BUSINESS & TECHNICAL

REPORTS
ORIGIN OF THE WORD “REPORT”

• The word ‘report’ is derived from the Latin ‘reportare’ which means to carry back (re = back + portare =
to carry)
• A report, therefore, is a description of an event carried back to someone who was not present on the
scene
• Following the definition and origin of the word, in a broad sense, many memorandums, letters and
news items are reports.
 WHAT EXACTLY IS REPORT?
• Some of the definitions for report are:

✓ In a very general sense, a report is an account of something

✓ It is usually an answer to a question or a demand from some other person for information
✓ A formal report presents in organized form, the information that has been requested by
an authorized person
✓ A report is a communication from someone who has information, to someone who wants
to use that information
✓ A technical report is a written statement of the facts of a situation, project, process or
test; how these facts were ascertained; their significance; the conclusions that have been
drawn from them; the recommendations that are being made
 EXTRACTING CORE OF A REPORT FROM THE
DEFINITIONS

• Some of the major points (about reports) which can be noted from the definitions are:

✓ A report is a formal statement of facts or information or an account of something

✓ It is presented in a conventional form
✓ It is written for a specific audience
✓ It includes information about the procedure of collecting data and the significance of such data
✓ It contains conclusions reached by the writer
✓ It often includes recommendations
DEFINING REPORT

“A report is a formal communication written for a specific purpose; it

includes a description of procedures followed for collection and analysis of
data, their significance, the conclusions drawn from them, and
recommendations, if required”
 IMPORTANCE OF REPORTS

• It has been estimated that an engineer, a business executive or a government Officer spends about 75 per cent of his
time at the desk either writing reports, letters, etc., or processing them
• Whenever a problem comes to notice or a need is felt to analyze a situation or detailed information is required to
take a decision, the report writer comes into the picture
• The skill of report writing is as necessary as good equipment and quality raw materials for running a business
efficiently
• Even as a student you will have to write a number of reports: project reports, survey reports, laboratory reports, etc.
• Report writing develops the power of discrimination, organization, judgment and communication
 TYPES OF REPORTS
• Reports can be oral or written
• Oral report is a piece of fact to face communication and it is time saving for the producer but time consuming for the
receiver or reader
• Written report is relatively more accurate, formal, and permanent; however, informal written reports can also exist in
the form of letters or memorandums
• Two main categories of formal written reports are informational and interpretive
• An informational report contains only the data collected or the facts observed in an organized form
• An interpretive report, like an informational report, contains facts but it also includes an evaluation or interpretation or
analysis of data and the reporter’s conclusions
• An interpretive report which consists principally of recommendations is also called a recommendation or
recommendatory report
• Some reports are also made using a prescribed format where the writer adds a tick mark to the relevant options and
may leave a brief remark for each
TREE OF VARIOUS REPORT TYPES
 ROUTINE REPORTS

• Reports are prepared and presented by organizations to record, present, evaluate, understand and monitor different
activities and organizational operations so that effective decision making can be realized
• Reports may be prepared on daily, weekly, monthly, and/or annual basis
• Some of the routine reports are:
I. Progress reports
II. Laboratory reports
III. Inspection reports
IV. Inventory reports
V. Reports on office supplies/inventory
VI. Annual confidential reports on employees
 PROGRESS REPORTS
• Organizations keep track of short as well as long term projects through progress reports
• These reports also help the officers and workers immediately responsible for the job to take stock of what has already
been done and to relate it to the total amount of time and/or money available
• They may be written and circulated at the end of each phase or a specified period of time or completion of a stage of
work
• Progress reports prepared at regular intervals are also known as “periodic reports”
• Following general information is included in such reports
✓ Name of the work or project
✓ Total work to be completed
✓ Date
✓ Work completed to date
✓ Work to be completed
✓ Possible date for completion
✓ Remarks, if any
✓ Signature and designation of the reporting officer
 LABORATORY REPORTS

• No scientific work is considered transmittable and understandable without proper reporting

• Students and practitioners of science use this kind of report for recording and presenting different lab activities, such as
experiments, in a logical order
• Method of conducting research and choice of methodology as well as equipment is justified through such reports
• Generally, following elements make up these kinds of reports:

Heading Method or procedure followed

Experiment No. Observations
Date Conclusions
Statement of objects Signature
Apparatus used
 INVENOTRY REPORTS
• As the name suggests, inventory reports are prepared to keep track of office or organization’s stock of equipment,
furniture, stationary etc. for effective management and utilization of available resources
ANNUAL CONFIDENTIAL REPORTS ON EMPLOYEES