• 4-minute read
• 4th November 2018

How to Structure a Business Report

The content of a business report will depend on what you are writing about. Even the writing style may vary depending on who you are writing for (although clear, concise and formal is usually best).

However, there is a general structure that most business reports should follow. Read on below to find out what you need to include in your business report and how you should present it.

1. Title Page

Every business report should feature a title page. The title itself should clearly set out what the report is about. In addition, you would usually include your name and the date of the report on the title page.

2. Summary

Most reports begin with a summary of the key points within, including:

• An overview of what the report is about
• Data collection and analysis methods used
• The findings of the report
• Any conclusions or recommendations

In a short report, a paragraph or two should be enough. In a longer business report, though, you may want to include a full executive summary.

3. Table of Contents

Short reports may not need a table of contents, especially if you have included a summary. But any longer business report should set out the structure and what each section contains. Make sure that the headings here match the ones used in the report. You may also want to number the sections.

4. Introduction

This will set out the brief you were given when asked to write the report. Typically, this section should include:

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

Collectively, these are known as the ‘terms of reference’.

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. 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 of the main points set out in the brief.

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 these clearly so that the reader knows how they relate to the text.

6. Conclusions and Recommendations

The last main sections of your report will cover conclusions and recommendations. The conclusion section should summarise 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, think back to the objectives set out in your brief.

7. References

If you have used any third-party sources while writing your report, make sure to list them in a bibliography. This could include other business reports, academic articles or even news reports. The key is to show the reader 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 all of this in your main report will 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 to see 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 summary of what the report is about, the data collection methods, the findings and any recommendations you want to make.
• Table of Contents – A list of the sections in the report.
• Introduction – A short section setting out the brief for the report.
• Methods and Findings – A description of any data collection and analysis methods used in the report, as well as the findings of your research.
• Conclusions and Recommendations – Any conclusions that you reached, plus recommendations for what to do next (if required).
• References – A list of any sources used in your report.
• Appendices – If you have used any supporting material (e.g. interview transcripts, raw data) while writing your report, you can include it in an appendix at the end of the document.

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