Using the Report Builder Interface

The Report Builder provides a modern, intuitive interface for creating and configuring reports  and comprehensive field selection capabilities. This interface enables users to build complex reports spanning multiple entities while maintaining ease of use for both simple and sophisticated analytical requirements.

Requirements

To use the Report Builder interface, users must be assigned a security role with the following permissions:

All Entities, Report (system): Read and Create for accessing the Report Builder and creating new reports

All Entities, Folder (system): Read for accessing folder structures and report organization

Read permissions for Report Source Entities to view and select fields from entities included in reports

Tab Settings, Reports: On and App Settings: App with Reports Tab must be Visible for interface access

Accessing the Report Builder

Creating New Reports

Method 1: Through Reports Module

1. Navigate to the Reports tab in your portal
2. Click New in the upper right corner
3. Select New Report from the dropdown menu
4. Choose the primary entity or entities for your report data source
5. Click Create Report to launch the Report Builder interface

Method 2: Through Entity Reports

1. Access the Choose Report Type interface when creating reports
2. Browse Entity Reports section for available entity combinations
3. Select the appropriate entity configuration for your analytical requirements
4. Click Create Report to open the Report Builder with pre-selected entity configuration

Report Builder Interface Overview

Left Panel - Fields Hierarchy: The Fields panel displays available entities and their fields in an expandable tree structure. Primary entities appear at the top level with related entities shown as sub-sections when relationships exist through lookup or master-detail connections.

Main Area - Report Configuration: The central workspace shows report results in real-time as configuration changes are made. This area displays both the report format indicator (Tabular Format or Summary Format) and the actual data presentation.

Top Controls - Configuration Options: Header controls include Date Field selection, Range configuration, From/To date pickers, and action buttons for Save, Close, Run Report, and Report Properties access.

Fields Panel Navigation and Configuration

Entity Hierarchy and Field Selection

Primary Entity Fields: The main entity section contains all standard and custom fields available for report inclusion. Fields are organized by type with icons indicating field types such as text, number, date, lookup, and formula fields.

Related Entity Sections: When the primary entity has lookup or master-detail relationships, related entities appear as expandable sections within the Fields panel. These sections are labeled with the relationship name and entity type for clear identification.

Field Type Indicators: Visual icons distinguish different field types including text fields, number fields, date fields, lookup relationships, formula fields, and system fields to guide appropriate field selection for analytical requirements.

Cross-Entity Field Access: Users can access fields from related entities up to three relationship levels deep, enabling comprehensive analysis across complex business object hierarchies while maintaining query performance and system responsiveness.

Right-Click Context Menu Functionality

Add to Report: Right-clicking any field provides the "Add to Report" option that immediately includes the selected field as a column in the report display. This action updates the report preview in real-time without requiring separate configuration steps.

Add as Filter: The "Add as Filter" option creates a new filter condition based on the selected field, opening a filter configuration dialog that enables precise data segmentation using various operators and value selection methods.

Group by this field: Selecting "Group by this field" converts the report from Tabular Format to Summary Format, organizing data by the selected field values and enabling aggregation functions for statistical analysis and executive reporting.

Context-Sensitive Options: The context menu adapts based on field type and current report configuration, ensuring that only appropriate actions are available for each field type and analytical scenario.

Date Field Configuration and Range Selection

Date Field Selection Process

Primary Date Field Configuration: The Date Field dropdown in the header controls allows selection of any date or date-time field from the primary entity or related entities, providing flexibility for temporal analysis based on different business milestones and process dates.

Cross-Entity Date Fields: When reports include multiple entities, date fields from all related entities become available for filtering, enabling complex temporal analysis such as filtering Opportunities by Account creation dates or Cases by Contact last activity dates.

Multiple Date Field Support: Reports can filter on different date fields for different analytical purposes, though the primary date field selection in the header controls the main temporal filtering for the entire report configuration.

Comprehensive Range Options

Fiscal Period Selections:

• Fiscal Year: Last Fiscal Year, This Fiscal Year, Next Fiscal Year
• Fiscal Quarter: Last Quarter, This Quarter, Next Quarter
• Fiscal Month: Individual fiscal month selections based on organizational fiscal calendar

Calendar Period Selections:

• Calendar Year: Last Year, This Year, Next Year
• Calendar Month: Last Month, This Month, Next Month
• Day Selections: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow for daily operational reporting

Predefined Range Options:

• Recent Periods: Last 7 Days, Last 30 Days, Last 90 Days for trend analysis
• Future Periods: Next 7 Days, Next 30 Days, Next 90 Days for forecasting and planning
• All Time: Complete historical data access without temporal restrictions

Custom Date Range Configuration: Selecting "Custom" in the Range dropdown enables specific From and To date selection using calendar interfaces, providing precise temporal control for unique analytical requirements and custom reporting periods.

Report Format Understanding and Control

Automatic Format Switching

Tabular Format Behavior: Reports display in Tabular Format when no grouping is applied, showing individual records in a traditional table structure with each row representing a single entity record and selected fields as columns.

Summary Format Transition: When grouping is applied using "Group by this field" functionality, reports automatically switch to Summary Format, displaying aggregated data organized by grouping criteria with count totals and summarization options.

Format Indicator Display: The interface clearly displays the current format (Tabular Format or Summary Format) above the report results, providing immediate feedback about the current analytical view and data organization approach.

Real-Time Format Updates: Format changes occur immediately when grouping is added or removed, enabling users to switch between detailed record analysis and summary-level insights without losing report configuration or requiring interface navigation.

Grouping Configuration and Management

Single Field Grouping: Applying grouping to one field organizes data by unique values within that field, automatically calculating record counts and providing expandable sections for each group value when appropriate.

