Note: We're developing Reports (beta), an improved reporting feature with enhanced customization options and a more intuitive workflow. Some limitations mentioned in this guide will be addressed in that release.
Contact the Preql team for early access to Reports (beta).
Understanding reports: Key concepts
Before diving into report creation, it's helpful to understand two core concepts:
Metrics: The numbers you want to measure (e.g., Revenue, Order Count)
Dimensions: Ways to slice your data (e.g., by Product, by Region, by Date)
Important: Your fields are split between metrics and dimensions during the report creation process.
Creating a report
Getting started
Go to "Reports" from the left side navigation and click on "Create report".
Step 1 - Select your metrics
First, choose the metrics you want to include in your report:
Search or scroll through available data sources
Select one or multiple metrics from any data source
Check out the preview pane update to show a sample of your data
Tip: The metrics you select in this step will determine which dimensions are available in the next step.
Step 2 - Select your dimensions
After selecting metrics and clicking "Next", you'll choose dimensions:
Search or scroll through available dimensions
Select dimensions to add as columns in your report
⚠️ Important notes about dimensions
Available dimensions depend on your metric selection:
If you selected metrics from ONE data source: You'll see dimensions from that source plus time options
If you selected metrics from MULTIPLE data sources: You'll only see time options
Time dimensions are always available. This is because time dimensions control the granularity of your report (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) and are set as the primary column. You can change which date dimension this granularity is based on in the date range step.
Need more flexibility with dimensions? If you want to use dimensions from multiple data sources in the same report, consider creating a data set that combines your data sources before building your report. We recommend getting in touch with your contact at Preql for guidance on the best way to set this up for your specific reporting needs.
Step 3 - Adjust your date range
Configure the time settings for your report:
Select a date range (Last quarter, All time, etc.)
Toggle specific date range selection if needed
Choose your primary date field (this becomes the first column in your report)
Tip: The primary date field selection determines which timestamp is used for time-based filtering and grouping.
Step 4 - Confirming your report
Finalize your report settings:
Review the automatically generated name and description (you can edit these)
Confirm your selections
Set sharing permissions as needed - by default, reports are shared with your team (view access)
Customizing Your Report
After creating your report, you can make various adjustments:
Edit metrics and dimensions: Add or remove data points
Change date ranges: Adjust time periods as needed
Modify permissions: Control who can view or edit your report
Current limitations:
Column widths cannot be customized (coming in Reports beta)
Report tabs cannot be reordered - create tabs in your preferred order (improved in Reports beta)
Error messages may not be descriptive - contact support if you encounter issues