How to Write a Project Report: Step-

By-Step Guide
At some point during the implementation of a project, a project report has to be generated in
order to paint a mental image of the whole project. Ultimately, a project report must
maximize the insight gained with minimal effort from the reader. Apart from describing its
results, it must also explain the implications of those results to the organization and its
business operations.

PART 1

How to Write a Project Status Report:

The most common type of project report, a project status report provides a general state of the
project to its stakeholders. It quantifies work performed and completed in measurable terms.
It compares this with an established baseline to see if the project is on track or; if adjustments
have to be made if the project is behind its schedule. It keeps everyone on the same page and
manages each other’s expectations.

Project status reports are accomplished to serve the following purposes;

1. to keep an updated flow of information in relation to the project’s progress

2. to immediately address issues and concerns that may come up at any point of the project’s
implementation or duration
3. to document reasons for changes and adjustments made to the original plan for the project
4. to monitor fund utilization and to ensure that the project expenses are still within the
budget
5. to serve as a basis for decision-making and addressing problems
6. to keep track of the team’s performance and individual contributions
7. to act as a uniform procedure for communicating project development to the stakeholders.
 Status reports are most effective when they follow a standard form with predefined fields that
need to be regularly updated. Doing so will save time and provide consistency and
predictability of the information the stakeholders will receive about the status of the project.

WHAT TO INCLUDE
For a status report to be comprehensive, it must include the following elements:
 Summary/Overall Health of the Project

At a glance, this portion of the status report must provide an overall idea of how the project is
progressing without going into too much detail. A person who does not have time to read the
entire report thoroughly must be able to get a picture of the current status of the project
through the summary of the status report.
 Facts on the Project Progress

The status report must contain full information on accomplishments, timelines, and most
importantly, project milestones. Project milestones are the completion of highly important
tasks. They serve as a standard of project progress management. What constitutes a project
milestone should be identified during the project planning stage.
 Target vs. Actual Accomplishments

It should present a comparison between what has actually been accomplished versus what
was supposed to have been achieved at this point of the project. It should tell us whether the
project is on track, if it is ahead, or if it is behind schedule.
 Analysis

For any variances recorded and reported between the targets and actual accomplishments, an
analysis of the impact on the project should be made and presented in the status report. The
reasons for such differences must also be stated in the report.
 Action(s) Taken

What has been done to address the variances? It is important to give an account of how the
team addressed the variances and other problems that came up during the period covered by
the status report. Additionally,, the report must also include the expected milestones or
accomplishments for the next status report.
 Risks and Issues

The report should contain all the problems and challenges that the team faced and what they
did to address them. The report should also inform the stakeholders of the current risks to the
project.
 Resources
 The state of resource utilization must also be presented in the status report. It should show
how these resources were used or consumed on a periodic basis. The forecast can also show
if the team is running out of resources and replenishment is needed.
 Budget

Just like the resources, it is also important to present the financial aspects of the project, most
especially, the utilization of its budget. Stakeholders will want to know if the project is within
budget or not. Be prepared with explanations, especially if there are notable variances in the
budget.
 Schedule

Indicate whether the project is operating within its expected timelines, and if it is not, provide
reasons why. This is important since delays or extensions in the plan will entail additional
costs and resources. Additionally, the report must also include the expected milestones or
accomplishments for the next status report.

Keys to an Effective Project Status Report

1. Submit the report on time. A status report is time sensitive and sending it late defeats the
purpose of such a report.
2. Giving complete but inaccurate information is just as bad as giving accurate but
incomplete information. Since stakeholders rely on the status report for a heads-up on the project,
and its content is used as the basis for decision-making, it is critical that the report provides both
complete and accurate information.
3. Do not cover up bad news or adverse reports as these are all part of the transparency of
the status report. Keep in mind that being open with the stakeholders, whether the project is sailing
smoothly or not, will benefit both the team and the client, since any problems there are will be
immediately given attention and solved.
4. Be proud of the team’s accomplishments, after all, this is what the clients and the
stakeholders will want to know about.
5. Anticipate questions from the clients or stakeholders and be prepared to answer them.
6. Be familiar with the culture of the organization and respect the information hierarchy
they observe. There are instances when the CEO wants to be the first to know about the contents of
these reports before cascading it to his downlines. On the other hand, middle managers will want a
head start on these reports so they can also anticipate and prepare for any reaction from the top
executives.
7. Craft the status report in such a way that there will be no information overload. It
should contain necessary information that the stakeholders need to know. Lengthy reports will
consume not only the writer’s time but also that of the reader. Too many details also give an
impression of micro management.
 Risk Registers

All projects, or any activities of business, face risks. It is just a matter of how an organization
identifies, assesses, analyzes, and monitors these risks. With a Risk Register, an organization
is equipped with a tool to better respond to problems that may arise because of these risks. It
helps in the decision-making process and enables the stakeholders to take care of the threats
in the best way possible.

