A reporting system provides users selective access to information, such as standard reports, custom reports, and ad hoc reports. Reports are represented as report objects that store characteristics that must be fulfilled prior to a user being granted access to a report. Upon a user request for a specific report, the characteristics of the user are compared with the characteristics stored in the corresponding report object. If the user characteristics match the report object, then the user is granted access to the corresponding report. If the user characteristics do not match the report object, then the user is denied access to the corresponding report. Accordingly, access to a report is verified twice, once upon presenting an indication of the available reports to the user and again when a selected report is accessed. Preferably, the reporting system comprises a report server connected to a network, such as the Internet.