Salesforce reports are lists of records, such as opportunities, cases or accounts, that meet criteria you define, which you can group, summarise and chart. To create one in Lightning, open the Reports tab, click New Report, pick a report type, add columns, groupings and filters, then save and run it. The report type and the filters decide what data you see, so most reporting problems start there.
This guide was first published in 2020 as "How To Create Salesforce Reports?". It has been rewritten for 2026 with the current Lightning report builder, the four report formats, joined reports, dashboards and a checklist of common mistakes.
What is a Salesforce report?
Salesforce's Trailhead reports overview defines a report as "a list of records (like opportunities or accounts) that meet the criteria you define." On top of the list you can filter, group records, calculate totals and show the result as a chart. Reports run on live data, so every time you open one you see the current state of the org, not a copy from last week.
Three building blocks decide what a report shows:
- The report type: which objects and fields are available.
- The format: a plain list, groups, a grid or several blocks.
- The filters: which records make it in.
How to create a report in Salesforce, step by step
Open Reports, click New Report, choose a report type, add columns, groups and filters, then save and run. These steps follow Trailhead's report builder unit for Lightning Experience:
- Open Reports. From the App Launcher, select Reports.
- Click New Report.
- Choose a report type, for example Opportunities or Accounts and Contacts. This fixes which records and fields you can use.
- Click Start Report. The report builder opens, with settings on the left and a preview on the right. If the preview is empty, click All Time to widen the date filter.
- Add columns. Drag fields from the Fields panel into the preview, or search for them on the Outline tab.
- Group rows. On the Outline tab, group by a field such as Stage or Owner. Grouping rows makes it a summary report; grouping rows and columns makes it a matrix report.
- Filter. On the Filters tab, set the date range and the "Show Me" filter (for example My opportunities or All opportunities), then add field filters.
- Save. Click Save, give the report a clear name and description, and choose a folder others can reach if they need it.
- Run. Click Run to see the full results, then add a chart if the report is grouped.
What are report types?
Trailhead calls a report type "like a template": it decides which records and fields the report can use. Each report type has one primary object and can include related objects.
- Standard report types come with Salesforce, for single objects such as Accounts or Leads, or for related objects such as opportunities with their products.
- Custom report types are created by an admin when the standard ones lack the objects or fields you need. Trailhead's example is a Leads with Activities report type, with Leads as the primary object and Activities as the related object, so the report shows only leads that have activities.
Build a custom report type when no standard type has the objects you need, or when you need records "without" a related record. Salesforce's Ultimate Guide to Report Types on the Salesforce Admins site gives the example of an "Accounts with or without Opportunities with or without Activities" report across three objects. Admins create them in Setup under Report Types, choose the primary object, add related objects, then mark the report type as deployed so users can see it.
Pick the report type carefully: the primary object decides what one row of the report means, and the related objects decide which records are left out.
The four report formats
Salesforce has four report formats: tabular, summary, matrix and joined. Custom report types are sometimes called a fifth "type", but they decide which data a report can use, not how it is laid out.
| Format | What it looks like | Use it for | On a dashboard? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tabular | A list of rows and columns, like a spreadsheet | Mailing lists, exports, simple record lists | Only with a row limit |
| Summary | Rows grouped by one or more fields, with subtotals | Pipeline by stage, cases by owner | Yes |
| Matrix | Grouped by rows and by columns, like a pivot table | Revenue by region and quarter | Yes |
| Joined | Up to 5 blocks, each from its own report type, lined up by a common field | Opportunities and cases side by side for each account | No |
Trailhead's report formats unit calls tabular reports "the simplest and fastest way to look at your data" and summary reports the most common format, "great for use in dashboards". Matrix reports are "the most time-consuming to set up" but give the most detailed view.
To add totals, click the dropdown arrow on a number column, choose Summarize and pick Sum (or another summary). In a grouped report each group then shows a subtotal; turn off Detail Rows to see only the totals, as Trailhead's report formats unit shows.
