Skip to Main Content

How To Guides: Manage Finances

Business Communication: How to Write a Powerful Business Report

Need to write a Financial or Business report but not sure where to start?

Perhaps these tips might help.

Financial Statement Pictures | Download Free Images on Unsplash

What is a financial statement?

What is a financial statement?

The three main types of financial statements are the balance sheet, the income statement, and the cash flow statement. These three statements together show the assets and liabilities of a business, its revenues and costs, as well as its cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities.

Balance Sheet

The balance sheet provides an overview of a company's assets, liabilities, and shareholders' equity as a snapshot in time. The date at the top of the balance sheet tells you when the snapshot was taken, which is generally the end of the reporting period.

Income Statement

Unlike the balance sheet, the income statement covers a range of time, which is a year for annual financial statements and a quarter for quarterly financial statements. The income statement provides an overview of revenues, expenses, net income, and earnings per share.

Cash Flow Statement

The cash flow statement (CFS) measures how well a company generates cash to pay its debt obligations, fund its operating expenses, and fund investments. The cash flow statement complements the balance sheet and income statement.

What is a Business report?

What is a Business report

Business Report implies a formal document that presents facts, information, arguments, statistical data, analysis of research, etc. related to business interest, in a systematic manner. It is factual, orderly and unbiased communication, prepared to serve a business purpose.

How to write a business report

Business Report: What is it & How to Write it? (Steps & Format)

Writing Business reports

Australian Business Case Studies

Australian Business Case Studies

  • 10 different business case studies; 
  • Topics including entrepreneurship, the essentials of building a business plan and overcoming business challenges; 
  • Practical insights into operating a business;  

Click HERE

 

Origin Energy Business case studies

Video case studies

Click HERE

 

Heads Up

Small business case studies

Click HERE

 

References

                                                                                                                                                                         References

BIT.AI. Editorial team. (2021). Business Report: What is it & How to Write it? (Steps & Format). BIT.AI https://blog.bit.ai/business-report/

Eggins, M. (n.d.). Business Reports. University of Melbourne:Faculty of Business and Economics. library.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/1924160/Business_Reports.pdf

Fernando, J. (2023, March 25). Current Ratio Explained With Formula and Examples. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/currentratio.asp#:~:text=How%20Is%20the%20Current%20Ratio,be%20paid%20within%20one%20year.

Indeed Editorial team. (2023, February 1). Debt-to-Equity Ratio: Definition and Calculation Formula. Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/debt-to-equity-ratio#:~:text=The%20formula%20for%20calculating%20the,for%20most%20companies%20and%20industries.

Murphy, C.B. (2023, March 21). Financial Statements: List of Types and How to Read Them. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/financial-statements.asp#toc-cash-flow-statement

University of Nevada, Reno. (n.d.). How to write a business report. https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/how-to-write-a-business-report#:~:text=A%20business%20report%20is%20a,show%20you%20the%20basic%20outline.

Wong, J., Losco, M. & Swainson, M. (2022, December 15). Australian Business Case Studies. SBS Learn. https://www.sbs.com.au/learn/resources/australian-business-case-studies/teacher-resource

                                                                                                                                                                             Images

DNY59. (2008). Close up of fountain pen on a balance sheet.[Photograph]. istock. https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/close-up-of-fountain-pen-on-a-balance-sheet-gm172989638-7215628?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_campaign=srp_photos_top&utm_content=https%3A%2F%2Funsplash.com%2Fs%2Fphotos%2Ffinancial-statement&utm_term=financial%20statement%3A%3A%3A

GCF Global. (n.d.). How to Write a Powerful Business Report. [Photograph]. https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/business-communication/how-to-write-a-powerful-business-report/1/#