A Risk Register, also called an Issue Log, is iterative because it will be updated periodically
depending on how often the team identifies a potential risk. It may also be updated if the
characteristics of the existing potential risks change as the project progresses. 

WHAT TO INCLUDE
The Risk Register document contains information about the following:
 Risk Identification
 Risk Category: Grouping these risks under different categories is helpful. Doing so will
provide a way to make a plan of action that will address most, if not all of the risks falling under the
same category, saving time, effort, and resources.
 Risk Description: Provide a brief explanation of the identified potential risk. The description
can be done in a variety of ways depending on the level of detail. A general description can be
difficult to address while giving too much detail about the risk may entail a significant amount of
work. Three factors to consider when making a risk description are: the way these risks are going to
be managed, who will handle them, and the reporting requirements of the person receiving the risk
register.
 Risk ID: Assign a unique identification code to each risk identified to track it in the risk
register easily. Create a system of coding in such a way that the category to which the said risk
belongs is easily identifiable.
 Risk Analysis
 Project Impact: Indicate the potential effect of the assumed risk on different aspects of the
project such as budget, timelines, quality, and performance.
 Likelihood: Referring to the possibility of the risk occurring, the likelihood can be expressed
qualitatively—high, medium, low—or quantitatively, if there is enough information available.
Whatever criteria are to be used, assign a number—with the highest value corresponding to that which
is most likely to occur.
 Consequence: This refers to the severity or the extent of the risk’s impact on the project. It
can be expressed using the following adjectives to describe the magnitude of severity but remember to
 assign a number to each level, with the highest value assigned to the level which has the most severe
impact.
A. Negligible
B. Minor
C. Moderate
D. Significant
E. SevereHere’s how it will look in a tabular form:
Negligible Minor Moderate Significant Severe
Severity
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Likelihood

Low

(1)

Medium

(2)

High

(3)
 Risk Evaluation
 Risk Rank: Combining the likelihood of occurrence of a risk and the severity of its impact
gives the risk rank. If there are corresponding numerical values assigned to each level, these can be
multiplied, and the resulting value can be used to rank the identified risks.
Negligible Minor Moderate Significant Severe
Severity
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
Likelihood

Delay in the Natural calamities

Low delivery of are damaging the
office supplies infrastructure.
(1)

Medium Absence of  Running out of

key personnel budget
(2)

High

(3)
 Using the table above, the identified risk can be ranked this way:
  
Risk Likelihood Severity Result Rank
 Natural calamities
damaging the
infrastructure 1 5 5 2

Running out of
budget 2 4 8 1

Delay in the
delivery of office
supplies 1 2 2 4

Absence of key
personnel 2 2 4 3

 Risk Trigger: These are the potential risk events that will trigger the implementation of a
contingency plan based on the risk management plan. This plan should have been prepared prior to
the development of a risk register.
 Risk Treatment
 Prevention Plan: This enumerates the steps or action to be taken to prevent the risks from
occurring.
 Contingency Plan: On the other hand, the contingency plan determines the steps or action to
be taken once the risk events have occurred. This program also contains the measures to be taken to
reduce the impact of such risks to the project.
 Risk Owner: The person responsible for managing risk, and the implementation of the
prevention and contingency plans, it can be anyone among the stakeholders—members of the team, a
project manager, or project sponsors.
 Residual Risk: Sometimes, a risk cannot be entirely eliminated after treatment. Part of it may
linger throughout the duration of the project, but once it has been treated, it can be considered as a
low-level risk.

Keys to an Effective Risk Register

1. The first risk register must be created as soon as the project plan and the risk
management plan has been approved. This initial risk register must be integrated into the project
plan.
2. Active risks during a particular period must also be included in the project status
report.
3. Risk management is an iterative process which is why the risk register must also be
updated from time to time. Updates can be made when new risks are identified or there have been
changes in the risks already in the register.
4. The numerical value assigned to the likelihood and severity levels must remain constant
throughout the duration of the whole project.
5. Likewise, any terms used must be defined, and this definition must be utilized
consistently.

