Types of Reports (Unit four)

Types of reports

Reports may be oral or written. But it is very difficult to rely on oral reports in the execution of business. It is as ephemeral as any other oral communication unless tape-recorded. Thus in the world of work, most of the reports are written only because a written report is relatively more accurate and permanent.

 A report may be formal or informal but informal reports are, in fact, rare and seldom come in practice. Thus the reports in practice are mostly formal reports.

Formal reports are the reports which are routine reports or the ones which are prepared on demand.

On demand reports are of two types:-

1. Informational Reports
2. Interpretive Reports

Routine Reports

There are various reports which are written routinely in the world of work. They are mandatory reports and an organization has to depend completely upon them. They are formal and conventional and every organization has its own convention and format of presenting them. However, they have many elements in common as for as their purpose and nature is concerned. The examples of such reports are:-

Media Reports, Progress Reports, Laboratory Reports, Inspection Reports, Inventory Reports, Annual Confidential Reports on Employees etc

On Demand Reports

Some reports are written on demand only. There is a wide variety of reports which come under this category. A person is assigned with the responsibility of preparing and then presenting the report

Types of Reports

 Routine Reports

Routine reports are very essential reports which are related to the day to day affairs of an organization. It is not possible to run an organization without these reports. The examples of reports that can be included in this kind are media reports, progress report, laboratory report, inspection report, inventory report, annual confidential report on employees, etc.

Media Report

Media Reports are actually newspaper reports. A media report is also known as event reporting. A newspaper correspondent prepares a report on any event and sends it to his newspaper office and the editor of the newspaper publishes the news story in the newspaper, A newspaper correspondent is also known as media person or a reporter or a journalist. A newspaper generally has a battery of such journalists and they are sent to cover different events. 

Progress Report

Progress report is essential for the organization which has taken a long term project or a contract e.g. the construction of a dam, a bridge, or a building or installation of a machine / equipment in a factory or any work of investigation / survey. 

In all these cases the management keeps itself informed through the progress reports otherwise the project can not be completed on time. These reports help the management to take decision regarding how much extra money, material or work force has to be arranged in order to finish the work on time.

These reports include a chronology of the progress made since last report or commencement of the work and indicate further time /money / material / workforce needed for completion of the work. Government Departments insist on such reports to know whether the work is progressing according to schedule or not. Frequency of such reports depends upon the practice followed by the organization. They may be periodic or on demand as well. Generally speaking, such may contain the following points of information:-

            (i)                 Name of the work or project
(ii)               Total work to be completed
(iii)             Date
(iv)             Work to be completed
(v)               Possible date for completion
(vi)             Remarks, if any
(vii)           Signature and designation of the reporting officer

Laboratory Reports

As a student of science and engineering you are well aware that you have to do a number of experiments in the laboratory to test a theory or verify your research findings. These experiments require the ability to choose the right equipment, arrange various instruments appropriately, observe and record processes, reactions and readings faithfully and accurately and finally arrive at valid conclusions. A laboratory report is an account of these various steps, findings and conclusions put together in a logical order. No scientific report may be considered valid without such reports.

These reports may differ according to organization and nature of experiment but generally they may have the following essential elements:-

             (i)                 Heading
(ii)               Experiment No
(iii)             Date
(iv)             Statement of objects
(v)               Apparatus used
(vi)             Method or procedure followed
(vii)           Observations
(viii)         Conclusions
(ix)             Signature

Inspection Report

An inspection report is generally issued by the quality control department/ section which inspects every product as a part of its duty to ensure whether it meets the required / declared standard / specifications or not. Generally every product contains a seal of quality check / inspection indicating that it has undergone such inspections. Besides this, the quality control department may do such inspections on receiving complaints from the customers also.  

Inventory Report

An inventory report is a report on equipments, furniture, stationary and such stock in hand which is presented at regular intervals. It is customary and compulsory for an organization to take stock of these things otherwise they may be destroyed or stolen. A stock manager or Head of the department generally prepares such reports annually. It is a form mentioning the inventory stock and its condition.

 Annual Confidential Report
on Employees

Most organizations make a periodic evaluation of the performance and general conduct of their employees. The assessments made are used at appropriate times for rewards such as increments, promotion, transfer to more responsible jobs, etc. A large number of factors determine whether a person is efficient or not. It is almost impossible to measure scientifically human qualities such as alertness, zeal, confidence, etc. So by their very nature such reports are subjective.

These reports differ from organization to organization. Every organization has its own convention assessing the performance. It is in fact performance assessment form. Different companies prepare it according to their own concept.

Exercise in questions

1. Explain the different types of reports.

2. What is a routine report? Explain different types of routine reports.

3, What is a progress report? explain.

4. What is annual confidential report on employees? Explain.

5. What is inventory report? Explain.

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Report Definition and Importance

Formats of Report

Structure / Layout of a Report

Sample Recommendation Report

Sample Report of Trouble

Sample Progress Report

B.Tech First Year Unit 4 Types of Report