140 likes | 210 Views
Chapter 12. PROGRESS AND PERIODIC REPORTS. Definitions. Fiscal: the operating or business year, a calendar that may run from a July to June, rather than January to December
E N D
Chapter 12 PROGRESS AND PERIODIC REPORTS
Definitions • Fiscal: the operating or business year, a calendar that may run from a July to June, rather than January to December • Progress Report: a report that tells the audience what work has been completed and what remains to be done on one particular project during the reporting period
Definitions continued • Periodic Report: a report, issued at time intervals, informing the audience of the progress made on all the projects of an organization during the reporting period • Reporting Period: the time span covered by the report
Progress and Periodic Reports • Report on progress for a period of time • PROGRESS: describes what has been done during a specified time on one particular project • Anyone may have to produce this report • PERIODIC: explains accomplishments for all of the projects of a unit or of the whole organization over a specified time period
I. Audience • Decision-makers and managers within organization • Stockholders • Use information to evaluate projects and the way they are being handled • Used to determine how to deal with other projects under way or to decide if continuing certain projects is worthwhile • Readers are busy people looking for specific data • Readers are basing decisions on the information – they expect information to be complete and accurate
II. Prewriting • Consider Audience: • What does the reader need to know? • Anticipate questions/concerns • Check facts and figures for accuracy • Consider project schedule or plan • Begin be noting time period of your report • Correspond time frame with original plan, goal, and objectives • Consider organization of tasks • Lists are useful – listing what was to be completed in a time period and what actually was
III. Formatting • For internal audience use memo form • For external audience use letter form • Use a more formal tone
IV. Composing • Organized to address the reader’s most important questions/concerns first • Address any decisions that need to be made • Indicate what needs to be done to complete • Indicate what problems may have come up
IV. Composing continued • Organizing: • INTRODUCTION – report topic, purpose, reporting period • WORK COMPLETED – what has been done • WORK SCHEDULED – what needs to be done • PROBLEMS/PROJECTIONS – what has gone wrong, if anything, and when the work will be finished *subheadings may be used for further breakdown
IV. Composing continued • Drafting the introduction • Name the project • Note the time period you cover in this report • State the purpose of this report *Use “I” and or “we” (this shows that you are taking responsibility) *Be direct and honest
IV. Composing continued • Drafting the work completed section • Note again the time period • Use past tense verbs • Improve readability by using subheadings (to separate kinds of jobs) or bulleted lists • Provide enough details and explanations about each job completed to meet the needs of the reader *must be clear and accurate
IV. Composing continued • Drafting the Work Scheduled Section • Tell the audience what work needs to be done in the next reporting period • Drafting the Problems/Projections Section • Describe any obstacles to the completion of the job • Be honest and direct • Unless responsibility needs to be assigned, report just the facts • Give completion date for the project, revise date if problems have come up
V. Composing Periodic Reports • Organizing • An overview that briefly presents the highlights of the entire report • A section for each category of activity or work undertaken during the reporting period • A conclusion that refers to the next report • Drafting the introduction • Brief and to the point • Should mention each idea included in a major heading
V. Composing Periodic Reports continued • Drafting the Work Progress section • Have heading and discussion for each area or type of work • Organize by priority • Note progress and any problems factually • Drafting Conclusion • Looks to the future, to the next periodic report