Project Closure Report

As the end of a project, a Project Closure Report signals its culmination. Its submission
officially concludes a project and implies that funds and resources will no longer be needed,
and everything will go back to its status prior to the implementation of the project.

This process is critical as it will officially tie up all loose ends and prevent confusion among
stakeholders.

WHAT TO INCLUDE

This particular type of project report summarizes information on the project results, the
criteria used to measure the effectiveness of the project delivery process, and the feedback
from the stakeholders. Each performance metric includes an assessment and a narration of
how the team performed on such metrics.

ProsperForms — Software for Daily and Weekly Status Reports

 Budget

This performance metric describes how the team utilized the budget in carrying out the
project effectively. Under this performance metric, the following aspects are measured:

 Final Cost

Indicate the total expenditures for the duration of the project.

 Component Breakdown
 Each category of the expenses is tracked and recorded, stating the price per category and
what percentage of the total budget was spent on each category.
 Budget Variance

Show the difference between the projected budget and the actual cost and present a detailed
variance for each cost category.
 Explanations for Key Variances

Briefly explain the reasons for each variation and its impact on the project’s implementation.
 Schedule

Describe how the team implemented the project within the expected time frame and schedule.

 Overall Project Duration

State how long it took for the completion of the entire project, including the start and end
dates. A lot of people will find it surprising to know how long they have been working on the
project.
 Schedule Variance

Narrate the difference between the projected duration of the project and the actual time it
took for the project to be completed. State the details in a number of days and as a
percentage.
 The explanations for Key Variances

Include an explanation for the occurrence of the variations and quantify how much each
difference accounts for the total, in days or as a percentage.
 Change Management

This metric refers to the team’s ability to handle and manage changes throughout the
project’s implementation effectively. It is measured through the following:

 Total Number of Changes

Provide details on how many changes were requested and how many were approved and
implemented.
 The impact of the Changes
 State how these changes impacted the overall project in terms of project timelines and cost.
 The highlight of Changes

Provide a brief description of the changes that were implemented. It is also good to mention
those changes that were requested, but were not approved—especially if the reason for
disapproval was to defer it for a future project or product release.
 Quality Management

This particular metric refers to the team’s ability to observe and comply with quality
standards during the project’s implementation.

 Total Number of Defects Identified

State a brief description of the errors identified during the structured walkthrough process per
stage.
 The explanation for Resolved Defects

Give a narrative on how each defect identified was addressed and how it made an impact on
the project and its deliverables.
 Risk and Issue Management

This metric deals with how risks and matters that occurred during project implementation
were handled and resolved by the team. Key points to include are the following:

 Risks

Provide a list of risks identified and analyzed. From this list, determine which ones were
accepted, transferred, mitigated, or avoided. Also, provide a summary of how key risks were
reduced.
 Issues

Provide a list of problems ranked according to priority and determine which among these
were resolved by the team, how many were escalated to a higher-level decision maker, and
how many were left unresolved.
 The impact of the Risks and Issues to the Project

State how these risks and challenges affected the project timeline, budget, and scope.
 Human Resource Management
 This refers to the team’s ability to carry out the project effectively.

 Manpower

Give an analysis of whether enough manpower was provided for the project and if they were
equipped with the right skills to implement the project. Also note if the team was given the
proper training to handle the project effectively.
 Project Organization Structure

This metric looks at how the stakeholders participated in the project.

 Decision-makers

Discuss how the team’s collaboration with the primary decision-makers worked. State if they
made themselves available beyond regular working hours if needed. Also give an account of
how escalated issues were resolved and if they were delivered in a timely manner.
 Communication Management

Under this metric, communication throughout the duration of the project is assessed.

