What Is Data Reporting and How to Create Data Reports for Your Business

how to write a data report

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According to Gartner’s prediction , 90% of organizations will consider information the most valuable asset a business may have.

And where does this information come from?

Here’s a magic word – data.

Even though many companies report making important decisions based on their gut feeling, 85% of them would like to improve the ways they use data insights to make business decisions.

It’s because they know data is critical for growth, especially when modern software allows you to monitor data in real-time and create effective reports for better and faster decision-making. To support this, over half of the companies surveyed for recent Databox’s state of business reporting study confirmed that regular monitoring and reporting brought them significant and tangible benefits.

Want to learn more about data reporting? This article will walk you through what data reports are, how they can benefit your company, and show you how to use the right tools to create effective, well-organized, and actionable reports.

Let’s dive right in.

What is Data Reporting?

Why is data reporting important for any business, what is the difference between data reporting and data analysis, how to write a data report, data report examples and templates.

  • How to Improve Your Data Reporting: 12 Best Practices

marketing_overview_hubspot_ga_dashboard_databox

If you’re looking for an exact data reporting definition, it comes down to the following:

Data reporting refers to the process of collecting unprocessed data from different sources that you later organize into meaningful and digestible pieces of information to gain valuable insights into your business performance.

After the collected data has been pulled from several sources or tools, organized, and visualized in an easy-to-follow manner, you can perform data analysis to assess the current state in your organization and create an actionable plan or give recommendations about future activities based on this data. That said, reporting on data is practically the step that leads to data analysis.

You can create a data report in different formats, but nowadays, reports created via data visualization tools are the most common ones. You will often find all kinds of illustrations in such reports: tables, pie charts, graphs, timelines, and more. Data reports can vary in nature, ranging from static to interactive dashboards , and they may possess varying levels of detail. Additionally, data can be categorized and organized in various ways, including by category, significance, objectives, or department.

Financial data reports are one of the most common types, but, in reality, every department within a company can benefit from reporting software : marketing, sales, HR, and others.

The eternal question for any business is this: which strategies are profitable and which ones need adjusting?

Having a consistent data reporting process in place helps you answer this question accurately and quickly. Without data reports, data analysis can’t happen, and without data analysis, you can’t plan your further steps towards your business objectives.

Based on the data you collect over a specific period of time, you can draw conclusions about your business performance and make future decisions about allocating time and money into activities that bring you revenue or help you reach other business goals. Data also helps you identify any problematic areas of your business that need your attention or strategies that need improvement because they’re not generating satisfactory results.

Having accurate data at your disposal in real-time helps you discover patterns and notice red flags so you can prevent potential problems before they occur. It also enables you to identify correlations between two or more trends and find their causes, so you can replicate your most successful tactics any time.

Without frequent reporting on data, you may end up with one of two scenarios:

  • You make wrong business decisions because you don’t have accurate data to rely and act on.
  • You believe your figures are better than they really are because some of the data hasn’t been reported – this is called underreporting and can give you a wrong overall picture of your business.

By understanding the importance of data reporting and analysis, you can easily avoid these situations.

Now that we’ve mentioned data analysis, the next logical step after you’ve crafted a data report, it’s worth mentioning that some people use these terms interchangeably.

However, they are not the same. Here are the main differences between data reporting and data analysis :

Data Reporting

  • This process comes first as a preparation for analysis
  • It’s used to track performance
  • Data needs to be pulled from multiple sources and it’s unprocessed
  • Enables you to ask the right questions about your business
  • Use of the “push approach” – the data is pushed to you so you can analyze it

Data Analysis

  • This process relies on data reporting and comes after it
  • It’s used to create actionable plans based on the conclusions
  • Data is organized and available to you in dashboards, reports, etc.
  • Enables you to answer the questions asked while reporting
  • Use of the “pull approach” where a person pulls out specific data to explore it

If you’re getting ready to write a data report, you may be looking for the best practices and writing tips to explore before you get started. Here’s what you need to do to write a great data report.

Step 1: Define what type of data report you need to write. There are several types of data reports, such as informational, analytical, investigative, recommendation, KPI, and more. All these data reports focus on providing facts or analysis, help to identify risks, come up with recommendations for further steps, monitor business KPIs, etc. Determine your report goal first, and then you’ll know exactly what sections you need to include.

PRO TIP: How Well Are Your Marketing KPIs Performing?

Like most marketers and marketing managers, you want to know how well your efforts are translating into results each month. How much traffic and new contact conversions do you get? How many new contacts do you get from organic sessions? How are your email campaigns performing? How well are your landing pages converting? You might have to scramble to put all of this together in a single report, but now you can have it all at your fingertips in a single Databox dashboard.

