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How To Write A Powerful Business Report

Business reports are formal, objective documents that are heavily researched. They should present facts and data without subjective language or personal pronouns. A standard structure includes a title page, background, key findings, conclusion, recommendations, and references sections. Revision and visual elements can improve a report's effectiveness.

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54 views

How To Write A Powerful Business Report

Business reports are formal, objective documents that are heavily researched. They should present facts and data without subjective language or personal pronouns. A standard structure includes a title page, background, key findings, conclusion, recommendations, and references sections. Revision and visual elements can improve a report's effectiveness.

Uploaded by

aryansrivastava2645
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The basics of a business report

Business reports are always formal, objective, and heavily


researched. Every fact must be clear and verifiable,
regardless of whether the report focuses on a single
situation or examines the overall performance of an entire
company.

Because objectivity is crucial in a business report, avoid


subjective descriptions that tell the reader how to feel. For
instance, if sales were down last quarter, don’t say “Sales
were terrible last quarter,” but rather let the sales data
speak for itself. There should also be no personal
pronouns, such as “I think we should invest more capital.” A
business report should remain impersonal and framed from
the company’s perspective.

The structure of a business report

Although the size of a report can range from one page to


100, structure is always important because it allows readers
to navigate the document easily. While this structure can
vary due to report length or company standards, we’ve
listed a common, reliable structure below:
• Front matter: List your name, job title, contact information,
and the date of submission. You can also create a title for
the report.
• Background: State the background of the topic you’ll be
addressing, along with the purpose of the report itself.
• Key findings: Provide facts, data, and key findings that are
relevant to the purpose stated in the background. Be clear
and specific, especially because the entire report depends
on the information in this section.
• Conclusion: Summarize and interpret the key findings,
identify issues found within the data, and answer questions
raised by the purpose.
• Recommendations: Recommend solutions to any problems
mentioned in the conclusion, and summarize how these
solutions would work. Although you’re providing your own
opinion in this section, avoid using personal pronouns and
keep everything framed through the company’s
perspective.
• References: List the sources for all the data you've cited
throughout the report. This allows people to see where you
got your information and investigate these same sources.

Some companies may also require an executive


summary after the front matter section, which is a complete
summary that includes the report’s background, key
findings, and recommendations. This section lets people
learn the highlights quickly without having to read the
entire document. The size of an executive summary can
range from a paragraph to multiple pages, depending on
the length of the report.
Revision
As mentioned in Business Writing Essentials, revision is key to
producing an effective document. Review your writing to
keep it focused and free of proofreading errors, and ensure
your factual information is correct and presented
objectively. We also recommend you get feedback from a
colleague before submitting your work because they can
spot errors you missed or find new opportunities for
analysis or discussion.

Once you’ve revised your content, think about the


report’s appearance. Consider turning your front matter
section into a cover page to add some visual polish. You
can also create a table of contents if the report is lengthy. If
you’re printing it out, use quality paper and a folder or
binder to hold the report together. To diversify the
presentation of your data, try using bulleted lists, graphics,
and charts.
Example of a business report

To demonstrate the principles of this lesson, we’ve created


a brief business report for you to review.

Let's start by looking at the first page of this two-page


report.
The layout of the front matter is simple and effective, while
the background sets the stage in a quick, specific manner.
The key findings provide the main takeaways that warrant
further investigation, along with a chart to add emphasis
and visual variety.

Now let's look at the following page.


The conclusion features a little of the writer's opinion on
the key findings, although the writing is still centered
around the company's perspective. The recommendations
are clear and supported by the data, while the references
are thorough.

While business reports may seem intimidating, you have the


ability to create a thorough, informative document through
practice and careful research. Collect the facts and present
them in an organized, objective manner, and you’ll help
your business make informed decisions.

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