Salesforce reports are where overall business data are summed up, arranged, and presented. Reports can be presented in a myriad of ways. Salesforce has four main report formats: Tabular, Summary, Joined, and Matrix. In this post, the Matrix report format will be tackled in detail.
The Matrix Report Format
Matrix reports are used when two different types of data need to be summarized alongside each other. They’re used to check how one data dimension behaves against another one.
Matrix reports allows users to group unrelated records by rows and columns. It also presents the data in a table layout so it would be easy to check the various intersections between data groups. Graphic data representations, such as graphs, can also be inserted to the report. This report format can also be used in dashboards.
This report format is rarely used, unless the user requires complex data to be summarized and presented. A matrix report is often taxing and time-consuming to set-up, but it otherwise gives the most detailed view of the data.
An Overview of How to Create a Matrix Report
Salesforce reports are created through the Report Builder feature. This is accessed through the Reports tab > New Report. Matrix reports are created when users click on the Matrix option under the Format drop-down list.
Creating a matrix report requires the following:
- Choosing the objects that will be included in the report
- Aggregating the data by groups so that it can be plotted in a chart form
- Segmenting the groups into timeframes as necessary
- Add formulas, custom summary fields, charts and conditional highlighting as needed
Matrix Report Limitations
The Report Builder allows up to 20 rows to be displayed for matrix reports. Five formulas can be used in a single report, and up to 20 field filters can be utilized. Matrix reports can be integrated into dashboards, as opposed to tabular and summary reports.
To sum it up, matrix reports are used for complex data reporting that needs to view data groups from intersecting angles. This format maybe rarely used, but it’s one of the most comprehensive Salesforce report types.