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How to Write a Business Report: A Step By Step Guide with Examples

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With so much experience under your belt, you already know a lot about business reporting.

So, we don’t want to waste your time pointing out the obvious because we know what you need.

Secrets. Tricks. Best practices.sales rep drilldown business report

The answer to how to write a mind-blowing business report that you don’t need to spend hours and days writing.

A business report that will immediately allow you to identify your strengths and weaknesses.

A report that’ll help you learn more about your business and do more accurate forecasting and planning for the future.

We believe we have just that right here.

With this comprehensive guide, you’ll create effective sales, analytical, and informative business reports (and business dashboards ) that will help you improve your strategies, achieve your goals, and grow your business.

So, let’s dive in.

What Is a Business Report?

Importance of creating business reports, types of business reports, what should be included in a business report, how to write a business report: an 11-step guide.

• Business Report Examples

Although there’s a variety of business reports that differ in many aspects, in short, a business report definition would be the following:

A business report is an informative document that contains important data such as facts, analyses, research findings, and statistics about a business with the goal to make this information accessible to people within a company.

Their main purpose is to facilitate the decision-making process related to the future of the business, as well as to maintain effective communication between people who create the reports and those they report to.

A good business report is concise and well-organized, looks professional, and displays the relevant data you can act on. The point is to reflect upon what you’ve achieved so far (typically, over the past month, quarter or year) and to use the data to create a new strategy or adjust the current one to reach even more business goals.

Business reports should be objective and based on the data. When stating the facts, people rely on numbers rather than giving descriptions. For instance, instead of saying “our conversion rate skyrocketed”, you would display the exact percentages that back up that claim.

Business reporting matters for several reasons, among which the most important ones are:

Recognizing Opportunities to Grow

Detecting issues and solving them quickly, evaluating a potential partner, having a paper trail, keeping things transparent for the stakeholders, setting new company goals.

In fact, over half of the companies that contributed to Databox’s state of business reporting research confirmed that regular monitoring and reporting brought them significant concrete benefits.

If you never look back at what you’ve achieved, you can’t figure out what you’ve done well and what you can leverage in the future for even better results.

When you analyze a specific aspect of your business over a specific time period and present the data you gathered in a report, you can detect an opportunity to grow more easily because you have all the information in one place and organized neatly.

Is it time to introduce new products or services? Is there a way to enhance your marketing strategy? Prepare a report. Can you optimize your finances? Write a financial business report . Whatever decision you need to make, it’s easier when you base it on a report.

Reports are essential for crisis management because they can introduce a sense of calmness into your team. Putting everything on paper makes it easier to encompass all the relevant information and when you know all the facts, you can make a more accurate and effective decision about what to do next.

Writing business reports regularly will also help you identify potential issues or risks and act timely to prevent damage and stop it from escalating. That’s why monthly reporting is better than doing it only once a year.

Having an insight into your finances , operations and other business aspects more regularly allows you to have better control over them and mitigate potential risks more effectively.

Different types of business reports may be accessible to the general public. And if they’re not, specific situations may require a company to send them over to the person requesting them. That may happen if you’re considering a partnership with another company. Before making the final decision, you should learn about their financial health as every partnership poses a certain risk for your finances and/or reputation. Will this decision be profitable?

Having an insight into a company’s business report helps you establish vital business relationships. And it goes the other way around – any potential partner can request that you pull a business report for them to see, so writing business reports can help you prove you’re a suitable business partner.

In business, and especially in large companies, it’s easy to misplace information when it’s communicated verbally. Having a written report about any aspect of your business doesn’t only prevent you from losing important data, but it also helps you keep records so you can return to them at any given moment and use them in the future.

That’s why it’s always good to have a paper trail of anything important you want to share with colleagues, managers, clients, or investors. Nowadays, of course, it doesn’t have to literally be a paper trail, since we keep the data in electronic form.

Writing business reports helps you keep things transparent for the stakeholders, which is the foundation of efficient communication between these two sides.

You typically need to report to different people – sometimes they’re your managers, sometimes they’re a client. But your company’s stakeholders will also require an insight into the performance of your business, and relying on reports will help you maintain favorable business relationships. A business report shows you clearly how your company is performing and there isn’t room for manipulation.

Once you set business goals and the KPIs that help you track your progress towards them, you should remember they’re not set in stone. From time to time, you’ll need to revisit your goals and critical metrics and determine whether they’re still relevant.

When you write a business report and go through it with your team members or managers, you have a chance to do just that and determine if you’re efficient in reaching your goals. Sometimes, new insights will come up while writing these reports and help you identify new objectives that may have emerged.

Depending on your goals and needs, you’ll be writing different types of business reports. Here are five basic types of business reports .

Informational Report

Analytical report, research report, explanatory report, progress report.

Informational reports provide you with strictly objective data without getting into the details, such as explaining why something happened or what the result may be – just pure facts.

An example of this type of business report is a statement where you describe a department within your company: the report contains the list of people working in this department, what their titles are, and what they’re responsible for.

Another example related to a company’s website could look like this Google Analytics website traffic engagement report . As we explained above, this report shows objective data without getting too much into the details, so in this case, just the most important website engagement metrics such as average session duration, bounce rate, sessions, sessions by channel, and so on. Overall, you can use this report to monitor your website traffic, see which keywords are most successful, or how many returning users you have, but without further, in-depth analysis.

Analytical reports help you understand the data you’ve collected and plan for the future based on these insights. You can’t make business decisions based on facts only, so analytical reports are crucial for the decision-making process.

This type of business report is commonly used for sales forecasting. For instance, if you write a report where you identify a drop or an increase in sales, you’ll want to find out why it happened. This HubSpot’s sales analytics report is a good example of what metrics should be included in such a report, like average revenue per new client or average time to close the deal. You can find more web analytics dashboard examples here.

From these business reports, you can find out if you will reach your goals by implementing your current strategy or if you need to make adjustments.

Research is critical when you’re about to introduce a change to your business. Whether it’s a new strategy or a new partner, you need an extensive report to have an overview of all important details. These reports usually analyze new target markets and competition, and contain a lot of statistical data.

While not the same, here is an example of an ecommerce dashboard that could help track each part of a campaign in detail, no matter whether you are launching a new product, testing a new strategy, and similar. Similar to a research report, it contains key data on your audience (target market), shows your top-selling products, conversion rate and more. If you are an online store owner who is using paid ads, you can rely on this report to monitor key online sales stats in line with Facebook Ads and Google Analytics. See more ecommerce dashboards here.

As you might guess from its name, you write the explanatory report when it’s necessary for you to explain a specific situation or a project you’ve done to your team members. It’s important to write this report in a way that everyone will be able to understand.

Explanatory reports include elements like research results, reasons and goals of the research, facts, methodology, and more. While not exactly an explanatory report, this example of a HubSpot marketing drilldown report is the closest thing to it, as it helps marketers drill into an individual landing page performance, and identify how good their best landing pages are at converting, or which ones have the best performance.

A progress report is actually an update for your manager or client – it informs them about where you stand at the moment and how things are going. It’s like a checkpoint on your way towards your goal.

These reports may be the least demanding to write since you don’t need to do comprehensive research before submitting them. You just need to sum up your progress up to the point when the report was requested. This business report may include your current results, the strategy you’re implementing, the obstacles you’ve come across, etc. If this is a marketing progress report you can use marketing report templates to provide a more comprehensive overview.

In many companies, progress reports are done on a weekly or even daily basis. Here is an example of a daily sales report from Databox. HubSpot users can rely on this sales rep drilldown business report to see how individual each sales rep is performing and measure performance against goals. Browse through all our KPI dashboards here.

What does a great business report look like? If you’re not sure what sections your report should have, you’ll learn what to include in the following lines.

Business Report Formatting

Different types of reports require different lengths and structures, so your business report format may depend on what elements your report needs to have. For example, progress reports are typically pretty simple, while analytical or explanatory reports are a different story.

However, most reports will start with a title and a table of contents, so the person reading the report knows what to expect. Then, add a summary and move on to the introduction. After you’ve written the body and the conclusion, don’t forget to include suggestions based on your findings that will help your team create an actionable plan as you move forward.

After that, list the references you used while creating the report, and attach any additional documents or images that can help the person reading the report understand it better.

This outline may vary depending on what kind of report you’re writing. Short business reports may not need a table of contents, and informative reports won’t contain any analyses. Also, less formal reports don’t need to follow a strict structure in every situation.

Business Report Contents

When it comes to the contents of your report, keep in mind the person who’s going to read it and try to balance between including all the relevant information, but not overwhelming the reader with too many details.

• The introduction to the report should state the reason why you’re writing it, and what its main goal is. Also, mention what methodology and reporting software you’ve used, if applicable.
• The body of the report is where you’ll expose all your key findings, explain your methodology, share the important data and statistics, and present your results and conclusion.
• The conclusion , similarly to the summary you’ll add at the beginning of the report, briefly singles out the most important points and findings of the report.

If you decide to include more sections like recommendations, this is where you’ll suggest the next steps your team or the company may want to take to improve the results or take advantage of them if they’re favorable.

PRO TIP: Are You Tracking the Right Metrics for Your SaaS Company?

As a SaaS business leader, there’s no shortage of metrics you could be monitoring, but the real question is, which metrics should you be paying most attention to? To monitor the health of your SaaS business, you want to identify any obstacles to growth and determine which elements of your growth strategy require improvements. To do that, you can track the following key metrics in a convenient dashboard with data from Profitwell:

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• Customer overview . View the total number of clients your company has at any given point in time and the gains and losses from different customer transactions.
• Growth Overview . Summarize all of the different kinds of customer transactions and their impact on revenue growth.
• Churn overview. Measure the number and percentage of customers or subscribers you lost during a given time period.

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Step 3: Watch your dashboard populate in seconds.

Note : Other than text, make sure you include images, graphs, charts, and tables. These elements will make your report more readable and illustrate your points.

Whether you’re writing a specific type of business report for the first time or you simply want to improve the quality of your reports, make sure you follow this comprehensive guide to writing an effective business report.

• Do Your Research
• Create an Outline
• Determine Formatting Guidelines
• Think of an Engaging Title
• Write the Introduction
• Divide the Body of the Report into Sections
• Choose Illustrations
• Conclude Effectively
• Gather Additional Documentation
• Add a Summary
• Proofread Your Work

Step 1: Do Your Research

A well-planned report is a job half done. That means you need to do research before you start writing: you need to know who you’re writing for and how much they know about the topic of your report. You need to explore the best business dashboard software and templates you can use for your report.

Also, if you believe you will need additional resources and documents to add in the appendix, you should do it during this phase of report writing.

Step 2: Create an Outline

Once you’ve gathered the resources, it’s time to plan the report. Before you start writing, create an outline that will help you stick to the right structure. A business report is complex writing in which you can get lost very easily if you don’t have a clear plan.

Moreover, the report shouldn’t be complicated to read, so sticking to a plan will allow you to keep it concise and clear, without straying from the topic.

Step 3: Determine Formatting Guidelines

Most companies have their in-house formatting that every official document has to follow. If you’re not sure if such rules exist in your company, it’s time you checked with your managers.

If there arent’ any guidelines regarding formatting, make sure you set your own rules to make the report look professional. Choose a simple and readable format and make sure it supports all the symbols you may need to use in the report. Set up proper headings, spacing, and all the other elements you may need in Word or Google Docs.

Pro tip: Google Docs may be easier to share with people who are supposed to read your business report.

Step 4: Think of an Engaging Title

Even if you’re writing a formal business report, the title should be clear and engaging. Reports are typically considered dull as they’re a part of official business documentation, but there’s no reason why you can’t make them interesting to read. Your title should suit the report topic and be in different font size so the reader can recognize it’s a title. Underneath the title, you should add the name of the author of the report.

Step 5: Write the Introduction

A good introductory paragraph for a business report should explain to the reader why you’ve written the report. Use the introduction to provide a bit of background on the report’s topic and mention the past results if there’s been a significant improvement since your last report.

Step 6: Divide the Body of the Report into Sections

As this will be the most comprehensive part of your report, make sure you separate the data into logical sections. Your report is supposed to tell a story about your business, and these sections (such as methodology, hypothesis, survey, findings, and more) will help the data look well-organized and easy to read.

Step 7: Choose Illustrations

Of course, each of these sections should be followed with charts, graphs, tables, or other illustrations that help you make a point. Survey results are typically best displayed in pie charts and graphs, and these enable the reader to visualize the data better. From the formatting point of view, breaking the long text sections with illustrations makes the report more readable.

Pro tip: Using centralized dashboard solutions like Databox can bring your reporting game to the next level. Sign up for a forever-free trial now to see how you can use Databox to track and visualize performance easier than ever before .

Step 8: Conclude Effectively

Finish your report with a to-the-point conclusion that will highlight all the main data from the report. Make sure it’s not too long, as it’s supposed to be a summary of the body of the report. In case you don’t want to add a specific section for recommendations, this is where you can include them, along with your assessments.

Step 9: Gather Additional Documentation

If you’ve determined what additional documents, images, surveys, or other attachments you may need for your report, now is the time to collect them. Request access to those you may not be able to get on time, so you have everything you need by the deadline. Copy the documents you can use in the original form, and scan the documents you need in electronic format.

Step 10: Add a Summary

The summary is usually at the top of the report, but it’s actually something you should write after your report is completed. Only then will you know exactly what your most relevant information and findings are, so you can include them in this brief paragraph that summarizes your report’s main points.

The summary should tell the reader about the objective of the report, the methodology used, and even mention some of the key findings and conclusions.

Step 11: Proofread Your Work

It may seem like common sense, but this final step of the process is often overlooked. Proofreading your work is how you make sure your report will look professional because errors can ruin the overall impression the reader will form about your work, no matter how great the report is.

Look for any spelling or grammatical mistakes you can fix, and if you’re not sure about specific expressions or terminology, use Google to double-check it. Make sure your writing is to-the-point and clear, especially if you’re writing for people who may not know the industry so well. Also, double-check the facts and numbers you’ve included in the report before you send it out or start your reporting meeting.

Business Report Examples (with Ready-to-Use Templates)

Here, we’re sharing a few business reporting examples that you can copy, along with ready-to-use and free-to-download templates. If you don’t know where to start and what to include in different types of business reports, these business report examples are a great way to get started or at least get some inspiration to create yours.

Activity Report Example

Annual report example, project status report example, financial report example, sales report example, marketing report example.

Note : Each of the business report templates shared below can be customized to fit your individual needs with our DIY Dashboard Designer . No coding or design skills are necessary.

For reporting on sales activity, HubSpot users can rely this streamlined sales activity report that includes key sales metrics, such as calls, meetings, or emails logged by owner. This way, you can easily track the number of calls, meetings, and emails for each sales rep and identify potential leaks in your sales funnel. Check all our sales team activity dashboards here. Or if you are looking for dashboards that track general sales performance, browse through all Databox sales dashboards here.

