Report writing is important in the day-to-day running of organizations. The format of a report at a glance can be used to gauge the urgencies of situations, finances and recipients of the report.
The format gives a reflection of the resources utilized in preparing the report in terms of effort, time and finances. Reports that are urgently needed take a simple, informal but official approach of a memo. They cost less. In contrast, reports that involve extra efforts from weeks of prior planning through to analysis and days of writing guarantee formal dressings (Hynes and Veltsos, 2016). Moreover, the frequency in which a report is written determines its formality. Reports that are needed for routine-checks such as trip or attendance progresses may have informal formats, for example fill-in duplicative form, while reports that are written periodically such as annual performance reviews have to be formal.
The intended-audience of a report also determine its format. When writing to colleagues in an organization, an informal format is applied whereas when communicating to persons in higher levels or outside the organization, formal formats are preferred. Another key element that guides the formality of a report is the original purpose for the report. For example, when the purpose was presented in an informal manner, maybe a short email notice, then the report will be presented in the same informal way (Hynes and Veltsos, 2016).And the reverse is true.
Finally, the writer has to consider the significance of the content and organization of the report-points as the final step in developing the formality or informality of a report, i.e., the more significant the content, the more formal the report becomes. Furthermore, a formal report consists of concise points arranged in a direct order while those with indirect orders are mostly used in informal dressing. Conclusively, the format of a report gives an insight on the elements a writer has to consider before writing the report.
Reference
Hynes, G. E & Veltsos, J. R. (2016). Managerial communication strategies and applications (6th edition). Los Angeles: SAGE. Retrieved from https://in.b-ol2.org/book/2867591/c9c5a1