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2. Excellence in Business Communication
Chapter 13
Completing Reports and Proposals
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3. Learning Objectives (1 of 2)
Describe the process of revising formal reports and proposals.
Identify the major components of formal reports.
Identify the major components of formal proposals.
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4. Learning Objectives (2 of 2)
Describe an effective plan for proofreading reports and proposals.
Describe the decision process for distributing reports and proposals.
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5. Revising Reports and Proposals
(LO 1) Describe the process of revising formal reports and proposals.
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6. Revising Reports and Proposals
Evaluate Organization, Style, and Tone
Improve the Report’s Readability
Continue to Revise to be Clear, Concise and Compelling
Ensure Efficient Writing for Online Audiences
The revision process is essentially the same for reports as for other business messages, although it may take considerably longer, depending on the length and complexity of your reports. Evaluate your organization, style, and tone, making sure that your content is clear, logical, and reader oriented. Then work to improve the report’s readability by varying sentence length, keeping paragraphs short, using lists and bullets, and adding headings and subheadings.
After assembling your report or proposal in its final form, review it thoroughly one last time, looking for inconsistencies, errors, and missing components. Don’t forget to proof your visuals and make sure they’re positioned correctly. For online reports, make sure all links work as expected and all necessary files are active and available.
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7. Producing Formal Reports
(LO 2) Identify the major components of formal reports.
In addition to standalone reports and proposals, you may be asked to write in-depth content for websites or to collaborate on a wiki. The basic principles of report writing apply to both formats, but each has some unique considerations as well.
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8. Producing Formal Reports and Proposals
Prefatory Elements
Supplementary Elements
Formal reports and proposals can include a variety of features beyond the text and visuals. Most of these elements provide additional information; a few are more decorative and add a degree of formality. These elements can be classified in two ways: prefatory elements (before the introduction) and supplementary elements (after the close).
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9. Prefatory Elements of Formal Reports
Cover
Title Page
Letter of Transmittal
List of Illustrations
Title Fly
Letter of Authorization
Table of Contents
Synopsis or Executive Summary
Prefatory elements of formal reports include the following:
Cover. Include a concise title that helps readers grasp the purpose and scope of the report. For a formal printed report, choose cover stock.
Title fly. Some formal reports open with a plain sheet of paper that has only the title of the report on it, although this is certainly not necessary.
Title page. Typically includes the report title, name(s) and title(s) of the writer(s), and date of submission; this information can be put on the cover instead.
Letter of authorization. If you received written authorization to prepare the report, you may want to include that letter or memo in your report.
Letter of transmittal. This “cover letter” introduces the report. It can include scope, methods, limitations, and report highlights, offer follow-up information or assistance, and acknowledge help received while preparing the report.
Table of contents. List all section headings and major subheadings to show the location and hierarchy of the information in the report.
List of illustrations. Consider including if the illustrations are particularly important, and you want to call attention to them.
A synopsis (also known as an abstract) is a brief overview (one page or less) of a report’s most important points. It can be informative (presenting the main points in the text) with the direct approach, or descriptive (describing what the report is about, without “giving away the ending”) with the indirect approach. Rather than a synopsis, a longer report may include an executive summary, which is a fully developed “mini” version of the report, for readers who lack the time or motivation to read the entire document. 
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10. Table of Contents
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11. Executive Summary
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12. Body Page Sample
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13. Supplementary Elements of Formal Reports
More Details for Readers
The Index
The Appendix
The Bibliography
Supplementary parts follow the text of the report and provide information for readers who seek more details. In general, you should place supporting materials here that could be of interest to some or all of your readers but that aren’t crucial to the main thrust of your message. Such materials include:
Appendixes. Use an appendix for additional information that’s related to the report but not included in the main text because it is too lengthy or lacks direct relevance. List appendixes in your table of contents and refer to them in the text as appropriate.
Bibliography. List the secondary sources you consulted.
Index. List names, places, and subjects mentioned in the report, along with the pages on which they occur.
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14. Report Reference Page Sample
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15. Producing Formal Proposals
(LO 3) Identify the major components of formal proposals.
