For standard and custom objects, even complex Salesforce reports are easy to build. Object reports load fast, filters behave, and sales dashboards and CRM dashboards work exactly as expected. That changes once data grows into the millions or billions, and Big Objects come into play for many businesses.
But what Salesforce does not highlight enough is this: Big Objects data cannot be viewed directly using the standard report types Salesforce provides. No list views. No native dashboards. Big Objects reports do not behave like standard object reports.
To surface Big Objects data inside SFDC reports and dashboards, teams must rely on custom reporting logic and asynchronous data extraction. This is not an advanced use case. It is the only way reporting works at this scale. Most teams realize this only after dashboards slow down or reports stop showing the full picture.
If complex Salesforce reports, reliable SFDC reports, and dashboards matter, Big Objects reporting has to be designed deliberately from the start.
But first, if you are unfamiliar with Salesforce Big Objects, our experts recommend learning more about them.
This blog dives deeper into complex Salesforce reporting and dashboards, and how DataArchiva supports in creating such crucial reports.
View Big Object Data in Reports and Dashboards
If you want Big Objects data in a dashboard or object report, there is no shortcut.
The process starts by identifying what data from the Big Object is actually report-worthy. Dumping billions of rows into Salesforce reporting is pointless. You extract only what supports sales performance dashboards, service cloud reports and dashboards, and compliance reporting.
See Your Full Salesforce Data Clearly, Report Without Limits, and Stop Working Around Big Objects
This process is not real-time. It was never meant to be. Async SOQL is scheduled, delayed, and deliberately slow. That is the price Salesforce charges for storing billions of records without collapsing.
Read the detailed Salesforce Big Objects Guide here.
Are There Any Limitations to Reporting Big Objects Data?
Yes. Several. And ignoring them is how reporting projects quietly fail.
- SOQL limitations. Big Objects do not support full SOQL functionality. Operators like LIKE, NOT IN, and complex aggregations are unavailable. Every query must include indexed fields, which severely restricts ad-hoc reporting. Forget flexible filtering.
- No standard UI access. You cannot view Big Objects data in list views, record pages, or native Salesforce dashboards. This alone makes Big Objects reports unsuitable for teams expecting interactive CRM dashboards or drill-down sales dashboards.
- Asynchronous dependency. All reporting workflows rely on scheduled jobs, batch processing, or Async SOQL. This eliminates real-time dashboards and makes near-real-time sales performance dashboards unrealistic.
- Immutable schemas. Once created, a Big Object’s structure cannot be changed. If your reporting needs evolve, you rebuild the object and migrate data. That is not optimization. That is damage control.
- Sharing and access control gaps. Big Objects do not support sharing rules. For organizations handling sensitive data, this complicates compliance-driven object-level reporting.
- Index limitations. Indexes define query performance, but they are permanent. Poor indexing decisions directly result in slow, big reports and unusable dashboards.
Overcome Big Objects Reporting Limitations with DataArchiva
How DataArchiva Supports Viewing Big Objects Data in Reports & Dashboards
DataArchiva removes the reporting gymnastics Salesforce requires for Big Objects. Instead of forcing teams to extract, stage, and rehydrate data manually, DataArchiva keeps archived data reporting-ready by design.
Exporting data is equally straightforward. Select any object, choose the fields, apply filters, and export directly to Excel or CSV. No Workbench. No Apex. No extra explanation required.
Built-in dashboards provide clear visibility into archived data, storage usage, backups, restores, and system logs. Custom cloud reports and dashboards work just like native Salesforce reporting, preserving the difference between dashboard and report, high-level summaries for leadership, and detailed object reports for operational teams.
All of this comes in the same pricing range, without forcing organizations to trade reporting, compliance, or performance for scalability. DataArchiva addresses reporting limitations Salesforce never fully solved and does it without adding complexity where it is least welcome.
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Conclusion
Big Objects solve storage problems. They do not solve reporting problems.
If your Salesforce business model depends on historical insights, long-term analytics, or enterprise-scale dashboards, relying solely on Big Objects reports is a strategic mistake. Salesforce reporting capabilities were never built to operate directly on billions of immutable records.
Yes, you can extract Big Objects data using Async SOQL, stage it into custom objects, and rebuild reports manually. It works. Barely. And it scales poorly.
DataArchiva offers a cleaner, faster, and reporting-first alternative. Big Objects data in dashboards should not require workarounds, delayed jobs, or compromises. With the right approach, SFDC reports and dashboards can remain usable, performant, and complete, even at scale.
Because complex Salesforce reports should challenge your insights, not your patience.
Big Objects are powerful, but reporting doesn’t have to be complicated. DataArchiva makes Salesforce data management and reporting effortless, reliable, and fully scalable.
