Report groupings and date granularity in summary and matrix reports
Key Takeaway
In Lightning Report Builder, grouping by rows turns a report into a summary report, and grouping by both rows and columns turns it into a matrix report. For a date field, you pick a calendar period or a fiscal period under "Group Date By".
Grouping sorts report records into sets that share a field value, so you can see subtotals and totals for each set instead of a flat list. The groups you add decide whether a report is a summary report or a matrix report. When you group by a date field, you also choose whether its dates roll up into calendar periods or fiscal periods.
The three report formats
There are three report formats. The table shows what each one is and how you get it in Lightning Report Builder.
| Format | What it is | In Lightning Report Builder |
|---|---|---|
| Tabular | The default format. It's a simple list, like a spreadsheet. | It's what you have before you add any groups. |
| Summary | Groups and summarizes rows. | Grouping by rows turns a report into a summary report. |
| Matrix | Groups and summarizes by both row and column. | Grouping by both rows and columns turns a report into a matrix report. |
In Lightning Report Builder, you don't pick a format first. Instead, the format updates automatically as you add groups. The Salesforce Classic Report Builder works the other way around: you must choose a report format before you can group data.