# Report builder

> Build a report from metrics, breakdowns, and filters, choose how it's shown, and set its date range, comparison, and currency.

Breadcrumb: Analytics › Report builder · Updated: 2026-10-17
Docs index: https://docs.cevoid.com/llms.txt

The report builder is where you build and explore reports. A report is one or more metrics, up to two breakdowns, any filters, and a visualization, over a date range. One builder covers UGC, loyalty program, profile, sales, and widget metrics, all in the same list. Reviews has no metrics in the builder: review numbers are on [Reviews → Overview](https://app.cevoid.com/reviews).

Navigate to [Analytics → Reports](https://app.cevoid.com/analytics/reports) and click **Create report** to start a new report, or open any report to explore it.

| Part of the page | What it holds |
| --- | --- |
| Toolbar | Date range, comparison, currency, and the save buttons |
| Chart | The chart, with the table under it |
| Sidebar | The **Insights** and **Funnel** tabs, then **Data** (**Metrics** and **Breakdown**), **Visualization**, and **Filters** |

The **Insights** tab builds every report type except funnels. To build a funnel, see [Funnel reports](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/reporting/funnels.md).

You can change any report in the builder, default reports included. To keep your changes, save them: see [Reports](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/reporting/reports.md#save-changes-to-a-report).

## Choose metrics

1. Click **Add** next to **Metrics**
2. Select a category, such as **UGC** or **Sales**, and a group, such as **Posts performance**. Or search with _Search metrics..._.
3. Select one or more metrics. Hover a metric to see what it measures, its unit, and any setup it needs.
4. Click **Apply**

Metrics that can't be combined with your selection are disabled, with the reason. Metrics combine when they come from the same data: all _Posts performance_ metrics combine with each other, for example, but not with _Membership & tiers_ metrics.

The report builder charts one metric at a time, marked **Y-axis**. Every selected metric is a column in the table.

- **Change the charted metric:** click another metric in the sidebar
- **Reorder metrics:** drag them. The order is the column order in the table.
- **Remove a metric:** click the **x** next to it. Removing the last metric also clears the breakdowns and filters.

A warning icon next to a metric means it needs setup: click it to open [Report requirements](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/setup/report-requirements.md). An info icon means the metric's data starts after the start of your date range: see [Data and limits](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/how-it-works/data-and-limits.md#when-data-starts).

All metrics are listed in [UGC analytics](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/metrics/ugc-analytics.md), [Loyalty program analytics](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/metrics/loyalty-analytics.md), [Sales analytics](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/metrics/sales-analytics.md), and [Profile analytics](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/metrics/profile-analytics.md).

## Add breakdowns

A breakdown splits each metric into rows, such as one row per day or per widget. A report takes up to two.

1. Click **Add** next to **Breakdown**
2. Select a breakdown, or search with _Search dimensions..._
3. Click **Add** again to add a second breakdown

The first breakdown is the chart's horizontal axis, or the rows of the table, marked **X-axis**. The second splits it into colored series, marked **Color**. Drag the breakdowns to swap them. On line and area charts, _Date_ always takes the horizontal axis.

Breakdowns that none of your metrics support are disabled. A breakdown that only some of your metrics support shows `-` for the others. See [How metrics work](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/metrics.md#how-breakdowns-work).

### Break down by time

When you add **Time**, you choose how to group dates:

| Option | Groups data by |
| --- | --- |
| **Day**, **Week**, **Month**, **Quarter**, **Year** | Calendar periods, in order |
| **Day of week** | Monday to Sunday, across the whole date range |
| **Week of year** | ISO week number, 1 to 53 |
| **Month of year** | January to December, across the whole date range |

To change the grouping, remove the time breakdown and add it again.

**Day of week**, **Week of year**, and **Month of year** only display correctly in bar charts, and they aren't available for running totals and lifetime metrics, such as _Total posts_. Weeks start on the day set in your workspace settings: see [Workspace settings](https://docs.cevoid.com/workspace/workspace-settings.md).

## Add filters

1. Click **+ Filter**
2. Select the field to filter on, or search with _Search filters..._
3. Select the condition, such as **is** or **is any of**, and the values

To add several conditions on the same field, select the field again. All conditions apply together. A filter only narrows the metrics that support it: the others stay unfiltered.

## Choose a visualization

Select a visualization under **Visualization** in _Display_.

| Group | Visualization | Use it for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Linear | **Line chart** | Trends over time |
| Linear | **Area chart** | Volume over time |
| Bar charts | **Simple vertical** | Comparing categories |
| Bar charts | **Stacked vertical** | Showing what makes up each bar |
| Bar charts | **Grouped vertical** | Comparing series side by side |
| Basic display | **Metric** | One number per metric, up to 4 metrics |
| Basic display | **Table** | Every row and column |
| Basic display | **List by dimension** | A ranked list, with 1 or 2 metrics |
| Basic display | **Donut** | How one metric divides into parts |

With **Recommended** on, the report builder picks the visualization that fits your data, and changes it as you change the data. New reports start with **Recommended** on. Selecting a visualization yourself turns it off.

