1. Planning Business Reports and Proposals
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2. Business Communication Today
Reports and Proposals
Guide
Decisions
Comply with
Government
Regulations
Gain the
Acceptance
of Others
Monitor
and Control
Operations
Implement
Policies and
Procedures
Document
Results
You may be surprised at the variety of messages that qualify as reports. The term covers everything from a fleeting image on a computer screen to preprinted forms to informal letters and memos to formal three-volume bound manuscripts. However, although business reports can serve hundreds of purposes, most reports are used for one of the six general purposes highlighted in the table above.
Each general purpose determines the type of report and the structure of the message. For instance, if management needs information about current inventory levels, you might create a report to monitor and control operations. If management needs to decide on the best way to finance a project, you might create a report to guide their decision.
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3. Business Communication Today
Classifying Reports
Source
Frequency
Audience
Length
Intent
In addition to their purpose, reports are often classified by source, frequency, audience, length, and intent.
Source. Voluntary reports are prepared on your own initiative. Thus, they usually require more detail and support than authorized reports, which are prepared at the request of someone else.
Frequency. Routine or periodic reports are submitted on a recurring basis (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually). Because they are routine, they require less introductory and transitional material than do special reports, nonrecurring reports to document specific, one-time studies or investigations.
Target audience. Internal reports (designed for use within the organization) are generally less formal than external reports (sent to people outside the organization).
Length. Short reports (generally one to nine pages) differ from long reports (ten pages or more) in scope, research, and timetable. A long report examines a problem in detail and generally requires more extensive research and preparation time. In contrast, a short report may discuss just one part of the problem and may not require formal research.
Intent. Informational reports focus on facts and are intended mainly to explain something or to educate readers. Analytical reports are designed to solve a problem by convincing readers that the conclusions and recommendations reached are justified based on the data, analyses, and interpretations.
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4. Informational Reports
Monitor and
Control Operations
Document
Compliance
State Policies
and Procedures
Report Progress
Informational reports present data without analyses or recommendations. Common types of informational reports include those for monitoring and controlling operations, statements of policies and procedures, compliance reports, and progress reports.
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5. Monitoring and Controlling Operations
Written
Plans
Operating
Reports
Activity
Strategic Plans
Business Plans
Marketing Plans
MIS Reports
Annual Reports
Sales Reports
Sales-Call Reports
Expense Reports
Recruiting Reports
Because managers cannot be everywhere at once, they rely on reports to find out what’s happening to the operations under their control. These monitor/control reports focus on data, so they require special attention to accuracy, thoroughness, and honesty of content.
Three types of reports used for monitoring and controlling operations are plans, operating reports, and personal activity reports. In general, plans are written for both internal and external audiences. However, operating reports and personal activity reports are usually written for internal audiences only.
Written plans come in all shapes and sizes: strategic plans document an organization's overall goals and the operational methods it will use to reach those goals. Business plans are used by small businesses, divisions of larger businesses, and entrepreneurial start-ups to summarize the proposed business venture, to highlight a company’s goals, to obtain financing, or to contract for managerial support services.
Operating reports provide managers with detailed information from a management information system (MIS), which captures data about everything happening in the organization—sales, production, inventory, shipments, backlogs, costs, personnel, and so on. Periodic operating reports describe what’s has happened in a department or division during a particular period.
Personal activity reports describe what has occurred during a conference, convention, trip, or other activity.
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6. Implementing Policies and Procedures Business Communication Today
Lasting
Guidelines
Position
Papers
Managers are unable to talk firsthand with everyone in an organization, so they rely on policy and procedure reports. Written reports are available to be read and reread by anyone with a question. These reports present their information in a straightforward matter.
Lasting guidelines comprise the rules of an organization. Such reports then become part of the company's large body of lasting guidelines for doing things a certain way.
In contrast to lasting guidelines, position papers treat less permanent issues. They explain management's views on particular nonrecurring issues or problems as they arise.
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7. Complying with Government Regulations Business Communication Today
Annual
Reports
Interim
Reports
All compliance reports are written in response to regulations of one sort or another, most of them imposed by government agencies. The regulatory agency issues instructions on how to write the necessary reports. The important thing is to be honest, thorough, and accurate.
Perhaps the most common examples of governmental annual compliance reports are income tax returns, annual reports from corporations that have a pension plan, and annual shareholder reports for companies that sell their stock to the general public.
