Reporting and Dashboards
Report anatomy
Every Workfront report has a report type, a filter, a view (columns), a grouping, and optional prompts and chart settings. Report types determine which object is the base; you cannot mix unrelated objects in one report without a custom join or text-mode filtering. Filters decide which records appear, views decide which fields display, and groupings organize rows. Prompts let viewers change filters at runtime. Dashboards collect reports, calendars, and external content into a layout, and dashboard sharing is separate from report sharing.
Text mode and traps
Text mode exposes filter, view, and grouping logic that the standard builder cannot express. Common exam traps include filters that exclude blank values, OR conditions that need text-mode grouping, and reports that appear empty because the viewer lacks access to the underlying objects. Another trap is assuming a dashboard grants report access: a user who cannot run a report may see an error or blank area in the dashboard. Also watch report type changes, which can invalidate existing filters and views.
Worked example
A manager wants all projects where either the status is 'At Risk' or the planned completion date is past due. In the standard filter builder, adding two conditions usually creates an AND. Switch to text mode and wrap the conditions so the status condition and date condition are joined with OR. Rule of thumb: if a report returns fewer rows than expected, test the filter with 'is blank' and check sharing before rebuilding the report.