Every visualization stays selectable. If one doesn't fit your data, its description says why, and the chart shows one metric and the first breakdown. Two combinations show a message instead of a chart:

- **Line chart** and **Area chart** need a _Date_ breakdown: "Time dimension is needed"
- **Day of week**, **Week of year**, and **Month of year** need a bar chart: "Bar chart required"

Metrics that can be negative, such as _Post movements_, can't use area charts, stacked bars, or donuts.

## Set the date range

New reports show the last 90 days. To change the range, click the date range in the toolbar, choose a range, and click **Apply**.

| Option | Shows |
| --- | --- |
| **Today**, **Yesterday**, **Last 90 days**, **Last 12 months** | Quick choices |
| **Last** | The last number of days, weeks, months, quarters, or years. Select **Include today** (or this week, month, quarter, or year) to add the current period |
| **Since** | From a start date up to today |
| **Period to date** | The current week, month, quarter, or year so far |
| **Previous period** | The last complete week, month, quarter, or year |
| **Future** | From today forward |
| **Window** | A number of days, weeks, or months before and after today |
| **Custom range** | Any start and end date. You can type dates such as "today" or "30 days ago" |

**Future** and **Window** are only available when every selected metric supports future dates, such as _Points balance_ and _Pending points_. Dates can go up to 2 years ahead. A range that starts more than 24 months back shows "Data unavailable for selected date".

The date range is saved with the report. It doesn't carry over to other reports.

## Compare with the previous period

Select **Comparison: Previous period** in the toolbar. Each value then shows next to the value for the period just before, of the same length. Line charts draw both periods, and the table shows the previous value under each current value. The totals row shows **% Change**.

Funnels don't support comparison. Area charts, stacked bars, and donuts don't draw it, but the table still shows it.

## Choose the currency

When a report has a money metric, such as _Order value_, the toolbar shows **Currency**. Select a currency to show every amount in it. The default is your workspace's primary currency, and the currency you select is saved with the report.

## Read the chart

- **Title:** the charted metric and the first breakdown, such as "Post clicks by Widget"
- **Headline value:** the total or average for the whole date range, above line, area, and bar charts
- **Legend:** shown when color stands for a second breakdown. Click an item to hide or show it.
- **Today:** when the range includes the current day, week, or month, the last period is drawn differently and marked "Incomplete period", because it isn't over yet
- **Data start:** a dashed line marks the date a metric's data starts, when that's inside your range

Hover a table row to highlight it in the chart.

## Use the table

The table shows your breakdowns first, then every selected metric. A row with no value for a breakdown shows "(not set)".

- **Sort:** click a column header. Sorting is saved with the report, and it also decides which items the chart shows.
- **Totals:** the first row shows the total or average for each metric
- **Top items:** under a breakdown's column header, choose how many items the chart shows, such as "Top 10". Under _Remaining items_, choose **Hide**, **Group** (an "Other" row), or **Show in table**.
- **Two breakdowns:** with the **Table** visualization, **Nested** groups rows under the first breakdown with subtotals, and **Flat** shows one row per combination

Charts show the top 10 items by default, up to 50. Tables show the top 100. For how many rows a report can return, see [Data and limits](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/how-it-works/data-and-limits.md#report-limits).

## Refresh the data

The header shows **Last refreshed** with the time the data was loaded. Click the refresh icon next to it to load the latest data. The report builder doesn't update on its own while a report is open.

## Troubleshooting

| Message | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| "Not enough data" | The report has no rows for this range and selection. Widen the date range, or check the metric's setup |
| "This combination is not supported." | Change the metrics or breakdowns. The message says which part doesn't fit |
| A requirement "must be enabled for this report", such as "Session tracking must be enabled for this report" | The charted metric needs setup. Click **Set up** |
| "The query timed out. Try a shorter date range or fewer breakdowns." | Shorten the date range, or remove a breakdown, then click **Retry** |
| "Analytics is temporarily unavailable. Try again shortly." | Wait a moment, then click **Retry** |

## Related articles

- [Reports](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/reporting/reports.md)
- [How metrics work](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/metrics.md)
- [Funnel reports](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/reporting/funnels.md)
- [Dashboards](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/reporting/dashboards.md)
- [Analytics glossary](https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/how-it-works/glossary.md)

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Canonical: https://docs.cevoid.com/analytics/reporting/report-builder