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Full Matrix Report entry
How-to guide

Build a Matrix Report in Lightning Report Builder

Matrix Report creation is a drag-and-drop task in the Report Builder. The work is picking the right groupings and the right aggregation.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Founder & Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated May 21, 2026

Matrix Report creation is a drag-and-drop task in the Report Builder. The work is picking the right groupings and the right aggregation.

  1. Open Report Builder

    Click Reports tab, New Report. Pick the report type matching the source data (Opportunities with Account, Cases with Contacts, etc.).

  2. Switch to Matrix format

    In the Report Builder, click Format dropdown, pick Matrix. The canvas changes to a cross-tab layout.

  3. Drag the row grouping

    From the Fields panel, drag the field to use as Row Groupings (Region, Owner Role, Industry).

  4. Drag the column grouping

    Drag the field for Column Groupings (Quarter, Month, Stage, Lead Source).

  5. Pick the aggregation field and function

    Drag the metric field (Amount, Quantity) and pick the function (SUM, COUNT, AVG).

  6. Add filters and save

    Restrict to relevant records with filters. Add a chart if useful. Save the report with a descriptive name.

Mandatory fields
Report Typerequired

Selects the source object and related-object joins.

Row Groupingsrequired

The first dimension that appears down the side.

Column Groupingsrequired

The second dimension that appears across the top.

Aggregation field and functionrequired

The metric computed per cell.

Filtersrequired

Scope the report to relevant records.

Gotchas
  • Matrix reports get slow on high-volume objects. Add aggressive filters; consider Reporting Snapshots or CRM Analytics for very large data sets.
  • Two grouping dimensions are the limit per axis. Deeper nesting needs Joined Reports or analytics tools.
  • Field-level security applies. Users see only fields they have access to; matrix cells with restricted fields render blank.
  • Charts on matrix reports look different from charts on summary reports. Test the chart type against the data before committing.

See the full Matrix Report entry

Matrix Report includes the definition, worked example, deep dive, related terms, and a quiz.