Our Marketing Overview Dashboard includes data from Google Analytics 4 and HubSpot Marketing with key performance metrics like:

  • Sessions . The number of sessions can tell you how many times people are returning to your website. Obviously, the higher the better.
  • New Contacts from Sessions . How well is your campaign driving new contacts and customers?
  • Marketing Performance KPIs . Tracking the number of MQLs, SQLs, New Contacts and similar will help you identify how your marketing efforts contribute to sales.
  • Email Performance . Measure the success of your email campaigns from HubSpot. Keep an eye on your most important email marketing metrics such as number of sent emails, number of opened emails, open rate, email click-through rate, and more.
  • Blog Posts and Landing Pages . How many people have viewed your blog recently? How well are your landing pages performing?

Now you can benefit from the experience of our Google Analytics and HubSpot Marketing experts, who have put together a plug-and-play Databox template that contains all the essential metrics for monitoring your leads. It’s simple to implement and start using as a standalone dashboard or in marketing reports, and best of all, it’s free!

marketing_overview_hubspot_ga_dashboard_preview

You can easily set it up in just a few clicks – no coding required.

To set up the dashboard, follow these 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Get the template 

Step 2: Connect your HubSpot and Google Analytics 4 accounts with Databox. 

Step 3: Watch your dashboard populate in seconds.

Step 2: Determine who you’re writing the report for. Is it upper or middle management, or potential clients or investors ? Different audiences may require using a different tone, terminology, and can affect the choice of data you’re going to include.

Step 3: Create an outline. Before you start compiling the report, plan its structure. It’ll be easier to stay on track, choose the right KPIs, and ensure you’ve presented everything relevant while excluding the information that doesn’t contribute to the report.

Step 4: Include data visualizations. To make your data report more readable and beautiful, make sure you use data charts, tables, graphs, and other data visualization tools to make the data easy to interpret for the reader.

Step 5: Write a summary. Every great report has a summary that briefly explains the purpose of the document and its key findings. Sometimes, depending on the report type, you may even include a few action steps in this section.

Good teachers teach by showing rather than telling, right? Well, that’s why we also wanted to share a few great examples of data reports and templates you can use for building your own data report.

Marketing Data Report Example

Seo data report example, sales data report example, customer support data report example, ecommerce data report example, project management data report example, financial kpi data report example.

One of the best things about this marketing dashboard is that it’s intuitive and easy to follow. It allows you to track your website traffic, engagement, and conversions, and monitor user activity on your website. If metrics like page CTA clicks, bounce rate, pageviews per session matter to you, you will love this HubSpot Marketing Website Overview dashboard template .

Marketing Data Report Example

To track your SEO efforts and report on them, you can use this streamlined SEO Campaign Performance dashboard template . It gives you insight into the performance of your SEO strategy by integrating Google Analytics and Google Search Console and allowing you to monitor metrics such as sessions by channel, goal completions, clicks by devices, position by pages, and more.

SEO Data Report Example

Is your current sales pipeline successful? A sales team can easily find the answer to this question by using this Sales Overview dashboard template . It provides valuable insight into monthly performance and allows you to track all the relevant metrics, such as new contacts, new deals, average time to close, closed-won amount, and more.

Sales Data Report Example

Customer support is an incredibly important part of any business. To track their metrics and collect the necessary data, you can use this Customer Success dashboard template . It’s accessible and allows you to track your churn rate and other relevant metrics to find out if it correlates with the performance of your customer support agents.

Customer Support Data Report Example

This Full Funnel eCommerce dashboard template helps you collect important data so you can discover what works in your funnel and what could use improvement. If there’s a stage of the conversion funnel that needs optimization, you’ll be able to identify it. Thanks to multiple integrations, you can track metrics like CPC, ROAS, open rates, audience growth, average order value, and more.

Ecommerce Data Report Example

Do you need a great dashboard for your IT department projects? This Jira dashboard template allows your IT specialists and developers to track important metrics at a glance. They can monitor completed tasks and who completed them, as well as numerous other Jira metrics that are already built in the dashboard: story points by project, value points by project, issues resolved, issues created, etc.

Project Management Data Report Example

Finances are one of the most relevant KPIs of your company’s health. This QuickBooks + HubSpot CRM dashboard template helps you get a streamlined overview of your financial performance. You can track your expenses and goals, and numerous metrics, such as closed-won and lost deals, sales activity by sales rep, cash flow forecast, purchases by vendors, customer balance, inventory valuation, etc.