Many taxing and regulatory agencies monitor and control the compliance of their licensees by requiring interim compliance reports. Public corporations, for example, are required by the SEC to file 10Q quarterly reports. Large employers are required to submit monthly and quarterly employment tax reports to the federal government and the state where they operate.
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8. Documenting Progress on Workplace Projects
Interim
Reports
Final
Reports
Progress reports vary in importance and complexity. Some are a mere formality; others are a vital element in the client relationship. Progress reports are generally submitted on a regular basis. They may be required monthly or weekly, or they may be keyed to phases of the project.
Interim progress reports naturally vary in length, depending on the period covered and the complexity of the contract. They give others an idea of the work that has been accomplished to date. They are often keyed to the work plan that was established at the beginning of the contract or project. The writer states what tasks have been accomplished, identifies problems, outlines future steps, and summarizes important findings. If a strict deadline is involved, you can include a Gantt chart to illustrate whether the project is on schedule.
Final reports are generally more elaborate than interim reports and serve as a permanent record of what was accomplished. They focus on results rather than on progress. They deal with what was done, not with how it got done.
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9. Business Communication Today
Analytical Reports
Recommendations
Problem-Solving
Reports
Business
Proposals
Solutions
Persuasion
Two of the more common examples of analytical reports are problem-solving reports and proposals.
Managers rely on the supporting information, analyses, and recommendations presented in analytical reports to make informed decisions.
Analytical reports require a strong foundation of facts combined with good insight and excellent communication skills on the part of the writer. Typically, an analytical report ends by presenting a decision (or a solution) to a problem or by recommending a number of actions. The body of the report presents all the facts (both good and bad) and persuades readers to accept a stated decision, an action, or the recommendations detailed throughout the report. To persuade the reader, the writer carefully analyzes the facts and presents an argument in one of several ways, generally organizing ideas around conclusions, recommendations, or logical arguments.
Although the content of analytical reports may vary greatly, all of them tend to ask "should we or shouldn't we" questions: Should we expand into this market? Should we reorganize the research department? Should we invest in new equipment?
Conclusions
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10. Solving Problems Troubleshooting Reports Feasibility Reports
When solving problems, managers need both basic information and detailed analysis to evaluate the possible solutions. Problem-solving reports provide such information and analyses.
Troubleshooting reports are one type of problem-solving report. Whenever a problem exists, somebody has to investigate it and propose a solution. Regardless of the specific problem at hand, these troubleshooting reports deal with the same basic research questions: How did this problem arise, what's the extent of the damage, and what can we do about it? These reports usually start with some background information on the problem, then analyze alternative solutions, and finally recommend the best approach.
A feasibility report is a problem-solving report that studies proposed options to assess whether any or all of them are sound. The report answers such questions as: Will this action work? Is it profitable? Is one action better than the other? In some cases the report might conclude that a proposed action is not feasible because it is too costly to implement or because the advantages do not outweigh the disadvantages. If alternative options are presented, such as building a new facility or leasing an existing one, the report will evaluate each option and present a recommendation for the most attractive one.
Justification reports are similar to feasibility reports except for a timing difference. Justification reports are written after a course of action has been taken or after a decision has been made to justify the action or decision.
Justification Reports
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11. Business Communication Today
Writing Proposals
Internal
Solicited
External
Unsolicited
A proposal is a special type of analytical report designed to get products, plans, or projects accepted by others. Although the size and scope of a proposal can vary, proposals analyze the audience’s needs or a problem, present the solution to the problem, and persuade the audience that the solution presented is the best approach.
Internal proposals are submitted to decision makers in your own organization. They have two primary purposes: (1) to seek approval for a project or course of action or (2) to request additional resources. External proposals are submitted to decision makers outside of an organization such as current or potential clients and government agencies. Like internal proposals, they solicit approval for projects or funds, but they have some important differences: they are legally binding, they often compete for a client's business, and they tend to be more formal than internal proposals.
Solicited proposals are generally prepared at the request of external parties who need something done, but they may also be requested by such internal sources as management or the board of directors. Unsolicited proposals are initiated by organizations attempting to obtain business or funding without a specific invitation from a potential client. Because the reader may not know about the problem you are addressing, the proposal must convince the reader that a problem exists and that you can solve it.