 Communication Management Plan

Describe how the communication management plan was implemented and if it was delivered
as expected. Give an account on which items on the communication management plan
worked well and which ones need to be improved.
 Feedback
 Summarize essential feedback collected. Describe the method by which these comments
were gathered and who was solicited for feedback. Also include how they responded to each question
and briefly discuss which items received great responses from the participants and which ones got few
answers.
 Take note of common themes or trends of feedback gathered.
 From the feedback gathered, also take note of any opportunities from this feedback and
discuss how these opportunities can be applied to future projects, or in the organization itself.
 Lesson Learned
 Give a brief discussion of what the team learned when carrying out the project. Among
these learnings, discuss which ones can be applied to future projects and how it will impact not only
those future projects but also the whole organization.
 Other Metrics
 Other points of interest may not have been captured in the Project Status Report and may be
included in the Project Closeout Report. Some of these factors include:

 Duration and Effort by Project Phase

A brief account of how long it took for each phase of the project to be implemented is an
excellent addition to the report. Insights from this information may be used to plan properly
for following projects. It is also interesting to account for the percentage of effort allotted for
each phase. This will guide sufficient manpower allocation for each stage of future projects.
 Benefits Realized

It is worthwhile to discuss which among the expected advantages of the plans were realized
at the time the project closure report is written.
 Benchmark Comparisons

Describe how the project performed in comparison with other projects of the same
department, company, or within the same industry. Briefly discuss the positive and negative
points of the plan as compared to others.

Keys to an effective project closure report

1. The closure report is mostly a summary of all efforts related to the project. It is
important to ensure that all highlights of the project have been properly documented so that retrieval
of these reports is easier and all efforts will be acknowledged.
2. Emphasize the high points the project delivered, how efficiently it was done, and what
has been learned from the process.
3. If there are notable variances during the project implementation, make sure to provide
a fact-based explanation on it. In addition, the impact of this difference must also be described.
4. A critical point in a project closure report is establishing the link between the project
performance, the lessons learned, and the steps that will be taken by the organization for its
continuous improvement. Aside from the project deliverables, another valuable output of a project is
the learnings derived from the process and how it will be translated into concrete concepts applicable
to the business processes of the organization.

Executive Summary

A little bit different from the types of project reports previously mentioned, an Executive
Summary is a distinct kind of report which uses different language. It is a high-level report
 which aims to provide a bigger and deeper understanding of the project—how it will benefit
the organization and how it will fit into future business strategies. It is written with a busy
executive in mind, someone who has a lot of important things to do and may find reading a
lengthy piece of prose a waste of precious time. Factual and objective, this particular type of
project report must be able to provide a realistic status of the project, as business executives
understand that everything may not go according to the plan.

Some may confuse an executive summary with an abstract but, in reality, they are clearly
distinct from one another and serve a different purpose.

An abstract is usually written for academic or scientific papers. It is written with a topic
sentence which, generally, gives an overview of what the article is about. It is, then,
supported by two or three supporting sentences which support the main idea of the topic
sentence.

An executive summary, on the other hand, is composed of different sections discussing

almost every significant aspect of an undertaking. It consists of sequentially arranged key
points supported by conclusions and recommendations. Check our in-depth article on how to
write an effective executive summary.

Things to Remember in Writing Project Reports

Here are some of the principles that need to be observed in writing an effective project report;

1. Write for the reader

Bear in mind that the report is written for other people, and not for yourself. Whether
you are writing one as part of the team, or you are commissioned to write for someone’s
team, you need to be familiar with the terms and concepts used by the team and the entire
organization. Since it is not safe to assume that everybody understands these terms; for the
benefit of everybody, it is safe to define those terminologies and concepts in the preliminary
parts of the report. Another option is to use layman’s terms and refrain from using technical
and industry jargons, or even acronyms as much as possible.
2. The report should have a structure

There may be different types of the report, but one thing they have in common is that
all of them require to be written following a particular structure. If possible, organize
 information into different sections so that your intended readers will be able to easily identify
the most relevant parts that they want to read first. Alternatively, they can quickly go back to
an earlier section, if they have to. Most types of reports contain common sections such as an
abstract, or background of the project, which explains what the project is and its purpose, and
a final summary of the entire project.
3. Ensure that the report is evidence-based and is supported by data

A credible and extensive project report is underpinned by a significant amount of data,

whether it is about the performance of the team or a comprehensive report about the
project results. Using charts, tables, and graphs is a surefire way of making the report
interesting and reliable for those who will read it. There is also an extensive selection of
project management tools available offering different responsive reporting components to
assist the project manager in compiling and presenting meaningful data.
4. Make it as objective as possible

There is a clear distinction between facts and opinions. These should never be used
together, especially if the report is dwelling on a failed project. The report becomes
subjective if it reflects personal opinions of the writer. Make it objective by eliminating all
parts which are not based on facts and real events. If it is really necessary to include a
personal view or opinion, make sure to explicitly identify it as such. A separate section of the
project report may be devoted to the writer’s personal opinion to keep the rest of the report
unbiased.
 
