A Term Paper on “How to write a formal business report”

Course Name: Business Communication

Course No: 102

Submitted to:
Mohammad Ariful Islam
Associate Professor
Department of Banking and Insurance,
Faculty of Business Studies,
University of Dhaka.

Submitted by:
1. Saymoon Islam Evan (Roll-99)
2. Md. Tanjil Ahmed(Roll-30)
3. Zarin Mahzabin Mafee(Roll-102)
Batch-28th
Section-B
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Letter of Transmittal
6th March 2023
Mohammed Ariful Islam
Associate Professor
Department of Banking and Insurance
Faculty of Business Studies
University of Dhaka.
Subject: Submission of a term paper on “How to write a formal business report”.

Dear Sir,
We are very delighted to submit the enclosed term paper on business report
writing as a part of our coursework in B-102: Business Communication. The term
paper has been completed by the information we gathered from the chapter &
from some other outside sources.
As a requirement of preparing a term paper, we have tried our level best to
complete this term paper meaningfully and correctly, as much as possible. We
hope that this this term paper will meet your expectations. We will be delighted
to receiving feedback and suggestions for improvement our skills and
knowledge.
Thank you for your guidance and support throughout the course, and we look
forward to hearing your feedback on the term paper.

Sincerely yours,
Saymoon Islam Evan
ID: 130-099
Section: B
On behalf of Group my group.
 2
Declaration
We, the under-mentioned, solemnly declare that this business report
is our original work. We further declare that this work has been
submitted by our group and has not submitted by any other university,
college before for any academic purpose. We have strictly observed
reporting ethics and duly discharged copy-right obligation and
properly referred all outsourcing of materials used in this report. We
take the responsibility for all legal and ethical requirements regarding
this report.
 3
Table of Content
Letter of Transmittal….......................................................................1

Declaration………………………..................................................................2

Table of content.................................................................................3

Introduction………….............................................................................4

Methodology ……………………................................................................5

How to write a formal business report………………………………………..6

Examples of business report……………..………………………………………….7

Analyzing and finding……..………………………………….…………………………. 8

Writing the report ............................................................................9

Conclusion ........................................................................................10
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Introduction
Writing a formal business report requires a structured approach to
presenting information and analysis in a clear and concise manner.
This report designed to provide step-by-step instructions on how to
write a professional and effective business report. It will cover
everything from identifying the purpose of the report and selecting
the appropriate format, to conducting research, organizing the
content, and presenting findings and recommendations. By following
this guide one will be able to create a well-written and well-organized
business report that can be used to inform and influence decision-
makers in any organization.
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Methodology
To prepare a formal business report, start by defining the purpose and
scope of the report, gathering and analyzing data, and organizing ones
findings into a logical structure. We have to write the report using
clear and concise language, avoiding jargon and providing sufficient
detail to support ones conclusions and recommendations. Review and
revise the report carefully, and format it in a professional and visually
appealing way, using charts, graphs, and other visual aids if necessary.
Finally, consider including a cover page, table of contents, and
executive summary to make the report easier to navigate and
understand.
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How to write a formal business report
Business documentation comprises various types and forms that
provide information, influence the reader, or present solutions and
recommendations. A formal report has several functions that are
useful in a business environment. Learning what a formal report
includes can help you write a better document in business a formal
business report is an official document used to organize statistics,
research, and data to help decision-makers analyze information.
Formal reports can encompass several pages or many, depending on
the topic presented.

