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Mastering Salesforce Report Sharing: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you’ve crafted a brilliant report in Salesforce, brimming with actionable insights. Now what? Sharing it effectively is the key. Let’s cut to the chase: sharing a report in Salesforce involves several methods, each with its own advantages and use cases. These primarily include:

Sharing Folders: The most common and recommended approach. Place your report into a shared folder with appropriate permissions. This controls who can view, edit, or manage the report.
Subscription: Schedule automated report emails to be delivered to users or groups at specified intervals.
Exporting: Export the report data into a file format (CSV, Excel) and share the file directly.
URL Sharing: Generate a unique URL for the report (use with caution, as security implications may apply).
Embedded Dashboards: Embed the report as a component within a dashboard, which is then shared.

Choosing the right method depends on your specific needs and security considerations. Now, let’s dive deeper into each method and address some frequently asked questions.

Understanding Folder-Based Report Sharing

Shared Folders: The Foundation of Salesforce Report Security

The bedrock of report sharing in Salesforce lies in shared folders. Salesforce folders, like folders in your computer’s operating system, are a container for a list of related records. Folders can contain reports, dashboards, documents, or email templates. They are the primary mechanism for controlling who can access your reports.

Create or Choose a Folder: You can either create a new folder or use an existing one. When creating a new folder, consider its purpose and naming convention for easy identification. For example, “Sales Performance Reports” or “Marketing Campaign Analytics”.
Set Folder Permissions: This is where the magic happens. You’ll define who has access to the folder and the reports within it. Salesforce offers three permission levels:
- Viewer: Users can only view the reports.
- Editor: Users can view and edit the reports (including changing filters and columns).
- Manager: Users have full control, including deleting the folder and its contents, and changing permissions.
Place the Report in the Folder: Once the folder is created and permissions are set, move your report into the appropriate folder. Any user with access to the folder will now be able to see and interact with the report, based on their assigned permission level.
Assign Permissions: The sharing model can assign folder permissions to:
- Roles: Provides access to a record for all users assigned to a Role.
- Roles and Subordinates: Provides access to a record for all users assigned to a Role and the Roles subordinate to that role.
- Public Groups: Provides access to a record for all users assigned to a Public Group.
- Users: Provides access to a record for specific users.

When to Use Shared Folders

Shared folders are ideal for scenarios where you need to grant access to a group of users who need to regularly view or edit reports. They provide a centralized and secure way to manage report access.

Automating Report Delivery with Subscriptions

Scheduling Report Subscriptions: Stay Informed Automatically

Report subscriptions allow you to schedule automated report emails to be sent to specific users or groups. This is a great way to keep stakeholders informed without requiring them to log into Salesforce and manually run the report.

Subscribe to a Report: Open the report you want to subscribe to and click the “Subscribe” button (usually found in the top right corner).
Configure the Subscription:
- Frequency: Choose how often the report should be sent (daily, weekly, monthly).
- Time: Specify the time of day the email should be sent.
- Recipients: Select the users or groups who should receive the email.
- Format: Choose the format of the report attachment (CSV, Excel).
- Run Report As: Select the user context in which the report should be run. This determines which data the recipients will see.

Best Practices for Report Subscriptions

Avoid Overwhelming Recipients: Be mindful of the frequency and number of subscriptions you create. Too many emails can lead to recipients ignoring them.
Choose the Right Format: Consider the recipient’s needs when selecting the attachment format. CSV is suitable for data analysis, while Excel is better for presentation.
Run Report As Carefully: Carefully consider the “Run Report As” setting to ensure recipients see the appropriate data based on their access levels.

Exporting Report Data for External Sharing

Exporting Reports: Sharing Data Outside of Salesforce

Sometimes, you need to share report data with people who don’t have Salesforce access. In these cases, you can export the report into a file format like CSV or Excel.

Run the Report: Open the report and run it to ensure the data is up-to-date.
Export the Report: Click the “Export” button (usually found in the top right corner) and choose the desired file format.
Share the File: Share the exported file with the intended recipients via email, shared drive, or other methods.

