Reports and Dashboards in Salesforce

Salesforce provides a powerful set of tools for generating Reports and Dashboards,
enabling users to visualize and analyze data.

1. Reports in Salesforce:

What are Reports?

A Report in Salesforce is a list of records that meet specific criteria and are displayed in
a tabular format. Reports help users track KPIs (Key Performance Indicators), monitor
sales pipeline, and make data-driven decisions. Reports can be customized to show
relevant data, grouped, filtered, and summarized.

Types of Reports:

● Tabular Reports
● Summary Reports
● Matrix Reports
● Joined Reports

Types of Reports:

Tabular Reports:

● The simplest form of report, displaying data in rows without any groupings.
● A tabular report is a spreadsheet-like, basic report format. It takes a few clicks to
create reports like this one, and it gives you a comprehensive view of all the
records at a certain level (e.g., Accounts, Opportunities, Leads, etc.).
● Fields in tabular reports are ordered in columns, with matching records listed in
rows. You can customize tabular reports by applying filters or configuring the
outline.

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You should use a tabular Salesforce report when you want to:

● Access your records fast.

● Update multiple records.
● Quickly export and share the data outside of Salesforce.

Key Features:

● Data displayed in a table format, with each row representing a record.

● Easy to create and use for exporting raw data to Excel or other external tools.

● Cannot be used in dashboards unless you limit the number of rows.

● No grouping or summaries available.

Summary Reports:

● Allows you to group data by rows and include summary calculations like totals,
averages, etc.
● A summary report is similar to a tabular report, but it also provides you with the
option to group data and create charts.

You should use summary reports when you want to:

● Analyze data by a specific field.

● Get a quick summary of key metrics.
● Compare data across different record groups.
● Analyze data by time period.

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Key Features:

● Group records by rows (e.g., group Opportunities by Stage or Account).

● Add summaries to perform calculations like totals, averages, minimums, and
maximums.
● Supports charts, which makes it possible to display data visually in a dashboard.
● Great for use in dashboards (as they allow for deeper analysis of grouped data).
● Conditional highlighting can be applied to show trends or outliers.

Matrix Reports:

● Data is grouped by both rows and columns, useful for comparing related totals.
● A matrix report allows you to lay out the data in multiple dimensions. In simple
terms, it’s a summary report that can also be grouped by both rows and columns.

You should use matrix reports when you want to:

● Analyze data across multiple dimensions (e.g., the total number of sales per
sales rep over time).
● Create heavily customized reports.

Key Features:

● Group records both by rows and columns (e.g., group Opportunities by both
Sales Rep and Stage, or Account and Close Date).
● View data in a grid format with summaries for each group.
● Excellent for complex comparisons or reports with hierarchical data.
● Supports subtotals and grand totals for both rows and columns.
● Can be used in dashboards to create detailed visual comparisons.
● Requires more effort to set up and interpret compared to Summary or Tabular
reports.

N.Veera Raghavamma
Joined Reports:

● Combines multiple report blocks, each showing a different report type, to give a
broader analysis.
● A joined report includes multiple report formats and types within a single view. It’s
the perfect format for comparing data across different datasets without switching
between tabs.

You should use joined reports when you want to:

● Analyze data from different objects (e.g., see the data both at the Accounts level
and the Opportunities level).
● Include different report formats in one tab.
● Get a high-level overview of your sales performance data (e.g., for a quarterly
performance review).

Key Features:

● Multiple report blocks (each block can represent a different report type, like
Opportunities and Cases, or Leads and Campaigns).
● Group and summarize data within each block.
● Show data from multiple related objects or report types side by side.
● Useful for showing multiple perspectives of the same data or cross-object
comparisons.
● More complex to set up, but highly powerful for multi-object analysis.
● Can be displayed on dashboards.

N.Veera Raghavamma
2. Dashboards in Salesforce

What are Dashboards?

A Dashboard is a visual display of key metrics and trends based on data from
Salesforce reports. It helps users monitor and analyze their data at a glance, providing
insights in the form of charts, tables, and gauges. Dashboards are made up of different
components, each one representing data from a report.

Dashboard Components:

● Charts: Bar, pie, line, and donut charts for visualizing data trends.
● Tables: Display detailed data from reports.
● Gauges: Show progress toward a goal (e.g., sales quota).
● Metrics: Single-number metrics that display one key figure (e.g., total sales).
● Visualforce Components: Custom components built using Visualforce pages.

Dashboard Components:

1. Charts:

● Charts allow you to visualize trends, comparisons, and patterns in your data.
Salesforce provides several types of charts to help present data graphically.

Bar Chart:

○ Description: Displays data in horizontal or vertical bars, where the length

represents a value.
○ Example: Compare Sales by Region or Opportunities by Stage.

Pie Chart:

○ Description: Shows proportions by dividing a circle into segments, each

representing a part of the whole.
○ Example: Revenue distribution by Product or Market Share by
Competitor.

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 ● Line Chart:

○ Description: Displays data points connected by lines to show trends over

time.
○ Example: Revenue Growth Over Time or Support Tickets Closed per
Month.

● Donut Chart:

○ Description: Similar to a pie chart, but with a hole in the middle, showing
the total value of the segments.
○ Example: Sales Breakdown by Product with the total sales displayed at
the center.

2. Tables

● Description: Displays data from reports in a tabular format, showing detailed

information in rows and columns.
● Example: A table of Open Opportunities, showing fields like Account Name,
Close Date, Opportunity Stage, and Amount.

Key Features:

○ Provides more granular data than charts.

○ Can display several columns and rows, making it ideal for detailed views.
○ Often used in conjunction with other dashboard components to provide
detailed context.

3. Gauges

● Description: A gauge chart displays a single value within a range, allowing you
to visualize progress toward a target or goal.
● Example: Sales Quota Achievement (e.g., 75% of a quarterly sales target),
Customer Satisfaction Score.

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 Key Features:

○ Set min, max, and midpoint values to define thresholds like "Low,"
"Medium," and "High."
○ Display only one metric at a time, making it highly focused on a single KPI.
○ Excellent for monitoring progress at a glance.

4. Metrics

● Description: Displays a single key figure or value, often used to highlight a

specific, important data point.
● Example: Total Sales Revenue, Number of Open Opportunities, or Total Active
Customers.

Key Features:

○ Simple and straightforward, with no charts or groupings.

○ Typically used for quick insights into high-priority metrics or key
performance indicators.

5. Visualforce Components

● Description: Custom dashboard components built using Visualforce,

Salesforce's custom development framework.
● Example: A custom sales leaderboard, interactive maps, or a dynamic chart that
pulls data from multiple objects.

Key Features:

○ Fully customizable to display data in ways not natively supported by

Salesforce.
○ Can integrate external data sources or use complex logic to drive the
component’s content.
○ Requires Visualforce coding expertise but allows for flexibility and tailored
functionality.

N.Veera Raghavamma
Key tips in Report and Dashboard:(Simple understanding)

Reports:

● Tabular Reports: Simple, list-style reports for quick data views.

● Summary Reports: Grouped data with summaries—perfect for tracking KPIs.
● Matrix Reports: Compare data across rows and columns for deep analysis.
● Joined Reports: Combine multiple data sets to get a comprehensive view.

Dashboards:

● Charts: Visualize trends with bar, pie, line, or donut charts.

● Tables: Display detailed data from reports.
● Gauges: Track progress toward goals (like sales quotas).
● Metrics: Highlight single-number stats for quick insights.
● Custom Visualforce Components: Tailor your dashboard with custom solutions.

N.Veera Raghavamma