7
Examples of formal business report
Compliance report: A compliance report documents how an
organization is or isn't complying with specific regulations or laws.
Often written by an organization's compliance officer, a compliance
report provides accountability to show that the company is following
legal rules or its internal procedures. The writer provides a statement
regarding the regulation in question and what they assessed during
their investigation within a compliance report. They then offer
suggestions on areas of improvement or confirmation on protocols
that comply with the rule. Several groups may use a compliance
report, including company executives and management, external
customers, regulatory boards, and business partners
Feasibility report: A feasibility report determines the outcome of a
proposed solution by analyzing all relevant factors. Often used in
project management, a feasibility report looks at economics,
profitability, legality, and technology to decide the likelihood of
successfully completing a project or solution. A formal study or
analysis takes place before starting work on an idea, and the feasibility
report summarizes the challenges and opportunities of the findings
Investigating report: An investigative report documents an
occurrence that is potentially risky or threatening in some capacity.
The investigator gathers evidence of the occurrence and the events
leading up to it to look for a cause. They may also include details about
the event, influential factors, and recommendations to avoid a repeat
occurrence. For example, an investigative report helps safety
departments to monitor potentially hazardous work environments or
near-misses. If an accident happens, this report helps determine the
cause and find essential steps for accident prevention. Other
examples of using an investigative account can include financial
discrepancies, workplace harassment, or manufacturing inefficiency.
In addition, companies use these reports for continuous improvement
in processes and procedures
Recommendation report: Recommendation reports, also known as
justification reports, propose a specific idea to the reader and provide
evidence to support the recommendation. The writer presents a
solution to a challenge and offers concise reasons the company or
reader wants to pursue the idea. Recommendation reports are
influential documents used to make a convincing argument. For
example, suppose you wanted to propose to your manager to
purchase a new piece of equipment for your workplace. Within a
recommendation report, you can include various sections, such as the
risk involved, the cost of the machine, and the benefits to the
company.
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Analysis and finding
Analysis and findings is probably the longest section. This section will
reveal what facts we discovered and the details of the report. When
drafting this section, we have to remember to present information in
the easiest and clearest way that points our reader to conclusions or
recommendations. In the report process is the analysis and findings.
In largescale quantitative surveys this is normally undertaken
mechanically using survey analysis user in a report which interprets
the findings and draws conclusions. The report is the prime record of
what has been done and represents the Interpreting findings in a
business report is an important step in understanding the results of a
study or analysis.

9
Writing a formal business report

(1)Create a plan for action:

Creating a plan of action for writing a formal business report involves
several essential steps. First, it's crucial to determine the purpose and
goal of the report, which involves identifying the problems to solve or
the objectives to achieve. Second, we need to consider the audience
that we are targeting and tailor the report's content and language
accordingly. Third, collecting relevant information is necessary to
support the report's findings and recommendations. Fourth, analyzing
the information accurately is crucial to ensure its effectiveness.
Finally, organizing the information in a logical and coherent manner is
essential to prepare a well-structured and persuasive report.

(2)Add the prefatory parts of the report:

a. Add a title fly and a title page to the report: The title should be relevant
to the report. Here are two parts such as title fly and title page. Title
fly contains the report title and the title page contains the information
that we need to identify the report in along with the title name of the
report.
b. Authorization Message: An authorization message in a business report
is a statement that indicates the approval or authorization of the
report by a person or group of people with the appropriate authority.
The authorization message is a key component of a business report
and helps to ensure that the report is professional, credible, and
authoritative. The authorization message may include the name and
title of the person or group authorizing the report, the date of
approval, and any other relevant information.
c. Write a Letter of Transmittal: A transmittal message, also known as
a cover letter, is a brief document that accompanies a formal business
report. Its purpose is to introduce the report to the recipient and
provide some context for its contents such as Date and recipient
information, Summary of the report, Explanation of the purpose of the
report and how it relates to the recipient's needs or interests etc.
d. Write a table of contents: A table of contents is a list of the sections
and chapters in a formal business report along with the page numbers
where they can be found. It aids readers in locating the information
they want to read by providing a preview of the report's format and
content. There may be many readers who simply wish to read a few
selected sections of a report or proposal, in which case this is
extremely helpful. To make a table of contents I have to create
headings, list headings and page numbers and format the table of
contents.
e. Add an executive summary: An executive summary is a brief,
condensed version of a longer formal report, often used to summarize
the key points and recommendations for decision-makers who may
not have huge time to read the entire report. It succinctly illustrates
all of the report's key points. The executive summary can act as an
overview of the report for some readers. However, it is primarily
prepared for executives who are busy and might not have time to read
the entire report. Some suggestions for writing an executive summary
are begin with a strong opening, summarize the purpose of the report,
outline the main findings, provide recommendations, Conclude with a
strong summary.
f. Add Acknowledgement: An acknowledgment in a formal business
report is a brief statement that recognizes and thanks the people or
organizations or sources that contributed to the report's development
or production. The acknowledgment typically appears near the
beginning of the report, after the executive summary or introduction.
To write an acknowledgment we can follow the following suggestions
such as specify the individuals or organizations to be acknowledged,
determine the appropriate level of formality, draft a brief statement
of acknowledgement, review the acknowledgement carefully, add the
acknowledgement to the report.