Cautions When Exporting Data

Data Security: Be mindful of the sensitivity of the data you’re exporting. Ensure you’re following your organization’s data security policies.
Version Control: Clearly indicate the date and time the report was exported to avoid confusion with outdated versions.
Data Integrity: Remind recipients that the data is a snapshot in time and may not reflect the current state of the system.

Sharing Reports via URL and Embedded Dashboards

URL Sharing: A Quick but Risky Approach

Salesforce allows you to generate a unique URL for a report. Sharing this URL allows users with access to the URL and Salesforce org to view the report directly.

Security Concerns: This method should be used with caution, as anyone with the URL and access to the Salesforce org can potentially view the report. Ensure the report doesn’t contain sensitive information and that access to the org is properly controlled.
Finding the URL: The URL can typically be found in the address bar of your browser when viewing the report.

Embedding Reports in Dashboards: Visualizing Key Metrics

Reports can be embedded as components within dashboards. Sharing the dashboard effectively shares the underlying report data in a visually appealing and interactive format.

Create a Dashboard: If you don’t already have one, create a new dashboard.
Add a Report Component: Add a report component to the dashboard and select the report you want to display.
Configure the Component: Customize the component’s appearance and behavior to best present the report data.
Share the Dashboard: Share the dashboard with the appropriate users or groups using shared folders.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

FAQ 1: Can I share a report with someone who doesn’t have a Salesforce license?

Answer: No, direct access to the report within Salesforce requires a Salesforce license. However, you can export the report data to a file (CSV, Excel) and share that file.

FAQ 2: How do I ensure that users only see the data they are allowed to see in a shared report?

Answer: This is crucial! Use the “Run Report As” setting in report subscriptions and folder permissions with roles and profiles to control data visibility based on user roles and profiles. Consider implementing row-level security if you require more granular control.

FAQ 3: What’s the difference between a public and private report folder?

Answer: A public folder can be accessed by multiple users based on their profile or role, while a private folder is only accessible to the creator, or anyone the creator specifically grants access to. Public folders are recommended for broad report sharing.

FAQ 4: How do I prevent users from editing my reports?

Answer: When sharing a report folder, grant users “Viewer” access only. This will allow them to view the report but not make any changes.

FAQ 5: Can I track who has accessed a specific report?

Answer: Salesforce doesn’t natively provide detailed report access tracking. However, you can use event monitoring to capture user activity, including report views. This requires additional configuration and potentially additional licenses.

FAQ 6: What are the limitations of report subscriptions?

Answer: Report subscriptions have limitations on the number of recipients, the frequency of emails, and the size of the report attachment. Be aware of these limits and adjust your subscription settings accordingly. Too frequent report subscriptions can cause governor limits.

FAQ 7: How do I share a report with a large group of users?

Answer: The best approach is to create a public group and assign the appropriate users to it. Then, grant access to the report folder to the public group.

FAQ 8: Can I share a dashboard without sharing the underlying reports?

Answer: Technically, no. A dashboard relies on the underlying reports. To share a dashboard, you implicitly share the reports used in its components. Ensure the report folders are shared appropriately to control data access.

FAQ 9: How do I update report sharing settings when an employee leaves the company?

Answer: As part of the offboarding process, remove the user’s access to any shared report folders or subscriptions. Also, reassign ownership of any reports they created to another user.

FAQ 10: What is the difference between sharing a report folder and sharing a specific report?

Answer: Sharing a report folder grants access to all reports within that folder. Sharing a specific report (if even possible depending on org setup) only grants access to that single report. Sharing the report folder is the more common and often recommended method, allowing for better organization and management.

FAQ 11: How can I ensure that report subscriptions are compliant with data privacy regulations?

Answer: Ensure that the data included in the report is relevant and necessary for the recipients. Use the “Run Report As” setting to filter data based on the recipient’s access level. Follow your organization’s data privacy policies.

FAQ 12: What are some best practices for naming report folders?

Answer: Use clear, descriptive names that accurately reflect the contents of the folder. Follow a consistent naming convention across your organization. Examples: “Sales Team Performance,” “Marketing Campaign ROI,” “Customer Service Metrics.”