Business report writing

The purpose of a business report is to communicate information to assist in the business decision making process. Some reports might propose solutions for business problems or might present relevant information to assist in the problem solving process. A business plan is a kind of report which serves to communicate the business model, business management model and the commercial objectives of a business.

In general when writing a business reports the following steps have to be followed

1. Preparing to write the business report
2. Determining the scope of the report
3. Understanding the target audience
4. Research to collect supporting information
5. Formatting and organizing the report

Preparing to write the business report

Preparation is key to write a business report. As part of preparation, doing preparatory research is imperative. The author uses available technology to find valid information using the following steps:
1. Identifying good search tools
2. Doing a topic search to speed up the process

Then, the writer must manage the outcome of the research. The best ways to manage sources found online are to:
1. Bookmark the pages
2. Repeating the research frequently to find updated information
3. Establish the credibility of all the sources (are they current? who published them? are they biased?)

After having found the best sources during this preliminary research, the author can now begin to think about whom to write it.

Determining the scope of the report

In this step the author has to determine the scope of the report. This process would involve what topics would be covered in the report and what elements are not necessary. This step would also help to determine how detailed the report would be.

Understanding the target audience

A target audience, or target group, is the primary group of people that something is aimed at appealing to. A target audience can be people of a certain age group, gender, marital status, etc. (ex: teenagers, females, single people, etc.) A certain combination, like men from twenty to thirty, is often a target audience. Other groups, although not the main focus, may also be interested. Discovering the appropriate target market(s) to market a product or service to is one of the most important stages involved with market research. Without knowing the target audience, a company's advertising and the selling efforts can become difficult and very expensive. In this step the potential requirements of the readers have to be considered and the target audience has to be identified. Questions such as who will use the report? Educational level of the audience? Knowledge level of the reader?, what is the reader expecting from this report?, personal demographics of the audience?, What should be the level of technical complexity?

Collecting information for the report

In this step all previous reports, surveys and publications about the topic should be studied. A lot of reports would require some form of Data collection. Many times Investigative research might be needed. It is important that the process and methods used for research are explained. Data which is collected during this process should be presented clearly in the report. Recommendations and proposed solutions have to be studied and reviewed in this process.

Formatting and organizing the report

This is usually the final step before actually writing a business report. In this step the format of the report has to be decided. The following questions might rise during this step, how would the data be presented?, what charts/diagrams will be used to complement the information presented in the report?, how would the report be presented?, what medium of presentation would be used

How to Write a Short Report

A short report informs the reader about a specific subject to help her make a decision. Usually no longer than 10 pages, a short report consists of facts and sometimes an analysis of the facts, as well as recommendations. The information is arranged in a memo format with both first- and second-level headings. Readers of these reports expect the information to be written clearly, concisely and completely.

1. Begin your short report with an Introduction heading. Include a statement about the report's subject, an explanation of why the report was written and a summary of its contents. Also mention the intention of the report, which is usually to help the reader make a decision about something.

2. Present the facts about the subject clearly and concisely, but compose a complete report, giving the reader all the information necessary to make an informed decision. Present the most important information first, keeping in mind the decision that needs to be made.

3. Use appropriate first-level headings (for example, Facts, Discussion, Findings, Costs, Limitations, Advantages, Conclusions, and so on). Under these, use more specific second-level headings (for example, System Temperature Requirements, Current Self-Service Options, or Factory's Exterior Condition).

4. Be objective in your report, presenting both sides of an issue when possible and clearly separating fact from opinion. If, for example, you are writing about the condition of a factory's exterior condition, be sure to present both the positive things and the negative things.

5. Cite your sources to persuade the reader of your information-gathering reliability. These may include interviews, articles, company records, surveys, your own observation, and so on.

6. Share your recommendations if asked to do so, using an appropriate first-level heading such as Recommendations or Suggestions, followed again by more specific second-level headings. Use a numbered or bulleted list if presenting more than two. When persuading your reader, always give your strongest argument first.

7. Proofread your short report carefully before sending it to the reader.

Marketing