Quick answers to key questions

Here are short answers to the questions that come up most often. Use them as a starting point and add your own project example when you answer in an interview.

Reports

• What is a report type? A report type defines which objects, related objects and fields are available in a report. Salesforce provides standard report types, and admins can create custom report types for custom objects or for a specific set of relationships.
• Why can I not see an object while creating a report? Usually there is no report type for that object yet, or your user does not have access to the object. For a custom object, check that reports are allowed on it and that a custom report type is created and deployed.
• What are the report formats? Tabular (a simple list), Summary (rows grouped by one or more fields), Matrix (grouped by rows and columns) and Joined (several blocks in one report).
• What are Joined Reports and when do you use them? A joined report shows several blocks of data from different report types in one place. Use it when you want to compare related data side by side, for example Opportunities and Cases for the same Accounts.
• What is a bucket field? A bucket field groups the values of a report column into categories without creating a formula or a custom field. For example, you can bucket Amount into Small, Medium and Large deals.
• What is a report folder? A folder stores reports and controls who can view, edit or manage them. Sharing a folder shares all reports inside it.
• Standard and custom report types? Standard report types are created by Salesforce for standard objects and common relationships. Custom report types are built by admins to control the objects, the relationship and the field layout.
• How do you subscribe to a report? Open the report, choose Subscribe, set the schedule and any conditions, and Salesforce emails you the results when the conditions are met.
• What are good practices for reports? Use clear names, filter early, show only the columns you need, keep reports in organised folders, and avoid heavy filters on very large objects so the report loads quickly.

Dashboards

• What is a dashboard? A dashboard is a visual view of data from source reports. Each component is based on one report.
• Dashboard and dynamic dashboard? A regular dashboard shows data as seen by one fixed running user, so every viewer sees the same numbers. A dynamic dashboard runs as the logged-in user, so each person sees only the data they have access to.
• What are the dashboard components? Charts (bar, line, pie, donut, funnel and scatter), gauges, metrics and tables.
• How many components can one dashboard have? Up to 20 components.
• A dashboard is not loading data properly. How do you troubleshoot? First open and run each source report to check that it works. Then check the running user, the folder and report access, the filters on the dashboard and the components, and refresh the dashboard. If a report is very large or slow, narrow its filters.