If you’re probably wondering how to write a good report, you’re not alone. Many individuals face difficulties when it comes to report writing, as it requires a specific format and structure that can be confusing to navigate.

With so many types of reports -  sales reports, marketing reports, school reports, social media reports and more, how do you know the best structure and organize your thoughts or data that would positively reflect your work?

It all lies in following the right report writing format. With the right format, you’ll be able to write your report with guidelines and make it easy to read and understand and make it easier for you to write as well.

Just as there are different types of reports, there are also different report formats and ways to deliver them. In this article, we’ll walk you through the best report writing formats, examples of reports, and templates for report writing.

Here's a short selection of 6 easy-to-edit report templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more templates below:

Quick Read

There are six main types of reports you might encounter based on your goal or niche. In this section we’ll highlight and showcase what these reports are along with reports writing samples, each populated with a similar reporting writing format to what we'll cover further in this article.

The first type of report we'll cover is an annual report. This will typically round up a business's year of progress and performance to let supervisors and team members know how the company did.

It can include anything from website analytics to sales profits, depending on who the report is meant for.

One report that is helpful to provide your team is a weekly report based on your progress in various projects and goals. This can be a simple one-pager, or a more in-depth report with specific updates.

Keep clients and team members up-to-date on the status of various projects you're working on by providing them with a project report. This can include a timeline of your report progress and the deadline for each segment to keep everyone on the same page.

It's essential to keep your team updated on how your sales and/or marketing strategies are going. Put together graphs showing profit margins, increases in engagement and more.

These types of reports are also a great way to determine whether your strategies are working or if they need some tweaking in the future.

Sometimes if you need to do some in-depth research, the best way to present that information is with a research report. Whether it's scientific findings, data and statistics from a study, etc., a research report is a great way to share your results.

An academic report is one created for a class, often in a graduate or undergraduate university. This follows a formal writing style and dives into a topic related to the student's academic studies.

For more report examples you can learn from, check out our guide on Report Examples With Sample Templates.

Now we're getting to the good part — the ultimate report writing format. While this may vary based on the data and information you pull, it provides enough leeway for you to follow standard report formats.

It goes a little something like this:

Each of these eight elements ensures that you leave no stone unturned and that your reader knows exactly what they're learning in your report and how you gathered this information.

Your next step is to get started with an outline. At each point of the outline, use one or two sentences to describe what will go in there. It doesn’t need to say much, just an idea for you to follow later. Input some design ideas for the overall design as well.

For example, in the Table of Contents section, simply add that you want it to only cover one page or slide, make a note if you’d like to add the pages for only the main sections or maybe also the subsections. 

In the Appendices section, list all the links to the sources you used and add on as you do more research. Every source you reference in your report must be listed here.

The most important part of your outline is the Body section. In there, create an internal outline of sections and subsections that you can follow later when writing.

After you’ve drafted the outline, it’s time to put together all of the content into the report. The outline we provided above is the only report writing format you’ll ever need. You can add sections if needed but don’t take any away.

Let’s take a look at every section in detail. 

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The title of your report should be clear in its wording. It must say exactly what the report is about. Remember that this isn’t a novel. Include a subtitle if necessary, making sure the font size of each subtitle is smaller than the title.

In terms of design, your title can be designed as an inviting cover page. There needs to be a clear hierarchy in how the title looks.

On your title or cover page, be sure to include the following:

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Always leave the Table of Contents page until the end. After all, you can’t write a table of contents if you don’t know all of your page numbers yet. 

However, if your Body outline already has each of your section and subsection titles defined, you can add those to the contents and leave the numbering for later.

Having a Table of Content pages makes it easy for your readers to find the information they're most interested in quickly and easily, improving overall readability. So you absolutely do not want to skip this step.

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Likewise, the summary (also known as the abstract) of the report is best done after you’ve finished writing the report. You can draft a summary at the beginning to help you continue with the work, but you’ll definitely want to revisit it at the end.

A summary is a blurb of the entire report. It must include the purpose, the process and a snippet of the resolution. This should be no longer than a single paragraph or two.

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In the introduction, state what the report is about and why it has been created. Depending on the length of your report, the introduction could range from one single paragraph to an entire page long. 

For example, one paragraph is enough for a social media report introduction while an entire page would be more suitable for an annual report.

