and storage resources. The stated disk-space requirement is not a guarantee that all generated reports and retained data will fit in that space.
SQL Server Express: SQL Server 2025 Express may suit test environments and smaller deployments. Its maximum relational database size is 50 GB per database; other resource limits also apply. Plan a suitable database platform for larger production workloads, such as SQL Server Standard or MySQL. See Microsoft's SQL Server 2025 edition limits.
Network Requirements
Users need an HTTPS route to the WebReports URL. Allow inbound HTTPS traffic on the port configured for the site; 443 is the usual HTTPS port, but the deployment can use a different configured port.
The application server also needs the connections required by its configured features:
| Connection | Why it is needed | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Browser to WebReports | Sign-in, navigation, and viewing report results through HTTPS. | Required for browser access. |
| WebReports to its application database | Access to the application's configuration and operational data. | Required. |
| WebReports to reporting databases or other data sources | Retrieves the information used by reports and visualizations. | For each configured reporting connection. |
| WebReports to SMTP or Microsoft Graph services | Sends email through the configured email service. | When those email features are used. |
| WebReports to identity services | Uses the authentication services selected for the deployment. | When required by the configured authentication method. |
| WebReports to APIs or other integrations | Communicates with the external applications used by configured features. | When those integrations are used. |
Database and integration ports depend on the actual endpoints and service configuration. A browser connection to WebReports does not establish the application's connections to those services; verify both parts of the route.
The browser route can be through an internal network, VPN, or an internet-facing deployment, as configured for the environment. An internet path in the example diagram does not mean every installation must expose WebReports or its databases publicly.
For additional IIS security guidance, see IIS Security Hardening for WebReports.
Supported Web Browsers
WebReports supports the latest two released versions of:
- Google Chrome
- Microsoft Edge
- Mozilla Firefox
- Safari
- Opera
Internet Explorer is not supported. Browsers outside the supported versions may experience compatibility, display, or performance issues.
Network Architecture
The application server sits between the user's browser and the resources needed to run reports. The browser receives the WebReports interface and results; the application uses its configured database and data-source connections to perform the work.
Example topology. Select the diagram to view it at full size. The internet route, separate firewall devices, port 443, and IRIS reporting-database label illustrate one arrangement. Use the network route, controls, ports, and supported reporting data sources configured for your environment. Optional email, identity, and API services described above are not shown.
Application database versus reporting data: A report can retrieve business data from one system while WebReports stores its own configuration and scheduling information in another database. Plan and verify both connections; they are not interchangeable.
Demo example: Demo Recovery Agency opens https://webreports.demo.example.com in a browser. WebReports uses the WebReportsDemo application database for its own operations and a separate configured reporting connection to retrieve the agency's report data. These are illustrative names, not working endpoints or credentials.
Before You Install
- Choose the supported Windows/IIS or Docker hosting approach and confirm the applicable release requirements.
- Review processor, memory, database, and storage capacity against expected concurrent users, report volume, and retention.
- Identify the WebReports application database and the separate reporting data sources the application will use.
- Confirm the WebReports DNS name, HTTPS port, and certificate.
- Verify the application server can reach the required databases and any enabled email, identity, or API services.
- Have the deployment's license information available and follow the installation guide for the chosen platform.
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