Analytics and Reporting
Reporting questions test whether you can pick the right format, the right data source and the right sharing model. Know the four formats: tabular (a flat list, no grouping), summary (grouped rows with subtotals, up to three groupings in Lightning), matrix (grouped by both rows and columns, with a summarized cell), and joined (multiple report blocks combined on a shared key, useful for "accounts with opportunities but no activities").
Data source design matters more than formatting: choose a standard report type when one exists, otherwise a custom report type that defines the object relationships and includes the fields needed. Then apply filters, cross filters ("accounts without opportunities"), filter logic, bucketing for numeric or picklist ranges, row-level formulas for per-record calculations, and summary formulas for aggregates.
Dashboards visualize reports through components (chart, gauge, metric, table), honor the source report's filters, and support dynamic dashboards (view as the running user) and up to a limited number of dashboard filters. Sharing is governed by folders and their access settings - a trap when a user "can't see" a report they lack folder access to.
Advanced tools: Reporting Snapshots capture point-in-time metrics into a custom object for trends, Historical Trend Reporting tracks changes over time for configured objects, and CRM Analytics (Tableau CRM) is the answer for large-volume, multi-source, or predictive analytics rather than standard reports.
Traps: using a joined report where a cross filter suffices; expecting a summary formula to work on a joined report; assuming dashboards refresh instantly; expecting reporting on objects without a report type.
Worked example: "Show win rate by rep by quarter against a $50K threshold." Use a summary report on Opportunities, group by Owner then Close Date (quarter), bucket Amount at $50K, filter Stage = Closed, and add a summary formula for win rate.