The table is a generalized layout report item that displays report data in cells that are organized into rows and columns. Report data can be detail data as it is retrieved from the data source, or aggregated detail data organized into groups that you specify.
The table, crosstab, and list report items are actually variations of the same thing optimized for a specific data layout. By default, the table item and the crosstab item display group data in a grid layout, while the list item displays detail data in a free-form layout.