(3) Write an Introduction to the report:

The introduction is the first section of a report itself. Its purpose is to
prepare the readers to receive the report’s findings. The introduction
to a formal business report is an important component of the
document, as it sets the stage for the rest of the report and provides
the reader with a clear understanding of what the report is about. The
report introduction prepares the readers to follow and interpret the
report. Include whatever helps with this goal in the introduction. Add
the following elements in the introduction of the report:
Facts of authorization: Facts are those information and data that are
true. These can include data, statistics, observations, and other pieces
of information that are relevant to the topic of the report.
Authorization in a report refers to the approval or permission granted
by someone in authority to produce or share the report. This could be
a supervisor, manager, or other person who has the power to
authorize the report's creation and dissemination.
Problem and purpose of the report: A report is a document that
presents information, analysis, and recommendations on a particular
topic or issue. Its purpose is to inform and provide insights to the
reader, often with the aim of solving a problem or making a decision.
The problem or issue being addressed in the report will typically be
stated in the introduction, and the purpose of the report will be to
provide a clear and concise analysis of the problem, along with
recommendations for how to address it.
Scope: The scope of a report refers to the extent of its coverage,
including the objectives, purpose, and boundaries of the report. It
defines the parameters within which the report will be developed, and
outlines what will be included and excluded from the report. The
scope of the report is usually determined by the nature of the problem
or issue being investigated, the target audience, and the available
resources. It is important to clearly define the scope of the report at
the outset to ensure that the report is focused and relevant to its
intended audience
 Limitations: One limitation of a report is that it can be limited by the
quality and availability of the data used in its analysis. A report can
only be as comprehensive and accurate as the data it relies on, and if
the data is incomplete, inaccurate, or biased, the conclusions drawn
in the report may be flawed. Additionally, a report may be limited by
the scope of its analysis, as it may not be able to consider all relevant
factors due to time, resource, or other constraints. Finally, a report
may be limited by its audience, as the information presented may not
be accessible or understandable to all readers.
Historical Background: Reports have been an important means of
communicating information for centuries, dating back to the earliest
forms of written language. The origins of the modern report can be
traced back to the late 19th century, when businesses and
governments began to use standardized formats and procedures for
documenting and presenting information. In the early 20th century,
the field of management emerged, which further emphasized the
importance of clear and concise reporting in decision-making. With
the rise of digital technology in the late 20th century, reports have
become even more ubiquitous, as they can now be created,
distributed, and accessed more easily than ever before. Today, reports
are used in a wide variety of contexts, from academic research to
corporate finance to government policy-making.
Sources and methods of collecting information: There are various
sources and methods used to collect information for a report,
depending on the nature and scope of the report. Some common
sources of information include primary sources such as interviews,
surveys, experiments, and observations, as well as secondary sources
such as books, articles, reports, and databases. In terms of methods,
some common approaches to collecting information include literature
reviews, case studies, data analysis, and content analysis. Additionally,
technology has enabled new methods of data collection, such as social
media monitoring, web analytics, and machine learning. Ultimately,
the choice of sources and methods will depend on the goals of the
report and the nature of the information being sought.
Report Preview: A report preview provides a brief overview of the
content of a report, highlighting key points and summarizing the main
findings or recommendations. It may include an executive summary,
an introduction, and a table of contents, as well as any graphs, charts,
or images that illustrate the report's findings. The purpose of a report
preview is to give readers a sense of what they can expect to find in
the full report, helping them decide whether to read further and
providing context for the report's content.
Main body of the report: With the data organized, it's time to start
writing the report. The introduction should be a brief overview of the
purpose and scope of the report. The background information should
provide the reader with a context for the problem you are trying to
solve. The methodology section should describe how you collected the
data and information. The results section should present the findings
of your research, and the analysis section should interpret the results.
Finally, the recommendations section should offer specific actions
that the company can take based on the analysis.
Ending summary of the report: In summary, writing a formal business
report is an important skill for professionals to master. To create an
effective report, we must define the purpose and scope, collect and
organize data, write a clear and concise report, and review and revise
it thoroughly. By following these steps, we can produce a report that
provides valuable insights and recommendations for your company to
make informed decisions. Remember to tailor ones report to their
audience, use a professional tone and language, and present ones
findings in a logical and organized manner. With practice, we can
develop our skills as a business writer and produce reports that
reaches the goal.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, this report has provided a detailed analysis of the
subject matter, presenting key findings, and recommendations
for action. The report has explored various aspects of the topic,
including its history, current status, and potential future
developments. Based on our research and analysis, we have
identified opportunities for improvement and highlighted areas
of concern that require attention. We have provided specific
recommendations to address these issues, taking into account
the available resources and constraints. Overall, this report
aims to inform and guide decision-making, enabling
stakeholders to make well-informed choices that will lead to
positive outcomes.
References:
Lesikar’s Business Communication (THIRTEENTH EDITION)
https://www.toppr.com/guides/business-correspondence-and-reporting/report
https://essaypro.com/blog/term

The End