Where is SQL Server Management Studio 2012?

I had SQL Server 2008 R2 and Visual Studio 2008 and 2010 on my laptop. I've installed SQL Server 2012 and have finally got SQL Server Data Tools to show up, so that I can create SSRS reports in Visual Studio 2010.

Although I've installed Management tools - many times - on two separate instances of SQL Server 2012, I can't find them in Programs and can't run them. The only SSMS program I can find runs SSMS 2008 R2.

I realise that common advice is to install SQL Server before Visual Studio, but I really don't want to uninstall Visual Studio, as this will bring a host of other problems.

How can I fix this problem?

Just download SQLEXPRWT_x64_ENU.exe from Microsoft Downloads - SQL Server® 2012 Express with SP1

You can get SSMS Express tools from here or full SQL Server Eval tools from here. MSDN/TechNet Downloads is currently the only place to get RTM versions (non-eval) of the SSMS 2012 toolset.

Note the first link now(dec 2017) points to 'Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 Service Pack 2 (SP2) Express'. ssms 2014 and 2017 are still available.

I just ran into this problem. I had to open back the installation for SQL Server and click Installation -> New SQL server installation or add features to existing installation. Then when we follow the instruction until we reach feature selection, just check the SQL Management tools checkbox and continue.

I have no idea why this software is considered a feature and hidden like this. It should be a stand-alone software installation.