Possible reasons and fixes when a custom object doesn’t appear in the Report Builder
When a newly created custom object does not appear as an option in the Salesforce Report Builder, there are a few common causes. Below is a checklist you can follow to quickly identify and fix the issue so users can build reports on the object.
1) “Allow Reports” was not enabled for the custom object
During custom object creation there’s an option called “Allow Reports” (Optional Features). If this checkbox is not selected, the object will not be available for reporting and won’t show up in the report type selector.
How to fix:
Setup → Object Manager → <Your Custom Object> → Edit → Check “Allow Reports” → Save
2) Object is still in “In Development” (not Deployed)
If the custom object’s Deployment Status is set to In Development, only users with the appropriate permissions (typically admins) will see or access the object. For general availability in reporting for all profiles, set the object to Deployed.
How to fix:
Setup → Object Manager → <Your Custom Object> → Edit → Deployment Status → Select “Deployed” → Save
3) Missing object-level permissions (CRUD) or profile visibility
Salesforce Report Builder shows only objects the running user can access. If a user doesn’t have at least Read permission on the custom object (via Profile or Permission Set), the object will not be visible to them in the report builder.
How to fix:
Setup → Profiles (or Permission Sets) → Choose Profile → Object Settings → <Your Custom Object> → Grant Read (and other required) permissions → Save
4) No report type exists (or you need a custom report type)
Salesforce automatically creates standard report types for many custom objects, but in some situations you may need to create a Custom Report Type to report on the object alone or in combination with related objects (parent/child). If the standard report types are not available or you need a specific relationship, define a custom report type.
How to fix:
Setup → Report Types → New Custom Report Type → Primary Object: <Your Custom Object> → Save → Wait for it to be deployed then create reports
5) The object is an External or Big Object with limited reporting support
External objects (via Salesforce Connect) or Big Objects may have limitations for reporting. Confirm whether the object type supports standard Salesforce reporting.
Quick troubleshooting checklist
- Confirm “Allow Reports” is enabled.
- Ensure Deployment Status = Deployed.
- Verify user profiles/permission sets include Read access for the object.
- Create or check a Report Type that includes the custom object.
- If still missing, verify object type (external/big object) and reporting support.
Summary
Most of the time the reason a custom object does not appear in the Report Builder is because “Allow Reports” was not enabled or the object is still in Development / lacks proper user permissions. Enable reporting, deploy the object, and make sure users have Read access. If needed, create a custom report type to expose the object for reporting.