diff --git a/beat/web/reports/static/reports/app/controllers/reportController.js b/beat/web/reports/static/reports/app/controllers/reportController.js
index abe6f20fa8d832ac8cf924ee4a85357f5209d0a9..092c25aef75df838d5d6fa64ac2b2df87d962d10 100644
--- a/beat/web/reports/static/reports/app/controllers/reportController.js
+++ b/beat/web/reports/static/reports/app/controllers/reportController.js
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
  */
 //This controller retrieves data from the reportFactory/experimentFactory through the REST API and associates it with the $scope
 //The $scope is ultimately bound to the report view
-angular.module('reportApp').controller('reportController',['$scope', 'reportFactory', 'experimentFactory', 'plotterFactory', 'dataFactory', '$q', function ($scope, reportFactory, experimentFactory, plotterFactory, dataFactory, $q){
+angular.module('reportApp').controller('reportController',['$scope', 'reportFactory', 'experimentFactory', 'plotterFactory', 'dataFactory', '$q', 'ReportService', function ($scope, reportFactory, experimentFactory, plotterFactory, dataFactory, $q, ReportService){
 	$scope.q = $q;
 	$scope.user;
 	$scope.report_id;
diff --git a/beat/web/reports/static/reports/app/services/reportService.js b/beat/web/reports/static/reports/app/services/reportService.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..cf60718d83d917033f9f88589e26e3b542cab328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/beat/web/reports/static/reports/app/services/reportService.js
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2016 Idiap Research Institute, http://www.idiap.ch/
+ * Contact: beat.support@idiap.ch
+ *
+ * This file is part of the beat.web module of the BEAT platform.
+ *
+ * Commercial License Usage
+ * Licensees holding valid commercial BEAT licenses may use this file in
+ * accordance with the terms contained in a written agreement between you
+ * and Idiap. For further information contact tto@idiap.ch
+ *
+ * Alternatively, this file may be used under the terms of the GNU Affero
+ * Public License version 3 as published by the Free Software and appearing
+ * in the file LICENSE.AGPL included in the packaging of this file.
+ * The BEAT platform is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY
+ * or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Affero Public License along
+ * with the BEAT platform. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * ReportService
+ * Desc:
+ * 	The datastore for the reports app, including data fetched from the
+ * 	server and cross-component app state
+ */
+angular.module('reportApp').factory('ReportService', ['$http', function($http){
+	let reportServiceInstance = {};
+	// experiments of reports are in arbitrary groups,
+	// in a many-to-many relationship
+	let groupData = [];
+
+	// represents a Group in the report
+	// has a name and a list of experiments that belong to it
+	class Group {
+		constructor (name) {
+			this.name = name;
+			this.experimentNames = new Set();
+		}
+
+		// get the experiment names in this group
+		get experiments () {
+			return Array.from(this.experimentNames);
+		}
+
+		// get the group name
+		get name () {
+			return this.name;
+		}
+
+		// check if an exp is in this group
+		hasExperiment (expName) {
+			return this.experimentNames.has(expName);
+		}
+
+		// add an exp to this group
+		addExperiment (expName) {
+			return this.experimentNames.add(expName);
+		}
+
+		// rm an exp from this group
+		removeExperiment (expName) {
+			return this.experimentNames.delete(expName);
+		}
+	};
+
+	// gets groups
+	reportServiceInstance.groups = () => groupData.map(g => g.name);
+
+	// create a new group for the report
+	// returns false if it already exists
+	// returns true if it adds a new group
+	reportServiceInstance.createGroup = (name) => {
+		if(typeof name !== 'string'){
+			throw new Error(`new group name is not a string: ${JSON.stringify(name)}`);
+		}
+
+		if(groupData.find(g => g.name === name)){
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		groupData.push(new Group(name));
+		return true;
+	};
+
+	// delete a group
+	reportServiceInstance.deleteGroup = (name) => {
+		groupData = groupData.filter(g => g.name !== name);
+	};
+
+	// fetch group info from the api
+	reportServiceInstance.fetchGroups = (reportName) => {
+		console.warn(`not implemented: reportServiceInstance.fetchGroups(${JSON.stringify(reportName)})`);
+	};
+
+	// save group info via sending to server
+	reportServiceInstance.saveGroups = () => {
+		console.warn(`not implemented: reportServiceInstance.saveGroups`);
+	};
+
+	// add experiment to group
+	reportServiceInstance.addExperimentToGroup = (expName, groupName) => {
+		checkForGroup(groupName);
+
+		let group = groupData.find(g => g.name === groupName);
+		return group.addExperiment(expName);
+	};
+
+	// rm experiment from group
+	reportServiceInstance.removeExperimentFromGroup = (expName, groupName) => {
+		checkForGroup(groupName);
+		let group = groupData.find(g => g.name === groupName);
+		return group.removeExperiment(expName);
+	};
+
+	// gets experiments from a group
+	reportServiceInstance.getGroupExperiments = (groupName) => {
+		checkForGroup(groupName);
+		let group = groupData.find(g => g.name === groupName);
+		return group.experiments;
+	};
+
+	// gets groups for an experiment
+	reportServiceInstance.getExperimentGroups = (expName) => {
+		return groupData.filter(g => g.hasExperiment(expName)).map(g => g.name);
+	};
+
+	// helper to assert that a group exists
+	function checkForGroup (groupName) {
+		if(!reportServiceInstance.groups().includes(groupName)){
+			throw new Error(`Could not find group "${JSON.stringify(groupName)}"`);
+		}
+	}
+
+	return reportServiceInstance;
+}]);
diff --git a/beat/web/reports/templates/reports/report.html b/beat/web/reports/templates/reports/report.html
index a4132f70aa1806fa81f251909037f445e5b8c970..5e816dff5be3ef894972edd670559abe70061e34 100644
--- a/beat/web/reports/templates/reports/report.html
+++ b/beat/web/reports/templates/reports/report.html
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
     <script src="{% fingerprint "reports/app/factories/experimentFactory.js" %}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
     <script src="{% fingerprint "reports/app/factories/plotterFactory.js" %}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
     <script src="{% fingerprint "reports/app/factories/dataFactory.js" %}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
+    <script src="{% fingerprint "reports/app/services/reportService.js" %}" type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
     <!-- directives
     -->