Understanding Reports in Salesforce: A Complete Guide
In Salesforce, Reports are one of the most powerful tools for analyzing data and making smart, informed decisions. Whether you’re tracking team performance, reviewing sales trends, or auditing custom objects like Referral__c, understanding the different types of reports is essential.
Let’s break it down 👇
🔍 What is a Report in Salesforce?
A Report in Salesforce is a list of records that meet certain criteria you define. It allows you to track performance, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions using rows and columns—like a dynamic spreadsheet, but smarter.
📘 Standard vs Custom Reports
✅ Standard Reports
These are pre-built by Salesforce and based on standard objects like Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, and Leads.
They live in folders like “Accounts & Contacts” or “Opportunities” and are ready to use.
Examples:
- Opportunities by Stage – shows all opportunities grouped by sales stage.
- Leads by Source – shows the number of leads from each source.
🔧 You can customize standard reports (change filters, columns, etc.), but they’re built on predefined standard report types.
🛠️ Custom Reports
Created when standard reports don’t meet your needs — especially useful when working with custom objects (like Referral__c).
Examples:
- A report showing Referral__c records grouped by Referral_Status__c, filtered by a specific campaign.
To build this, you might create a Custom Report Type involving Referral__c.
📘 What is a Report Type?
A Report Type defines which records and fields you can include in your report. Think of it as a blueprint that tells Salesforce which objects and relationships are available for reporting.
Types:
- Standard Report Types – Auto-created by Salesforce for standard objects.
- Custom Report Types – Created manually for custom objects or when more flexibility is needed.
Example:
If you want a report that shows Accounts with related Referrals, you’d create a Custom Report Type like:
- Primary Object: Account
- Related Object: Referral__c
- Relationship: “Each account with at least one Referral”
📊 Types of Reports in Salesforce
Salesforce offers 4 types of reports — each built for a specific use case:
- 📄 Tabular Reports
The simplest format — like an Excel table.
Key Features:
- Just rows of data, no grouping.
- Useful for exporting or listing records.
- Supports filters and sorting.
- Not ideal for dashboards.
When to Use:
- Exporting raw data.
- Simple lists (e.g., contacts created this week).
- Data audits without analysis.
- 📑 Summary Reports
Adds grouping and subtotals — great for category-based analysis.
Key Features:
- Group rows by fields like Stage or Owner.
- Shows subtotals and grand totals.
- Supports dashboards and charts.
Example: Opportunities grouped by Stage, with totals for each stage.
When to Use:
- To analyze performance (e.g., Opportunities by Owner).
- When you need grouped data with summaries.
- For use in dashboards.
- 🔗 Joined Reports
Allows side-by-side comparison of multiple report blocks.
Key Features:
- Up to 5 blocks, each with its own data and filters.
- Combine different report types (e.g., Cases + Opportunities).
- Each block can use tabular, summary, or matrix format.
Example: Compare Open Opportunities and Open Cases for each Account — side by side.
When to Use:
- To compare different objects.
- When each block has unique filters or data.
- For a multi-perspective view (e.g., Sales vs. Support).
- 🧮 Matrix Reports
Group by both rows and columns — ideal for deep-dive analysis.
Key Features:
- Group data by rows and columns (e.g., Stage and Owner).
- Shows totals for each group.
- Great for spotting trends and comparisons.
Example: Opportunity Amount by Stage (rows) and Owner (columns).
When to Use:
- Cross-tab reports (e.g., Sales by Region and Quarter).
- Executive-level reporting.
- Trend and performance analysis.
✅ Final Thoughts
Reports are at the heart of Salesforce data insights. Whether you’re using a simple tabular format or crafting a multi-block joined report, understanding these report types empowers you to turn raw data into actionable decisions.
If you’re working with custom objects like Referral__c, custom report types and tailored reports can unlock even deeper insights.