The Ultimate Guide to Salesforce Reports and Dashboards for Admins

Salesforce Reports and Dashboards are among the most powerful tools in the platform for analyzing data and making informed business decisions. But many admins only scratch the surface of what’s possible.

In this guide, we’ll cover how to create, optimize, and manage reports and dashboards, from basic concepts to advanced tricks that drive user adoption and actionable insights.

Why Reports and Dashboards Matter

Salesforce holds a treasure trove of data. Reports and dashboards let you:

• Visualize performance across teams and KPIs
• Enable data-driven decisions
• Identify trends and bottlenecks
• Provide transparency and accountability

For Admins, they are essential to demonstrating the value of the platform to end users and stakeholders.

Types of Salesforce Reports

There are four main report types, each suited for different needs.

1. Tabular Reports

• Simple rows and columns
• Best for exporting lists
• Cannot use charts or groupings

2. Summary Reports

• Group rows by fields (e.g., by Stage or Owner)
• Add subtotals and totals
• Great for pipeline or sales analysis

3. Matrix Reports

• Group by rows and columns
• Ideal for comparing performance across two dimensions (e.g., Product vs Region)

4. Joined Reports

• Combine data from multiple report types
• Useful for multi-object insights (e.g., Accounts with Opportunities and Cases)

Creating a Custom Report Type

Sometimes standard report types don’t show what you need. Build a Custom Report Type (CRT) to bridge the gap.

Steps:

1. Go to Setup → Report Types
2. Click New Custom Report Type
3. Choose Primary and Related Object(s)
4. Set report category and deployment status
5. Add fields via the layout editor

Building Powerful Reports

Best Practices:

• Use filters like relative dates (e.g., LAST 30 DAYS)
• Group by fields that matter (e.g., Owner, Stage, Region)
• Add summary formulas for dynamic metrics (e.g., conversion rate, average deal size)
• Leverage bucket fields to classify data without changing the source

Example: Lead Conversion Report

• Report Type: Leads with Converted Information
• Grouped by: Lead Source
• Summary Field: Count of Converted Leads
• Formula Field: Conversion Rate = Converted Leads / Total Leads

Dashboards: Visualizing Your Reports

Dashboards bring reports to life. They offer charts, tables, gauges, and metrics in a single interface.

Dashboard Components:

• Chart: Pie, bar, donut, line
• Gauge: Show progress toward a goal
• Metric: Single data point like total revenue
• Table: Detailed row-level display

Each component is powered by a report and can be filtered by up to three global filters.

Tips for Building Effective Dashboards

1. Design for the Audience

Executives want KPIs; Sales wants pipeline stages; Support wants open vs closed cases.

2. Use Dynamic Dashboards

Show data as the current user without creating multiple dashboards.

3. Limit to Essential KPIs

Avoid clutter. Focus on 5–7 metrics per dashboard.

4. Schedule Dashboard Refreshes

Send snapshots to leadership weekly or monthly.

Advanced Features Every Admin Should Know

1. Cross Filters

Show only records with or without related records.

Example: Accounts WITHOUT Opportunities

2. Row-Level Formulas

Calculate values per row in a report without modifying the database.

Example: Amount / NumberOfEmployees__c

3. Report Subscriptions

Let users subscribe to receive reports via email on a set schedule with conditions.

Pro Tip: Use filters like “My Teams” to personalize results.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Folder Management and Access

Structure your report folders to match your org hierarchy or use case:

• Sales
• Marketing
• Operations
• Leadership

Set folder-level access via public groups, roles, or individual users.

Real-World Use Case: Sales Leadership Dashboard

Goal: Provide executives with a weekly view of sales performance.

Components:

• Open Opportunities by Stage (bar chart)
• Closed Won by Rep (horizontal bar)
• Win Rate % (gauge)
• Top 5 Deals This Month (table)
• Opportunities Created Last 30 Days (metric)

Add filters for Region or Product Line.

Monitoring Report and Dashboard Usage

As an Admin, you should track usage to refine what’s effective.

Tools:

• Report Usage Reports
• Dashboard Subscriptions Logs
• Field Usage Reports (to clean unused fields)

These help ensure reports and dashboards are aligned with actual user needs.

Conclusion

Salesforce Reports and Dashboards are essential tools for Admins to empower users and unlock the full value of their data. By mastering these tools, you elevate not just your own skillset—but your entire org’s decision-making capabilities.

Ready to build your first executive dashboard? Check out our downloadable template or comment below with your use case!