Financial KPI Data Report Example

How to Improve Your Data Reporting: 15 Best Practices

Does your data reporting process need improving? The good news is, it’s possible to do it by implementing these 15 best practices we’ve selected for you.

Understand Your Audience

  • Ensure Accuracy and Consistency of the Data

Create an Appealing Presentation

Choose the right format, keep the report concise, use data storytelling, focus on relevant metrics, align the kpis with priorities, track progress towards goals.

  • Make Your Report Actionable

Keep Records

Customize your reports, find optimal reporting frequency, use automation tools, update your reporting process.

What do your readers actually want to know? What do they think? Are they too busy to read your data reports? By understanding what your audience wants and needs, you will be able to craft attention-grabbing data reports and at the same time show your reader that you can put yourself in their shoes.

Ensure Data Accuracy and Data Consistency

Using accurate data is one of the fundamental conditions that need to be fulfilled for successful data reporting and analysis. Evaluate your data sources and only use them if you consider them high-quality. Reducing manual data entry in your data reporting process can eliminate errors almost completely, and this is where automation tools help a lot.

Who says data can’t look beautiful? Visuals such as graphs and charts are much more digestible than mere text, so don’t forget to include data visualizations in your report. Other than looking well-organized, charts and tables will facilitate the process of data analysis. It’s much easier to draw conclusions about data when you can actually see a timeline and how it changed over a specific period.

It all depends on your audience, but some people will want to be included in the whole process, while others prefer more traditional formats. Consult the client or the manager on how they’d like to access the report, and then decide if you’re going to use a PDF, a presentation, or give them access to an interactive dashboard where they can see data in real-time.

Whether you’re writing for your team manager or a client, your data report should be to the point because its purpose is to enable successful data analysis. Going too much into detail or straying away from the main topic will make the data difficult to analyze and understand. Ensure you use a professional tone and stay objective throughout the whole report, no matter how little text there is to accompany the visuals.

Use unprocessed data to organize it into a story. A list that contains a bunch of numbers won’t tell as much as a well-put-together narrative that the reader can easily follow and gain insights from. When you combine the story the data tells you with nicely-looking graphics, you get a quality report that you can later effortlessly analyze.

You may feel compelled to include data that showcase significant progress, but if these metrics have nothing to do with the goal of your report, you should avoid doing it. Data reports should be as objective as possible so proper action can be taken after the analysis. That’s why you should stay true to your objectives and report the correct data in a straightforward way even if it’s unpleasant.

Whether they’re low-level or high-level KPIs, they should be aligned with your company’s priorities . Including everything that can be measured in your report can be overwhelming for the reader and they may miss the essential information due to too many numbers and charts. Focus on the KPIs that matter the most for your business at the moment.

It’s important to be better than your competitors, but it’s also vital to be progressing towards your goals . Comparing your data to the industry benchmarks is okay, but don’t forget to check where you stand compared to where you want to be. Include the data that shows whether or not you’re on the right track to achieve your objectives.

Make the Report Actionable

Reports aren’t made just so we can KNOW specific data – they’re made so we can do something about it. Depending on the data report type, you may need to include suggestions – what you believe would be appropriate further steps. These suggestions make your report actionable – people who read it will have a better understanding of what is going on in the company or a specific department, and get an idea of what they need to do next. 

Sometimes, you’ll want to pull your old data reports to compare the data you can no longer pull with the tools you’re using. You might want to see how much progress you’ve made compared to a few years back or identify trends that may have appeared in the past. At the same time, you may want to track how your data reporting processes changed over time so you can improve it in the future or present best practices to your trainees.

Sometimes you’ll prepare data reports for senior management, investors, or partners. Sometimes, your prospective clients will want insight into your business health. Don’t use the same report format and the same KPIs because these people will want to know different information about your company. Also, some will ask for quarterly data reporting, while others will want to see the reports on an annual basis. Customize your data reports to fit the reader’s needs by including and excluding different sections when necessary.

Reporting typically occurs on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis. More frequent data reporting enables better communication and faster reactions when there’s a trend to take advantage of or an issue to fix. However, it doesn’t mean each client or manager will want daily reports. Find the best reporting frequency based on the purpose of the report and the person who will be reading it.

Data reporting can truly be daunting if you always do it from scratch. Luckily, with automation tools like Databox, you can create visually attractive dashboards with all the important metrics and simply customize them whenever you need to create a new report. Data reporting tools like Databox can also automatically pull all your data from different sources so you don’t need to enter anything manually.

