What Is the Function of Reports in a Database?

Reports offer a way to extract and present a specific subset of the information from a large database. Users who view database reports are spared having to view some extraneous data that is irrelevant to thinking about a particular question.

Database software programs such as Microsoft Access include a number of distinct features, including a forms mode to input data and a table mode to view all the database information in rows and columns. Report mode represents a useful way to answer specific questions using the information in the entire database. For instance, a business may maintain sales records in a database spanning many years and may want to understand why sales for a specific three-month period are unusually low. Using a report, information from a specific range of dates can be shown in a simplified manner in an effort to better understand the business problem.