business documents · web viewbusiness plan reports summary analytical (or analysis) recommendation...

BUSINESS DOCUMENTS

Emergency Manual

☐ Vocabulary1. Business Case

2. Executive Summary

3. Business Plan

4. Reports

a. Summary

b. Analytical (or Analysis)

c. Recommendation

d. Proposal

e. Feasibility Study

f. Others: Compliance, Progress, etc.

1. Business Case

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☐ Justification?

Case Study?

☐ Length?

(that is, conclusion supported by evidence)

Brief

Long

(This is determined by project and company.)

OR

= TECO use?

Prepared by Jeff Karon

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BUSINESS DOCUMENTSEmergency Manual

☐ Structure of Business Case?

[2 examples]

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

FINANCE

Financial AppraisalSensitivity Analysis

PROJECT DEFINITION

Background InformationBusiness ObjectiveBenefits and LimitationsOption Identification and SelectionOutline PlanMarket AssessmentRisk AssessmentProject ApproachPurchasing Strategy

PROJECT ORGANIZATION

Project GovernanceProgress Reporting

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE OPTIONS

[discuss the following:]

Benefits

Costs [graphs and figures are useful]

Likely time-scale for project to see ROI

Risks

RECOMMENDATION

[More detailed analysis or supporting data may appear in

APPENDIX]


2. Executive Summary

3. Business Plan

OR

A plan to improve or create a process or procedure?

(A plan for the business?)

?

☐ A summary of a report written for decision-makers.

Begins with conclusion or recommendation. Includes outline of reasons or evidence. Often uses bullets or numbered items.

Full report, including appendices, links, and attachments.

?

☐ A detailed proposal report for a new business or a major change/addition to an existing business.

OR

A document written for a decision-maker?


4. Reports

a. Summary

☐ Briefs the reader on a situation.

Any brief summary, analysis, or recommendation report.

(May need a consensus?)?

OR

b. Analytical☐ Analyzes business strategy or process using company and other data. May include recommendations.

(Includes summary.)

c. Recommendation

☐ Proposes a solution to a problem or challenge, usually in the current situation. Usually evaluates possible solutions, then proposes one of the solutions. Usually written after research has been conducted.

(Includes summary and analysis.)

d. Proposal

☐ Justifies feasibility of new project or research. Usually written prior to conducting a study or research.


If solicited (versus unsolicited), often linked to an RFP.


e. Feasibility☐ Presents evidence about practicality of proposed project based on specific criteria. Usually in-depth and detailed. Written after feasibility research has been carried out.


f. Others

Progress Report

Compliance Report

Annual Report

Marketing Report

(Etc.)


☐ Formal Versus Informal Reports

☐ FORMAL ☐ Informal

Length

Complexity

Depth of Headings

Multi-page. Brief.

High detail with supporting material.

Often standalone.

3+ levels. Often 1-2 levels.

Recipients External

(or high-level within company)

Internal

Components

Cover

Title Page

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations

Executive Summary

Introduction

Body

Conclusions

Recommendations

References

Appendices

Title Page

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

Body

Conclusions

Recommendations

Introduction

Body

Conclusions

RecommendationsNote: the “body” usually presents, interprets, and analyzes relevant data. The actual headings would vary depending on the project.


☐ Formatting

1. Headings: Levels

2. Headings and Body: Font Choice

MAJOR HEADING

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nunc viverra imperdiet enim. Fusce est. Vivamus a tellus.

First-Level Heading


Second-Level Heading


Third-Level. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Nunc viverra imperdiet enim. Fusce est. Vivamus a tellus.

MAJOR HEADING


First-Level Heading


Two variations (there are others).

2 blank lines.

1 blank line.

Only 1 blank line between all headings and text blocks.

MAJOR HEADING


MAJOR HEADING


Heading: sans-serif font.

Body: serif font.

Heading and body text in san-serif

(more contemporary?).


3. Headings and Body: Font Size

MAJOR HEADING


10-12 point.

12-14 point.

Print Reports

Major Heading1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 2. Consectetuer adipiscing elit.

PowerPoints

18-24 point.

MAJOR HEADING1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. 2. Consectetuer adipiscing elit.

Mobile (Web)

16 point minimum

(though reflowable or resizable text makes this a complex issue).


4. Headings and Body: Alignment

MAJOR HEADING



1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet.2. Consectetuer adipiscing elit.3. Nunc viverra imperdiet enim.

Except for some headings and lists, full block format (text aligned with left margin, ragged right margin).

MAJOR HEADING




Some reports require “full justification” (smooth right and left margins), but avoiding gaps between words can be difficult without layout knowledge.

MAJOR HEADING




Aligning everything on the right margin is an option and increases chances of successful copying and pasting, including to the web.

MAJOR HEADING


Whether a graphic should be inserted “inline” is worth considering.


☐ Sample Formal Reports


(Previous report excerpts from Guffey and Loewy, Essentials of Business Communication, 2013.)


(Report excerpt from Locker and Kienzler, Business and Administrative Communication, 2013.)


☐ Sample Informal Reports

☐ Informal reports are relatively short and usememo format (or email as memo) for inside organization.

letter format for outside organization.


Sample memo format.

[Report continues.]


(Sample informal reports from Guffey and Loewy.)

A memo format for a brief summary report.

[Report continues.]


☐ Accessibility

MAJOR HEADING


The question of whether to place graphics “inline” was raised in the section on “Formatting.” If we consider increasing our documents accessibility to visually-impaired readers, for example, then the answer is to always do so.

We also should provide alternative text for images.

Word includes an Accessibility Checker.

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