> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.practicemate.com.au/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Reports overview
> Learn what PracticeMate Reports are and when to use them.
A **Report** is a downloadable snapshot produced from a Recipe.
Recipes help your practice define a Patient Cohort. Reports turn that cohort into a spreadsheet your team can review, discuss, and work through outside the Recipe Builder.
Use Reports when your practice wants to:
* review a Patient Cohort before taking action
* prepare a list for a practice meeting or quality improvement activity
* check which patients matched a Recipe at a point in time
* share a spreadsheet with authorised Members of your practice team
* keep a short-lived working copy while planning the next step
Reports can contain patient-identifying Practice Data. Only prepare and
download Reports when your team has a clear reason to use them, and handle
downloaded files according to your practice's usual privacy process.
## How Reports fit together
Reports start with Recipes.
**Recipe**: defines which patients should be included.
**Report**: creates a downloadable spreadsheet from that Recipe.
**Practice workflow**: your team reviews the spreadsheet and decides what to do next.
For example:
* A Recipe finds active patients with a particular prescription pattern.
* A Report creates a spreadsheet of the patients who currently match.
* Your team reviews the spreadsheet before deciding whether any follow-up is needed.
## Open Reports
Open **Reports** from the sidebar.
From here, you can search existing Reports, prepare a new Report, download a ready Report, or delete a Report you no longer need.
## Report statuses
Reports move through a few simple states.
**Preparing** means PracticeMate has received the request and is creating the spreadsheet.
**Ready** means the spreadsheet can be downloaded.
**Failed** means PracticeMate could not prepare the Report. If this happens, try again later or contact support if the problem continues.
## Availability and expiry
Reports are only available to download for **48 hours**.
When you prepare a Report, PracticeMate recommends keeping **Expire after viewing** turned on. With this option selected, the Report expires immediately after it is downloaded.
This keeps Reports short-lived by default, which is helpful because they may contain patient-identifying Practice Data.
If a Report expires before your team downloads it, prepare the Report again
from the same Recipe.
## A reliable way to use Reports
Make sure the Recipe describes the Patient Cohort you want to review.
Give the Report a clear name and select the Recipe.
Keep **Expire after viewing** selected unless your practice has a clear
reason to download the file more than once.
Larger Patient Cohorts can take longer to prepare. You can leave the page
and return later.
Store, share, and delete downloaded files according to your practice's
privacy process.
## Next
Create [your first Report](/reports/first-report) when you are ready to turn a Recipe into a downloadable spreadsheet.