If you’re preparing for annual reporting, you will benefit from choosing this HubSpot annual performance report . It contains all the relevant metrics, such as email and landing page performance, new contacts, top blog posts by page views, and more. See all our performance dashboard templates here.

Project status reports can be very similar to progress reports. If you’re in need of one of those, here’s an example of a Project overview dashboard from Harvest that shows that can help you create simple, but well-organized report based on metrics that matter: hours tracked, billable hours, billable amount split by team members., and more. Check out more project management dashboard templates we offer here.

Are you creating a financial report? You will find this QuickBooks + HubSpot integration a great choice for a financial performance dashboard that makes creating a report simple. This dashboard focuses on the essential financial report

ting metrics and answers all your revenue-related questions. See all Databox financial dashboards here.

If you’re tracking your sales team’s monthly performance, this sales report template will help you prepare an outstanding report. Check out all the vital productivity KPIs, track your progress towards your goals, and understand well how your current sales pipeline is performing. See all sales performance dashboards we have available here.

Marketing reports can be easily prepared by using this monthly marketing report template . With HubSpot’s reporting, you can determine where your website traffic is coming from, how your landing pages and specific blog posts are performing, and how successful your email campaigns are. Browse all Databox marketing dashboards or marketing report examples here.

Create a Professional Business Report in No Time with Databox

Does creating a business report still sound like a daunting task? It doesn’t have to be with Databox.

In times when we’re all trying to save our time and energy for things that matter rather than scattering valuable resources on tedious, repetitive tasks, it’s critical to optimize your business process. And we want to help you do just that.

Using a business reporting dashboard enables you to track data from all the different tools you’re using – but in one place. With Databox, you can monitor and report on performance in a single dashboard that is optimized for all your favorite devices and you can create streamlined and beautiful dashboards even if you are not that tech-savvy. (no coding or design skills are required).

Automating business reporting has never been easier. And with Databox, you can do exactly that in just a few clicks. Sign up now and get your first 3 business dashboards for free.

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What is a Business Report: How To Write it? (Examples & Format)

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This is a detailed guide to what is a business report, explained with examples, types, importance, and features, and how to write it with elements and a checklist.

Definition of business report

“A business report is an orderly, objective communication of factual information that serves some business purpose”.  By Raymond Vincent Lesikar, and John D. Pettit

What is a Business Report?

A business report is a formal document that provides an analysis of a specific business issue or situation. It typically includes detailed information on the topic at hand such as data, research, and other relevant sources.

Business reports are used to make business decisions, identify problems or opportunities, or track progress toward goals. They are often written for an internal audience, such as managers or executives, but may also be shared with external stakeholders, such as investors or clients. 

Business reports should be well-structured, concise, and objective, presenting findings and recommendations in a clear and easily understandable format. They may include charts, graphs, and other visual aids to help illustrate key points.

Difference between Market Report and Business Report

A business report typically focuses on a specific company’s performance, operations, and financial results. It can provide information on topics such as sales trends, revenue growth, expenses, and profitability.

In contrast, a market report focuses on the broader market landscape and provides information on the trends, opportunities, and challenges in a specific industry. Market reports can include information on market size, growth potential, competition, and consumer behavior.

While both reports aim to provide useful information for decision-making, their focus and scope are different, with business reports focusing on internal operations, and market reports focusing on external market factors.

Difference between a Business Report and a Business Plan

A business report is a document that provides detailed information on a specific aspect of a company’s operations, such as financial results, sales trends, customer feedback, or employee performance. It is used for decision-making, tracking progress, and communicating with stakeholders.

On the other hand, a business plan is a comprehensive document that outlines a company’s goals, strategies, and tactics for achieving success. It typically includes an analysis of the market, a description of the company’s products or services, an overview of the management team, and a financial plan that details how the company will generate revenue and manage expenses over time.

How to Write a Business Report

Writing a business report can be a valuable tool for analyzing and presenting information related to a company’s performance or a specific business project. Here are some steps to follow when writing a business report:

1) Determining the purpose: Before writing the report, it’s important to define the purpose of the report. The writer must know what type of report they are writing and why it is being written. This helps in better research and writing.

2) Check target audience: After determining the purpose of the report, the writer must keep in mind who the report will be addressed. This can help in effectively conveying the message to the concerned persons.

3) Gather information: The writer must then gather data and conduct research. It is necessary to use credible sources such as industry reports, financial statements, or market research studies to collect relevant data.

4) Analysis of the supportive information: This is the main body of the report where the writer will present their findings. They must make sure to use data and statistics to support conclusions. This section can include charts, graphs, and tables to make the information easy to understand.

5) Findings and recommendations: Once the writer has presented their findings, they can draw conclusions and make recommendations based on the analysis. This is where they can suggest ways to improve the company’s performance or make recommendations for future business projects.

6) Determining report format: Before writing the report, the writer must determine what kind of business report it is. This is done so they can structure the report in a logical and easy-to-follow way. They can create outlines that include headings, subheadings, and sections to organize the information in a clear and concise manner.

Elements of a Business Report

A business report consists of three main elements – Front Matter, Body of the Report, and Back Matter. 

The format of a business report is as follows:

(A)Front Matter: The front matter of a business report is the first section of the report and provides essential information about the report’s contents and purpose. It includes the following elements:

• Cover Page: This is the first page of the report, typically including the title, author or authors, date, and company logo.
• Title Page: It follows the cover page and provides more detailed information about the report. 
• Table of Contents: It is also included in the front matter and provides an outline of the report’s contents, including headings and subheadings with page numbers.
• Executive Summary: It provides a brief overview of the report’s main findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

A portion of the executive summary in the business report: An executive summary is a brief overview of a business report that highlights the main points and conclusions of the report. It is usually the first section of the report that the reader sees and is often used as a standalone document for busy executives who need to quickly understand the report’s key findings. The purpose of an executive summary is to provide a concise and clear picture of the main purpose of the report, the methods used to gather data, the key findings and conclusions, and the recommendations based on those conclusions.

(B) Body of the Report: The body of a business report is the main section of the report where the writer presents the data, analysis, and interpretation of the findings in a clear and concise manner. It contains the following elements:

• Introduction: The introduction gives a background on the problem or issue being addressed in the report, the objectives of the report, and an explanation of the report’s scope.
• Methodology: It is a description of the research methods used to gather data and information for the report.
• Results: This section highlights the presentation of the findings or data gathered during the research phase, including tables, graphs, and other visual aids to support the information.

The importance of tables and graphs in a business report: Tables and graphs are important elements in a business report because they can help to communicate complex data and information in a visual and easy-to-understand way. They are useful for presenting large amounts of data in a clear and concise manner, making it easier for the reader to interpret and understand the information presented.

• Discussion: An analysis and interpretation of the results, including the significance of the findings and their implications.
• Conclusion: The conclusion contains a summary of the main points made in the report, including the conclusions drawn from the analysis and any recommendations for action.
• Recommendations: Finally, the recommendation section contains specific actions or strategies that are proposed to address the problem or issue being investigated in the report. 

(C) Back Matter: The back matter of a business report is the section that comes after the main body of the report and includes any additional information that may be useful for the reader. This section may include

• Appendices: This contains additional materials such as charts, graphs, or data that support the report but are not included in the main body of the document.
• References: This contains all the citations and references used in the research and collection of data for the report.
• Glossary: A glossary lists the technical terms used in the report with their meanings and descriptions. 

Must Read : What are the parts of a business report 

How should headings be used in business reports?

Headings are an essential tool for organizing a business report and making it easy to read and navigate. Headings should be clear and descriptive, giving the reader a sense of what each section will cover.

They should also be formatted in a way that makes them stand out from the rest of the text, such as by using bold or larger font sizes. They should be used consistently throughout the report to guide the reader through the various sections and sub-sections.

When using headings in a business report, it is important to follow a logical and hierarchical structure. The main heading of the report should clearly state the purpose of the report and provide an overview of the main points that will be covered. Subheadings should be used to break down the report into smaller sections, each covering a specific topic related to the overall theme of the report.

Examples of business reports

Below we have listed business reports of some top companies along with the business performance metrics.  

Topics for writing Business Reports Importance of the communication process ? Non-verbal aspect of business communication?  Modes of the communication process?  Changing patterns of business correspondence? Types of barriers in business communication ? How to overcome barriers of communication in an organization ?

Most common types of Business Reports

In business communication, there are many different types of business reports , with each type designed to provide specific information about a particular aspect of a company’s operations. Some common types of business reports include:

1) I nformational Report: This type of business report provides factual information on a particular topic or issue, without making any recommendations or drawing conclusions. 

Further Reading : How to Write an informational report 

2) Analytical Report: These reports use data and analysis to draw conclusions and make recommendations. It typically includes an executive summary, introduction, methods and results sections, and a conclusion with recommendations. 

3) Routine Report: These reports are produced on a regular basis, such as weekly or monthly. It typically provides updates on specific activities or tasks, such as progress on a project or sales figures for a given period.

4) Informal Business Report: An informal business report is less structured and formal than other types of business reports. It may be used for internal communication between colleagues or departments and can include memos, emails, or short notes.

5) Short Report : This type of business report is concise and to the point, typically no more than five pages in length. It is often used to communicate a specific issue or recommendation quickly and may include only the most essential information.

Must Read : List of different types of business reports with classification 

Importance of Business Reports

Business reports are an important tool for organizations to communicate and document important information related to the business. Some of the key reasons why business reports are important to include:

• Evaluation: Business reports can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of specific initiatives or programs by tracking progress toward goals and measuring outcomes.
• Communicating with stakeholders: Business reports can be used to communicate important information to a range of stakeholders, including investors, customers, suppliers, and employees.
• Supports decision-making: Business reports can provide the information and analysis needed to make informed decisions about business operations, investments, and strategies. 
• Providing a record of performance: Business reports can provide a historical record of the organization’s performance, documenting trends and changes over time. 

Must Read : What is the importance of a business report

Characteristics of Business Reports

A good business report should have the following characteristics:

1) Purpose: Business reports are written with a specific purpose in mind, such as informing a decision, presenting research findings, or providing updates on a project or initiative.

2) Audience: Reports are tailored to the needs and interests of the intended audience, which may include executives, managers, stakeholders, or external clients.

3) Structure: The report must have a clear and standardized structure, which typically includes an introduction, background information, results, analysis, recommendations, and conclusions.

4) Objectivity: Reports are expected to be objective and unbiased, and to present information and analysis in an accurate and factual manner.

Must Read : What are the characteristics of a good business report

Advantages and Disadvantages of Business Reports:

In this section, we will look at a few advantages and disadvantages of business reports .

Advantages:

• Business reports provide clear and concise information about various aspects of a business, such as financial performance, market trends, customer satisfaction, and employee productivity.
• Business reports can be used to share information among employees, departments, and stakeholders. This facilitates communication and collaboration, allowing everyone to stay informed and work together towards common goals.

Disadvantages:

• Business reports can be time-consuming to create, especially if they require extensive research and analysis. This can be a burden on employees who are already busy with their regular responsibilities.
• Depending on the length and complexity of the report, it can be overwhelming for readers to process and understand all of the information contained within it. This can be especially true if the report is full of technical jargon or financial data that may not be familiar to all readers.

Must Read : Advantages and disadvantages of business reports 

What is a Small Business Report 

A short business report is a concise document that provides a brief summary of key information related to a specific business topic. Short reports are typically between one and five pages in length and are often used to communicate information to a specific audience.

Short business reports typically include an introduction that highlights the context of the report, a summary of the key points or findings, and a conclusion or recommendation. They may also include supporting data, such as charts, graphs, or tables, to help illustrate key points.

Must Read : What is a small report and how to write a small report with examples 

What is the Significance of Business Report Writing in Business Success?

Business report writing is a critical tool for achieving success in business. Reports provide valuable information to business owners and managers that can be used to make informed decisions, identify improvement areas, and create growth strategies.

They also facilitate communication within the organization, allowing employees and stakeholders to stay informed about the business’s progress and work together towards common goals. Business reports can be used to help plan for the future and set goals, and promote accountability by tracking and reporting on performance metrics. 

Checklist for making your Business Report Reader-Friendly

Here is a checklist for making your business report reader-friendly:

• Use clear and concise language: Avoid using technical jargon and complex language that may be difficult for readers to understand. Use simple, clear language that is easy to read and comprehend.
• Organize your report effectively: Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up your report into smaller, more digestible sections. This makes it easier for readers to navigate and find the information they are looking for.
• Use visual aids: Incorporate graphs, charts, and tables to help illustrate key points and make the information more engaging. This can help readers understand complex data more easily.
• Proofread your report: Ensure that your report is free of grammatical errors, typos, and other mistakes. This can help make your report appear more professional and increase the credibility of the information contained within it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1) what is the purpose of a business report.

Ans: The purpose of a business report is to communicate relevant information about a company’s performance, activities, or other important data to various stakeholders, including executives, shareholders, employees, customers, or external partners. They also help in decision-making, evaluation, and keeping a record of business activities.

Q2) What are the important principles of a business report?

Ans: The important principles of the business report are the principle of objectivity, the principle of knowing your target audience, the principle of planning & framework, the principle of clarity, the principle of organizing your report, and the principle of evaluating information.

Q3) What are the 5 main parts of a business report?

Ans: The 5 main parts of a business report include a title page, executive summary, table of contents, findings, and discussion, and finally, the conclusion and recommendations.

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What are the best practices for writing a business report

Writing an effective business report requires careful planning, clear organization, and attention to detail. Here are the key best practices to follow;

Define the Purpose and Audience

• Identify the report’s objective: What decision or action should result from this report?
• Understand your audience: Who will read the report? What is their level of knowledge on the subject?
• Tailor the content, tone, and level of detail to your audience’s needs and expectations.

Plan and Structure Your Report

• When you start writing, make an outline to help you arrange your ideas and guarantee a logical flow.
• Use a standard structure that typically includes: a. Title Page b. Table of Contents (for longer reports) c. Executive Summary d. Introduction e. Body (main content, divided into sections) f. Conclusion g. Recommendations h. Appendices (if necessary)

Write a Compelling Executive Summary

• Summarize the key points, findings, and recommendations in 1-2 pages.
• Make it stand-alone: readers should understand the main ideas without reading the full report.
• Write this section last, after you’ve completed the rest of the report.

Craft a Clear Introduction

• State the report’s purpose and scope.
• Provide necessary background information.
• Outline the report’s structure to guide the reader.

Develop the Body of the Report

• Organize information logically, using headings and subheadings.
• Present one main idea per paragraph, with supporting details.
• Use transitions between sections to maintain flow and coherence.

