What distinguishes reports from dashboards?

The distinction highlighted in the correct choice lies in the fundamental purposes and functionalities of reports and dashboards within data analytics. Reports are designed to provide static summaries of data. They present data in a structured manner, often focusing on historical information and key performance indicators, which makes them ideal for analysis and record-keeping. Users can reference reports to gain insights into trends over time, compliance, or operational performance without necessarily interacting with the data in real time.

On the other hand, dashboards are structured to allow for real-time or interactive insights into data. They combine visual elements like charts, graphs, and gauges to provide a more dynamic view of performance metrics. Users can often manipulate these visual elements to drill down into underlying data, filter based on various parameters, or view data slices on demand.

This distinction emphasizes the complementary nature of reports and dashboards: where reports serve as static documentation of data metrics, dashboards enable interactive engagement with those metrics, facilitating quicker decision-making based on current data.