For example, your purpose may be to analyze a business issue, explain the results of a project you worked on, or provide your supervisor with an overview of your work progress. [2] X Research source
Who all will read your report? Include anyone who might reasonably use the report in your audience. If you’re writing for different types of readers, include all necessary information for your least informed reader to understand. However, use headings for each section so that informed readers can skip information that is redundant for them. [4] X Research source You might also include sections for each audience to address their concerns.
Financial information Charts Graphs Statistical information Surveys Questionnaires Interviews with experts, coworkers, clients, etc.
Has the project scope changed? What tasks have you done since the last progress report? What tasks are you going to do next? Are you on track to complete the project on time? If not, why? What obstacles have you encountered, and how will you overcome them? Did you learn any lessons this month?
In most cases, you’ll start your report by explaining your results, conclusions, or recommendations. Then, explain how you got to this point and your reasoning, if applicable. If you are about to make a controversial conclusion or recommendation, explain your process and reasoning first so your audience will be able to understand why you arrived at this idea.
In some cases, you might also include a cover letter to explain why you wrote the report, what it includes, and what you think needs to be done next. This is more common for reports that have taken a long time to prepare or require an additional explanation before the reader looks at the report itself. For a progress report, list your name, project name, date, and reporting period on a title page. Put each item on a separate line. You can label each line with “name,” “project name,” “date,” and “reporting period,” or you can just list the information. [9] X Research source Ask your boss if there are specific recommendations for formatting your work report. They’re your best resource for preparing your report.
You don’t need to summarize the entire report. Just focus on the most important ideas in the report, such as the key recommendations or conclusions you’re presenting. If you’re writing a progress report, you can skip this section.
Use titles and headers for each section so your report is easy to read. If you’re writing a progress report, you usually don’t need to include a table of contents, unless your boss prefers that you do. However, include titles and headers for each section to make it easier to navigate your report.
Your introduction doesn’t need to be long. Be direct and specific so that your reader will understand the context and purpose without a lengthy explanation. Write 2-4 paragraphs for your introduction. For a progress report, your introduction should only be 1-2 paragraphs long. It should summarize your project and what you hope to accomplish. You might also preview the work you’ve completed and what you plan to do next.
In most cases, this section will include an introductory paragraph and a list of the conclusions you reached. Here’s what a conclusion might look like: “1. Our population is aging, leading to more health risks among our clientele. ” If you’re writing a progress report, you won’t have any results or conclusions to present. Instead, list your accomplishments or completed tasks in the section after your introduction. You might also provide a short 2-4 sentence paragraph in this section. However, a list is usually sufficient. You might list “Raised $200 to pay for festival tent,” “Contracted with Your Party Plan to manage festival planning,” and “Surveyed 1500 residents to gather public input. ”[14] X Research source
For example, you might write, “1. Train all employees to perform CPR. ” If you’re writing a progress report, you’ll instead list the next tasks or goals that you plan to accomplish in your upcoming work period. For example, you might list “Find vendors for the festival,” “Approve festival designs,” and “Order promotional posters. ”[15] X Research source
This includes a lengthier discussion of your research and evaluations. This section should be the longest in your report. If you’re writing a progress report, you can skip this section. In its place, include a section on the obstacles you faced while working on the project, as well as how you overcame them. [17] X Research source You might write, “Many residents didn’t return the survey because it didn’t include prepaid postage. Moving forward, we’ll include postage on our surveys or give residents the option of doing their survey digitally. ”
Unless otherwise instructed, use APA formatting for business reports. You can skip this section if you’re preparing a progress report.
For example, you might have “Appendix A,” “Appendix B,” and “Appendix C. ” If you’re writing a progress report, you don’t need to include this section.
You might write, “The arts festival planning project is on track for completion on schedule. We’ve completed 90% of our pre-planning activities and are now shifting attention to purchasing materials. The project has no outstanding obstacles, but we will address any that arise in the future. ”
Your headings might include: Introduction, Completed Tasks, Goals for Next Quarter, Obstacles and Solutions, and Conclusion. Tailor your headings to fit the information in your report. For a progress report, your audience will likely be your supervisor, team, or clients. [20] X Research source
You would write, “Revenues are up 50% for the fourth quarter,” rather than, “Revenues sky-rocketed by 50% to generate stellar fourth quarter earnings. "
Keep in mind that some work reports may be long, as they may cover a lot of information. However, your writing should still be concise. It’s okay to write, “Sales increased over the last quarter after the sales staff implemented cold calling,” rather than, “We saw an exponential increase in revenues over the past selling quarter as our talented, dedicated sales people began cold calling potential clients to ask them to purchase more products. " First, give an overall summary of the business. It should not be long. You have to grab the reader’s attention right away. Or else no one will read a 100-page document. [23] X Research source Then give an overall snapshot of where you are at financially, where you are in terms of the business and the team. [24] X Research source After that, go into your past report and show that you have been making revenue in the current year. Then mention that you will try to take the business in a particular direction based on the trends.
Rather than writing, “Disengaged staff members are low in morale, making the office feel like a soulless machine,” you could write, “Staff members whose productivity numbers rated lower than others reported feeling disengaged. "
Keep your language professional throughout your report.
If you can, have someone else proofread your report for you, as it’s difficult to spot all of your own mistakes. If time allows, set aside your report for at least 24 hours before you proofread it.