Support Your Points with Data and Evidence

• Include relevant data, statistics, and research findings.
• Use visual aids like charts, graphs, and tables to present complex information.
• Cite all sources properly to maintain credibility.

Write Concisely and Professionally

• Use clear, concise language. Avoid jargon unless necessary for your audience.
• Write in a formal, objective tone.

Conclude with Impact and Provide Actionable Recommendations

• Summarize the key findings in the conclusion.
• Provide clear, specific, and actionable recommendations based on your analysis.
• Ensure recommendations are realistic and aligned with the report’s purpose.

Format for Readability

• Use consistent formatting throughout the report (fonts, spacing, headings).
• Include plenty of white space to avoid overwhelming the reader.
• Use bullet points or numbered lists for easy scanning of key information.

Review and Refine

• Proofread carefully for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.
• Check that all figures, tables, and page numbers are correct and consistent.
• Have a colleague review the report for clarity and effectiveness.

Consider the Presentation

• If presenting the report in person, prepare a summary of key points.
• Be ready to answer questions and provide additional context.
• Consider creating a slide deck or handout for important data or recommendations.

What key elements should be included in the introduction of a business report?

The introduction of a business report sets the stage for the entire document. It should provide a clear and concise overview of the report’s purpose, scope, and key findings. Here are the essential elements to include;

Purpose Statement

• Clearly state the reason for writing the report.
• What is the main objective?
• What problem is it trying to solve or question is it seeking to answer?
• Define the boundaries of the report.
• What topics are included, and what are excluded?
• Indicate the time period covered or the specific area of focus.

Methodology

• Briefly describe the research methods or data collection techniques used.
• This can include surveys, interviews, case studies, or data analysis.
• Specify the constraints or difficulties encountered while conducting the research.

Key Findings

• Provide a brief summary of the most significant results or conclusions.
• This will give the reader a preview of what to expect in the subsequent sections.

Organization

• Outline the structure of the report.
• Indicate the major sections and subsections that will follow.

Example Introduction: This report aims to evaluate the effectiveness of our new marketing campaign launched in Q2. We conducted a survey of 1,000 customers to gather feedback on brand awareness, product satisfaction, and purchase behavior. The key findings reveal a significant increase in brand recognition and a positive correlation between customer satisfaction and repeat purchases. The report is organized into four main sections: campaign overview, survey results, customer analysis, and recommendations.

How can the purpose and scope of the business report be defined?

The purpose and scope of a business report are crucial for ensuring that the document is focused, relevant, and valuable. Here are some effective strategies to define these elements;

Understand the Target Audience

• Who will be reading the report? Identify their needs, interests, and level of expertise.
• What do they want to know? Consider their specific questions or concerns.

Identify the Problem or Question

• What is the issue or challenge you are addressing? Clearly articulate the problem or question the report aims to solve.
• What is the desired outcome? Define the goals or objectives you hope to achieve.

Set Clear Boundaries

• What topics are included? Determine the specific areas of focus for the report.
• What topics are excluded? Define the limitations or boundaries of the research.
• Consider timeframes or geographic locations. Specify the relevant time period or regions.

Align with Business Goals

• How does the report contribute to the overall business strategy? Ensure that the purpose and scope align with the company’s objectives.

Consult with Stakeholders

• Gather input from relevant individuals or departments. Involve those who have a vested interest in the topic.
• Ensure alignment and consensus. Work together to refine the purpose and scope.

Create a Clear Statement

• Write a concise and informative statement. Communicate the purpose and scope of the report.
• Use specific language and avoid ambiguity. Be precise in your definitions.

Example: This report aims to evaluate the effectiveness of our new marketing campaign launched in Q2. The scope of the report will include an analysis of brand awareness, website traffic, and sales data from the targeted demographic. The objective is to determine whether the campaign has met its goals and identify areas for improvement.

What are the best practices for organizing the structure and sections of a business report?

A well-organized business report enhances its readability, comprehensibility, and effectiveness. Here are some best practices for structuring your report;

Logical Flow

• Follow a clear progression of ideas. Ensure that the sections build upon each other and lead to a logical conclusion.
• Make use of headers and subtitles. To help the reader explore the report.

Consistent Structure

• Maintain a consistent format. Use a standard outline or template for all sections.
• Use parallel structure for headings and subheadings to improve clarity.

Clear Introduction and Conclusion

• The introduction should provide a clear overview of the report’s purpose, scope, and key findings.
• The conclusion should summarize the main points, reiterate the key findings, and provide recommendations or next steps.

Well-Defined Sections

• Use clear and concise section headings. Make sure they accurately reflect the content of the section.
• Ensure each section has a clear purpose. Each section should contribute to the overall goal of the report.

Supporting Evidence

• Provide evidence to support your claims. Use data, statistics, quotes, or examples to strengthen your arguments.
• Cite your sources appropriately. Give credit to the original authors or researchers.

Visual Aids

• Use visual aids like charts, graphs, or diagrams to enhance understanding and engagement.
• Ensure visual aids are clear, well-labeled, and relevant to the content.

Concise and Clear Writing

• Use clear and concise language. Steer clear of technical phrases and jargon that could mislead the reader.
• Write in a professional and objective tone. Maintain a neutral perspective.

Proofread and Edit

• Carefully proofread your report for errors. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes.
• Edit for clarity and coherence. Make sure your concepts are coherent and simple to understand.

Example Outline

Introduction

• Purpose of the report
• Scope and methodology
• Key findings

Background and Context

• Relevant industry trends
• Company overview

Data Analysis

• Key metrics and results
• Visual representations (charts, graphs)

Discussion and Findings

• Interpretation of data
• Insights and implications

Recommendations

• Suggested actions or strategies
• Future directions
• Summary of key points
• Reiteration of findings
• Final thoughts

How should data and research be effectively presented in the report?

Data and research are essential components of a business report. They provide credibility, support claims, and inform decision-making. Here are some effective strategies for presenting data and research;

Clarity and Conciseness

• Present data. Avoid overwhelming the reader with excessive detail.
• Use simple language and avoid technical jargon. Make the data accessible to a wide audience.
• Utilize visual aids like charts, graphs, and tables to enhance understanding and engagement.
• Choose the appropriate visual representation for the type of data you are presenting.
• Ensure visual aids are clear, well-labeled, and easy to interpret.

Contextualize Data

• Explain the significance of the data. Connect it to the overall purpose and objectives of the report.
• Provide context by comparing data to benchmarks, industry standards, or historical trends.

Highlight Key Findings

• Identify the most important or relevant data points. Focus on the key takeaways that support your conclusions.
• Use clear and concise statements to summarize the findings.

Cite Sources

• Give credit to the original sources of your data and research. This demonstrates credibility and trustworthiness.
• Use a consistent citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) to maintain consistency throughout the report.

Address Limitations

• Recognize any restrictions or biases in the information or study.   This demonstrates transparency and critical thinking.
• Explain how these limitations may affect the validity of your conclusions.

Integrate Data with Narrative

• Weave data and research seamlessly into your narrative. Make use of it to strengthen your claims and provide examples.
• Avoid presenting data in isolation. Connect it to the broader context of the report.

Tailor Presentation to Audience

• Consider the needs and interests of your audience. Adjust the level of detail and complexity accordingly.
• Make sure your examples and phrasing speak to your audience.

What techniques can be used to ensure clarity and conciseness in business report writing?

Clarity and conciseness are essential qualities for effective business reports. Here are some techniques to help you achieve these goals;

Use Simple Language

• Use clear and straightforward language that is easy to understand.

Be Specific

• Provide concrete details and examples to support your claims.
• Avoid vague or general statements that may leave the reader unsure of your meaning.

Use Active Voice

• Active voice improves the clarity and engagement of your work.
• Avoid passive voice whenever possible.

Keep Sentences Short

• Break up long sentences into shorter ones.
• Avoid complex sentence structures that can be difficult to follow.

Use Strong Verbs

• Choose strong verbs that convey your meaning clearly and concisely.
• Avoid weak verbs like “is,” “are,” and “have.”

Eliminate Redundancy

• Remove unnecessary words and phrases that do not add value to your writing.
• Avoid repeating the same information in different ways.

Use Headings and Subheadings

• Divide your report into clear sections using headings and subheadings.
• This will improve readability and make it easier for readers to find the necessary information.

Use Visual Aids

• Charts, graphs, and diagrams can help to clarify complex information.
• Use visual aids sparingly and ensure they are relevant to your content.
• Check your report for errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Read your report aloud to identify any awkward or unclear passages.

How important is the use of visual aids like charts, graphs, and tables in a business report?

Visual aids are crucial in a business report. They serve several essential functions;

• Enhance Understanding: They can simplify complex data, making it easier to grasp and digest.
• Improve Engagement: Visuals can make the report more interesting and engaging, keeping readers interested.
• Support Claims: They can provide concrete evidence to support claims and arguments.
• Save Space: They can often convey information more efficiently than text alone.
• Make Data More Accessible: Visuals can make data more accessible to a wider audience, including those who may struggle with text-heavy content.

When using visual aids, it’s important to;

• Choose the appropriate type of visual: Different types of visuals are better suited for different types of data.
• Ensure clarity and accuracy: The visual should be clear, easy to understand, and accurately represent the data.
• Label and annotate properly: Provide clear labels and annotations to explain the visual.
• Integrate with the text: Reference the visual in the text to explain its relevance.

What is the recommended approach for writing the executive summary of a business report?

Crafting a compelling executive summary is crucial for a business report**.** It should provide a concise and informative overview of the entire document. Here’s a recommended approach;

Write the Executive Summary Last: While it’s the first section readers will see, it’s often easier to write it after you’ve completed the main body of the report. This ensures it accurately reflects the key points and conclusions.

Keep it Concise: The executive summary should be a brief overview, typically no more than one page. Aim for a length that can be read quickly.

Include Essential Elements

• Purpose: Clearly state the reason for writing the report.
• Key Findings: Summarize the most important results or conclusions.
• Recommendations: If applicable, outline the suggested actions or strategies.
• Scope: Briefly touch on the topics covered and the methodology used.

Use Clear and Concise Language: Avoid jargon or technical terms that might confuse readers unfamiliar with the subject matter. Use simple, direct language.

Follow a Logical Flow: Ensure the executive summary follows a logical progression, leading the reader from the purpose to the key findings and recommendations.

Make it Standalone The executive summary should be self-sufficient. Readers should be able to understand the main points of the report without reading the entire document.

Review: The executive summary is often the first part of the report a reader will see. Make sure it displays a professional image.

Example: This report evaluates the effectiveness of our new marketing campaign launched in Q2. Key findings include a significant increase in brand awareness and a positive correlation between customer satisfaction and repeat purchases. We recommend continuing the campaign and exploring additional channels to reach a wider audience.

How should conclusions and recommendations be formulated in a business report?

The conclusions and recommendations sections of a business report are crucial for summarizing your findings and providing actionable insights. Here are some tips on how to formulate these sections;

Conclusions

• Summarize Key Findings: Restate the most important findings or results from your research.
• Relate Findings to Purpose: Connect your conclusions back to the original purpose of the report.
• Avoid New Information: Don’t introduce any new data or arguments in the conclusions.
• Be Actionable: Ensure your recommendations are specific, practical, and implementable.
• Align with Findings: Recommendations should be directly based on your conclusions and research.
• Prioritize Recommendations: If you have multiple recommendations, prioritize them based on their importance or feasibility.
• Consider Implications: Discuss the potential implications of implementing your recommendations.
• Our analysis revealed a significant increase in website traffic following the launch of our new marketing campaign.
• Customer satisfaction surveys indicated a positive response to the new product features.
• Sales data showed a modest increase in revenue compared to the previous quarter.
• Continue investing in digital marketing efforts to maintain website traffic and engagement.
• Consider expanding the product line to capitalize on the positive customer feedback.
• Monitor sales data closely to identify trends and optimize marketing strategies.

Additional Tips

• Be Clear and Concise: Use clear and concise language to express your conclusions and recommendations.
• Avoid Overstated Claims: Be cautious about making overly broad or sweeping statements.
• Consider the Audience: Tailor your conclusions and recommendations to the specific needs and interests of your audience.
• Review: Check for any spelling or typos.

What are the best practices for proofreading and editing a business report before submission?

Proofreading and editing are essential steps in ensuring the quality and professionalism of your business report. Here are some best practices to follow;

Take a Break

• Step away from the report for a period of time to gain a fresh perspective.
• Return to it with a clear mind to catch errors you may have overlooked.
• Read the report aloud to identify awkward phrasing or grammatical errors.
• This can help you catch inconsistencies or areas that don’t flow smoothly.

Check for Clarity and Conciseness

• Ensure your writing is clear and easy to understand. Avoid jargon or overly complex language.
• Eliminate any unnecessary words or phrases to make your report more concise.

Verify Facts and Figures

• Double-check all data, statistics, and citations. Ensure they are accurate and up-to-date.
• Verify sources to maintain credibility.

Check for Consistency

• Maintain consistency in formatting, style, and terminology throughout the report.
• Use a consistent citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) if applicable.

Look for Errors

• Review for mistakes.
• Use a spell checker and grammar checker as tools, but don’t rely solely on them.

Get a Second Opinion

• Ask a colleague or friend to review your report.
• A fresh pair of eyes can help identify errors you may have missed.

Use a Proofreading Checklist

• Create a checklist of common errors to help you stay focused during the proofreading process.

Consider Professional Editing

• If you’re unsure about your editing skills, consider hiring a professional editor.
• A professional can help ensure your report is polished and error-free.

How can a business report be tailored to meet the specific needs and expectations of its intended audience?

To tailor a business report for a specific audience, you need to carefully consider who they are, what interests them, and the report’s goal. Here’s how you can do this;

Know Your Audience

• Identify Who They Are: Find out if the audience includes senior management, clients, investors, or a particular department.
• Gauge Their Knowledge: Understand how familiar they are with the topic. Use technical terms if they’re experts, or keep things simple if they’re not.
• Understand Their Priorities: Focus on what’s most important to them, like financial performance, strategic advice, or operational details.

Clarify the Report’s Purpose

• Define the Goal: Be clear on why you’re writing the report. Is it to inform, persuade, analyze, or recommend?
• Highlight Key Points: Emphasize the information that matches the audience’s interests and the report’s goal.

Structure the Report Effectively

• Organize Logically: Arrange the content in a logical order for the audience, like starting with a summary for busy executives.
• Use Headings: Break the report into sections with clear headings, making it easier to navigate.

Choose the Right Tone and Language

• Match the Tone: Use a formal tone for senior management or clients, and a casual tone for internal teams if needed.
• Avoid Jargon: If the audience isn’t familiar with technical terms, explain them or avoid using them.

