If you’re using a CRM, It is inevitable that you’ll need to locate and report on data from the system. Those CRM reporting capabilities are where SugarCRM shines. This includes both easy-to-use filtering and a robust reporting module giving you flexibility to use your data as needed.

Filters

Any user can create a filter on any (Sidecar) list view. Filters are great because they are easy to use, so even non-technical users can quickly learn to create the filters they need. Filters also allow users to take advantage of the other features available on list views such as preview and inline editing. Users can even take actions against the results, such as: favorite, email, add to target list, mass update, recalculate values, merge, delete, and export. One limitation with filters is that you are not currently able to share filters with users, so each user must create their own filters.

Reports

Sugar’s Reporting module allows users to create and run reports. Over 100 pre-built reports are available to help new users get started, and there are no limits on the number of custom reports you can create. Four styles of reports are available, as discussed further below. Besides the style-specific features listed below, any report can be exported to PDF, scheduled to be automatically emailed to users, and shared with users – with their individual security access reflected in the report results. Run-Time Filters are a phenomenal way to add flexibility to your reports, by allowing users to modify the report criteria on the fly. However, run-time filters don’t work as well with dashboards or scheduled reports; in the dashboards or scheduled reports, the default filter value will always be used.

Rows and Columns Reports

Rows and Columns are most like the list view feature. Reports can leverage much more complex filters and Layouts, and Filters can leverage “AND & OR Groups” and “Run Time Filters.” Layouts and Filters can traverse module relationships. If needed, Fields on the Layout can be renamed. This report style is the only one that allows the report to exported as a CSV spreadsheet. When exporting to CSV, only fields in the Layout are exported. They can also be exported to PDF or scheduled to email PDF export.

Summation Reports & Summation Details

Summation and Summation with Details report styles both help you visualize your data with a bar, pie, funnel, or line chart. Summation reports stay high-level, so they are great for summarizing large groups of data and generating a quick chart for dashboards. Summation with Details reports allow you to see not only the big picture but also the details of the individual data points that are included in the report, blending the summary capabilities with a spreadsheet-style view.

Matrix Report

A Matrix report is beneficial when comparing data across two categories like a pivot table. Like a Summation report, this report style is aimed at higher-level analysis and can help you find trends for how two factors might be influencing each other.