Report versus report type
Key Takeaway
You choose the report type first, because it decides what data is available. The report then decides what to show from that data.
A report type is a template that decides which records and fields a report can use. A report is what you build on top of a report type, and it can only show data that its report type makes available.
Report type versus report
A report type is based on the relationships between a primary object and its related objects. Each report type has one primary object and can optionally include related objects.
A report is a list of records, such as opportunities or accounts, that meet the criteria you define. A report can also do these things:
- Filter records
- Group records
- Summarize records and do math on them
- Display the results in a chart