Include Relevant Data and Visuals

• Focus on Important Data: Provide data that supports your main points and is relevant to the audience.
• Use Visuals: Add charts, graphs, and tables to make complex data easier to understand and to highlight key points.

Provide Clear Recommendations and Conclusions

• Actionable Advice: Tailor recommendations to what the audience can do with the information.
• Summarize Findings: Keep conclusions brief and ensure they align with what the audience expects.

Review and Revise

• Get Feedback: If possible, get input from someone who understands the audience to make sure the report meets their needs.
• Edit for Clarity: Make sure the report is clear, concise, and free of unnecessary details that could confuse the reader.

Consider the Presentation Format

• Select the Right Format: Depending on the audience, decide if the report should be a written document, a slide deck, or an interactive format.
• Highlight Key Points: In a presentation, use bullet points and bold text to emphasize important information.

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• Presentations
• Presentation Techniques

How to Write, Format, & Give a Great Business Presentation Report 2024

Do you need to make a report presentation but are unsure about how to write a report on presentation slides? Maybe you want to improve your report presentation format that you've used in the past.

Using  a template is an easy way to save time and ensure that your presentation looks professional .

Creating a report in a presentation format can be time-consuming. The design you create may look okay, but sometimes okay is not good enough. You want to really impress those viewing the report. 

Using a premium template will show you how to make a good report presentation and provide the wow factor you're looking for. In this article, I'll show you how to write, plan, format, design and give a report presentation.

Check Out Our New Free Online Presentation Guide

If you're reading this article, you're probably about to create a business report presentation in PowerPoint. We'll help you out by sharing how to make a project report in PPT. You'll also see some of the best PowerPoint templates for presentation reports below. But we've got even more presentation help available.

In our new free presentation guide,  The Complete Guide to Making Great Business Presentations in 2019 , we'll take you through the complete process to get you ready for your next presentation report—from start to finish. Avoid common mistakes and learn how plan and write the best presentations.

Don't miss our new free online presentation guide. It's chock full of powerful business presentation advice on how to make your next report presentation your best yet. Why not take a look at  the Complete Guide to Making Great Business Presentations in 2019  today? 

Now, let's learn about how to write and make a report PowerPoint presentation. 

How to Have a Professional PowerPoint Presentation

You need a professional presentation report, even if you're using PowerPoint. You may be more accustomed to using other tools for reports. But a PowerPoint presentation report is as important as any other report document you might produce. Just as you would with a printed report, make sure your report presentation format is professional and fits with your brand. 

Do you wonder:  what is a report presentation ? Presentation reports often summarize more detailed printed reports. Your listeners may not have time to read a long printed report. Your report presentation gives you a chance to showcase the important points and make sure they aren't missed.

Discover Amazing Presentation Reports on Envato Elements

We'll show you how to write a report on a presentation that stands out. But first, let's look at some professional templates.

Knowing where to start or designing your own report can be tiring and time-consuming. For a professionally designed presentation report, use a premium pre-built template.

To get a premium template all you've got to do is pay a low monthly fee at Envato Elements. When you subscribe you'll get access to download thousands of templates, graphics, photos and more.

Using a premium template will help you make a professional-looking presentation. All premium templates are easily customizable. So, if you don’t like something, change it to suit your needs. If you like the default colors and font sizes, add your information and you’re ready to present.

Amazing Presentation Reports From Envato Elements

Here are some amazing presentation reports templates from Envato Elements. Access them when you pay for the low subscription price:

1. Report - PowerPoint Template

This presentation report template package has over 50 unique slides. It's got a modern design, and everything is completely editable. Included with the presentation template are infographics and icons. Here's a professional design that won't distract your audience.

2. BUSINESS REPORT - PowerPoint V257

This business report has 150 total slides that you can format your presentation with. There are five color schemes to choose. Pick the one that suits your presentation subject or audience the best. This template has a clean and professional design that can be easily edited. The Business Report template comes with picture placeholders so that you can easily add any image you need.

3. Famea: Business Report

This report presentation comes with 100 slides in total, including 50 unique slides. Famea comes with two color scheme options to choose from to customize the presentation to meet your needs. Famea is a great choice for most business needs and audiences.

4. Story PowerPoint Template

Story PowerPoint Template is a multipurpose template. Use it for a business report presentation in PowerPoint. This template has over 70 unique slides and all slides are professionally designed. Easily add an image of your choice by dragging and dropping the image into the image placeholder. This template is fully customizable from the text font to the color scheme.

5. Annual Report - PowerPoint

The Annual Report template has a different report presentation format. The format is more visual. It's got graphs and charts that you can enter your data into. The Annual Report template has 49 unique slides. Easily add an image of your choice by dragging and dropping the image into the picture placeholder.

Find More Presentation Reports on GraphicRiver

If you didn't find what you were looking for on Envato Elements another option for premium templates is GraphicRiver. For GraphicRiver you pay for each individual presentation report template you download. GraphicRiver has many presentation report templates to choose from.

But GraphicRiver has more than templates. GraphicRiver also has fonts, images, and audio files. So, if you need a single image for your presentation, but are unsure of where to get it, turn to GraphicRiver. 

How to Write and Plan a Great Report Presentation

Now that you've seen a wide variety of report presentation formats on professionally designed templates, you're ready to learn how to write and make a report PowerPoint presentation. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Choose the Topic

When writing your presentation, the first step is choosing the topic. Topics can range from a progress report to showing a new idea or product to a client. 

Here are some tutorials that'll help you decide what to write about:

Knowing what you'll create your presentation report on is a great starting point. After you've chosen the topic of your report presentation, create an outline. An outline will help you decide which information to include in your presentation. 

2. How to Design & Format a Report Presentation in PowerPoint

After you write an outline, you'll know what type of presentation you're going to make. The type of presentation you're going to give can help you decide which template to use.

For example, if your presentation has a lot of data, you'll want a presentation template that comes with lots of charts. Once you've found a template that you like you'll need to customize the template:  

For my presentation report samples in these tips, I chose the Report PowerPoint Presentation from Envato Elements. 

Choosing a PowerPoint topic for your presentation report is a great starting point. After you've chosen the topic of your report presentation, create an outline. An outline will help you decide which information to include in your presentation.

3. How to Add an Image

 The next step is a team introduction. A good way to introduce your team is to add an image.

Here's slide number 5 without any changes to the slide. This is a good example of a slide that you'd use to introduce yourself or your team:

To add an image to the slide you need to click on the Insert tab in the toolbar. Once you click on the Insert tab, you'll see the Picture button appear. 

Click on the arrow next to the Picture button. Clicking on this arrow will cause a drop-down menu to appear:

Find the image or images you want, then select them. Next, resize the image to fit the space on the slide.

After you add images, you may need to add more text to your presentation.

4. How to Add Text to Your Presentation

To show you how to add text to the presentation I'll use slide thirteen of the  Report PowerPoint Presentation  template. Here's the slide without any edits: 

This slide is great to emphasize a fact or quote to highlight for your audience.

To add new text, you'll need to add a new text box. To add a new text box, click on the Insert tab in the toolbar. After you click on the Insert tab the Text Box button will appear:

Click on the  Text Box button. Draw a box on the slide where you want the new text box to appear. You'll know if you've created a new text box by the  handles  that appear around the box. 

After you've drawn the box, add new text to your slide.

5. How to Give a Great Presentation Report

To give a great presentation, first edit your presentation. Make sure all the facts and data are correct. Also, check for typos.  

Next, practice giving your presentation to friends or coworkers. They can help you spot mistakes that you may have missed. It's better to discover mistakes before you give the actual presentation. 

Last, practice giving your presentation in the mirror. This helps you to be familiar with the information you're presenting. So, you won't stumble over words or concepts when you're giving your presentation.

Here are some tutorials with more ideas on how to give a great presentation report:

5 Tips for a Better Presentation

Are you looking for even more ways to make your presentation better? Here are five tips to help you out:

1. Choose Your Font & Visuals Wisely

When choosing a font for your presentation, make sure your font can be read from a distance easily. Think about the size of the audience and the size of the room you'll be presenting in. The bigger the audience and the bigger the room the bigger the font you'll need to use. If the audience can't read the font in your presentation it can be distracting. 

This tutorial will give you an idea of some of the best fonts to use:

Also, when choosing what images you want in your presentation, the first step is to choose images that are relevant. If you use an image that doesn't go with your presentation, it could confuse your audience. 

Another step is to make sure your images are of high quality. A blurry image in your presentation can be distracting for the audience.

2. Plan Out What You'll Say

One of the biggest mistakes you can make when giving a report presentation is to be unprepared and poorly organized. This tutorial will help you organize your presentation so that it comes across as professional:

3. Proofread Your Work

When you're done with your presentation, carefully proofread it. Make sure everything in the presentation is spelled correctly. Including wrong words or typos can be distracting to the audience.

4. Don't Overcrowd Your Slides

Don't overcrowd your slides. When you overcrowd your slides, it can be hard for the audience to determine what's important. Adding a wall of text isn't good either. Break up your text as much as you can. This makes it easier for the audience to remember what you presented to them.

5. Practice Your Speech

Practice your speech so that you know the information that'll be part of your presentation. Practicing will also help keep you from talking too fast. Talking to fast in your presentation can make you seem inexperienced. 

When giving your presentation, try to make eye contact with your audience. This gives the presentation more of a personal feel. It also makes it seem like you're really talking to the audience.  

If it's possible, make sure the equipment is working in the room where the presentation will take place.  Also, run through your presentation in that room without the audience present to make sure everything is legible and professional looking.

Learn More About Creating Report Presentations With PowerPoint

For even  more information  on how to customize your PowerPoint template, check out our guide to using PowerPoint. Here are more tutorials to help you learn how to make a report PowerPoint presentation:

Find More Report Presentation Templates

If you didn’t find a template that you liked above, check out these articles:

Download a Premium Presentation Report Template Today!

There are many times you may have to make a report. When designing your own report presentation, you may not have the time to create a good-looking design. Using a premium template saves time because the design is already there.

In this article, you read about how to how to make a presentation report .  So, you should be ready to start your presentation. Download  a report presentation format template today to save time and ensure a professional report presentation.

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Create Reports and BI dashboards in 5 minutes!

Business reports are essential for decision-making in companies, providing crucial information for important choices.

If it is the first time for you to create a business report, you may be confused by these questions: What is a business report? How can I write a professional business report? Continuing to read this guide will clear up your confusion.

• 1. What is a Business Report?

2.1 Progress Reports

2.2 informational reports, 2.3 analytical reports, 2.4 research reports, 2.5 kpi reports, step 1: identify the purpose and type of the business report, step 2: collect data and information related to the business report, step 3: organize and visualize the content of the business report, step 4: automatically update the business report, 4.1 regional business analysis, 4.2 analysis of total receivables and payables, 4.3 business retrospective dashboard, 4.4 marketing dashboard, 5.1 for the creator of the business report.

• 5.2 For Readers of the Business Report

6. A Conclusion of the Business Report

1. what is a business report .

A business report is a formal document that objectively provides statistical data, summarizes historical facts, and sometimes offers reasonable recommendations for a company’s managers. 

Business reports are important for a company, especially for a large company. Companies need them to ensure the accuracy and consistency of the business information which is sometimes transmitted through a long chain. Most importantly, business reports enable managers to access information about a specific project or an overview of the company’s operation and then make a data-driven decision.

Traditional business reports are typically presented in a textual format with sections like the table of contents, executive summary, body, and conclusion. Despite their logical organization, there are drawbacks in the traditional preparation and presentation process, including time-consuming data collection, challenges in readability for reports with extensive statistical data or content, and the inability to reflect the latest data.

Fortunately, some business reports and business dashboards successfully overcome these weak points. Therefore, you must have a basic understanding of these newly developed business reports and dashboards, which will improve your efficiency in creating and reading business reports.

Note: The report and dashboard examples in this article are all built-in templates made by   FineReport , the leading BI   reporting tool   in the Asian-Pacific region.

2. Types of Business Reports

Business reports serve diverse purposes tailored to specific industry needs. For instance, a retail company relies on regular sales performance reports , while a financial company requires investment supervision reports. This variety of analytical purposes leads to different types of reporting. Here are some common examples.

A progress report is a document used to directly display the performance of completing a certain goal. Therefore, it requires a direct presentation of the progress done so far instead of an in-depth analysis. What needs to be included in this report is the factual information about the work itself.

The following is an example of a modern progress report. It empowers your team members to know how much you have done, how productive you were before, and how far you are from your goals. If the report reflects previous inefficiencies in your district, you should adjust your later plans to ensure the timely completion of your goals.

An informational report faithfully displays factual information without interpretations and analytical information. It shares some features with a progress report, but some differences exist. The content of the informational report is not limited to the progress of specific goals. It can provide various types of information, depending on different purposes, such as the sales report by region, the employees’ information report, etc.

Modern informational reports contain plenty of information within just one dashboard. Let’s take the Sales Leaderboard as an example. Readers can not only obtain the overall sales information of the top 10 employees but also view their respective sales performance through the linkage between these components. 

An analytical report   not only simply presents historical information but also analyzes the data and sometimes provides forecasts for the reader’s reference. The content of analytical reports can be the comparison of the sales performance between this quarter and last quarter or among several different regions. 

Here is a business dashboard supporting multi-dimensional sales analysis . You can easily access the data in different dimensions with a simple click. Also, this sales dashboard  is much more readable with the help of colorful charts and tables. 

Utilizing an analytical report allows managers to make significant decisions with the support of sufficient data and information.

A research report is generated after analyzing data collected through comprehensive research. When exploring initiatives like designing a new product or expanding into a new region, market research is essential to assess plan feasibility. Though creating a research report is time-consuming, the results are worthwhile.

Here is an example of a cockpit supported by research, which empowers your company’s managers to know the performance of various products and sales performance of different stores in many cities. As a result, they can decide whether to open or close stores in a city to ensure the healthy development of your company.

A KPI report offers business executives a streamlined method to analyze essential performance metrics (KPIs) and gauge organizational progress against strategic objectives. Modern KPI reports feature interactive dashboards for easy access to underlying data, enabling non-technical users to identify patterns, establish connections, and spot anomalies. These insights support informed decision-making and contribute to enhanced business outcomes.

The primary purpose of the Financial KPI Report is to track and analyze various financial ratios and indicators, including profit margins, liquidity ratios, solvency ratios, and efficiency ratios. These indicators provide insights into the company’s profitability, financial stability, operational efficiency, and overall financial management.

The report samples in this chapter are created using FineReport , a professional enterprise-level reporting tool . With FineReport, users effortlessly connect to databases, including Excel, to retrieve data and build business reports through simple drag-and-drop actions. It offers diverse built-in chart templates for seamless data visualization , facilitating the development of concise data analysis systems. FineReport’s use enables the construction of flexible reporting systems , reducing project cycles and implementation costs. Ultimately, it addresses information silos, ensuring that data realizes its inherent value.