There are a number of ways project reporting helps an organization, a team, and even
the project itself and here are some of them:
1. It tracks the progress of the project

You should regularly check up on the amount and quality of work being accomplished and
check it against the plan. It can ensure that the project is kept on track, and any problems, no
matter how small they are, will be taken care of in order to prevent them from escalating into
bigger ones.
2. It helps identify risks

Risks are everywhere. Risk can make or break a project depending on how well the team was
able to deal with it. Through regular project reports, these risks are monitored, and the team
can identify ways to handle them.
3. It helps manage project cost
 Without regular updates on how the project is moving, project costs might get out of hand.
Project reports make it possible to monitor expenses and manage the budget. It also promotes
transparency with regards to the financial aspects of the project.
4. It gives stakeholders an insight on how the project is performing

Project reports provide stakeholders a bird’s eye view of its current state. It gives the team a
clear understanding of their roles and the tasks that they are to accomplish. For the project
manager, the reports provide them with updated relevant data. Lastly, project reports serve a
basis for the decisions that have to be made at the top management level.

What is a Report?
In academia there is some overlap between reports and essays, and the two
words are sometimes used interchangeably, but reports are more likely to be
needed for business, scientific and technical subjects, and in the workplace.

Whereas an essay presents arguments and reasoning, a report concentrates on

facts.
Essentially, a report is a short, sharp, concise document which is written for a
particular purpose and audience. It generally sets outs and analyses a situation or problem,
often making recommendations for future action. It is a factual paper, and needs to be clear
and well-structured.

Requirements for the precise form and content of a report will vary between organisation and
departments and in study between courses, from tutor to tutor, as well as between subjects, so
it’s worth finding out if there are any specific guidelines before you start.

Reports may contain some or all of the following elements:

 A description of a sequence of events or a situation;
 Some interpretation of the significance of these events or situation, whether solely your own
analysis or informed by the views of others, always carefully referenced of course (see our page
on Academic Referencing for more information);
 An evaluation of the facts or the results of your research;
 Discussion of the likely outcomes of future courses of action;
 Your recommendations as to a course of action; and
 Conclusions.
Not all of these elements will be essential in every report.
If you’re writing a report in the workplace, check whether there are any standard guidelines
or structure that you need to use.

For example, in the UK many government departments have outline structures for reports to
ministers that must be followed exactly.

Sections and Numbering

A report is designed to lead people through the information in a structured
way, but also to enable them to find the information that they want quickly
and easily.
Reports usually, therefore, have numbered sections and subsections, and a clear and full
contents page listing each heading. It follows that page numbering is important.

Modern word processors have features to add tables of contents (ToC) and page numbers as
well as styled headings; you should take advantage of these as they update automatically as
you edit your report, moving, adding or deleting sections.

Report Writing

Getting Started: prior preparation and planning

The structure of a report is very important to lead the reader through

your thinking to a course of action and/or decision. It’s worth taking a
bit of time to plan it out beforehand.

Step 1: Know your brief

You will usually receive a clear brief for a report, including what you are
studying and for whom the report should be prepared.
First of all, consider your brief very carefully and make sure that you are clear who the report
is for (if you're a student then not just your tutor, but who it is supposed to be written for),
and why you are writing it, as well as what you want the reader to do at the end of reading:
make a decision or agree a recommendation, perhaps.
Step 2: Keep your brief in mind at all times
During your planning and writing, make sure that you keep your brief in
mind: who are you writing for, and why are you writing?
All your thinking needs to be focused on that, which may require you to be ruthless in your
reading and thinking. Anything irrelevant should be discarded.

As you read and research, try to organise your work into sections by theme, a bit like writing
a Literature Review.

Make sure that you keep track of your references, especially for academic work. Although
referencing is perhaps less important in the workplace, it’s also important that you can
substantiate any assertions that you make so it’s helpful to keep track of your sources of
information.

The Structure of a Report

Like the precise content, requirements for structure vary, so do check
what’s set out in any guidance.

However, as a rough guide, you should plan to include at the very

least an executive summary, introduction, the main body of your
report, and a section containing your conclusions and any
recommendations.

