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How to Create Custom Reports in Freshworks CRM

Somewhere in between an unfinished cup of coffee and yet another email thread that seemed to circle the drain of eternity, Ron, our ever-curious project manager, asked, "Why don't we just create the report ourselves?" This innocent remark, unleashed during a particularly humid Wednesday afternoon, was the unlikely catalyst of our odyssey into the labyrinthine depths of Freshworks CRM's reporting feature. It turns out, creating custom reports is a bit like navigating a familiar yet perplexing board game—part strategy, part luck, and wholly rewarding once you get the hang of it.

Enter the CRM Portal Like an Adventurer​

Ah, the CRM portal—our digital canvas, teeming with endless possibilities. First, we logged into the Freshworks CRM. We navigated this familiar world by clicking on 'Reports' from the sidebar, a gateway to exactly where we wanted to cast our nets wide. The reports dashboard, with its kaleidoscope of numbers and lists, can be overwhelming. I swear it’s like trying to find your way through a disco hall of data, but don’t worry—this is where we need to be.

Identify the Need: What Are We Even Reporting On?​

Ron had a specific gleam in his eye, akin to that of a detective chasing a lead. He scribbled on a sticky note: "Customer retention trends." The point being, we should know what exactly we're after. Tasks or deals? Opportunities or leads? One wrong guess here, and we’d be like squirrels in an ever-expanding forest of data with no exit sign in sight.

Create the Report: Step by Step, Bit by Bit​

We commenced creating our custom report—a task turning friends into something like mythological heroes about to scale daunting analytics mountains. Here's what we did:

  1. Click 'New Report': A simple but profound click. This took us to the report configuration page—a tabula rasa waiting to be given life.

  2. Choose Modules: Under 'Report Type,' we picked the module that made most sense. For us, it was 'Contacts,' since Ron wanted to crack the code of retention. Variables like 'Leads,' and 'Deals' are also fair game, depending on your needs.

  3. Configure Filters: We dived into filters next, much like selecting the crispest apples at the market—we had options. Using criteria like 'Created Date' or 'Industry,' we refined our focus. Ron said it was like fishing—netting only the data we needed.

  4. Select Columns: Here came customization in its truest sense. We picked fields relevant to our chosen module. Just don't get carried away, as Ron almost did before we reminded him less is more.

  5. Run the Report: Ah, the moment of truth. We clicked 'Run,' holding our breath, as a torrent of data slotted neatly into place. It was oddly satisfying. Ron nodded approvingly, no longer bewildered by the ocean of numbers.

Fine-Tune and Save: The Dance of Finality​

The final act was like tweaking a stew—the report needed a bit of salt, a dash of clarity. We adjusted the chart types, deciding between the elegance of pie charts or the robustness of bar charts. Once perfected, we named and saved our masterpiece for future use, ensuring it was easily accessible—the digital equivalent of storing a beloved recipe for recurring Sunday dinners.

Recalling that curious afternoon, creating custom reports in Freshworks continuously reminds us that with a bit of teamwork and a penchant for organized chaos, we can transform what seems like data overload into harmonious insights. Let’s do it again soon, with fresher coffee next time.