Just like your business objectives and KPIs need revisions from time to time, your data reporting process may need to be updated. New information, best practices, and effective strategies become available every day, so if you learn something that could optimize this process and make it even more efficient, don’t hesitate to update it.

Automate Data Reporting with Databox

You already know data is essential for efficient decision making. But collecting, processing, organizing, presenting, and analyzing data can be so challenging! Seeing all those numbers gives you an instant headache and you feel like you spend ages compiling the report that your clients or managers end up only skimming over and asking you a million questions – your effort was for nothing.

The whole point of writing a data report is to lay the groundwork for effective data analysis and drawing the right conclusions so you can make further decisions for your business. And can it be less painful?

Yes, it can!

We created Databox with the goal of making data reporting less time-consuming, tedious, and demanding. Instead of wasting your time on manual activities, you can pull all your data in one place in seconds, create custom metrics with ease and adjust reporting dashboards to your needs.

What’s more, you can automate custom calculations , which makes calculating metrics from several sources or tools 10x easier than before, without any coding or spreadsheets. Now you won’t need to spend hours calculating ROI, conversion rates, and other relevant financial metrics stakeholders typically want to know about.

If you think we stopped there, think again. Databox also enables you to build custom metrics with Query Builder’s dimensions and filters so you can have a more detailed insight into your performance. You can also connect your account with any of the 100+ integrations we offer: Google Sheets, Google Ads, Google Analytics, HubSpot, Zapier, Stripe, and pull data from anywhere – even a SQL database or custom API, in a safe, fast, and simple way.

Can you believe it’s all found in one place, a single dashboard? Actually, you don’t need to believe a word we say – test your own dashboard and see for yourself: sign up for a free trial today .

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Writing a Good Data Analysis Report: 7 Steps

As a data analyst, you feel most comfortable when you’re alone with all the numbers and data. You’re able to analyze them with confidence and reach the results you were asked to find. But, this is not the end of the road for you. You still need to write a data analysis report explaining your findings to the laymen - your clients or coworkers.

That means you need to think about your target audience, that is the people who’ll be reading your report.

They don’t have nearly as much knowledge about data analysis as you do. So, your report needs to be straightforward and informative. The article below will help you learn how to do it. Let’s take a look at some practical tips you can apply to your data analysis report writing and the benefits of doing so.

Writing a Good Data Analysis Report: 7 Steps

source: Pexels  

Data Analysis Report Writing: 7 Steps

The process of writing a data analysis report is far from simple, but you can master it quickly, with the right guidance and examples of similar reports .

This is why we've prepared a step-by-step guide that will cover everything you need to know about this process, as simply as possible. Let’s get to it.

Consider Your Audience

You are writing your report for a certain target audience, and you need to keep them in mind while writing. Depending on their level of expertise, you’ll need to adjust your report and ensure it speaks to them. So, before you go any further, ask yourself:

Who will be reading this report? How well do they understand the subject?

Let’s say you’re explaining the methodology you used to reach your conclusions and find the data in question. If the reader isn’t familiar with these tools and software, you’ll have to simplify it for them and provide additional explanations.

So, you won't be writing the same type of report for a coworker who's been on your team for years or a client who's seeing data analysis for the first time. Based on this determining factor, you'll think about:

the language and vocabulary you’re using

abbreviations and level of technicality

the depth you’ll go into to explain something

the type of visuals you’ll add

Your readers’ expertise dictates the tone of your report and you need to consider it before writing even a single word.

Draft Out the Sections

The next thing you need to do is create a draft of your data analysis report. This is just a skeleton of what your report will be once you finish. But, you need a starting point.

So, think about the sections you'll include and what each section is going to cover. Typically, your report should be divided into the following sections:

Introduction

Body (Data, Methods, Analysis, Results)

For each section, write down several short bullet points regarding the content to cover. Below, we'll discuss each section more elaborately.

Develop The Body

The body of your report is the most important section. You need to organize it into subsections and present all the information your readers will be interested in.

We suggest the following subsections.

Explain what data you used to conduct your analysis. Be specific and explain how you gathered the data, what your sample was, what tools and resources you’ve used, and how you’ve organized your data. This will give the reader a deeper understanding of your data sample and make your report more solid.

Also, explain why you choose the specific data for your sample. For instance, you may say “ The sample only includes data of the customers acquired during 2021, in the peak of the pandemic.”

Next, you need to explain what methods you’ve used to analyze the data. This simply means you need to explain why and how you choose specific methods. You also need to explain why these methods are the best fit for the goals you’ve set and the results you’re trying to reach.

Back up your methodology section with background information on each method or tool used. Explain how these resources are typically used in data analysis.

