when the staff each have a custom dashboard and all the tables are hidden, how are they able to retreive their personal reports?

Its going to be very difficult for them to create new personal reports without access to any tables, but if they do have personal reports, they can click on their name at the top right and access their personal reports there to run or modify them.

Thank you!  I didn't know you could find your personal reports under your name!  Problem solved... unless they ask me to then add a link to that on their dashboard.  Is that possible?  Since I am the admin on the account can I access other peoples personal reports for this purpose?

Its not so obvious how to access other user's personal reports, even as Admin.  The only way i know if is to find a field that you know they would be using in the report, go to Usage, and then see their personal report on the usage list.

Is there a really good reason to hide all the tables?  Can you find some Table Report that is suitable for your users and make the the Table Home Page report for their Role?