How can the performance of a Salesforce report be negatively affected?

The performance of a Salesforce report can indeed be negatively affected by querying non-indexed fields. When a report pulls data from non-indexed fields, Salesforce has to scan through the entire dataset to find the relevant records, which can lead to slower performance, especially if the dataset is large. Indexing is a technique used to optimize the speed of data retrieval operations on a database; when a field is indexed, it allows the database to quickly locate and access the data, resulting in improved report performance.

In contrast, filtering on indexed fields actually enhances performance because it reduces the amount of data that needs to be processed. Using complex formulas can introduce computational overhead, which may affect performance, but it is not as significant an impact as querying non-indexed fields. Running reports during peak hours can also slow down performance due to increased server load; however, the foundational issue affecting report speed lies with the indexing of the fields being queried. Thus, the primary factor relating to poor report performance focuses on the use of non-indexed fields.