After you've explained the data and methods you've used, this next section brings those two together. The analysis section shows how you've analyzed the specific data using the specific methods. 

This means you’ll show your calculations, charts, and analyses, step by step. Add descriptions and explain each of the steps. Try making it as simple as possible so that even the most inexperienced of your readers understand every word.

This final section of the body can be considered the most important section of your report. Most of your clients will skim the rest of the report to reach this section. 

Because it’ll answer the questions you’ve all raised. It shares the results that were reached and gives the reader new findings, facts, and evidence. 

So, explain and describe the results using numbers. Then, add a written description of what each of the numbers stands for and what it means for the entire analysis. Summarize your results and finalize the report on a strong note. 

Write the Introduction

Yes, it may seem strange to write the introduction section at the end, but it’s the smartest way to do it. This section briefly explains what the report will cover. That’s why you should write it after you’ve finished writing the Body.

In your introduction, explain:

the question you’ve raised and answered with the analysis

context of the analysis and background information

short outline of the report

Simply put, you’re telling your audience what to expect.

Add a Short Conclusion

Finally, the last section of your paper is a brief conclusion. It only repeats what you described in the Body, but only points out the most important details.

It should be less than a page long and use straightforward language to deliver the most important findings. It should also include a paragraph about the implications and importance of those findings for the client, customer, business, or company that hired you.

Include Data Visualization Elements

You have all the data and numbers in your mind and find it easy to understand what the data is saying. But, to a layman or someone less experienced than yourself, it can be quite a puzzle. All the information that your data analysis has found can create a mess in the head of your reader.

So, you should simplify it by using data visualization elements.

Firstly, let’s define what are the most common and useful data visualization elements you can use in your report:

There are subcategories to each of the elements and you should explore them all to decide what will do the best job for your specific case. For instance, you'll find different types of charts including, pie charts, bar charts, area charts, or spider charts.

For each data visualization element, add a brief description to tell the readers what information it contains. You can also add a title to each element and create a table of contents for visual elements only.

Proofread & Edit Before Submission

All the hard work you’ve invested in writing a good data analysis report might go to waste if you don’t edit and proofread. Proofreading and editing will help you eliminate potential mistakes, but also take another objective look at your report.

First, do the editing part. It includes:

reading the whole report objectively, like you’re seeing it for the first time

leaving an open mind for changes

adding or removing information

rearranging sections

finding better words to say something

You should repeat the editing phase a couple of times until you're completely happy with the result. Once you're certain the content is all tidied up, you can move on to the proofreading stage. It includes:

finding and removing grammar and spelling mistakes

rethinking vocabulary choices

improving clarity 

improving readability

You can use an online proofreading tool to make things faster. If you really want professional help, Grab My Essay is a great choice. Their professional writers can edit and rewrite your entire report, to make sure it’s impeccable before submission.

Whatever you choose to do, proofread yourself or get some help with it, make sure your report is well-organized and completely error-free.

Benefits of Writing Well-Structured Data Analysis Reports

Yes, writing a good data analysis report is a lot of hard work. But, if you understand the benefits of writing it, you’ll be more motivated and willing to invest the time and effort. After knowing how it can help you in different segments of your professional journey, you’ll be more willing to learn how to do it.

Below are the main benefits a data analysis report brings to the table.

Improved Collaboration

When you’re writing a data analysis report, you need to be aware more than one end user is going to use it. Whether it’s your employer, customer, or coworker - you need to make sure they’re all on the same page. And when you write a data analysis report that is easy to understand and learn from, you’re creating a bridge between all these people.

Simply, all of them are given accurate data they can rely on and you’re thus removing the potential misunderstandings that can happen in communication. This improves the overall collaboration level and makes everyone more open and helpful.

Increased Efficiency

People who are reading your data analysis report need the information it contains for some reason. They might use it to do their part of the job, to make decisions, or report further to someone else. Either way, the better your report, the more efficient it'll be. And, if you rely on those people as well, you'll benefit from this increased productivity as well.

Data tells a story about a business, project, or venture. It's able to show how well you've performed, what turned out to be a great move, and what needs to be reimagined. This means that a data analysis report provides valuable insight and measurable KPIs (key performance indicators) that you’re able to use to grow and develop. 

Clear Communication

Information is key regardless of the industry you're in or the type of business you're doing. Data analysis finds that information and proves its accuracy and importance. But, if those findings and the information itself aren't communicated clearly, it's like you haven't even found them.