Multiple Field Grouping: Sequential grouping creates nested hierarchies where data is organized by the first grouping field and then sub-organized by additional grouping fields, enabling sophisticated multi-dimensional analysis.

Grouping Field Management: Added grouping fields appear in a "Grouping Fields" section with options to modify sort order (ascending/descending) and remove grouping to return to Tabular Format presentation.

Date Field Grouping: When grouping by date fields, the system provides options for temporal grouping such as by day, month, quarter, or year, enabling time-based analysis and trend identification across different temporal granularities.

Filter Configuration and Data Segmentation

Basic Filter Creation

Filter Addition Process: Using "Add as Filter" from the right-click context menu opens a filter configuration dialog where users can specify field values, operators, and filter logic to segment report data according to analytical requirements.

Filter Operator Selection: Available operators include equals, not equals, greater than, less than, contains, does not contain, starts with, and does not start with, providing comprehensive filtering capabilities for different data types and analytical scenarios.

Value Selection Methods: Filter configuration supports direct value entry, dropdown selection for picklist fields, and lookup functionality for related entity values, ensuring appropriate value selection methods for different field types and business scenarios.

Advanced Filter Capabilities

Lookup Filter Functionality: For lookup fields, filter configuration provides search and selection interfaces that enable filtering based on related entity values, supporting complex cross-entity analysis and sophisticated data segmentation requirements.

Multiple Filter Management: Reports support multiple simultaneous filters with configurable logic (AND/OR operations) that enable precise data segmentation while maintaining query performance and user interface clarity.

Filter Logic Configuration: Complex filtering scenarios support custom logic combinations such as "(Filter 1 OR Filter 2) AND Filter 3" that enable sophisticated analytical requirements while maintaining system performance and user experience standards.

Cross-Entity Filtering: Filters can be applied to fields from related entities, enabling complex scenarios such as filtering Opportunities based on Account characteristics or Cases based on Contact attributes, leveraging entity relationships for comprehensive analysis.

Field Summarization and Aggregation

Summarization Function Access

Column Summarization Process: Clicking the dropdown arrow on any numeric field column header provides access to "Summarize this field" functionality that enables statistical analysis within report results without external calculation requirements.

Available Aggregation Functions:

• Sum: Total of all values in the selected column for mathematical aggregation
• Average: Mean value calculation across all records in the filtered dataset
• Max: Highest value identification within the selected field and data scope
• Min: Lowest value identification for baseline and threshold analysis

Multiple Summarization Support: Reports can include multiple summarization functions simultaneously, enabling comprehensive statistical analysis such as showing both sum and average values for different business metrics within a single analytical view.

Summarization Integration with Grouping

Group-Level Summarization: When reports use Summary Format with grouping, summarization functions calculate values within each group, providing subtotals and statistical analysis at each grouping level for hierarchical business intelligence.

Cross-Group Analysis: Summarization results enable comparison across different groups, supporting variance analysis and performance comparison that drives business decision-making and strategic planning processes.

Nested Group Calculations: Multi-level grouping with summarization provides calculations at each hierarchy level, enabling analysis such as totals by Account and sub-totals by Opportunity Stage within each Account for comprehensive business analysis.

Report Properties and Configuration Management

Report Properties Dialog Access

Properties Dialog Navigation: Clicking "Report Properties" in the interface header opens a comprehensive configuration dialog with settings for report identification, organization, and advanced configuration options.

Report Identification Configuration:

• Name: Descriptive report title for user identification and report library organization
• Unique Name: System identifier that must be unique across the portal instance
• Folder: Organizational location within the folder hierarchy for access control and content management

Advanced Configuration Options:

• Hide Filters: Checkbox option that simplifies report interface by hiding filter configuration from end users while maintaining analytical sophistication in report design
• Description: Optional text field for documenting report purpose, data sources, and usage guidelines

Report Organization and Management

Folder Assignment: Report Properties dialog enables folder selection that determines sharing permissions, organizational placement, and user access control through the hierarchical folder structure and permission system.

Report Lifecycle Management: Properties configuration supports report versioning, change documentation, and organizational standards that ensure consistent report library management and user experience across the portal implementation.

Access Control Integration: Report folder assignment integrates with folder-level sharing permissions, ensuring that report access aligns with organizational security requirements while enabling collaborative analysis and business intelligence sharing.

Best Practices and Optimization

Efficient Interface Usage

Field Selection Strategy: Begin with essential fields and add additional fields as analytical requirements become clear, maintaining report performance while ensuring comprehensive analysis capabilities and user interface clarity.

Relationship Navigation: Understand entity relationships before building complex cross-entity reports to ensure efficient field selection and optimal query performance across related business objects and data structures.

Filter Application Timing: Apply broad filters early in report configuration to limit data scope and improve interface responsiveness while building more complex analytical requirements and sophisticated business intelligence scenarios.

Performance and User Experience

Preview Utilization: Use real-time report preview to validate configuration changes immediately, ensuring that report modifications achieve intended analytical results without requiring full report execution and interface navigation.

Incremental Configuration: Build reports incrementally, starting with basic field selection and adding complexity through grouping, filtering, and summarization to maintain system performance while achieving sophisticated analytical requirements.

Save Strategy: Save report configurations frequently during development to preserve work and enable iterative development approaches that support complex business intelligence requirements and collaborative report development processes.

The Report Builder interface provides comprehensive capabilities for creating sophisticated business intelligence while maintaining ease of use through intuitive design and real-time feedback that supports both simple operational reporting and complex strategic analysis across Partner Portal and Customer Portal implementations.

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