3. How to Create a Powerful Business Report? (Steps & Tool）

As we all know, business reports have different types, resulting in various business report formats. However, some common steps are indispensable in the process of creating business reports. 

By reading the previous part of this guide, you must know that the purpose determines your business report’s content. Therefore, the first step in creating a powerful business report is clearly understanding its purpose. After that, it is not difficult for you to choose the proper type of business report. 

For example, if the goal of the report is to analyze the sales performance in different regions, it is more suitable for you to write an analytical report instead of a simple progress report without any analysis and recommendations.

After determining the type of business report, we come to the second step. It is time for you to gather relevant data and information. There are many ways to collect information, among which email is one of the most commonly used ways to receive and send documents. If the data and information are stored in different systems, you have to export several documents or tables from these systems one by one and then summarize, filter, and analyze the data you need. This cross-system operation is time-consuming and labour-intensive.

Luckily, there is another simpler way. I recommend using reporting tools . Utilize specially designed tools to access the necessary information from various systems at any time.

Taking the business report we mentioned in the previous step as an example, you need sales information from branches in different regions. To avoid the inconsistency and inefficiency caused by transmissions several times, you can try  FineReport , a professional reporting tool specializing in business intelligence . As long as you are authorized with specific permissions, it is very convenient for you to access the sales data of different regions on one platform and export the data you need directly.

FineReport provides localized services and technical support across various regions, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, the Middle East, and more. Click the button above to experience FineReport with a free trial download. For technical assistance, reach out to our support engineers.

The step following the data and information collection is organizing your report content. You can first determine the metrics of your business report depending on its specific purpose. Taking the sales performance report as an example, we often see some common indicators such as sales income, sales profit, sales cost, and sales performance. 

Then it is time to put your data and information in a logical and understandable way. However, it will be a little tedious or even difficult to read a report full of words and statistical data. Therefore, you can use some tables and charts to improve the readability of your business reports. Maybe it would be a little demanding for a business person to create fantastic charts through Excel. So you can use tools to visualize your data , such as the tool we mentioned above, FineReport . It offers you multiple self-developed charts to meet different requirements. What you need to do is to import your data and information into this tool and wait for the visualized charts. Besides the predefined styles, you can also customize the appearance of the components. 

Finally, through a simple drag-and-drop operation, you can arrange these components in the report according to a certain logic. An excellent business report is finished, such as the following sales analysis report :

The data in the report needs to be updated in time to empower the managers to make more timely and accurate decisions. Traditionally, the data is no longer up-to-date when the readers get the business report. Repeating the same steps to create a new business report is very time-consuming, and some repetitive work will be generated in this process. Therefore, companies need modern business reports which can be updated automatically. Some reporting software , such as FineReport , has already been developed to realize the automatic updating of data in the business dashboard . 

I will explain the function with the example of an employee information dashboard. You can create an Employee Information Report for every employee to fill in. With the powerful function of data entry provided by FineReport, as long as the new employee fills in the form, the data will be uploaded to the database, and the corresponding dashboard will be automatically updated. There is no need to export and import the form and remake the report again.

4. Business Report Samples & Examples

Crafting an impressive business report independently, especially for beginners, can be challenging. Thus, it is more suitable and efficient to refer to business report samples and examples, as presented in the following section.

5. The Ultimate Tool for Making Business Reports

The above fantastic business report examples are all created by one powerful reporting tool , FineReport, which we have mentioned before. It not only provides you with wonderful charts but also offers you a series of useful business report templates. It has some benefits for both the creator and the readers of the business report.

FineReport supports connecting different systems to avoid the inconvenience caused by collecting data and information from isolated systems. Besides, it eases the application of complicated charts and tables in your business reports. And you can choose different business report templates according to different purposes. In addition, FineReport provides the function of real-time refreshing, which frees you from repetitive updating work.

5.2 For Readers  of the Business Report

One of the most crucial functions of this tool is data visualization . It is much easier for a reader to analyze data with charts and graphs intuitively showing the increase and decrease of some indicators. Also, the updating function allows the reader to get the latest information and make timely decisions. What’s more, the business reports and dashboards can also be viewed on the mobile terminal, allowing you to view and analyze data anywhere and anytime.

After reading the whole guide, I believe that your confusion has been cleared up. If you want to write business reports in the future, you can try the tool recommended above to make your report more intuitive and convenient. FineReport is free for you to try.

Feel free to make an appointment for a live demo with our product experts. We will be more clear about your needs and see how FineReport can help you and your organization transform data into value.

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How to Create an Outstanding Report Presentation!

A report presentation is a daily necessity for most companies. Employees are constantly working on compiling data and facts about their company and department and presenting them in PowerPoint presentations. But often, the presentation design fails to impress.

In this article, you’ll learn how to visualize hard data into an appealing and engaging report presentation for your audience.

What exactly is a report?

A business report is a formal document that communicates corporate information clearly and concisely .

In a report presentation, a company presents data, facts and information, quarterly balance sheets, turnover, HR developments , and so on.

Why report presentations are so important

Report presentations are essential to the success of your business . Why? It’s simple.

Report presentations provide a coherent overview of your company’s performance : What is the current status quo? Which strategic decisions need to be made in the future? How are resources being allocated?

This clear presentation forms the basis for future fact-based decisions . This means it must present facts transparently and answer any business-related questions .

What does a good report presentation look like?

A report presentation has to be clear and concise – after all, you want your audience to understand what you’re saying.

Reporting on data is often very dry. You need to present it in the most visually interesting way possible . An attractive report design will help your audience understand your key messages immediately, without having to delve into specific corporate figures . Keep reading for tips on how to do this.

How to create an engaging report presentation: 5 tips

Report presentations are usually time-limited, so focus on the essential information . The key is to communicate facts clearly and concisely .

Give your information visual interest. Microsoft PowerPoint offers numerous possibilities for enhancing the look of your presentation. Below we have compiled 5 tips for you on how to create an appealing report.

Tip 1: Prepare properly

Preparation lays the foundation for a successful report presentation. Think carefully about how you want to present specific facts and data. Know what you want to say and what your goals are – that’s key for a great report presentation layout. Each slide must have a specific purpose . Only include data that is essential to convey your message .

Give your slides variety but don’t overload them with information or graphics. Less is often more. Try out the unique features of PowerPoint and see which option best suits your presentation.

Focus on the most important key figures and avoid unnecessary details . A good report presentation should make your key statements understandable without your audience having to delve deeper into the company’s key figures.

For 11 helpful tips on preparing your presentations, check out our post, Preparing a PowerPoint Presentation .

Tip 2: Chose the right charts and diagrams

Charts and diagrams are the best way to visualize figures and data. Not only are they visually appealing, but they also summarize your statements in a way that is easy to understand .

PowerPoint offers a wide range of charts and diagrams . You can choose from pie charts, bar charts and area charts, as well as other customizable diagram options. We’ve summarized an overview of the best diagram styles and when to use them in our article, 10 Chart Types: Which One Is Right for My Data?

Some chart types are more suited to specific data . For example, a pie chart is a terrific way to show gender distribution in your company. Bar or column charts can be used to visualize sales, balance sheets and profits.

If you want to illustrate aspects that have happened over a longer period of time, area charts, line charts and of course timelines are ideal.

Feel free to combine several chart types . Let your creativity run free. You can also add icons to your diagrams. The possibilities are endless! Just keep it simple and don’t overload your slides. You can find professionally designed icons in our shop . Take a look at these:

Once you’ve found the right type of chart or diagram, it’s time to highlight the most vital information in it . This helps your audience understand your key messages and quickly identify the most important aspects of your report presentation. If you need to, you can further explain these aspects as you go along.

You’ll find professionally designed slide templates for various charts in our shop . For example, this template:

Tip 3: Reuse layouts

Certain topics often reappear in report presentations. A good example of this is quarterly figures or annual financial statements. With these kinds of topics, it makes sense to the invest time in creating an optimal layout that you can reuse .

If you want to compare quarterly figures or annual financial statements, using the same layout makes any differences clear and obvious to your audience.

You can find out how to create your own layouts and other tips & tricks here .

Tip 4: Other design elements

You can also use additional design elements to enhance your report presentation . There are unlimited, creative options to choose from. Think carefully about which elements will visually support your statements.

Try to include transparent images . These are more attractive than normal images and set visual accents when combined with text or graphics. Transparent images are also effective as customized backgrounds, like on title slides. We’ve put together more information on transparent images for you here .

Another design idea is icons . These small images help to break up blocks of text and reduce presentation content to a bare minimum. The simple messages behind icons are universally understood and save space on slides. More information can be found here .

Tip 5: Practice, practice, practice

Ideally, a report presentation should need little accompanying information – your slides should speak for themselves . But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to practice. Especially with diagrams, extra information can further support the infographics. Put particular focus on getting your key messages across.

Think about any questions that your audience may have. Even when your report presentation covers only key content, it’s still important to know and convey more in-depth background information on data, facts and figures in case of follow-up questions .

Of course, there’s so much more that goes into a convincing presentation. Here are some articles with helpful tips:

• 16 Ways to Kick-Start Your Presentation
• Body Language in PPT Presentations: 8 Tips & Tricks
• Rhetoric Skills: How to Speak and Present Effectively
• Presentation Hack: Always Focus on Your Audience’s Needs
• Because First Impressions Aren’t Everything: 20 Tips and Ideas to End Your Presentation in Style

You can find more helpful articles in our blog. ► To the blog

Create expert report presentations

Report presentations are a common part of day-to-day business. With their clear graphic elements, reports communicate unambiguous information that is essential for a company’s success.

No doubt your next report presentation is already in your business calendar. Take our tips to heart and try them in your next report.

Do you have questions about report presentations or general questions about PowerPoint? Feel free to contact us at [email protected] . We’re here to help!

Are you looking for professionally designed slide templates for your report presentation? Take a look around our shop. We have a wide variety of slide templates on numerous (business) topics. You’re sure to find the right slide set for your needs. For example, here’s one for your financial report:

You can find more templates here ► To the shop

These articles might also interest you:

• The Right Way to Use Pie Charts in PowerPoint
• PowerPoint Layout: Tips & Tricks Plus 6 Modern Ideas for Your Slide Layout!
• Make a PowerPoint Image Transparent: The Pro Guide
• Icons: An Amazing Way to Improve Your Content
• Preparing a PowerPoint Presentation: 11 Tips for Guaranteed Success!
• 10 Chart Types: Which One Is Right for My Data?

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Success Secrets For Designing A Fantastic Business Report PPT

Business Presentation PowerPoint Design PowerPoint Presentation Presentation Presentation Design Agency Presentation Designers

Imagine holding the attention of a room full of executives as you deliver a captivating business report PPT. Not only is your content top-notch, but the manner of your presentation is clear, confident, and compelling. If this sounds like a dream come true, then this comprehensive guide is for you! Let's explore the world of business reports and discover how you can boost your presentations, make them more impactful, and leave your audience impressed.

What is a Business Report PPT?

A business report PPT is a visual summary of important business information. Think of it as a slide show or presentation that tells a story about your company's data, research, or performance. Instead of making people read long reports, this presentation shows the main points using slides with graphics, charts, and brief text. It's designed to grab the attention of the audience, whether they are team members, managers, or potential investors. By using visuals and keeping things concise, it helps viewers quickly understand the message and make decisions based on it. In short, it's a way to share key business details in an easy-to-follow and engaging manner.

12 Interesting Business Report PPT Types That Every Company Uses

Business reports come in various types, each serving a specific purpose and audience. Here are some common business report PPT types that companies use on a regular basis:

Analytical Reports

Analytical reports go beyond just stating facts; they explain the "why" behind them. For instance, if sales are down, the report will dig into reasons like customer behavior or market trends. This deeper understanding helps decision-makers take more informed actions.

Periodic Reports

These are regular reports like daily updates, monthly summaries, or annual reviews. They often follow a set format and provide ongoing updates on projects, sales, or other key aspects of the business.

Research Reports

These are detailed studies focused on specific issues or opportunities. They usually involve extensive data collection and analysis, and they aim to provide in-depth insights.

Financial Reports

These reports are all about the numbers. They cover topics like revenue, expenses, profits, and losses. Examples include income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements.

Sales Reports

Sales reports track the performance of products or services over a specific time. They help businesses understand market demand, sales trends, and the effectiveness of sales strategies.

Progress Reports

These are usually project-specific reports that track the progress of ongoing initiatives. They outline what has been completed, what is currently underway, and what steps are next.

Situational Reports

Companies use these reports when something out-of-the-ordinary happens, such as an emergency or a unique opportunity. These are often quick, concise, and geared toward immediate decision-making.

Summary Reports

These reports condense longer reports or datasets into shorter versions. They capture the most crucial information without going into all the details, making it easier for executives to skim.

Compliance Reports

These reports demonstrate how the business is adhering to laws, regulations, or standards. External agencies may request organisations to provide such reports to make sure everything they are doing is within the law.

Feasibility Reports

These assess the practicality of a proposed plan or project. They help business leaders decide whether to proceed with an initiative by outlining costs, risks, and benefits.

Explanatory Reports

These reports focus on explaining processes or choices. They're educational and often aim to bring the reader to a certain conclusion based on the presented facts.

Recommendation Reports

Recommendation reports offer solutions to specific problems or decisions. They evaluate various options and suggest the best one. The aim is to guide decision-makers in making informed, effective choices.

Understanding the different types of business reports can help you choose the right one for your needs, ensuring the message you want to convey is received loud and clear. Now, let’s learn about the slides that are typically included in a business report PPT.

13 Valuable Slides To Include In Your Business Report PPT

A business report PPT is a structured journey that unfolds crucial insights about a given topic. It serves as a tool to not only present data but also tell a story in a manner that's compelling and easily digestible. Beginning with a captivating title slide that sets the tone, it navigates through various key elements like objectives, methodology , findings, and recommendations, each contributing to the larger narrative. Just as chapters in a book, each slide has a distinct purpose and together, they weave a consistent storyline designed to engage, inform, and persuade the audience. The following section delves deeper into the individual roles and nuances of these slides.

Title Slide

This slide offers a glimpse into the report's subject, introducing the topic at hand. It also showcases the presenter's name and the date of presentation. It's crucial to make this slide captivating as it establishes the initial rapport with the audience and cues them into what lies ahead.

Introduction

Methodology, findings/data analysis, recommendations, case studies, questions & answers, acknowledgments.

In essence, a well-structured business report PPT is more than just a collection of slides; it's a consistent story-line that informs, engages, and persuades. By carefully crafting each slide with purpose and clarity, presentation designers help presenters effectively communicate their insights and elicit the desired response from their audience. Remember, the power of a presentation lies not just in its content but also in its delivery and organization. 