This is why a data analysis report is crucial. It will present the information less technically and bring it closer to the readers.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, it takes some skill and a bit more practice to write a good data analysis report. But, all the effort you invest in writing it will be worth it once the results kick in. You’ll improve the communication between you and your clients, employers, or coworkers. People will be able to understand, rely on, and use the analysis you’ve conducted.

So, don’t be afraid and start writing your first data analysis report. Just follow the 7 steps we’ve listed and use a tool such as ProWebScraper to help you with website data analysis. You’ll be surprised when you see the result of your hard work.

Jessica Fender

Jessica Fender is a business analyst and a blogger. She writes about business and data analysis, networking in this sector, and acquiring new skills. Her goal is to provide fresh and accurate information that readers can apply instantly.

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Data Reporting: How to Create a High-Quality Data Report

By Xiaoyun Tu , Feb 24, 2022

Data Reporting How to Create a High-Quality Data Report Blog Banner

To most people, data is incredibly boring. However, it’s also incredibly necessary for the efficient operations of any business. This means that the people who truly understand data, need to find ways of presenting it so that others can understand it, too.

The data in the infographic below could have been presented as a paragraph of text. But as data visualization, it’s more impactful. 

data report

If you want to create a high-quality data report you should be able to support your facts and present them in a way that will entice or entertain your audience. Let’s tackle some techniques on how to create an eye-catching data report that reaches your business goals.

Start the report-making process on a positive note with Venngage’s Report Maker . No design experience required!

Click to jump ahead:

What is a data report, what are the basics of data reports, how to write a high-quality report.

A data report, like the infographic below, is how you present data in a way that is both understandable and actionable. Reports can be presented in a variety of formats that have come a long way from the old-fashioned lists of numbers on a document. 

data report

Modern data reports must be visually engaging to help make the data more accessible to all. They may be presented in forms such as graphs, pie charts, infographics , PowerPoint presentations, and more; whatever best suits the data being presented and who it’s being presented to. 

Return to Table of Contents

Purpose of data reports

There are many reasons why data is crucial for how your business operates. It gives you exact information on various aspects of every area of operations so that you can make strategic changes when needed. 

It can allow you to accurately forecast demand so you can improve customer satisfaction or present alarming statistics that will stir people to action.

Types of data reports

The data you use, and how you present it, can vary greatly. For example, the data you collect from a warehouse management system may look very different from the data you collect from a POS (point of sale) system. There are two main types of data reports:

Static reports typically present data from a single source and provide historical data, such as seeing a drop or increase in eBay sales if you own an online store. This type of report is both easy to create and easy for any reader to understand. 

  • Interactive 

Interactive reports are more dynamic and will usually present real-time or current data. Think about the kind of dimensions you can track in Google Analytics, for example. The advantage of interactive reports is that because they show current data, they allow you to look more closely at what’s happening now and take action if and when needed. 

Accessibility of data reports

Data reporting needs to be as accessible to your audiences as possible. With the advent of business intelligence (BI) tools, particularly cloud-based ones, you don’t need to be an IT expert to access and create reports. However, it is essential to be aware of potential cloud security issues when utilizing these tools, as sensitive data can be vulnerable to breaches or data loss if the proper security measures are not in place. Implementing CWPP security can significantly improve the defense against threats to your data in the cloud, ensuring that your reporting remains both accessible and secure.

You can easily use tools such as Google Data Studio to present information, such as the demographic data infographic below. 

data report

Different team members can collaborate on reports, giving you a better overview of how your business is performing. With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature, working with team members becomes much easier.

With such flexible modern tools, it’s not only easier to create good data reports but also to disseminate them via different channels, from automated emails to presenting them via a dashboard report or via a specific app. 

Know the audience for your report

Why are you creating a report and who is it for? These are two essential questions of data reporting that will help to decide what data is used and how you present it. 

An annual report may just be an overview of how the business has performed so that relevant stakeholders can see it. Other reports may be created for specific reasons such as presenting financial data .

data report

The ‘who’ is as important as the ‘what’. The report you present to a potential client will probably look very different from a report created for your C-suite requesting the purchase of an on-premise system to improve enterprise planning. 

For an external report, you’re more likely to be creative in the use of fonts and graphics than you would be with an internal one. 

A branded report is always more impactful. Use Venngage’s My Brand Kit to import branding assets from multiple organizations, including logos, fonts, and colors. Then you can apply the brand to any design with just one click.

