> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.francis.app/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Tables > Present model data in dashboards and reports using periods, variance, and side-by-side column groups. Tables present model data in dashboards and reports. You build a table from column groups placed side by side, each showing the data a different way: over time, as a budget-to-actuals variance, or across units in parallel. Tables are created only in dashboards and reports, not in the model view. ## Table types A table is one or more column groups arranged left to right. Each group is one of three types, and you can mix types in a single table: * [Periods](/features/using-francis/tables/periods): a time series shown month over month, quarter over quarter, or year over year. * [Variance](/features/using-francis/tables/variance): a comparison between sources, such as budget vs. actuals, with diff columns. * [Side-by-side](/features/using-francis/tables/side-by-side): entities, departments, or other units compared in parallel columns. Place as many column groups as you need, of the same or different types, next to each other. For example: * Monthly columns for the current year, followed by a year-total column. Two periods groups. * Actuals month by month for the year to date, followed by actuals vs. budget for the year to date. A periods group, then a variance group. ## See in action See tables in practice in the [Management report](/masterclasses/reporting/management-report) masterclass.