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12. Three-Step Writing Process
Planning
Chapter 12
Writing
Chapter 13
Completing
Chapter 14
Analyzing
Investigating
Adapting
Organizing
Composing
Designing
Revising
Producing
Proofreading
As with other business messages, when writing reports and proposals you benefit from following the three-step writing process: (1) planning, (2) writing, and (3) completing business messages.
Since much of the writing process is covered in Chapters 4, 5 and 6, the following sections discuss only those parts that differ for reports and proposals.
This chapter focuses on Step 1, planning business reports and proposals. Step 21 is discussed in Chapter 13, “Writing Business Reports and Proposals,” and Step 3 is the subject of Chapter 14, “Completing Formal Business Reports and Proposals."
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13. Business Communication Today
Planning Reports
Analysis
Investigation
Adaptation
The planning tasks for reports fall into the three familiar categories: analysis, investigation, and adaptation.
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14. Analyzing the Situation
Informational
Reports
Analytical
When planning a report you will of course need to analyze your audience and purpose. But even before that, you’ll want to analyze your particular situation to decide whether it merits writing a report in the first place. If you do decide that writing a report is your best approach, you must determine whether to write an informational or an analytical report. For informational reports, you define the specific purpose of your report and select a report type that is appropriate for your purpose. For analytical reports, you must first define the problem your report will address before stating the purpose of your report and selecting an appropriate report type.
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15. Problem Definition for Analytical Reports
Clarify
the Problem
Ask the
Right Questions
In some cases, the problem your analytical report addresses may be defined by the person who authorizes the report. In other cases, you will have to define the problem you need to resolve. Be careful not to confuse a simple topic (campus parking) with a problem (the lack of enough campus parking).
To help define the problem that your analytical report will address, answer these questions:
What needs to be determined?
Why is this issue important?
Who is involved in the situation?
Where is the trouble located?
How did the situation originate?
When did it start?
Also try breaking down the “perceived” problem into a series of logical, connected questions that try to identify cause and effect. This process is sometimes called problem factoring.
When you speculate on the cause of a problem, you're forming a hypothesis, a potential explanation that needs to be tested. By subdividing a problem and forming hypotheses based on available evidence, you can tackle even the most complex situations.
Factor
the Problem
Form a
Hypothesis
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16. What Is the Purpose of the Report?
To Inform
To Confirm
To Recommend
To Summarize
To Persuade
To Analyze
Developing a statement of purpose will help you keep your report writing on task. Unlike a problem statement, which defines what you are going to investigate, a statement of purpose defines why you are preparing the report.
Using an infinitive phrase (to plus a verb) encourages you to take control and decide where you're going before you begin. When you choose an infinitive phrase (to inform, to confirm, to analyze, to persuade, to recommend), you pin down your general goal in preparing the report.
The statement of purpose for analytical reports is often more comprehensive than for informational reports.
Remember, the more specific your purpose statement, the more useful it will be as a guide to planning your report. Furthermore, always double-check your statement of purpose with the person who authorized the report. Seeing the purpose written down in black and white, the authorizer may decide that the report needs to go in a different direction. Once your statement is confirmed, you can use it as the basis for your preliminary outline.
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17. Developing a Preliminary Outline
First Major Part
First subpoint
Second subpoint
Evidence
Third subpoint
Second Major Point
Parallel
Construction
Consistent
Headings
Developing a preliminary outline gives you a visual diagram of the report, its important points, the order in which they will be discussed, and the detail to be included. You’ll be using the preliminary outline to guide your research efforts and as a foundation for organizing and composing your report. Think of your preliminary report outline as a working draft that you'll revise and modify as you go along.
There are two common outline formats that business writers use to guide their writing efforts: alphanumeric and decimal. Regardless of which format you use for your outlines, make sure that items of the same level are grammatically parallel. Parallel construction shows that the ideas are related, of similar importance, and on the same level of generality.
When wording outlines, choose between descriptive (topical) and informative (talking) headings. In some cases you may use these same headings for your final report. Descriptive headings label the subject that will be discussed, whereas informative headings (in either question or summary form) suggest more about the meaning of the issues. Although outlines with informative headings take a little longer to write, they’re generally more useful in guiding your work and easier for others to review.
