Report

Mar 04, 2024

Report Templates are well-structured, researched, and organized documents that an entity presents to an individual, group, or company for a specific purpose. These professional records are papers, articles, announcements, or something similar that contain detailed information about a particular subject, news, or review.

Report Definition & Meaning

A report is a document that communicates vital details about a subject or topic, containing detailed accounts or statements.

Report Examples are short, concise, and accurate records of business files in their dashboard or database to keep track of necessary information and data related to operations.

What Is A Report?

A report is a document that represents facts, statistics, and the current status of a business, organization, or study using information based on data coming from numbers on a chart or graph. Good reports are non-fictional accounts and documents covering a summary of facts that outlines or explains an event, issue, or topic to let readers and audiences grasp an understanding of the matter. This document contains informative and objective information to prove a case, explain a scenario, or persuade an audience.

10 Types of Report

Building Report

A building report is a written account of the status or condition of a property, whether it is for commercial or residential use. Licensed and credited building surveyors or inspection consultants survey a map of the area for defects or problems due to harsh climate conditions or wear and tear due to repeated use. The surveyor completes the site inspection and generates a score that helps agents or sellers to communicate issues and negotiate prices with possible buyers.

Vehicle Report

Vehicle reports contain information about the history of a particular vehicle, including information about its previous owners, the unit recalls and damages, title status, mileage, and odometer readings, previous inspections, accidents, and annual repairs. This document is valuable to consumers who need to make purchasing decisions or sellers who want to get a rate equal to their investment. Performing vehicle inspection and history reports also prevent a seller from scamming a buyer, claiming that a car is in perfect condition.

Audit Report

The principal purpose of creating an audit report is to recognize and determine the financial situation of an organization, whether financial statements align with generally accepted accounting principles or GAAP and other financial reporting guidelines that are free from any content misstatement. A company publishes internal and external audit reports with the company’s annual report. The benefit of creating an audit report is that it allows banks and other financing institutions to lend money using credit scores and ratings from the organization’s financial statements.

Budget Report

Companies use budget reports to list previously constructed budget projections for a specific timeframe. Company managers work on the budget reports to compare the estimates to actual and total results an organization achieves during a designated period. Budget reports almost always have a considerable change or difference in the final financial result, providing the necessary information to calculate the company’s current financial position.

Case Report

A case report is a business document that contains an in-depth and intensive study about the advantages of implementing a project for products or services. It consists of information that convinces or persuades stakeholders to approve the project, listing the benefits of its implementation, the required capital to start the project, and the possible improvements to a company. A good case report has measurable objectives, follows a standard format, and uses data-based research.

Inventory Report

Different industries use an inventory report to deliver an updated summary of the current inventory count on hand for a specific time. Inventory reports are either a physical or electronic document requiring a legitimate login for assigned individuals to adjust numbers representing particular products, inventory items that a business currently has in its storage, or inventory orders for arrival. A digital inventory report can be accessed online and through a custom website for the organization.

Construction Report

Construction reports are documents coming from site managers or overseers that are present during the duration of the construction projects. The report lists performed work throughout the project timeframe, milestones, delays, safety incidents, equipment usage, worksite visitors, and other relevant information that influences activity on the worksite. Developing construction reports helps stakeholders, site managers, subcontractors, investors, and project owners to the work progress without being physically present on a worksite or contacting the project manager or overseer.

Marketing Report

Marketing reports are business documents that contain data and information relating to the overall performance and ranking results equivalent to global marketing strategies. Many industries, agencies, and companies rely on marketing reports to monitor and calculate sales rates. Using marketing reports effectively communicates the marketing strategies to stakeholders, including research, promotional events, marketing objectives, and possible deliverables.

Equipment Report

Businesses construct equipment reports to track the status and condition of work equipment, enabling them to perform daily operations. Companies must continuously monitor their equipment and machinery to ensure that staff can work safely and seamlessly throughout the day. Medical institutions, like hospitals and clinics, must guarantee that their medical equipment functions in its peak condition to avoid unnecessary injuries, complications, and deaths.

Job Report

A job report, or an employment report, is a business document containing information about the job requirements and responsibilities that a company offers for aspiring applicants. It consists of detailed explanations about the skills and experiences of an individual to fulfill and accomplish tasks. Job reports are formal documents that the company produces to establish the duties and responsibilities of a job position or project.

Report Uses, Purpose, Importance

Reports are essential records for companies, enterprises, trade, and commerce. These reports provide vital information about various aspects of businesses in all areas and departments, and constructing reports have significant purpose and use, following our list below.

Decision-Making Tools

Companies utilize reports to provide concrete and factual data about a particular topic or subject. Organizations require a considerable amount of information on these topics to navigate between different events and scenarios. Managers and other decision-making entities use business reports for decision-making processes and produce viable solutions to diverse problems.

Evaluations

Reports are a compilation of evaluated information. Different activities from the selection of departments define an organization, and specific departments perform specific functions, processes, and protocols requiring the completion of daily activities. Through reports, departments and employees can monitor and maintain periodic reports to enable management to track different tasks across the company.

Professional Improvement

Companies conduct annual appraisals, and managers ask for reports about job functions. These reports must contain essential information about an employee, including their job position, departments, level of responsibility, and job performance. Managers use these reports to evaluate and appraise employee performance and give room for opportunities and improvements.