To build a joined report, Trailhead's joined reports quick look says to start a new report, choose Report → Joined Report → Apply in the report builder, add blocks with Add Block, and group by a field the blocks share, such as Account Name, so their rows line up.
How to filter a Salesforce report
Use the Filters tab: set the standard filters (Show Me and the date range), then add field filters, filter logic, cross filters or a row limit. Trailhead's filter unit describes five kinds of filter:
| Filter | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Standard filters | Built-in filters such as Show Me and Created Date | My opportunities closing this quarter |
| Field filters | A field, an operator and a value | Amount greater than 50,000 |
| Filter logic | AND, OR and NOT across field filters | (1 AND 2) OR 3 |
| Cross filters | Records WITH or WITHOUT related child records | Accounts without opportunities |
| Row limit | Caps rows in an ungrouped report, with a sort order | Top 10 opportunities by amount |
Filter logic applies to field filters only, and you need at least one field filter before you can add it. Reports also respect record access: users only see rows they are allowed to see, so check sharing rules when two people get different totals from the same report.
From reports to dashboards
A dashboard shows several reports side by side as charts, tables and metrics. Trailhead's dashboard builder unit walks through it: open the Dashboards tab, click New Dashboard, name it, click + Widget, choose a source report and a chart type, then save.
- Joined reports and historical trend reports can't be used as a widget's source.
- A tabular report can feed a dashboard only if it has a row limit.
- The View Dashboard As setting decides whose data viewers see: a named person's, or each viewer's own. Choose deliberately, or people may see figures they couldn't open in the report itself.
Common Salesforce report mistakes
Most "wrong" reports come from the report type, the date filter, the Show Me filter or bad data, not from a bug.
- Wrong report type. An "Accounts with Opportunities" report hides accounts that have none; knowing how Salesforce objects relate helps you pick the right one. Use a cross filter or a different type when you need them.
- Hidden date filter. New reports often default to a narrow date range; check it before deciding data is missing.
- "My" instead of "All". The Show Me filter limits a report to your own records unless you change it.
- Duplicated totals. When the report type joins a parent to children, parent amounts can repeat on every child row.
- Reports in private folders. Save shared reports in a shared folder, or colleagues can't open the dashboard behind them.
- Bad data in, bad report out. Reports can't fix inconsistent picklists or missing values; clean data first, for example with Data Loader.
Getting help
Good reporting starts with clear questions; a Salesforce business analyst can turn them into report and dashboard requirements. Techila is a Salesforce Summit Partner. Our managed services team builds report types, reports and dashboards that leaders trust, and keeps them accurate as the org changes. For analysis beyond standard reports, see our Tableau services. Talk to us about your reporting.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a report in Salesforce?
Open the Reports tab from the App Launcher and click New Report. Choose a report type, click Start Report, add columns from the Fields panel, group rows on the Outline tab, set filters on the Filters tab, then click Save, name the report, and click Run.
What are the report formats in Salesforce?
There are four: tabular (a simple list, like a spreadsheet), summary (rows grouped with subtotals and charts), matrix (grouped by rows and columns), and joined (up to five blocks of data, each from its own report type, lined up by a common field).
What is a report type in Salesforce?
A report type is a template that decides which records and fields a report can use. Each has one primary object and can include related objects. Salesforce provides standard report types; admins create custom report types when the standard ones lack the objects or fields needed.
Why can't I see some records or fields in my report?
Usually for one of three reasons: the report type doesn't include that object or field, a filter such as the date range or Show Me filter is hiding the records, or your own access doesn't allow you to see them. Try the All Time date filter first, then check the report type.
Can I put any report on a dashboard?
No. Joined reports and historical trend reports can't be used as the source of a dashboard widget, and a tabular report can be used only if you limit the number of rows it returns. Grouped reports, such as summary reports, work well as dashboard sources.