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18. Preparing the Work Plan
Statement of the problem
Statement of the purpose and scope
Discussion of tasks to be accomplished
Description of final products or outcomes
Review of schedules and requirements
Plans for following up
Working outline
A carefully thought-out work plan is the best way to make sure you produce quality work on schedule. By identifying all the tasks that must be performed, you ensure that nothing is overlooked. A formal work plan might include the following elements (especially the first two):
Statement of the problem.
Statement of the purpose and scope of your investigation.
Discussion of tasks to be accomplished.
Description of any products that will result from your investigation.
Review of project assignments, schedules, and resource requirements.
Plans for following up after delivering the report.
Working outline.
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19. Business Communication Today
The Research Process 1
Understand Topic
and Assignment
Find and Access
Information 2 3
Evaluate and
Finalize Sources 4
Process
Information
Whether you’re writing informational or analytical reports, you may need to gather data on specific companies, industries, trends, issues, products, events, or any number of topics
As discussed in Chapter 10, when researching long business messages, you’ll need to complete all six tasks in the research process:
Identify the right questions to understand the topic and assignment.
Find and access secondary and primary information.
Evaluate and finalize your sources.
Process your information.
Analyze your data.
Interpret your findings.
These tasks need not be performed in this specific order. Also, the time you spend on each task depends on the sort of information you need and on the situation, your purpose, and your audience.
Analyze Data 5
Interpret
Findings 6
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20. Adapting to the Audience
“You” Attitude
Positive Tone
Credibility
As with any business communication, you’ll want to make sure that your report is audience centered. To do that, you need to establish a good relationship with your readers. You must also select a channel and medium that are appropriate to your readers and your purpose.
Use the “you” attitude. Show readers how your report answers their questions and solves their problems.
Emphasize the positive. Even if your report recommends a negative action, remember to state the facts and make your recommendations positively.
Establish your credibility. One of the best ways to gain your audience’s trust is to be thorough, research all sides of your topic, and document your findings with credible sources.
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21. Adapting to the Audience
Polite Treatment
Bias-Free Language
Corporate Image
Be polite. Earn your audience’s respect by being courteous, kind, and tactful.
Use bias-free language. Avoid unethical and embarrassing blunders in language related to gender, race, ethnicity, age, and disability.
Project the company’s image. Whether your report is intended for people inside or outside the company, be sure to plan how you will adapt your style and your language to reflect the image of your organization.
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22. Selecting the Channel and Medium
Written
Reports
Complex
Information
Future
Reference
Oral
Reports
Immediate
Feedback
As with other business messages, you’ll need to select the best format for conveying your report.
Most reports are produced in writing for one of two reasons: (1) they contain complex information that needs to be presented in a logical and structured format; and (2) they are used for future reference. Chapter 4 discusses the benefits of using a written format.
In some cases you might want deliver your report orally—perhaps as a presentation to managers, suppliers, or customers. Oral reports are most appropriate when you want immediate feedback, when there’s an emotional component to your report, or when nonverbal communication is an important element of your message. Oral presentations can take the place of a written report, or they may accompany a written report. Chapter 15 discusses how to plan, write, and complete oral presentations. Chapter 16 explains how to create effective slides and overhead transparencies for your oral presentations.
Nonverbal
Communication
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23. Business Communication Today
Electronic Reports
Advantages
Cost and space savings
Faster distribution
Multimedia features
Ease of maintenance
Disadvantages
Hardware and software costs
System incompatibility
Training needs
Data security
The advantages of electronic reports include the following:
Cost and space savings. After the initial expenditure for hardware and software, electronic reports can save a significant amount of money in terms of paper, printing or photocopying, distribution and storage.
Faster distribution. Electronic documents can reach their audiences in a few seconds, compared with the hours or days it can take to send paper documents.
Multimedia features. Sound and video can be integrated into some electronic reports, bringing text to life.
Easier maintenance. The content of electronic reports can be easily changed, which makes such reports easier to correct, update, and customize.
Disadvantages of electronic reports include the following:
Hardware and software costs. Naturally, you need some kind of computer equipment to create and distribute electronic documents.
Computer system incompatibility. Companies lacking intranets may find themselves with incompatible computer systems.
Training needs. Reading electronic reports can require training in using web browsers, accessing databases, or other skills.
Risks to data security and integrity. Because information in electronic reports is not fixed on paper, it is vulnerable to tampering and corruption.
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