Take this time to introduce why your topic is so important, especially if it's a research report. You need to focus on why your readers should care about what you have uncovered.

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The body of your report is where all the information is put together and will be the longest section of your report. This will likely span several (anywhere from 5-50) pages. Follow your initial outline to maintain consistent flow in the content creation. Write the body content as sections and subsections.

Furthermore, use bullet points and data visualization as visual cues. These will help your audience to better understand the content of your report. 

Check out this video from Visme for some tips on visualizing all that data!

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Close your report with a well-crafted conclusion. Formulate it as a brief summary of what was covered within the report, and be sure to include a mention to the recommendations section and the resources in the appendix.

This section should never bring new information to the table — instead, it should simply summarize all of the findings you've already mentioned into one concise final section.

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Craft the recommendations section as a set of actionable steps with smart goals associated along with possible solutions. This section is irrelevant for school reports or book reports, but is essential for business reports or corporate settings. 

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This is the section where you list all your sources if it’s a research report. You should also add any links that are relevant to the report — or previous reports about the same topic. 

You could even link an interactive version of the report you just created with Visme. Visme allows you to create interactive and animated documents that can be published to the web with a single click, offering a new dimension to your report.

A good rule of thumb when creating your appendices is to only add information that is relevant to the report or that you referenced when writing your report. Use reference annotations inside the report to link to the content in the appendix.

The report content used in this sample report design can be found here.

Following a report writing format is only a portion of the report writing process. When it comes to the content being placed in that content, it needs to be executed in a professional manner that will not only inform your reader but engage them from start to finish as well.

Here are some writing tips and best practices you should follow to complete your report in style.

our browser does not support the video tag.Looking to create a stand-out visual report?

It's helpful to write the body of the report before the introduction or conclusion so you have a comprehensive overview of what key points should be covered in each section. This rule applies whether you're writing the report independently or as a team.

For the body of your report, you can assign specific sections to your team members and then appoint someone to write the conclusion and intro once it's complete.

Visme provides a space for team collaboration where you and your team members can work on your report simultaneously, adding comments, real-time updates and more. This feature helps to ensure everyone contributes and each section of your report is completed and well-rounded.

Don’t simply add visuals for the sake of adding them. Instead, by adding data visualization, you can condense complex information, pinpoint relationships and showcase values and risk. Not to mention a single chart can save you from adding unnecessary text to your report. Give each visual a strong purpose in your report.

Next to data visualization, you should also be mindful of what images you choose to include in your report, whether they’re used as a backdrop or illustration of the topic at hand. You can dive into Visme’s extensive library of royalty-free images, upload your own or create your own with Visme’s AI-powered Image Generator.

Tap into the infinite possibilities of AI image generation right inside your Visme editor. Available inside any project, old or new, just type in your prompts and generate creative and unique visuals for your report.

To ensure your report holds credibility, it must be error-free with proper spelling, grammar and tone. You should only use acronyms or jargon that are associated with your industry or profession, only if needed.

Try to use simple language and avoid adding unnecessary fluff. Lastly, before you send off your report, be sure to review it or ask for a colleague's opinion to ensure everything is in place.

You can send your report as a shareable link for a quick review or invite your colleague directly into your Visme project to decide if they can view, edit or comment on it. Make updates and share changes in real-time to streamline a faster editing process and have your report polished and ready to share with your audience.

Avoid creating a large appendix, as it can be intimidating or burdensome for the reader. It’s best only to add information or sources relevant to the report’s main points. One way to implement this tip is to review your appendix only after your report’s been completed, then do an extensive review to see what needs to stay or be removed until you're satisfied with the size of your appendix.

If it’s accessible, ask an editor or writer to review your article. You can also use tools like Hemmingway, ProWritingAid or Grammarly. Even your best KPIs and ROIs won’t save you from bad grammar.

Click through the image below to use this customizable template to create your report. It follows the standard report writing format so you won’t get confused or miss a section.

Customize this report template and make it your own!Edit and Download

Hopefully, this post has helped you to better understand the best way to put together a report. Following a standard report writing format is just what you need to create engaging, memorable reports. Follow the tips above and you’ll never make a boring report again.

Just how following a report writing format will help you create a better report, a Visme subscription will help you create a full suite of visual content.