How To Write a Business Report PPT?

Writing a business report PPT involves several steps. Here's how to go about it in a straightforward manner:

Step 1: Understand Your Audience

Identify who will view the report. Tailor the content to their level of understanding, concerns, and expectations to make it resonate.

Step 2: Determine the Objective

Define the purpose of the report. Whether it's to inform, persuade, or recommend, knowing your goal steers content direction.

Step 3: Research Thoroughly

Collect accurate data and information. Use credible sources to ensure your business PPT report is trustworthy and reliable. 

Step 4: Organize Your Content

Start with a clear structure: introduction, body, and conclusion. This traditional format ensures a logical flow of information.

Step 5: Use Visual Aids

Incorporate data visualisation elements such as charts, graphs, and infographics. These can simplify complex data, making it more digestible and engaging for the viewer.

Step 6: Write Clear Headings

Each slide should have a descriptive heading. It guides the viewer's attention and breaks down the content into manageable chunks.

Step 7: Maintain Consistency

Ensure uniform fonts, colors, and styles throughout the business report PPT. This not only looks professional but also aids in readability.

Step 8: Keep Slides Concise

Limit the text on each slide. Use bullet points or short sentences, ensuring each slide covers one main idea.

Step 9: Include Recommendations

If relevant, provide actionable steps or suggestions. This helps in guiding decision-making processes for the audience.

Step 10: Review and Edit

Check for errors in content, design, and data. An error-free presentation boosts your credibility.

Step 11: Gather Feedback

Before finalizing, show your PPT to a colleague or mentor. Fresh eyes can offer valuable insights and spot overlooked errors.

Step 12: Conclude with a Summary

End with a slide recapping the main points. This reinforces key takeaways and provides a closure to the audience.

By following these steps, you can craft a compelling and informative business report PPT that not only conveys the desired message but also engages and persuades your audience.

Creating Awesome Business Report PPTs with Professional Help

Great business presentations are carefully crafted. A strong start comes from following guidelines, but the magic touch of professionals often makes the difference. This is where Deck Sherpa, a top-tier, India-based presentation design agency, shines.

Why Choose Deck Sherpa?

Deck Sherpa specializes in designing exceptional presentations tailored to your needs. Our team, consisting of seasoned designers, data visualization gurus, and master storytellers, creates not only informative but also engaging and memorable presentations.

Understanding that every industry and organization is distinct, we shun a generic approach. Instead, we tailor each presentation to resonate with your business specifics, industry requirements, and audience tastes.

But we're more than just design experts. We transform complex data into easily understood visuals, enhancing your story with the perfect blend of text and visuals. Our expertise has benefited diverse sectors across India, from tech and healthcare to finance and manufacturing. We're prepared to elevate your business communication too. Reach out to us via our contact page , call us at 1800 121 5955 (India), or even WhatsApp , to speak to someone from the team.

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Home Blog Business Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)

Business Presentation: The Ultimate Guide to Making Powerful Presentations (+ Examples)

A business presentation is a purpose-led summary of key information about your company’s plans, products, or practices, designed for either internal or external audiences. Project proposals, HR policy presentations, investors briefings are among the few common types of presentations. 

Compelling business presentations are key to communicating important ideas, persuading others, and introducing new offerings to the world. Hence, why business presentation design is one of the most universal skills for any professional. 

This guide teaches you how to design and deliver excellent business presentations. Plus, breaks down some best practices from business presentation examples by popular companies like Google, Pinterest, and Amazon among others! 

3 General Types of Business Presentations

A business presentation can be given for a number of reasons. Respectively, they differ a lot in terms of content and purpose. 

But overall, all types of business presentations can be classified as:

• Informative
• Persuasive 
• Supporting 

Informative Business Presentation 

As the name suggests, the purpose of an informative presentation is to discern the knowledge you have — explain what you know. It’s the most common type of business presentation out there. So you have probably prepared such at least several times. 

Examples of informative presentations:

• Team briefings presentation 
• Annual stakeholder report 
• Quarterly business reviews
• Business portfolio presentation
• Business plan presentation
• Project presentation

Helpful templates from SlideModel:

• Business plan PowerPoint template
• Business review PowerPoint template
• Project proposal PowerPoint template
• Corporate annual report template

Persuasive Business Presentation 

The goal of this type of presentation is to persuade your audience of your point of view — convince them of what you believe is right. Developing business presentations of this caliber requires a bit more copywriting mastery, as well as expertise in public speaking . Unlike an informative business presentation, your goal here is to sway the audience’s opinions and prompt them towards the desired action. 

Examples of persuasive presentations:

• Pitch deck/investor presentations
• Sales presentation  
• Business case presentation 
• Free business proposal presentation
• Business proposal PowerPoint template
• Pitch deck PowerPoint template
• Account Plan PowerPoint template

Supporting Business Presentation 

This category of business PowerPoint presentations is meant to facilitate decision-making — explain how we can get something done. The underlying purpose here is to communicate the general “action plan”. Then break down the necessary next steps for bringing it to life. 

Examples of supporting presentations:

• Roadmap presentation
• Project vision presentation 
• After Action Review presentation 
• Standard operating procedure (SOP) PowerPoint template 
• Strategy map PowerPoint template 
• After action review (ARR) PowerPoint template 

What Should Be Included in a Business Presentation?

Overall, the content of your business presentation will differ depending on its purpose and type. However, at the very minimum, all business presentations should include:

• Introductory slide 
• Agenda/purpose slide
• Main information or Content slides
• Key Takeaways slides
• Call-to-action/next steps slides

We further distill business presentation design and writing best practices in the next section (plus, provide several actionable business PowerPoint presentation examples !). 

How to Make a Business Presentation: Actionable Tips

A business presentation consists of two parts — a slide deck and a verbal speech. In this section, we provide tips and strategies for nailing your deck design. 

1. Get Your Presentation Opening Right 

The first slides of your presentation make or break your success. Why? By failing to frame the narrative and set the scene for the audience from the very beginning, you will struggle to keep their interest throughout the presentation. 

You have several ways of how to start a business presentation:

• Use a general informative opening — a summative slide, sharing the agenda and main points of the discussion. 
• Go for a story opening — a more creative, personal opening, aimed at pulling the audience into your story. 
• Try a dramatic opening — a less apparent and attention-grabbing opening technique, meant to pique the audience’s interest. 

Standard Informative Opening 

Most business presentation examples you see start with a general, informative slide such as an Agenda, Problem Statement, or Company Introduction. That’s the “classic” approach. 

To manage the audience’s expectations and prepare them for what’s coming next, you can open your presentation with one or two slides stating:

• The topic of your presentation — a one-sentence overview is enough. 
• Persuasive hook, suggesting what’s in it for the audience and why they should pay attention. 
• Your authority — the best technique to establish your credibility in a business presentation is to share your qualifications and experience upfront to highlight why you are worth listening to. 

Opening best suited for: Formal business presentations such as annual reports and supporting presentations to your team/business stakeholders. 

Story Opening 

Did you ever notice that most TED talks start with a quick personal story? The benefit of this presenting technique is that it enables speakers to establish quick rapport and hold the listener’s attention. 

Here’s how Nancy Duarte, author of “Slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations” book and TED presenter, recommends opening a presentation: 

You know, here’s the status quo, here’s what’s going on. And then you need to compare that to what could be. You need to make that gap as big as possible, because there is this commonplace of the status quo, and you need to contrast that with the loftiness of your idea. 

Storytelling , like no other tool, helps transpose the audience into the right mindset and get concentrated on the subject you are about to discuss. A story also elicits emotions, which can be a powerful ally when giving persuasive presentations. In the article how to start a presentation , we explore this in more detail.

Opening best suited for: Personal and business pitches, sales presentations, other types of persuasive presentations. 

Dramatic Opening 

Another common technique is opening your presentation with a major statement, sometimes of controversial nature. This can be a shocking statistic, complex rhetoric question, or even a provocative, contrarian statement, challenging the audience’s beliefs. 

Using a dramatic opening helps secure the people’s attention and capture their interest. You can then use storytelling to further drill down your main ideas. 

If you are an experienced public speaker, you can also strengthen your speech with some unexpected actions. That’s what Bill Gates does when giving presentations. In a now-iconic 2009 TED talk about malaria, mid-presentation Gates suddenly reveals that he actually brought a bunch of mosquitoes with him. He cracks open a jar with non-malaria-infected critters to the audience’s surprise. His dramatic actions, paired with a passionate speech made a mighty impression. 

Opening best suited for: Marketing presentations, customer demos, training presentations, public speeches. 

Further reading: How to start a presentation: tips and examples. 

2. Get Your PowerPoint Design Right

Surely, using professional business PowerPoint templates already helps immensely with presentation deck design since you don’t need to fuss over slide layout, font selection, or iconography. 

Even so, you’ll still need to customize your template(s) to make them on brand and better suited to the presentation you’re about to deliver. Below are our best presentation design tips to give your deck an extra oomph. 

Use Images, Instead of Bullet Points 

If you have ever watched Steve Jobs’s presentations, you may have noticed that he never used bullet-point lists. Weird right? Because using bullet points is the most universal advice in presentation design. 

But there’s a valid scientific reason why Jobs favored images over bullet-point texts. Researchers found that information delivered in visuals is better retained than words alone. This is called the “ pictorial superiority effect ”. As John Medina, a molecular biologist, further explains :

“Hear a piece of information, and three days later you’ll remember 10% of it. Add a picture and you’ll remember 65%.”

So if your goal is to improve the memorability of your presentation, always replace texts with images and visualizations when it makes sense. 

Fewer Slides is Better

No matter the value, a long PowerPoint presentation becomes tiring at some point. People lose focus and stop retaining the information. Thus, always take some extra time to trim the fluff and consolidate some repetitive ideas within your presentation. 

For instance, at McKinsey new management consultants are trained to cut down the number of slides in client presentations. In fact, one senior partner insists on replacing every 20 slides with only two slides . Doing so prompts you to focus on the gist — the main business presentation ideas you need to communicate and drop filler statements. 

Here are several quick tips to shorten your slides:

• Use a three-arc structure featuring a clear beginning (setup), main narrative (confrontation), ending (resolution). Drop the ideas that don’t fit into either of these. 
• Write as you tweet. Create short, on-point text blurbs of under 156 symbols, similar to what you’d share on Twitter. 
• Contextualize your numbers. Present any relevant statistics in a context, relevant to the listeners. Turn longer stats into data visualizations for easier cognition. 

Consistency is Key 

In a solid business presentation, each slide feels like part of the connecting story. To achieve such consistency apply the same visual style and retain the same underlying message throughout your entire presentation.

Use the same typography, color scheme, and visual styles across the deck. But when you need to accentuate a transition to a new topic (e.g. move from a setup to articulating the main ideas), add some new visual element to signify the slight change in the narrative. 

Further reading: 23 PowerPoint Presentation Tips for Creating Engaging and Interactive Presentations

3. Make Your Closure Memorable 

We best remember the information shared last. So make those business presentation takeaways stick in the audience’s memory. We have three strategies for that. 

Use the Rule of Three 

The Rule of Three is a literary concept, suggesting that we best remember and like ideas and concepts when they are presented in threes. 

Many famous authors and speakers use this technique:

• “Duty – Honor – Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, and what you will be” . Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
• “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” are the unalienable rights of all humans that governments are meant to protect.” Thomas Jefferson 

The Rule of Three works because three is the maximum number of items most people can remember on their first attempt. Likewise, such pairings create a short, familiar structure that is easy to remember for our brains. 

Try the Title Close Technique

Another popular presentation closing technique is “Title Close” — going back to the beginning of your narrative and reiterating your main idea (title) in a form of a takeaway. Doing so helps the audience better retain your core message since it’s repeated at least two times. Plus, it brings a sense of closure — a feel-good state our brains love. Also, a brief one-line closure is more memorable than a lengthy summary and thus better retained. 

Ask a Question 

If you want to keep the conversation going once you are done presenting, you can conclude your presentation with a general question you’d like the audience to answer.

Alternatively, you can also encourage the members to pose questions to you. The latter is better suited for informational presentations where you’d like to further discuss some of the matters and secure immediate feedback. 

Try adding an interactive element like a QR code closing your presentation with a QR code and having a clear CTA helps you leverage the power of sharing anything you would like to share with your clients. QR codes can be customized to look alike your brand.

If you are looking for a smoother experience creating presentations on the fly, check out the AI PowerPoint maker —it offers everything you can ask forfrom presentation design in a couple of clicks.

12 Business Presentation Examples and What Makes Them Great 

Now that we equipped you with the general knowledge on how to make a presentation for business, let’s take a look at how other presenters are coping with this job and what lessons you can take away from them. 

1. N26 Digital Bank Pitch Deck 

This is a fine business pitch presentation example, hitting all the best practices. The deck opens with a big shocking statement that most Millennials would rather go to the dentist than step into a bank branch. 

Then it proceeds to discuss the company’s solution to the above — a fully digital bank with a paperless account opening process, done in 8 minutes. After communicating the main product features and value proposition, the deck further conceptualizes what traction the product got so far using data visualizations. The only thing it lacks is a solid call-to-action for closing slides as the current ending feels a bit abrupt. 

2. WeWork Pitch Deck

For a Series D round, WeWork went with a more formal business presentation. It starts with laying down the general company information and then transitions to explaining their business model, current market conditions, and the company’s position on the market.

The good thing about this deck is that they quantify their business growth prospects and value proposition. The likely gains for investors are shown in concrete numbers. However, those charts go one after another in a row, so it gets a bit challenging to retain all data points. 

The last part of their presentation is focused on a new offering, “We Live”. It explains why the team seeks funds to bring it to life. Likewise, they back their reasoning with market size statistics, sample projects, and a five-year revenue forecast. 

3. Redfin Investor Presentation 

If you are looking for a “text-light” business presentation example, Redfin’s investor deck is up to your alley. This simple deck expertly uses iconography, charts, and graphs to break down the company’s business model, value proposition, market share, and competitive advantages over similar startups. For number-oriented investors, this is a great deck design to use. 

4. Google Ready Together Presentation 

This isn’t quite the standard business presentation example per se. But rather an innovative way to create engaging, interactive presentations of customer case studies .

The short deck features a short video clip from a Google client, 7-11, explaining how they used the company’s marketing technology to digitally transform their operations and introduce a greater degree of marketing automation . The narrated video parts are interrupted by slides featuring catchy stats, contextualizing issues other businesses are facing. Then transitions to explaining through the words of 7-11 CMO, how Google’s technology is helping them overcome the stated shortcomings.

