Chapter 11: Reports

Overview

A vital part of any business or organization, reports document specific information for specific audiences, goals, or functions. The type of report is often identified by its primary purpose or function, as in an accident report, a laboratory report, a sales report, or even a book report.

Reports are often analytical but sometimes just “report the facts” with no analysis at all. Other reports summarize past events, present current data, and forecast future trends. While a report may have conclusions, propositions, or even calls to action, presenting analysis is the primary function. A sales report, for example, is not designed to make an individual sale. It is, however, supposed to report sales to date and may forecast future sales based on previous trends (Business Communication for Success, 2015).

Report Pros, Cons, and Proper Use

Before delving into reports in detail, watch this video for a brief but helpful overview from a student perspective.

In this chapter we will cover:

• Report Objective: Informational and Analytical
• Report Organization
• Report Type and Function: Informal Report
• Report Type and Function: Formal Report
• Report Parts: Informal and Formal
• The SlideDeck Report
• Sustainability Reporting