Writing Reports

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Writing Reports

• Writing Business Reports and Proposals

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BUSINESS REPORTSReference Material

• Complete Readings 28, 29, and 30.
• Report Format (Appendix G, p.436)

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What is a business report?

• a written factual account
• objectively communicates information
• many formats (email, letter, manual, etc.)

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BUSINESS REPORTSTypes of Reports

• INFORMATIONAL
• Present facts and data
• No analysis or recommendation
• ANALYTICAL
• Typically presents a decision or solution
• Usually includes recommendations

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BUSINESS REPORTSInformational Reports

• Monitor and control operations
• Guidelines for future action (budgets,
  projections)
• Detailed info about operations (annual report)
• Describe activity (minutes of meetings)
• Implement policies or procedures
• Permanent guidelines (quality control procedure)
• Nonrecurring issue (response to situation)

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BUSINESS REPORTSInformational Reports

• Comply with regulations
• Annual or interim compliance reports (tax
  returns, licensing requirements)
• Honest, thorough, accurate
• Document progress
• Internal or external audience
• Interim or final reports
• Honest, clear, tactful

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BUSINESS REPORTSActivity Informational Report

• Read Case 3, Check that price tag on p.209.
• Use the following information
• Red River College Tuition
• 3000 (Y1) 3650 (Y2) 4300 (Y3) 5000(Y4)
• Assiniboine Community College Tuition
• 3000 (Y1) 3350 (Y2) 3800 (Y3) 4500 (Y4)
• Write an informational report in memo format (eg,
  p.188). Sketch any graphics you need.

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BUSINESS REPORTSAnalytical Reports

• Solve problems
• Investigate problem (primary/secondary research)
• Analyze alternative solutions
• Recommend best approach
• Propose an action
• Get products, plans, or projects accepted
• Analyze problem, present solution, persuade

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BUSINESS REPORTSProposals

• Solicited
• Requested by external or internal party
• Request for Proposal (RFP)
• Invitation to bid on a project
• Includes instructions on type of work, how and
  when it should be completed
• Unsolicited
• Usually written to get new business
• Convince re problem, solution

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BUSINESS REPORTSProposals

• Internal Proposals
• Two primary purposes
• To seek approval for a course of action
• To request additional resources
• Audience may feel threatened
• Completely unbiased
• Why action is needed
• What it will involve
• Costs
• Benefits

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BUSINESS REPORTSProposals

• External Proposals
• Solicit approval from clients, government
• Differ from internal proposals
• More formal
• Legally binding if accepted
• Audience may be unfamiliar with
  you/company,require more convincing

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BUSINESS REPORTSActivity Proposal Plan

• Complete Activity 5, Teamwork Planning an
  Unsolicited Proposal on p. 206 in your text.
• Choose a representative to present your plan to
  the class.

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BUSINESS REPORTSPlanning a Report

• ANALYSIS
• Define the problem
• Topic (tuition fees) v. Problem (tuition fees are
  too high)
• Identify issues, when/how started, who is
  affected
• Write the purpose statement
• Why you are writing the report
• More complex for analytical reports

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BUSINESS REPORTSPlanning a Report

• ANALYSIS
• Develop a preliminary outline
• Use informative headings
• Guide research efforts
• Help organize and compose
• Prepare the work plan
• Include problem statement, purpose and scope
• Can include tasks, expected product, schedules,
  resources

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BUSINESS REPORTSActivity Work Plan

• Read Activity 6, Preparing the Work Plan on
  p.206.
• Prepare a work plan for an analytical report. Use
  the information on p. 196-197 and sample work
  plan on p.198 as a guideline.

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BUSINESS REPORTSPlanning a Report

• INVESTIGATION
• Gather secondary information
• Find existing information
• Library, internet, databases
• Collect primary information
• Gather required information yourself
• Documents, observation, experiments, surveys,
  interviews
• Document your sources
• Interpret findings
• Provide conclusions, recommendations

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BUSINESS REPORTSClass Activity - Investigation

• Read Activity 8, Finding Information Primary
  Information on p. 207.
• Be prepared to answer the questions and explain
  your choices in class.

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BUSINESS REPORTSGroup Activity - Organization

• You are employees of ORGANIZ-IT INC., a company
  that provides home office storage products.
• You have 8 minutes to come up with a method that
  customers can use to de-clutter their junk
  drawers.
• Begin by making a list of things you would find
  in a junk drawer, then develop a general
  classification system for organizing those items.

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BUSINESS REPORTSPlanning a Report

• ORGANIZATION
• Gather every piece of relevant data you have
• Written notes, computer info, post-its, charts,
  figures, etc.
• Sort into related categories
• Physical groups, colour-coding, cut and paste
• Remove irrelevant / unnecessary data
• Prioritize within each category
• Create a list or outline

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ORGANIZING INFORMATION Using Lists

• Write down all important points.
• Compose directly from the list.
• Cross off points as they are addressed.

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ORGANIZING INFORMATION Creating Outlines

• Title
• I. First major component
• A. First subpoint
• 1. Detail, illustration, evidence
• 2. Detail, illustration, evidence
• B. Second subpoint
• 1. Detail, illustration, evidence
• 2. Detail, illustration, evidence

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ORGANIZING INFORMATIONCreating Outlines

• Tips
• Define the main topic.
• Divide information into 3 to 5 main points.
• Break the main points into subpoints.
• Make each component unique (no overlap).
• Dont put a single item as a main point.
• Support subpoints with details, examples, and
  evidence.

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Class Activity Creating an Outline

• Read the 3.Planning a Memo Earn While you Learn,
  on p.78-79 in your text.
• Answer the 5 multiple choice questions.
• Develop an outline for this memo.

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BUSINESS REPORTSReport Structure

• Introduction
• Body
• Closing

• Main idea
• Statement of purpose
• Scope
• Supporting data
• Analysis
• Recommendations
• Summary
• Call to action

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BUSINESS REPORTSReport Structure

• Optional Elements

• Contents page
• Executive summary
• Recommendations
• Appendices
• Acknowledgements
• Resources
• Glossary

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BUSINESS REPORTSReport Format (Appendix G,
p.436)

• Header
• Date Month/day/year
• To Name and title of main recipient
• Cc Name(s), title(s) of other recipient(s)
• From Your name and title
• Subject Title describe topic

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BUSINESS REPORTSReport Format

• General
• Use headings unless report is very short
• Use subheadings for very long or complex reports
• Use 12 point Times New Roman, single spaced
• Double space between paragraphs
• Put page numbers on all but first page
• Use charts, lists, or tables for repetitive
  information- give a brief introduction-
  include informative captions

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BUSINESS REPORTSReport Format

• Introduction
• Statement of purpose
• Scope and background info
• Methods and sources
• Preview of findings
• Conclusion
• Sum up your opinions
• Provide answers to questions

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BUSINESS REPORTSReport Format

• Recommendations
• Can be combined with Conclusions
• State what should be done to solve problem
• Multiple recommendations in numbered list