5. Salesforce Business Presentation Example 

This is a great example of an informational presentation, made by the Salesforce team to share their research on customer experience (CX) with prospects and existing customers.

The slide deck errs on the lengthier side with 58 slides total. But bigger topics are broken down and reinforced through bite-sized statistics and quotes from the company leadership. They are also packaging the main tips into memorable formulas, itemized lists, and tables. Overall, this deck is a great example of how you can build a compelling narrative using different statistics. 

6. Mastercard Business Presentation

This slide deck from Mastercard instantly captures the audience’s attention with unusual background images and major data points on the growth of populations, POS systems, and payment methods used in the upcoming decade.

Perhaps to offset the complexity of the subject, Mastercard chose to sprinkle in some humor in presentation texts and used comic-style visuals to supplement that. However, all their animations are made in a similar style, creating a good sense of continuity in design. They are also using colors to signify the transition from one part of the presentation to another. 

In the second part, the slide deck focuses on distilling the core message of what businesses need to do to remain competitive in the new payments landscape. The team presents what they have been working on to expand the payment ecosystem. Then concludes with a “title close” styled call-to-action, mirroring the presentation title.

7. McKinsey Diversity & Inclusion Presentation 

This fresh business slide deck from McKinsey is a great reference point for making persuasive business presentations on complex topics such as D&I. First, it recaps the main definitions of the discussed concepts — diversity, equity, and inclusion — to ensure alignment with the audience members. 

Next, the business presentation deck focuses on the severity and importance of the issue for businesses, represented through a series of graphs and charts. After articulating the “why”, the narrative switches to “how” — how leaders can benefit from investment in D&I. The main points are further backed with data and illustrated via examples. 

8. Accenture Presentation for the Energy Sector

Similar to McKinsey, Accenture keeps its slide deck on a short. Yet the team packs a punch within each slide through using a mix of fonts, graphical elements, and color for highlighting the core information. The presentation copy is on a longer side, prompting the audience to dwell on reading the slides. But perhaps this was meant by design as the presentation was also distributed online — via the company blog and social media. 

The last several slides of the presentation deck focus on articulating the value Accenture can deliver for their clients in the Energy sector. They expertly break down their main value proposition and key service lines, plus quantify the benefits. 

9. Amazon Web Services (AWS) Technical Presentation 

Giving an engaging technical presentation isn’t an easy task. You have to balance the number of details you reveal on your slides to prevent overwhelm, while also making sure that you don’t leave out any crucial deets. This technical presentation from AWS does great in both departments. 

First, you get entertained with a quick overview of Amazon’s progress in machine learning (ML) forecasting capabilities over the last decade. Then introduced to the main tech offering. The deck further explains what you need to get started with Amazon Forecast — e.g. dataset requirements, supported forecasting scenarios, available forecasting models, etc. 

The second half of the presentation provides a quick training snippet on configuring Amazon SageMaker to start your first project. The step-by-step instructions are coherent and well-organized, making the reader excited to test-drive the product. 

10. Snapchat Company Presentation

Snapchat’s business model presentation is on a funkier, more casual side, reflective of the company’s overall brand and positioning. After briefly recapping what they do, the slide deck switches to discussing the company’s financials and revenue streams.

This business slide deck by Snap Inc. itself is rather simplistic and lacks fancy design elements. But it has a strong unified theme of showing the audience Snapchat’s position on the market and projected vector of business development. 

11. Visa Business Acquisition Presentation 

If you are working on a business plan or M&A presentation for stakeholders of your own, this example from Visa will be helpful. The presentation deck expertly breaks down the company’s rationale for purchasing Plaid and subsequent plans for integrating the startup into their business ecosystem. 

The business deck recaps why the Plaid acquisition is a solid strategic decision by highlighting the total addressable market they could dive into post-deal. Then it details Plaid’s competitive strengths. The slide deck then sums up all the monetary and indirect gains Visa could reap as an acquirer. 

12. Pinterest Earnings Report Presentation 

Annual reports and especially earnings presentations might not be the most exciting types of documents to work on, but they have immense strategic value. Hence, there’s little room for ambiguities or mistakes. 

In twelve slides, this business presentation from Pinterest clearly communicates the big picture of the company’s finance in 2021. All the key numbers are represented as featured quotes in the sidebar with diagrams further showcasing the earning and spending dynamics. Overall, the data is easy to interpret even for non-finance folks. 

To Conclude 

With these business presentation design tips, presentation templates , and examples, you can go from overwhelmed to confident about your next presentation design in a matter of hours. Focus on creating a rough draft first using a template. Then work on nailing your opening slide sequence and shortening the texts in the main part of your presentation when needed. Make sure that each slide serves a clear purpose and communicates important details. To make your business presentation deck more concise, remove anything that does not pertain to the topic. 

Finally, once you are done, share your business presentation with other team members to get their feedback and reiterate the final design.

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Business Presentations, Corporate Presentations, Design, Design Inspiration, Examples, Executive Reports, Inspiration, Presentation Ideas Filed under Business

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Business Reports: Types & Examples

A business report is the one that is made for any business-related purpose. They are prepared by using business-related information to facilitate key business people in a better decision-making process.

Definitions of the Business report  

Murphy and Hildebrandt defined business reports as a planned, impartial, and objective-based presentation of a fact to one person or more people and that too is for significant and specific business purposes.

Lesikar and Petit defined a business report as an objective-based and orderly communication of the information having facts for serving a specific business purpose.

Boone considered a business report as a document to organize some specific topics and information for a particular business purpose.

So, from a broader perspective, a business report can be looked at as a written statement of facts in an organization and these facts are related to particular business matters or issues. This facilitates key decision personnel to gain insights into any problem or issue and also helps in overcoming it.

Business Report Characteristics

Information that lies in business reports is related to facts of business activities. This makes business report unique from other reports. A good business report should have all essential features or qualities as it provides information based on the real facts to make the decisions.

The main characteristics of any business report are as mentioned below:

1. Easily understandable: To hold the audience’s attention, a business report should be easy to understand. The audience should be considered before making a report. Complex terminology and detailed information can be included in business reports in case of a vast industry experienced audience. However, the audience that has less experience in the industry, the simple and straightforward language in the business report should be used.

For example, a business report which is written specifically for accounting purposes needs to be focused on financial things rather than technical things to cater to the specific audience. A combined report can be written to cater to the interest of everyone. Few business reports are written for outside customers to keep them informed about the business.

2. Correct and unbiased facts: The business report must contain facts or information that is accurate and impartial. If the information is incorrect or incomplete then desired results can’t be achieved. This will ultimately create a hindrance in achieving organizational goals.

3. Clear and brief information: Too much lengthy or unnecessary information or content may lose the audience’s interest and result in their time wastage. So, the business report should be written in a clear way and a concise form. In another way, it is related to avoid unnecessary information and only includes all those matters which are relevant to represent a piece of complete information. Long-report can also be effective in some special circumstances.

A good business report is clear as it properly arranges facts with its clear purpose, findings, and required recommendations.

4. Precise report: A good report is the one in which a report writer has a clear understanding of the exact purpose of report writing. This purpose directs the analysis and further recommendations of the report writer. The definite or precise report acts as a base for a valuable document for future usage.

5. Relevant facts: A business report should contain both accurate and relevant facts. Confusion may arise in case of irrelevant facts and can mislead further appropriate decision-making.

6. Focus on the audience: The orientation of the business report towards the audience or readers who is about to read is also an important characteristic. So, a good report is always audience-oriented. Audience knowledge and their understanding level need to be considered while writing a report.

7. Use of easy or simple language: Another feature of a good business report is the use of simple language while writing the report. Here simple language means to avoid unclear and vague words. The emotions or aim of a writer should not affect the language of the business report and the report’s message should be self-explained.

8. Grammatically correct: The error-free report is considered as a good business report. If any sentence is grammatically not correct then the reader may understand it in a different way and its meaning may change. Also, confusion or ambiguity may arise.

Tyes of Business Report

In broader terms, business reports are categorized as oral and written reports. When communication in business is done face-to-face or through words, then it is called oral business communication. Although it is a time saver for a reporter, simultaneously, it is more time-consuming too as it requires the listener to listen to each word carefully.

In another way, the written business report is more convenient. The reader may read the information as per his/her requirement i.e. either the whole report or piece of information or conclusions or recommendations. Written report structure is more formal as compared to oral one and can be utilized as and when required due to its proper documentation.

The business reports are further classified on the following basis:

1. Importance-based or frequency-based reports: These reports are based upon a specific purpose. These are of two types, i.e. ordinary or daily reports and special-purpose reports.

a) Ordinary or daily routine reports: These types of reports are general reports that are prepared and forwarded to management or higher authority as a routine activity or at specific intervals. These may be submitted either daily or weekly, quarterly, monthly or annually, etc.

For example, a daily or weekly or monthly report by the sales team can be submitted to the sales head or management regarding routine sales activities and average sales done. Similarly, a production report that includes daily production information and HR hiring report to know the status of hiring activities are part of ordinary reports.

b) Special purpose report:  This business report is written and forwarded to the senior officials or management for a special purpose or on their special request. Generally, these types of reports include the views or recommendations of the report writer based on facts.

For example, management may ask HR Head to submit a special report on a high attrition rate along with his/her opinion for the reason of such a high attrition rate with facts, figures and also recommendations to reduce it. Similarly, different other special reports such as launching new products or services, changes in quality of the product or its features are considered as special purpose reports.

2. Law-based or legal reports: Reports that are based on legal formalities can be categorized as a formal and informal business report.

a) Formal business report: The report that is prepared in a specific or pre-determined format and as per well-established process is known as a formal report in business.

For example, different types of reports prepared and submitted by different officials, cooperative societies, legal identities, organizations, etc. come under such types of reports. Similarly, if an accident happens with any employee at the workplace then an organization is required to submit an accident report in a prescribed format of ‘Employee State Insurance Act’ to claim the medical insurance allowance or for the treatment under the act for medical bill rebates for the employee. This type of report is a type of formal report.

b) Informal business report: This type of report includes a user-specific format or structure that is according to the convenience of the writer and submitted directly to the desired authority as and when required.

The detailed facts related to a given task are presented in these reports without any recommendations or suggestions or keynotes.

For example, management of an organization may ask for the report of new joining in the organization in different departments or locations every month from the HR department without any suggestions or comments. Most of the time, these reports are prepared on a routine basis. These can also be statutory reports like a daily wage register is prepared in factories for workers as per the law or statutory and is a routine report as well.

3. Function-based reports: There are two main types of reports that are based on how these functions.

a) Informative business report: This one is based on the maximum available information related to any matter or situation.

For example, the attendance and the leave report of an employee are based on maximum information available with the HR department regarding his/her attendance in the biometric system and leaves taken during the period as per the policy, etc.

b) Interpretation-based report: It includes different related facts like the cause of any issue occurred, opinions, required actions, and recommendations of the reporter.

For example, in case of an industrial or union dispute, a detailed report is presented by the HR department or legal officer to management along with their recommendations and opinion to resolve the issue or concern is a well-defined manner.

4. Business meetings based reports: It is a report that includes the summary or minutes of the meeting. These reports are further categorized as:

a) Discussion-based Reports: This type of report is a complete record of concerns or matters discussed in the meeting.

For example, the appointment of the CEO or Directors of an organization can be done in these meetings by passing a resolution and their remuneration as well.

b) Summary reports: As the name indicates, this type of report is the summary of details discussed during any meeting to send information for the press release or to share with shareholders of the organizations.

5. Research and Analytical reports: Analytical reports contain analytical information and facts. These include data and information, the presentation of the data in tabulated form, explanation based on analytics, and findings or interpretations.

For example, the management of an organization may ask for the report of sales decline along with all the relevant analytics and findings.

Research reports are research-based reports in which research is conducted on any given issue.

For example, the management of any organization may ask its research department to present a research report on new product development.

Format or Structure of a Business Report

We’ve thoroughly explained the format/structure of a business report in a separate article here ➡️ https://studiousguy.com/format-structure-of-a-business-report/

Steps in Business Report Presentation

We’ve thoroughly explained the steps in report preparation in a separate article here ➡️ https://studiousguy.com/steps-in-report-preparation/

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• Writing Tips

How to Structure a Business Report

5-minute read

• 14th March 2019

The content of a business report will depend on what you are writing about. Even the writing style may depend on who you are writing for (although clear, concise and formal is usually best). However, there is a general structure that most business reports follow. In this post, then, we’ll look at how to structure a business report for maximum clarity and professionalism.

1. Title Page

Every business report should feature a title page . The title itself should clearly set out what the report is about. Typically, you should also include your name and the date of the report.

Most business reports begin with a summary of its key points. Try to include:

• A brief description of what the report is about
• How the report was completed (e.g., data collection methods)
• The main findings from the research
• Key conclusions and recommendations

A paragraph or two should suffice for this in shorter business reports. However, for longer or more complex reports, you may want to include a full executive summary .

3. Table of Contents

Short business reports may not need a table of contents, especially if they include a summary. But longer reports should set out the title of each section and the structure of the report. Make sure the headings here match those used in the main text. You may also want to number the sections.

4. Introduction

The introduction is the first part of the report proper. Use it to set out the brief you received when you were asked to compile the report. This will frame the rest of the report by providing:

• Background information (e.g., business history or market information)
• The purpose of the report (i.e., what you set out to achieve)
• Its scope (i.e., what the report will cover and what it will ignore)

These are known as the “terms of reference” for the business report.

5. Methods and Findings

If you are conducting original research, include a section about your methods. This may be as simple as setting out the sources you are using and why you chose them. But it could also include how you have collected and analyzed the data used to draw your conclusions.

After this, you will need to explain your findings. This section will present the results of your research clearly and concisely, making sure to cover all the main points set out in the brief.

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One tip here is to break the findings down into subsections, using headings to guide the reader through your data. Using charts and illustrations , meanwhile, can help get information across visually, but make sure to label them clearly so the reader knows how they relate to the text.

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

The last main section of your report will cover conclusions and recommendations. The conclusion section should summarize what you have learned from the report. If you have been asked to do so, you should also recommend potential courses of action based on your conclusions.

If you are not sure what to suggest here, think back to the objectives set out in your brief.

7. References

If you have used any third-party sources while writing your report, list them in a bibliography after the main report. This could include other business documents, academic articles, or even news reports. The key is to show what you have based your findings and conclusions upon.

8. Appendices (If Applicable)

Finally, you may have gathered extra documentation during your research, such as interview transcripts, marketing material, or financial data. Including this in the main report would make it too long and unfocused, but you can add it to an appendix (or multiple appendices) at the end of the document. It will then be available should your reader need it.