Executive Summary
The executive summary or abstract, for a scientific report, is a brief summary of the
contents. It’s worth writing this last, when you know the key points to draw out. It should be
no more than half a page to a page in length.

Remember the executive summary is designed to give busy 'executives' a quick summary of
the contents of the report.

Introduction
The introduction sets out what you plan to say and provides a brief summary of the problem
under discussion. It should also touch briefly on your conclusions.

Report Main Body

The main body of the report should be carefully structured in a way that leads the reader
through the issue.
You should split it into sections using numbered sub-headings relating to themes or areas for
consideration. For each theme, you should aim to set out clearly and concisely the main issue
under discussion and any areas of difficulty or disagreement. It may also include
experimental results. All the information that you present should be related back to the brief
and the precise subject under discussion.

Conclusions and Recommendations

The conclusion sets out what inferences you draw from the information, including any
experimental results. It may include recommendations, or these may be included in a separate
section.

Recommendations suggest how you think the situation could be improved, and should be
specific, achievable and measurable. If your recommendations have financial implications,
you should set these out clearly, with estimated costs if possible.

A Word on Writing Style

When writing a report, your aim should be to be absolutely clear. Above all, it
should be easy to read and understand, even to someone with little knowledge
of the subject area.
You should therefore aim for crisp, precise text, using plain English, and shorter words rather
than longer, with short sentences.

You should also avoid jargon. If you have to use specialist language, you should explain
each word as you use it. If you find that you’ve had to explain more than about five words,
you’re probably using too much jargon, and need to replace some of it with simpler words.

Consider your audience. If the report is designed to be written for a particular person, check
whether you should be writing it to ‘you’ or perhaps in the third person to a job role: ‘The
Chief Executive may like to consider…’, or ‘The minister is recommended to agree…’, for
example.

A Final Warning
As with any academic assignment or formal piece of writing, your work will
benefit from being read over again and edited ruthlessly for sense and style.
Pay particular attention to whether all the information that you have included is relevant.
Also remember to check tenses, which person you have written in, grammar and spelling. It’s
also worth one last check against any requirements on structure.

For an academic assignment, make sure that you have referenced fully and correctly. As
always, check that you have not inadvertently or deliberately plagiarised or copied anything
without acknowledging it.

Types of report writing

1. 1. REPORT WRITING VENKATESH DAMODHARAN I-YEAR MBA SRI KRISHNA
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
2. 2. REPORT WRITING  It is any informational work made with an intention to relay information
or recounting certain events in a presentable manner.  Reports are often conveyed in writing,
speech, television, or film.  Report is an administrative necessity.  Most official form of
information or work is completed via report.  Report is always written in a sequential manner in
order of occurrence
3. 3. TYPES OF REPORT Informal Report. Formal Report.
4. 4. INFORMAL REPORT The informal report functions to inform, analyse, and recommend. • It
usually takes the form of a memo, letter or a very short international document like a monthly
financial report, monthly activities report, research and development report, etc. • This report
differs from the formal report in length and formality. • It is written according to organization
style and rules, but usually does not include the preliminary (front) and supplemental (back)
material. • The informal report is usually more controversial in tone and typically deals with
everyday problems and issues addressed to a narrow readership inside the organization.
5. 5. INFORMAL REPORT - TYPES  Progress report  Sales activity report  Personnel evaluation 
Financial report  Feasibility report  Literature review  Credit report
6. 6. FORMAL REPORT  The formal report is the collection and interpretation of data and
information.  • The formal report is complex and used at an official level.  • It is often a written
account of a major project.  • Examples of subject matter include new technologies, the
advisability of launching a new project line, results of a study or experiment, an annual report, or a
year old review of developments in the field.
7. 7. FORMAL REPORT - TYPES Informational reports Analytical reports Recommendation
reports
8. 8. FORMAT FOR REPORT WRITING  Format of a Report  Title page  Acknowledgements 
Contents page  Abstract  Introduction  Body  Conclusion  References

Kinds of Reports
Report writing is a formal style of writing elaborately on a topic. The
tone of a report is always formal. The important section to focus on is
the target audience. For example – report writing about
a school event, report writing about a business case, etc. Let us
briefly discuss the different kinds of reports

Kinds of Report Writing – A Brief Introduction

All your facts and information presented in the report not only have
to be bias-free, but they also have to be 100% correct. Proof-reading
and fact-checking is always what you do as a thumb rule before
submitting a report.