Have a detailed plan and choose the appropriate metrics

You need to identify what data matters (or matters most). The first step to doing that is to consider what you want to achieve from the data and the related reports. By doing so, you can eliminate the ‘white noise’ of unnecessary data that may end up hiding the numbers that really matter.

data report

Different reports will, of course, call for different data sets. Generally, your data will come from (and give insights into) one area of your company. For example, if creating a report on customer retention, then a major piece of data is going to be your churn rate. Reports may be created for specific reasons. These can include:

  • Recommendations : These could be to encourage some changes to current systems and processes. For example, a manager may want changes to the current task management process, and a data-driven report could highlight flaws in the current process. 
  • Risk/feasibility : Maybe a significant change is planned to your business model, such as switching production to a whole new line of products. Risk and feasibility reports can help assess any risks involved and the potential success of any new plan.
  • R&D (research and development) : Many businesses thrive and scale through innovation. Data and reports based on R&D can influence decisions on what direction a business should take.
  • Regulation/Compliance : All industries face some sort of regulatory requirements. These can include things such as PCI regulations for merchants who take payments by credit cards. Data in reports can illustrate how well you’re complying with such regulations, as well as highlighting any areas that need improving. 
  • KPIs and metrics : This data can be like a major health check for your organization. It demonstrates how well you’re performing in the measured areas such as sales statistics. It can also help you see where you may need to implement new processes, such as order management solutions. 

Your KPIs will demonstrate how well, or not, your previous planning and strategic decisions are working. They can also influence every major decision regarding your business as you move forward, including scalability, budgeting (in every area), marketing campaigns, and so on. Summary reports can help illustrate your results concisely.

data report

When working with KPI data, there are a few questions you should consider:

  • What do you need to know from the metric report or data? 
  • Will the data presented on your dashboard report actually help inform decisions?
  • What insights do the readers need to gain from this report?
  • Which KPIs are relevant and should be included in any report? 
  • Are other KPIs not primarily relevant, but would offer benefits if included?

Easily add charts to your reports with Venngage. Import data from a Google sheet or CSV file and the editor automatically populates the data into your report.

Visualize data in your reports

Effective data visualization can transform boring numbers into something engaging and interesting. There are many ways to visualize data nowadays, from using the report generation capabilities of business intelligence (BI) dashboards or Google Data Studio to utilizing effective report templates like the one below. 

data report

Some examples of good templates include:

  • Statistical Infographic  
  • Nonprofit Impact Report
  • Budget Report  

As with other areas of reporting and analytics, it’s important to consider the reason for the report and who will be viewing it. While you may be more creative with a report designed as a pitch for a new customer, you don’t want to go overboard. Use visuals that effectively communicate what the data says in a concise and understandable format. 

You should also consider how people will view the report. While some reports may be presented at a meeting as a slideshow or presentation, other reports may be sent to relevant stakeholders in an email or other formats. This means you have to make sure that any visualizations can be viewed on multiple device types.

Make an actionable data report

Some reports may be purely for informational purposes, but the majority are designed to influence and inform decisions and actions. There’s little point in cramming such a report full of great data and visualizations without some sort of conclusion that can lead to those decisions and actions. 

data report

You need to go beyond your report simply showing “how things are” and add in “this is what we need to do to change or improve”. Think of it as being an operational CTA (call to action) that demonstrates what steps and decisions should be made next. You should also be showing why those decisions are needed and the benefits they will bring. 

Use the right chart or table

data report

Graphs and tables can be an integral part of a data report, but you don’t want them to be confusing or misleading. Before you create a graph or table, ask yourself the question: “What do I want this to show?” These are visual representations of particular aspects you want to report on, such as increases in conversion rates by season. 

Make your report easy to read

Whether presented virtually or as hard copy, you want people to be able to read any report easily. That means carefully considering any use of fonts, themes, colors, and backgrounds. For example, white font on a light background will be difficult to read. It is worth having your report “proofread” by at least two colleagues to ensure readability. 

data report

The takeaway 

Data, and data reporting, have come a long way in recent years. Gone are the dull lists of figures, to be replaced by reports that can be both visually engaging and also insightful. And though visually engaging is a great thing to be, that insightfulness is the primary aim of any data reporting you do. 

Any report needs to be of high quality and must engage the reader well, but it must also inform them as much as possible, especially when the data reporting seeks to influence important strategic or operational decisions. Good data reports can be the fuel that drives your business upwards and forwards.

Need help making a data report? Create one in minutes with Venngage’s easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor.

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  • Report Writing

How to Write a Statistical Report

Last Updated: October 7, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Grace Imson, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Grace Imson is a math teacher with over 40 years of teaching experience. Grace is currently a math instructor at the City College of San Francisco and was previously in the Math Department at Saint Louis University. She has taught math at the elementary, middle, high school, and college levels. She has an MA in Education, specializing in Administration and Supervision from Saint Louis University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 394,727 times.