Summary: How to Structure a Business Report

If you are writing a business report, aim to structure it as follows:

• Title Page – Include a clear, informative title, your name, and the date.
• Summary – A brief summary of what the report is about, the data collection methods used, the findings of the report, and any recommendations you want to make.
• Table of Contents – For longer reports, include a table of contents.
• Introduction –Set out the brief you were given for the report.
• Methods and Findings – A description of any methods of data collection and analysis used while composing the report, as well as your findings.
• Conclusions and Recommendations – Any conclusions reached while writing the report, plus recommendations for what to do next (if required).
• References – Sources used in your report listed in a bibliography.
• Appendices – If you have supporting material (e.g., interview transcripts, raw data), add it to an appendix at the end of the document.

Don’t forget, too, that a business report should be clear, concise, and formal. And if you would like help making sure that your business writing is easy to read and error free, just let us know .

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How to Write a Business Report

A business report is a collection of data and analyses that helps make relevant information easily accessible to a company. There are many different types of business reports, but this guide will show you the basic outline.

Before You Begin:

• Think about your audience and their expectations, and plan your report accordingly. For example, are they expecting a formal or informal report? Do they have an understanding of the vocabulary/terms used? Do they require more background information? Do they need to be heavily persuaded?
• What is the purpose of the report? Make sure this is clear.
• Gather and organize your supporting information/data/visuals.
• Focus on the facts.
• Make sure to be clear and concise, so the report is easy for everyone to read and understand.
• Use a professional, standard font in a readable size.

Components of a Business Report

• Table of Contents: Depending on the length of the report, you might want to consider including a table of contents. This will make finding specific information easier for readers.
• Tip: Even though this is the first section, consider writing this section after you have finished the report. This will help you determine which points are the most important to address.
• Introduction: This section outlines what you will be going over in your report. It includes the main points, chosen report structure, and, most importantly, the objective of your report.
• Conclusion: In the conclusion, be sure to briefly summarize all of the main points in the order they were presented in the report.
• Recommendations: This section is where you provide your recommendations or suggestions based on the findings you noted in earlier sections. Indicate the potential benefits for the company to applying your suggestions.
• References: Be sure to cite all sources used in the report in this section.
• Appendices: In the Appendix, you can add relevant documents, surveys, graphs, etc. that you referenced in the report.

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25 Powerful Report Presentations and How to Make Your Own

If we are what we repeatedly do, then consultants are report presentations. In the words of veteran consultant John Kim , “If you cannot put together a well-structured, persuasive, and visual presentation… you won’t be a management consultant for long.”

Unfortunately, over 90% of consultant report presentations fail to make an impact, either because they don’t have enough content, have too much content, are unstructured, lack persuasiveness or in all honesty, are just plain boring.

You can know your data inside and out, and you couldn’t have a firmer grasp on the industry, but no matter how prepared or well-researched you are – even one bad slide can ruin great content. Not to mention, a poorly designed presentation can literally cost your department and your organization over $100,000 per year (conversely, a well-design presentation earns you significant advantages).

The good news is that you don’t need a swanky suite of tools or a big design team to overhaul your reports – there are tons of free and online resources for creating interesting, compelling, and seriously persuasive reports. Just sign up for a free Piktochart account and use any of the available slides templates to start easily.

So while the pyramid principle remains one of the best ways for structuring your presentation content, in this article we provide other top tips and insights you can use to create powerful slides that speak to your audience through 25 best practice examples.

Make Your Data Digestible

1. achieving digital maturity: adapting your company to a changing world by deloitte.

Click to view SlideShare

This deck ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to giving tips for powerful presentations. This report consists of an absolutely brilliant use of data visualization , a subtle “progress bar” at the top that reminds the audience which part of the presentation they’re at, and concise summaries accompanying each infographic. Here at Piktochart, it’s certainly one of the best report presentations we’ve swooned over in a while.

2. Digital globalization: The new era of global flows by McKinsey

There is an overwhelming amount of data here, but McKinsey does a commendable job of keeping it engaging with clear summaries and good-looking infographics (slides 30 & 42). Some slides might feel a bit more cramped than others (slide 41–49), but when creating your own reports you should try to save these huge chunks of data for an article or whitepaper that a client can download and peruse at their own leisure. Your presentation should only contain the highlights.  

3. KPCB Design in Tech Report 2015: Simplified and Redesigned by Stinson

You’ll appreciate the brilliance of this presentation even more when you see the original . Instead of just inserting data in its raw form as graphs or tables, Stinson transforms their findings into something more graphic and appealing. The rest of the report also takes on a less-is-more principle, distilling only the most important points that would matter to the client – not the presenter.

4. The 60 Greatest Mobile Marketing Strategies of All Time by Leanplum

Leanplum only presents one point per slide, making their presentation supremely easy to follow along with (despite having 105 slides!). While they do use traditional line graphs and bar charts, they also find unconventional ways to illustrate their data (slides 71–77) or slip in nuggets of data that don’t detract from the main point (slides 52–53) – they use data to back their insights, rather than make the data the focus of the slide.

Clean Up Your Report Presentation Slides

5. findings on health information technology and electronic health records by deloitte.

Make use of white space and clean graphics to get your point across more effectively. This consulting deck does what most report presentations neglect, which is to highlight key takeaways (and bolding the important points) to avoid cluttering the audience with too much information.

6. Getting ready for IFRS 16 by KPMG

Clean and simple, each slide in this presentation has a clear focus, enhanced by the use of one question per slide and accompanying minimalist-style icons . It’s one of the easiest styles to replicate, and can be used strategically at certain portions of your presentation where you want to remove distraction and place emphasis on certain messages.

Choose the Right Fonts For Your Report Presentation

7. global retail trends 2018 by kpmg.

Crisp and clear, the choice of sans serif fonts keeps your report looking sleek, modern, and supremely legible when presenting. While your choice of font may be constricted by brand guidelines or house style, regardless, a good rule of thumb in your report presentation is to use clear, minimally-styled fonts so your message doesn’t get lost in a web of visual distraction.

Make Use of Report Presentation Visuals

8. how to use weflive 2017 by kpmg.

This presentation has been viewed over 87,500 times, making it a great example of what works in an educational deck. The use of screengrabs gives both current and potential clients better recognition of your services or products. It’s also been proven that visual elements attract clients better.

9. Top Ten Customer Airport Complaints by McKinsey

Smart use of custom illustrations and images helps audiences to instantly identify with each pain point. Good, relevant visuals amplify your message because they elicit emotional responses, helping your audience retain key points.

10. Global Construction Survey 2016 by KPMG

The first half of the presentation has a strong storytelling quality bolstered by great illustrations to help set up the second half – where the important data is presented. Our brains process images faster than words, so this is a good hack to getting messages across more effectively.

Stay Organized

11. trends in people analytics by pwc.

Having a table of contents to display on the side of the slide helps prevent audience fatigue – often when a presentation is too long, the audience’s retention rate starts to slip. A “tracking” tool like this can serve as a visual cue so that your audience knows where they are, and what they can expect next.

12. The CMO Blueprint for Account-Based Marketing by Sangram Vajre

There is a clear flow to this presentation – it starts with introducing some key statistics, which eventually leads up to why these statistics matter, and ends with what the proposed solution is. It’s all very organized. Another great thing about this presentation is that it uses graphics to reinforce, not distract from, its key points (slides 22–29).

Speak to Your Audience, Not at Them

13. moving digital transformation forward: findings from the 2016 digital business global executive study and research report by mitsloan + deloitte digital.

This is an all-around stellar presentation, which makes use of an active voice (“we did this…”, “we found this…”, “my digital strategy is…”) to better connect with the audience. The use of conversational copy, straightforward messages, and a consistent aesthetic theme make this one of our favorite report presentations to share with our users.

14. TMT Outlook 2017: A new wave of advances offer opportunities and challenges by Deloitte

At strategic points in this long presentation, polls are taken to keep the audience engaged and give them a break from information overload. By asking them to reflect on their current status and thoughts, they are “primed” into receiving what the presenter next has to say.

15. Business Pulse – Dual perspectives on the top 10 risks and opportunities 2013 and beyond by Ernst & Young

This is another example of keeping your audience engaged through the use of questions (slides 2, 3 & 7). The questions’ tone and voice were also creatively and intelligently crafted because it uses FOMO (fear of missing out) to ensure customers want to listen.

Break Your Report Presentation Down

16. a step-by-step overview of a typical cybersecurity attack—and how companies can protect themselves by mckinsey.

The title speaks for itself – breaking down your solution step-by-step is one of the best ways to create an effective presentation . The smart use of “hit or myth?” in each of its slides also gets the audience to reflect on their own experiences and (potentially false) impressions of the industry.

17. 5 questions about the IoT (Internet of Things) by Deloitte

There is a lot to say in this presentation about the findings and impact of IoT on various industries, but Deloitte presents it in a way that keeps it relevant – by using a question-and-answer format that works to connect rather than alienate the audience.

18. How to be Sustainable by The Boston Consulting Group

This is a prime example of how you can capitalize on the “listicle” style of writing to present your main points with supreme clarity and persuasiveness. Notice that each of the 10 steps is supplemented by key statistics? That’s how you can add weight to what you’re saying without overloading the audience with too many graphs and data charts.

Give Actionable Insight in Your Report Presentation

19. putting digital technology and data to work for tech cmos by pwc.

What makes a great consultant is his or her ability to go beyond surface data to give customers real, actionable insight. Not only does this presentation by PwC provide step-by-step recommendations (slides 15–18), but it uses real case studies and testimonials to boost credibility and illustrate value.  

20. Shutting down fraud, waste, and abuse: Moving from rhetoric to real solutions in government benefit programs by Deloitte

Identified an issue? Great. Worked out a solution? Even better. This presentation breaks down its proposed solution through one message per slide, punctuated by a relevant graphic that reinforces its key point. It’s clean, clear, and effective.

21. A labor market that works: Connecting talent and opportunity in the digital age by McKinsey

Personalization works in every industry. The next time you prepare a presentation , think about how you can give tailored advice to the unique stakeholders involved (slides 30–33). 

Keep Your Report Presentation Short and Sweet

22. six behavioral economics lessons for the workplace by deloitte.

There’s a reason why TED talks are only 18 minutes or less – any longer and the speaker will lose the audience’s attention. Taking this advice, keep your report presentations short whenever possible. This example by Deloitte depicts a smart way to keep things bite-sized yet meaty, and also publicizes all your white papers and articles in one place.

23. Private Sector Opportunity to Improve Well-Being by The Boston Consulting Group

This compact presentation is a great example of how to summarize all your key findings in less than 10 slides. When you force yourself to reduce clutter, you start being more discerning about what you include. Remember, what you find interesting may not be the same as what the audience finds relevant. Don’t get too attached, and be prepared to edit down.  

24. Four approaches to automate work using cognitive technologies by Deloitte

Try using a report presentation as a “preview” for your full suite of business services. This way, you summarize your best points to potential clients, and if what you’ve said interests them enough, they will be more invested in a follow-up meeting.

The key to doing this successfully, however, is that whatever few points you choose to present need to be accompanied by some form of tailored business solution or insight into their specific needs. 

Don’t Forget to Take Credit

25. european family business trends: modern times by kpmg.

It seems obvious, but you would be surprised how many times consultants neglect to put their profile image and professional business contact information at the end of each report.

There are many reasons to do so, but most importantly, it helps your potential business client remember you better. The truth is, we remember faces better than names, and adding this information allows them to reach out if they’re interested in a follow-up oppurtunity.

“Simplified and impressive reporting in one landscape. Quick templates are present for impressive graphical visualizations! Ease of use, upload and export options.” – Derrick Keith, Associate Consultant at KPMG Easily create reports , infographics , posters , brochures , and more with Piktochart. Sign up for free .

Audience First

Clarity of thought translates directly into how succinct your presentation comes off. A key presentation design tip is that your slide deck should always be the last thing you tackle – structure and story come first. It may not be that surprising of a reveal if we were to tell you: The elements that make a business consultant’s report presentation great are almost the same that make any presentation great.

At the end of the day, keep your audience at the center, be creative and thoughtful of their needs; use design and visuals to your advantage and integrate them early on, not as an afterthought. And remember: Even with more options, sometimes, less is more.

Time to Make Your Own 

Now that you’re thoroughly inspired and well-versed in report presentation creation, it’s time to make your own using the tips from this article. At Piktochart, we have a handful of slick and highly customizable templates to help you create impactful report presentations. Just search in our reports and presentation templates database and take a look at a few examples below.

1. Monthly Marketing Report Template

2. Social Media Report Template

3. monthly progress report template, 4. client research report template.

5. Monthly Sales Report Template

6. Social Media Audience Report Template

7. email campaign report template.

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Business Jargons

A Business Encyclopedia

Presentation

Definition : A presentation is a form of communication in which the speaker conveys information to the audience. In an organization presentations are used in various scenarios like talking to a group, addressing a meeting, demonstrating or introducing a new product, or briefing a team. It involves presenting a particular subject or issue or new ideas/thoughts to a group of people.

It is considered as the most effective form of communication because of two main reasons:

• Use of non-verbal cues.
• Facilitates instant feedback.

Business Presentations are a tool to influence people toward an intended thought or action.

Parts of Presentation

• Introduction : It is meant to make the listeners ready to receive the message and draw their interest. For that, the speaker can narrate some story or a humorous piece of joke, an interesting fact, a question, stating a problem, and so forth. They can also use some surprising statistics.
• Body : It is the essence of the presentation. It requires the sequencing of facts in a logical order. This is the part where the speaker explains the topic and relevant information. It has to be critically arranged, as the audience must be able to grasp what the speaker presents.
• Conclusion : It needs to be short and precise. It should sum up or outline the key points that you have presented. It could also contain what the audience should have gained out of the presentation.

Purpose of Presentation

• To inform : Organizations can use presentations to inform the audience about new schemes, products or proposals. The aim is to inform the new entrant about the policies and procedures of the organization.
• To persuade : Presentations are also given to persuade the audience to take the intended action.
• To build goodwill : They can also help in building a good reputation

Factors Affecting Presentation

Audience Analysis

Communication environment, personal appearance, use of visuals, opening and closing presentation, organization of presentation, language and words, voice quality, body language, answering questions, a word from business jargons.

Presentation is a mode of conveying information to a selected group of people live. An ideal presentation is one that identifies and matches the needs, interests and understanding level of the audience. It also represents the facts, and figures in the form of tables, charts, and graphs and uses multiple colours.

Related terms:

• Verbal Communication
• Visual Communication
• Non-Verbal Communication
• Communication
• 7 C’s of Communication

Reader Interactions

Abbas khan says

October 2, 2022 at 11:33 pm

Thank you so much for providing us with brief info related to the presentation.

Farhan says

February 23, 2023 at 9:45 am

yusra shah says

July 3, 2023 at 2:04 am

it was helpful👍

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