Reports versus report types versus dashboards
Key Takeaway
A report type decides which data is available, a report asks a specific question of that data, and a dashboard shows the answers from one or more reports visually.
Reports, report types, and dashboards are three layers of Salesforce analytics that build on each other. Knowing which layer does what tells you where to look when a field, a record, or the right data is missing.
The three layers
| Layer | What it is | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Report type | A template | Decides which records and fields are available |
| Report | A filtered, grouped, and summarized list of records built from one report type | Asks a specific question of the available data |
| Dashboard | A visual page of widgets | Shows the answers from one or more reports visually |