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16. Prefatory Elements of Formal Proposals
Cover, Title Fly, Title Page
Synopsis or Executive Summary
Copy of or Reference to RFP
Letter of Transmittal
The following discussion covers typical prefatory elements in formal proposals:
Cover, title fly, title page. These elements share the same uses as with reports; be sure to follow any instructions in the RFP, if relevant.
Copy of or reference to the RFP. Instead of having a letter of authorization, a solicited proposal should follow the instructions in the RFP. Some will instruct you to include the entire RFP in your proposal; others may want you to simply identify the RFP by a name and tracking number.
Synopsis or executive summary. These components are less common in formal proposals than in reports. In an unsolicited proposal, your letter of transmittal will catch the reader’s interest. In a solicited proposal, the introduction will provide an adequate preview of the contents.
Letter of transmittal. If the proposal is solicited, treat the transmittal letter as a positive message, highlighting those aspects of your proposal that may give you a competitive advantage. If the proposal is unsolicited, the transmittal letter should follow the advice for persuasive messages, in order to persuade the reader that you have something worthwhile to offer that justifies reading the proposal.
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17. Supplementary Elements of Formal Proposals
Appendixes
Résumés of Key Players
Supplementary elements appear after the close of the proposal:
Appendixes. Use an appendix for additional information that’s related to the proposal but not included in the main text because it is too lengthy or lacks direct relevance. Be sure to follow any instructions in the RFP, if relevant.
Résumés of key players. For external proposals, résumés can convince readers that you have the talent to achieve the proposal’s objectives.
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18. Informational Solicited Proposal (1 of 4)
Figure 13.1 Informal Solicited Proposal
This proposal was submitted by Dixon O’Donnell, Vice President of O’Donnell & Associates, a geotechnical engineering firm that conducts a variety of environmental testing services. As you review this document on the following slides, pay close attention to the specific items addressed in the proposal’s introduction, body, and close.
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19. Informational Solicited Proposal (2 of 4)
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20. Informational Solicited Proposal (3 of 4)
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21. Informational Solicited Proposal (4 of 4)
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22. Proofreading Reports and Proposals
(LO 4) Describe an effective plan for proofreading reports and proposals.
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23. Proofread Reports and Proposals
Review for Spelling and Punctuation Errors
Confirm Intentional Visual Placement
Solicit Objective Review and Feedback
After you have assembled all the components of your report or proposal, revised the document’s content for clarity and conciseness, and designed the document to ensure readability and a positive impression on your readers, you have essentially produced your document in its final form.
Proofreading the text portions of your report is essentially the same as proofreading any other business message—you check for typos, spelling errors, and mistakes in punctuation. However, reports often have elements that may not be included in other messages, so don’t forget to proof your visuals thoroughly and make sure they are positioned correctly.
Whenever possible, arrange for someone with fresh eyes to proofread the report, somebody who hasn’t been involved with the text so far. At this point in the process, you are so familiar with the content that your mind will fill in missing words, fix misspelled words, and subconsciously compensate for other flaws, without you even being aware of It.
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24. Distributing Reports and Proposals
(LO 5) Describe the decision process for distributing reports and proposals.
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25. Distributing Reports and Proposals
Physical
Online
Electronic
For physical distribution, consider spending the few extra dollars for a professional courier or package delivery service, if that will help your document stand apart from the crowd. On the other hand, if you've prepared the document for a single person or small group, delivering it in person can be a nice touch. Not only can you answer any immediate questions about it, but you can also promote the results in person.
For electronic distribution, unless your audience specifically requests a word processor file, provide documents in PDF format. Most people are reluctant to open word processor files these days, particularly from outsiders, given their vulnerability to macro viruses and other contaminations. Moreover, PDF format lets you control how your document is displayed on your audience’s computer, ensuring that your readers see your document as you intended.
If your company or client expects you to distribute your reports via cloud storage, a web-based content management system, a shared workspace, or some other online location, double check that you’ve uploaded the correct file(s) to the correct online location. Verify the on-screen display of your report after you've posted it, too; make sure graphics, charts, links, and other elements are in place and operational.
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26. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.
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