Glossary
Software & Integrations

Custom Report Builder

By: Alec Hollingsworth
Updated:  
June 16, 2025

DEFINITION:

A Custom Report Builder lets users design and generate personalized reports from their software data for deeper, tailored insights.
A Custom Report Builder is a software tool that allows users to design, generate, and modify reports tailored to their specific needs without extensive technical knowledge. This feature enables organizations to filter, group, and display data based on selected criteria, providing deep insights into financial and operational activities. Custom Report Builders support a variety of data sources and visualization options, such as tables, charts, and graphs. For nonprofit organizations, this means being able to track program performance, donor trends, and budget variances in a way that aligns with unique reporting requirements, compliance standards, and stakeholder expectations.

Key Takeaways

  • Enables creation of tailored reports for unique needs
  • Supports multiple data sources and visualization types
  • Empowers users with limited technical experience
  • Improves data-driven decision-making

Why It Matters

It empowers nonprofits to access and analyze critical data for informed decision-making.

Real World Example

A regional animal shelter needs to present its financials and donor engagement metrics to its board. Using Aplos’s Custom Report Builder, the shelter’s manager selects relevant income and expense accounts, filters data by fiscal year, and groups donations by campaign. She adds visual charts to illustrate trends and exports the report as a PDF. The board receives a clear, customized snapshot of the shelter’s performance, enabling strategic planning and transparent communication. Without a Custom Report Builder, the manager would have to manually compile data from various sources, increasing the risk of errors and inefficiency.

How Aplos Helps

Aplos includes a Custom Report Builder that allows users to create and save tailored reports for donations, accounting, or contacts. Nonprofit teams can quickly generate the precise financial, compliance, or donor insights they need, without relying on generic templates or technical support. This flexibility helps Aplos users meet diverse reporting requirements and share targeted information with boards, funders, and auditors.
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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Custom Report Builder?

A Custom Report Builder is a tool that lets users design and generate reports tailored to their unique needs, using selected data and visualizations.

How does a Custom Report Builder help nonprofits?

It enables nonprofits to quickly analyze financials, donor trends, and program performance without manual data compilation or one-size-fits-all templates.

Can I use Aplos’s Custom Report Builder without technical skills?

Yes, Aplos’s Custom Report Builder is designed for users with limited technical experience, offering intuitive tools and drag-and-drop features.