Custom Report Types let you build reports across object combinations Salesforce doesn't ship as standard — "Accounts with Cases AND with Opportunities," "Custom Object A with related Custom Object B with related Account." Define the object relationships once; report builders use them as templates.
- Open Setup → Report Types
Setup gear → Quick Find: Report Types → Report Types.
- Click New Custom Report Type
Top-right of the list.
- Pick the Primary Object
The starting point of the report. All other objects are related-via.
- Set Report Type Label, Name, Description, Category
Category drives where the report type appears in the New Report picker.
- Pick Deployment Status: In Development / Deployed
In Development = only admins can use. Deployed = visible to all profiles per their permissions. Stage in Development first, then flip.
- Save → click Edit Layout to add related objects
Up to 4 levels deep of related objects. Each level: "With X" / "With or Without X." "With or Without" includes orphan parents.
- Drag fields from each object onto the field layout
Only fields you drag into the layout are available to report builders. Default fields are pre-included — drag custom ones.
- Save
Report Type is now available. Builders can pick it via New Report → Custom Report Types.
Starting object. Locked after Save.
With X / With or Without X. Drives joins.
In Development (admin-only) / Deployed (everyone).
Which fields are exposed. Drag-and-drop.
- Primary Object is locked after Save. To change the report type's starting object, you must recreate.
- "With or Without" related objects make the join an outer join. Reports can show parents with no related records — easy to misread ("why are these Accounts showing zero Opps?").
- Field Layout exposure is the gate for what report builders can include. A field exists in Object Manager but isn't on the report layout — builders can't add it. Add fields to the layout when first creating the report type.