©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.
May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
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Reporting in the
Digital-Age Workplace
• Routine reports keep managers
informed about completed tasks,
projects, and work in progress.
• Reports help executives understand the
challenges they encounter in business.
• Report findings may be presented orally
in meetings or shared digitally in e-mail
messages, PDF files, or slide decks.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 2
Three Main Purposes of
Business Reports
1. Convey information
2. Answer questions
3. Solve problems
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 3
Report Functions
Informational Reports
• Present data without analysis or
recommendations
• Are routine and often periodic
Analytical Reports
• Provide data or findings, analyses, and
conclusions
• May also supply recommendations
• Intend to persuade readers
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 4
Audience Analysis and
Report Organization
Direct Strategy Indirect Strategy
Readers Readers
• are informed • need to be educated
• are supportive • need to be persuaded
• want results first • may be disappointed
or hostile
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 5
Report Writing Style
Informal Style
• Friendly, casual tone
• First-person pronouns, contractions
• Shorter sentences, familiar words
• Conversational language
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 6
Report Writing Style
Formal Style
• Emphasis on objectivity, accuracy,
fairness
• Professional distance between writer
and reader
• May use third person (the researcher)
and passive voice
• Absence of humor, figures of speech,
“editorializing”
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 7
Report Formats
• Letter (often as PDF document sent
by e-mail)
• Memo (often with e-mail cover note)
• Manuscript
• Preprinted Forms
• Digital (as a slide deck and other
formats)
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 8
Informational Report –
Letter Format
Tips for Letter Reports:
• Use letter format for short, informal
reports sent to outsiders.
• Prepare as a letter on company
letterhead stationery.
• Organize the facts into logical
divisions identified by consistent
headings.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 9
Analytical Report – Memo Format
Tips for Memo Reports:
• Use memo format for short (ten or
fewer pages) informal reports within
an organization.
• Leave side margins of 1 to 1¼ inches.
• Sign your initials on the From line.
• Consider attaching the memo to a
cover e-mail for delivery.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 10
Informal Reports–
E-Mail and Memo Formats
Tips for E-Mail and Memo Reports:
• Chunk similar information into
groups for quick comprehension.
• Use concise headings to quickly
identify groups.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 11
Informal Reports –
E-Mail and Digital Formats
• PDF documents are a popular
delivery format.
• Some reports are animated and may
be hyperlinked to other content.
• Slide presentations can be converted
to video.
• Slide decks are a condensed
image-rich format not intended for
verbal delivery.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 12
Levels of Report Headings
2 inches
14 pt. sans
TITLE serif font
2 blank lines
The title of a report, chapter heading, or major part should be
centered in all caps.
2 blank lines
First-Level Heading
12 pt. sans
1 blank line serif font
A first-level heading is centered and bolded. It uses a smaller font
size, and only primary words are capitalized.
2 blank lines
11 pt. sans
Second-Level Heading
1 blank line
serif font
A second-level heading divides the topics introduced by the first
level heading. It is bolded and left-aligned.
1 blank line
Third-Level Heading. Because it is part of the paragraph that
follows, a third-level heading is also called a paragraph heading.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 13
Defining the Purpose
and Gathering Data
1. Analyze the problem and purpose.
2. Anticipate the audience and issues.
3. Prepare a work plan.
4. Conduct research.
5. Organize, analyze, interpret, and
illustrate the data.
6. Compose the first draft.
7. Edit, proofread, and evaluate.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 14
Trip, Convention, and
Conference Reports
• Identify the event (name, date, and
location).
• Preview the topics to be discussed.
• Summarize the main topics that might
benefit others in the organization.
• Use headings and bullets to enhance
readability.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 15
Trip, Convention, and
Conference Reports
• Express appreciation.
• Mention the value of the trip or event.
• Offer to share the information.
• Submit itemized expenses, if
requested, separately.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 16
Progress, or Interim, Reports
• Specify the purpose and nature of the
project.
• Provide background information if
necessary to inform the reader.
• Describe the work completed thus far.
• Explain the work currently in progress,
including names, activities, methods
used, and locations.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 17
Minutes of Meetings
• Begin with the group’s name, date,
time, and place of meeting.
• Identify the names of attendees and
absentees.
• State whether the previous minutes
were approved or revised.
• Record briefly the discussions of old
business, new business,
announcements, and committee
reports.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 18
Minutes of Meetings
• Include the precise wording of
motions.
• Record the votes and actions taken.
• Conclude with the name of the
person recording the minutes.
• Include a signature on formal
minutes.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 19
Summaries
• State the main idea or purpose
of the summary.
• Highlight the research methods, findings,
conclusions, and recommendations.
• Omit illustrations, examples, and references.
• Organize for readability by including headings
and bulleted or enumerated lists.
• If requested, include your reaction or overall
evaluation of the document.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 20
Justification / Recommendation
Reports
Direct Strategy
Explain the problem or need briefly.
Announce the recommendation, solution,
or action concisely and with action verbs.
Explain more fully the benefits of the
recommendation or steps necessary to
solve the problem.
Include a discussion of pros, cons, and costs.
Conclude with a summary specifying the
recommendation and necessary action.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 21
Justification / Recommendation
Reports
Indirect Strategy
Refer to the problem in general terms in
the subject line or title.
Describe the problem or need your
recommendation addresses.
Use specific examples, supporting statistics,
and authoritative quotations to lend credibility.
Discuss alternative solutions, beginning
with the least likely to succeed.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 22
Feasibility Reports
Announce your decision immediately.
Provide a description of the background
and problem necessitating the proposal.
Discuss the benefits of the proposal.
Describe the problems that may result.
Calculate the costs associated with the
proposal.
Show the time frame necessary for
implementing the proposal.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 23
Yardstick Reports
Describe the problems or need.
Explain possible solutions and alternatives.
Establish criteria for comparing the
alternatives.
Tell how the criteria were selected or
developed.
Discuss and evaluate each alternative in
terms of the criteria.
Draw conclusions and make
recommendations.
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 24
©2016 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part. Ch. 9 / Slide 25
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