Reports are written with much analysis. The purpose of report writing
is essential to inform the reader about a topic, minus one’s opinion on
the topic. It’s simply a portrayal of facts, as it is. Even if one
gives inferences, solid analysis, charts, tables and data is provided.
Mostly it is specified by the person who’s asked for the report
whether they would like your take or not if that is the case.

In many cases, what’s required is your suggestions for a specific case

after a factual report. That depends on why are you writing the report
and who you are writing it for in the first place. Knowing your
audience’s motive for asking for that report is very important as it
sets the course of the facts focused on your report.

Kinds of Reports
Based on some special characteristics, a report can be a certain kind.
Why classify them in kinds? Well, depending upon the purpose of the
report, it’s always best to know what kind would be the best for that
case.

For example, informal reports in office formal contexts may not be

suitable. In that case, even if your report is on point and the best, just
the structure or format or language could work against your report.
Small things like that should not stand in the way of you conveying
your point. And thus for these reasons and more, let’s dive into the
kinds of reports that exist so we can make clear decisions of their
usage.

Know the Steps in Report Writing

All Types of Reports and their Explanation

Long Report and Short Reports:

These kinds of reports are quite clear, as the name suggests. A two-
page report or sometimes referred to as a memorandum is short, and
a thirty-page report is absolutely long. But what makes a clear
division of short reports or long reports? Well, usually, notice that
longer reports are generally written in a formal manner.

Internal and External Reports:

As the name suggests, an internal report stays within a certain

organization or group of people. In the case of office settings, internal
reports are for within the organization.

We prepare external reports, such as a news report in the newspaper

about an incident or the annual reports
of companies for distribution outside the organization. We call these
as public reports.

Vertical and Lateral Reports:

This is about the hierarchy of the reports’ ultimate target. If the report

is for your management or for your mentees, it’s a vertical report.
Wherever a direction of upwards or downwards comes into motion,
we call it a vertical report.
Lateral reports, on the other hand, assist in coordination in the
organization.  A report traveling between units of the same
organization level (for example, a report among
the administration and finance departments) is lateral.

Tips and Conventions with Sample Reports

Periodic Reports:

Periodic reports are sent out on regularly pre-scheduled dates. In

most cases, their direction is upward and serves as management
control. Some, like annual reports, is not vertical but is a Government
mandate to be periodic in nature.

That is why we have annual or quarterly or half-yearly reports. If

they are this frequent, it only makes sense to pre-set the structure of
these reports and just fill in the data every period. That’s exactly what
happens in most cases too.

Furthermore,

Formal and Informal Reports:

Formal reports are meticulously structured. They focus on objectivity

and organization, contain deeper detail, and the writer must write
them in a style that eliminates factors like personal pronouns.

Informal reports are usually short messages with free-flowing, casual

use of language. We generally describe the internal
report/memorandum as an informal report. For example, a report
among your peers, or a report for your small group or team, etc.

Informational and Analytical Reports:

Informational reports (attendance reports, annual budget reports,
monthly financial reports, and such) carry objective information from
one area of an organization to maybe a larger system.

Analytical reports (scientific research, feasibility reports, and

employee appraisals) show attempts to solve actual problems. These
analytical reports usually require suggestions at the end.

Proposal Reports:

These kinds of reports are like an extension to the

analytical/problem-solving reports. A proposal is a document one
prepares to describe how one organization can provide a solution to a
problem they are facing.

There’s usually always a need to prepare a report in a business set-up.

The end goal is usually very solution-oriented. We call such kinds of
reports as proposal reports.

Functional Reports:

These kinds of reports include marketing reports, financial reports,

accounting reports, and a spectrum of other reports that provide a
function specifically. By and large, we can include almost all reports
in most of these categories. Furthermore, we can include a single
report in several kinds of reports.

Now, as we have progressed from knowing what report writing is and

then the kinds of reports. So, let’s see step-by-step how one
actually writes a report. Stay tuned to Toppr Guides.

Solved Example on Kinds of Reports

Question: We know that reports are a part of formal communication.
So, is there any kind of informal report? If yes, then explain?
Answer: Informal reports are usually short messages with free-
flowing, casual use of language. We generally describe the internal
report/memorandum as an informal report. For example, a report
among your peers, or a report for your small group of team, etc.