How to Organize a Business Report

When it comes to writing a business report, knowing the intended audience is critical in determining how to proceed, and then making sure the finished product meets the readers' expectations. More than likely, your boss assigned you the project of preparing the report for analyzing the business, and you need to start by making sure you know what their goal is in having you prepare the report.

You need to understand the depth of the report expected, so you can decide on what resources you will need - and the support of your supervisor in getting access to these resources. If the report is inward looking, meaning it is solely an analysis of an internal company process, such as staff utilization, purchasing practices, or as simple as processing payables, then you will need to turn to those people in the chain of events within the organization for your information.

However, if your objective is analyzing an internal process against the practices of others in your industry, or even broader, of industry in general, research time and the effort to compare and contrast your findings will be a much more significant task, and could require not only time, but money, to obtain the information. If there will be a need for significant external sources, then find out if there is a budget for the project.

Without understanding the scope of the project, you will not be able to determine if the schedule established for you is reasonable, or even feasible. It should be evident quickly if the deadline you have been set is possible to achieve, and you want to understand the firmness of the deadline for completion, and keep the person expecting the report apprised of any divergence from the timeline.

Once you understand the scope and timetable of the project, prepare an outline of the key segments of the report. Do not forget to include a section for your references. A well-written business report reads much like a news story, with the key questions of who, what, where, why, how and when all answered.

At this point, prepare an executive summary. This can be changed later, but present the summary of the project to whoever assigned you the task, and find out if the way you've written it is an accurate representation of their expectations. This should be no more than four or five paragraphs, and should definitely fit on a single page of paper. The summary will change upon completion, but also provides you with a road map for the project.

Now you have reached the point of actually deciding what resources you are going to draw from in preparing the report. You need to ask at this point how to get answers to your questions.

- Will getting the information you need take a simple set of phone calls or emails?

- Should you request the information in writing via a memorandum to several people?

- Should get it face-to-face?

- Will you need to get information from outside resources, and how long will it take to get those resources?

- Will you be able to research the subject via the internet, or will you need to order them from a library or journal?

Your sources and how you can obtain them can seriously impact the completion date. If you run into a roadblock, first look for other sources for similar information. If you can't find a different source, explain the situation to the boss, and find out if either the deadline or the scope of the project should be adjusted. It is rare that you would need to adjust both because you are missing a single source for the report, but it is possible.

Gather the facts, sort them into the appropriate sections from your outline, and get to writing! Present a rough draft for feedback, then polish the final product for presentation.

But wait! The final report's format could be as simple as a stapled sheaf of paper, or you may need to have it bound in some manner - find out! If the final business report is solely for internal consumption, it is unlikely much expense will go into the presentation. However, if the final audience is going to be for financing or something that needs to impress an outside audience, you need to know to make the best impression possible.