queries for reporting

When I create sql based reports, I usually start with a mock report and along with the end-users I review the criteria, the output and the sorting options. It is important to understand in the very beginning how much data will be generated and the frequency of the report. It is also good to determine the amount of storage may be required for the report generation and archiving. I then will set to work on designing the initial query. Usually I will create an all encompassing query. I try to think futuristically, what will they possibly want to see a few weeks, months, years from now. If it is not too much on query performance I will try to add these extra fields in my initial code and return set. Then I will start to create the report based on the criteria, parameters and business rules that were documented. Once I finish the initial query and have a sample return set, I will sit down with the end-users or business analysts again to determine the delivery mechnanism.