Source of Problem-Solving Processes

Managers require essential and accurate information in various reports on different topics and subjects to provide quick and precise decisions. For urgent matters, these individuals rely on business reports as their primary source of information. The information in these reports helps managers mitigate situations and find the most effective solutions to problems arising in the organization.

Coordination for Different Levels in the Organization

Every organization has three levels of management, namely the strategic level, coordinative level, and operative level. Developing reports are essential to relay various information across these three levels. Reports are practical tools that the organization utilizes to communicate and reduce the administrative division between these three levels of management.

Stores Permanent Records

Reports are, first and foremost, business documents. Reports are vital mediums for storing permanent records of different events in an organization. Keeping these reports enables organizations to build a valuable database for the business.

What’s In A Report? Parts?

Title Page

The title page is the heading and the first page of the document. It contains general information about the writer and receiver of the report, including their name, position, department, and the date of publication or receipt.

Table of Contents

The table of contents provides a content outline of the report. It lists the heading and sub-headings of the report, together with the page numbers enabling the reader to navigate through the document easily.

Executive Summary

The executive summary represents a brief overview of a report that allows the readers to catch a glimpse of the entire report by presenting the document’s key points. After reading this part of the report, the reader can understand the contents without having to read through its entirety.

Introduction

The introduction aims to describe the context and background of the report briefly and identify the possible changes or solutions to the problems in the report. This section must also specify the objectives and purpose of creating the report, its scope, structure, and limitations.

Discussion

The discussion section is the main component of a report that explains the conclusions and justifies the solutions and recommendations. When presenting the report discussion, ensure that the information is logical and systematic, present evidence, and persuade readers to trust the validity of the data.

Conclusion

The conclusion must identify significant issues with concrete interpretations and relate them to the stated objectives in the executive summary. It must also have a logical flow, with its content being brief and specific.

Recommendations

Recommendations must correlate with the discussion and conclusion of the report. Its content must be action-oriented, feasible, and brief.

References

The reference section must contain all the relevant sources and evidence that support the cited content of the report.

Appendices

Appendices in the report provide detailed information about certain sections that readers require but are irrelevant to the overall composition of the report. The documents in the appendix must be relevant and numbered for readers to easily identify them.

How To Design a Report?

1. Determine the Report Size.
2. Specify the Purpose of Creating the Report.
3. Pick the Report Template.
4. Conduct Thorough Research.
5. Develop a Rough Draft.
6. Revise and Reorganize the Content as Necessary.

Check out the article below to create and design a report using a different format:

Report vs. Dashboard

Reports are documents that contain textual and tabular information, including visual representations like charts and graphs, highlighting vital numbers and data sets.

Meanwhile, dashboards are digital and online data visualization tools that contain data, metrics, and key performance indicators, usually live and editable to accommodate changes and revision instantaneously.

What’s The Difference Between a Report, Memo, and Circular?

Reports are documents that entities produce containing information about a specific content for a particular audience.

Memos are documents that incorporate observations about a topic or event that are prevalent in the business setting.

Meanwhile, circulars include general announcements about several subjects for mass distribution to a broad audience.

Report Sizes

Reports are documents different entities use for various purposes, including business organizations, government agencies, NGOs, and educational institutions. As a result, there are various report sizes, and below are the standard paper sizes available for them.

Report Ideas and Examples

Different industries utilize various types of reports to accommodate a variety of topics and subjects that are useful in their respective fields. Below is a list of report ideas and examples that individuals can edit to help them create the report.

• Report Ideas and Examples
• Recruitment Report Ideas and Examples
• Student Report Ideas and Examples
• Survey Report Ideas and Examples
• Technical Report Ideas and Examples
• Event Report Ideas and Examples
• Corporate Report Ideas and Examples
• Workplace Report Ideas and Examples
• Investor Report Ideas and Examples
• Executive Report Ideas and Examples
• Field Report Ideas and Examples

FAQs

What does a report contain?

Reports contain summaries and information from factual evidence about a specific event, topic, or subject.

What is a report in management?

A report in management, or a management report, is a business document that consists of a collection of data and information from different departments of an organization to monitor the overall business performance.

What makes a good report?

A good report has a clear set of objectives, and a systematic structure, informing audiences about a topic, subject, or event.

What is the main part of a report?

The discussion section is the primary part of a report because it delves into the analyses of topics.

What makes a report valuable?

Reports are valuable records because the content and information in the document are all based on facts and analyses.

What is the format of a report?

The report format includes a table of contents, executive summary, introduction, discussion, conclusion, recommendations, references, and appendices.

What are the objectives of a report?

The objectives of a report include transmitting information, interpreting and explaining certain events, making decisions, communicating with stakeholders, developing better relationships, and recommending corrective actions.

What is a report in business?

A report in business, or a business report, contains an evaluation of an issue, circumstances, or financial situations and operations that affect business performance.

What is the concept of report writing?

Report writing is the process of creating an account or statement that describes an event, subject, or situation, using a formal writing style.

What are the qualities of a good report?

A good report showcases precision, clarity of thought, promptness, comparability, consistency, transparency, and adaptability.