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User Guides•v1.0.0•4 min read

Reports & Data Charts Guide

Transform database records into dynamic visual charts, aggregate data series, and configure multi-dimensional query filters.

Reports allow you to transform your records into visual charts, making it easier to identify trends, compare values, and analyze your data. Because reports are built directly from your existing records, they automatically update as your data changes.

Whether you're tracking contacts created over time, opportunities by company, sales totals, or any other object in ValStorm, the Report Builder gives you complete control over what data is included and how it is displayed.

Unlike a simple charting tool, reports allow you to control both what data is returned and how that data is visualized, giving you a flexible way to analyze information across your organization.

1. Creating a Report

Reports are created just like any other record in ValStorm:

  1. Open the Reports object from the left navigation panel and click Create.
  2. Every report requires two pieces of information before it can begin displaying data:
    • Name – A descriptive name that makes the report easy to identify later.
    • Object – The object whose records will be analyzed (e.g., Contact, Opportunity, Ticket).
  3. As soon as an object is selected, the report automatically queries your database and displays an initial preview chart.

2. Navigating a Report

After a report has been created, there are three primary view tabs below the display toggles:

2.1 Chart Tab

The Chart tab is the default view and displays your queried data using the currently selected chart type. This is the primary visualization used while building and analyzing reports.

2.2 Table Tab

The Table tab displays every raw record returned by your report query. Rather than summarizing information into a chart, this view allows you to inspect the individual records that make up the visualization.

2.3 Details Tab

The Details tab displays the report record metadata itself, including permissions, owner, and timestamps.

3. Editing Reports & Live Preview

If you return to an existing report, most report settings can be modified immediately without entering edit mode. Changes made to filters, chart settings, fields, grouping, labels, and other report options update the live preview directly. Click Save to persist changes.

The Edit button in the page header is only required when changing the report's underlying Name or source Object.

4. Understanding the Chart Toolbar

Above every chart are display toggles that control visual presentation without modifying underlying data:

  • Legend: Master switch for all legend-related labels and positioning.
  • Bar Values: Displays exact numeric values directly above or inside bars (Bar Charts only).
  • Bar Colors: Simplifies appearance by hiding the legend key while preserving series colors on the bars.
  • Labels: Toggles visibility of configured chart titles, X-axis, and Y-axis labels.
  • Horizontal Lines: Toggles horizontal gridlines along the Y-axis.
  • Vertical Lines: Toggles vertical gridlines along the X-axis.

5. Filtering Your Data

To customize which records are included in the dataset:

  1. Click the Settings button and open the Filters tab.
  2. The visual Query Builder allows you to:
    • Select specific fields to query.
    • Add boolean filter conditions (AND / OR).
    • Apply custom sorting (ASC / DESC).
    • Set result limits and offsets.

6. Choosing a Chart Type & Field Aggregations

The Chart Type section determines how your data is visualized (e.g., Bar, Line, Pie, Donut, Area).

Field Calculations

Under the Fields accordion, click Edit beside any selected metric to choose how that field should be calculated:

  • Count: Each matching record contributes a value of 1.
  • Cumulative: Displays a running total over time.
  • Sum: Adds all numeric values within the group (e.g. Total Revenue).
  • Average: Calculates the arithmetic mean within each group.
  • Minimum / Maximum: Extracts the lowest or highest value in the group.

7. Grouping & Range Adjustments

  • Group By: Aggregate records by categorical fields (e.g., Company, Status, Owner) or date intervals (Year, Quarter, Month, Week, Day).
  • X / Y Range Sliders: Zoom in and focus on specific data bounds or value clusters without modifying the underlying database dataset.