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Can you imagine a world without data? From your wishlist items in a shopping app to your phone’s contact book, every stored information is a form of data.
Without it, there is no way to keep track of things in today’s tech-savvy world. This importance of data has given rise to analytics, which is a method of tracking and using data for predictions and optimizations in almost every industry. One such analytical method popular among Salesforce professionals is Salesforce Report.
Like any other report, it gives insight into an organization’s data, handpicking only the required objects. While admins are usually responsible for creating reports, it is equally essential for business users to learn the feature, as it is applicable in various use cases.
So, let’s explore how you can sort and analyze your data using reports.
What is a Salesforce Report?
A comprehensive list of records that fit the parameters you specify is called a Salesforce report. Users of any Salesforce org may examine data and make wise business decisions with the aid of reports. It can show data in graphic charts and tabular formats depending on the type of report you choose. Every report is kept in a folder that may be shared, hidden, or made public by simply changing the settings.
Types of Salesforce Reports
There are four Salesforce Report Types that can make sorting more accessible for you.
- Tabular Reports are the most fundamental and straightforward reports. They resemble spreadsheets in that they provide data in rows and columns, making them perfect for jobs like building mailing lists of contacts.
- Summary reports are helpful for reports like sales totals per team since they let users aggregate data by rows and provide subtotals.
- Matrix reports allow data to be organized by both rows and columns, which is helpful for comparing related totals and analyzing vast volumes of data, including sales performance by product and location.
- Joined reports are helpful for reviewing data from various report kinds side by side, such as sales and service metrics combined. They bring together many reports into a single view.
Read More:
What is Salesforce? A Comprehensive Guide for 2024
Steps to Create a Salesforce Report
Creating a report is relatively easy in both the classic and lightning versions of Salesforce.
Step 1: Log in to your Salesforce account and click on the “Reports” tab in the navigation bar.
Step 2: Click on the “New Report” button.
| BONUS TIP you can easily CREATE A CUSTOM REPORT IN SALESFORCE with desired objects by following these steps: 1. Click New Custom Report Type. 2. Define the primary object as the focus for this report type. 3. Name your report type and add a description. 4. Select the category for your custom report type. 5. Specify the status for your custom report type: deployed or in development. 6. Define other objects related to your primary object within this custom report type. You can add up to 4 objects in total. In the end, click Save, and you’ll see the information for your custom report type. |
Step 3: Choose Report Type
Select the appropriate report type based on the data you want to analyze (e.g., Accounts, Opportunities). Click on “Continue” once you have chosen your desired type.
Step 4: Add Filters
Use the left panel to add filters to your report, such as date ranges or specific criteria. You can also adjust the filters to narrow down the data to your desired specifics.
Step 5: Group Rows/Columns (if applicable)
In the case of summary and matrix reports, you can group your data by dragging fields into the “Group Rows” or “Group Columns” area.
Step 6: Add columns using the drag-and-drop feature from the left panel to the report preview area and click the “Run” button to view the results of your report.
Step 7: Save the Report
Click on the “Edit” button and proceed to add a name to your report. Select the folder where it will be saved and click “Save” to finalize.
How to Delete and Edit a Salesforce Report?
There are two main ways to delete a report in Salesforce.
First, you can delete it directly from the Reports tab by navigating to “Reports” in the Navigation Bar, clicking the Arrow Down button next to the report you want to remove, and selecting “Delete.”
Alternatively, you can delete a report from its run page by clicking the Arrow Down button there and select “Edit.” In the dropdown menu, you will find the option to “Delete”.
How to Share a Report in Salesforce?
To share a report in Salesforce, follow these steps:
Step 1: Go to the “Reports” tab from the Navigation Bar.
Step 2: Click on the name of the report you want to share.
Step 3: Once the report is open, look for the “Share” button. This is usually located at the top right of the report page.
Step 4: Click on the “Share” button. A sharing window will appear.
Step 5: In the sharing window, you can select how you want to share the report. You can share it with:
- Users – Specific users within your Salesforce organization.
- Roles – Users assigned to specific roles.
- Public Groups – Predefined groups of users.
- Manager Groups – Managers and their direct reports.
Step 6: Set Permissions and specify the level of access you want to grant:
- Viewer – Can view the report but cannot edit it.
- Editor – Can view and edit the report.
Step 7: Click the “Share” button in the sharing window to finalize the report and send it to the selected recipients.
After sharing, the recipients will receive a notification, and the report will be accessible according to the permissions you set.
By following these steps, you can easily share your Salesforce reports with colleagues and teams, ensuring that everyone has access to the data and insights they need.
Uses of Salesforce Reports
Using Salesforce’s reports feature, gathering sales lead data or account information becomes simpler. Although the reports feature is limited in functionality, they are good enough for everyday business use. Here are some of the benefits of Salesforce reporting.
1. Performance Tracking
Salesforce reporting allows companies to efficiently track the success of their customer care, marketing, and sales teams. Organizations may determine what is working well and what needs to be improved by monitoring important indicators like sales income, lead conversions, and case resolutions. This ongoing observation ensures that groups are accomplishing their objectives and contributing to the company’s success as a whole.
2. Data Analysis
Analyzing customer data through reports allows businesses to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement. This detailed analysis will help you make data-driven decisions that can enhance your business strategies. For instance, companies can identify which products are performing well, understand customer preferences, and adjust their marketing strategies accordingly.
3. Forecasting
Reports use historical data to predict future sales, identify potential hurdles, and make informed decisions about resource allocation. Accurate forecasting helps businesses plan better for the future, ensuring they have the right resources in place to meet demand and avoid potential pitfalls.
4. Compliance and Auditing
Ensuring compliance with industry regulations is crucial for any business. You can generate detailed documentation of business activities, helping organizations track and prove their compliance with various rules using reports. This capability is handy during audits, as it provides a clear and organized record of all necessary information.
5. Operational Efficiency
Salesforce reporting can help businesses improve their processes by identifying inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Detailed data analysis can reveal where operations can be streamlined, resources reallocated, or processes improved, leading to increased efficiency and productivity.
6. Customized Insights
Different departments within an organization have unique needs and goals. Reports can be customized to provide tailored insights for various departments, such as finance, HR, or operations. These personalized reports ensure that each department receives relevant information that drives its specific performance and strategic objectives.
Conclusion
Reporting is an effective measure to analyze data and make decisions for the future. Creating reports in Salesforce is quite simple and can be done by administrators or members with permission to create reports. These reports provide valuable data that companies can utilize to ensure compliance, meet strategic objectives, foster growth, enhance operations, increase productivity, and ensure growth—all of which eventually contribute to the overall performance and long-term viability of the firm. Learn more about reports and dashboards through our comprehensive Salesforce Admin Training!