A statistical report informs readers about a particular subject or project. You can write a successful statistical report by formatting your report properly and including all the necessary information your readers need. [1] X Research source

Formatting Your Report

Step 1 Look at other statistical reports.

  • If you're completing your report for a class, your instructor or professor may be willing to show you some reports submitted by previous students if you ask.
  • University libraries also have copies of statistical reports created by students and faculty researchers on file. Ask the research librarian to help you locate one in your field of study.
  • You also may be able to find statistical reports online that were created for business or marketing research, as well as those filed for government agencies.
  • Be careful following samples exactly, particularly if they were completed for research in another field. Different fields of study have their own conventions regarding how a statistical report should look and what it should contain. For example, a statistical report by a mathematician may look incredibly different than one created by a market researcher for a retail business.

Step 2 Type your report in an easy-to-read font.

  • You typically want to have 1-inch margins around all sides of your report. Be careful when adding visual elements such as charts and graphs to your report, and make sure they don't bleed over the margins or your report may not print properly and will look sloppy.
  • You may want to have a 1.5-inch margin on the left-hand side of the page if you anticipate putting your study into a folder or binder, so all the words can be read comfortably when the pages are turned.
  • Don't double-space your report unless you're writing it for a class assignment and the instructor or professor specifically tells you to do so.
  • Use headers to add the page number to every page. You may also want to add your last name or the title of the study along with the page number.

Step 3 Use the appropriate citation method.

  • Citation methods typically are included in style manuals, which not only detail how you should cite your references but also have rules on acceptable punctuation and abbreviations, headings, and the general formatting of your report.
  • For example, if you're writing a statistical report based on a psychological study, you typically must use the style manual published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
  • Your citation method is all the more important if you anticipate your statistical report will be published in a particular trade or professional journal.

Step 4 Include a cover sheet.

  • If you're creating your statistical report for a class, a cover sheet may be required. Check with your instructor or professor or look on your assignment sheet to find out whether a cover sheet is required and what should be included on it.
  • For longer statistical reports, you may also want to include a table of contents. You won't be able to format this until after you've finished the report, but it will list each section of your report and the page on which that section starts.

Step 5 Create section headings.

  • If you decide to create section headings, they should be bold-faced and set off in such a way that they stand out from the rest of the text. For example, you may want to center bold-faced headings and use a slightly larger font size.
  • Make sure a section heading doesn't fall at the bottom of the page. You should have at least a few lines of text, if not a full paragraph, below each section heading before the page break.

Step 6 Use

  • Check the margins around visual elements and make sure the text lines up and is not too close to the visual element. You want it to be clear where the text ends and the words associated with the visual element (such as the axis labels for a graph) begin.
  • Visual elements can cause your text to shift, so you'll need to double-check your section headings after your report is complete and make sure none of them are at the bottom of a page.
  • Where possible, you also want to change your page breaks to eliminate situations in which the last line of a page is the first line of a paragraph, or the first line of a page is the last line of a paragraph. These are difficult to read.

Creating Your Content

Step 1 Write the abstract of your report.

  • Avoid overly scientific or statistical language in your abstract as much as possible. Your abstract should be understandable to a larger audience than those who will be reading the entire report.
  • It can help to think of your abstract as an elevator pitch. If you were in an elevator with someone and they asked you what your project was about, your abstract is what you would say to that person to describe your project.
  • Even though your abstract appears first in your report, it's often easier to write it last, after you've completed the entire report.

Step 2 Draft your introduction.

  • Aim for clear and concise language to set the tone for your report. Put your project in layperson's terms rather than using overly statistical language, regardless of the target audience of your report.
  • If your report is based on a series of scientific experiments or data drawn from polls or demographic data, state your hypothesis or expectations going into the project.
  • If other work has been done in the field regarding the same subject or similar questions, it's also appropriate to include a brief review of that work after your introduction. Explain why your work is different or what you hope to add to the existing body of work through your research.

Step 3 Describe the research methods you used.

  • Include a description of any particular methods you used to track results, particularly if your experiments or studies were longer-term or observational in nature.
  • If you had to make any adjustments during the development of the project, identify those adjustments and explain what required you to make them.
  • List any software, resources, or other materials you used in the course of your research. If you used any textbook material, a reference is sufficient – there's no need to summarize that material in your report.

Step 4 Present your results.

  • Start with your main results, then include subsidiary results or interesting facts or trends you discovered.
  • Generally you want to stay away from reporting results that have nothing to do with your original expectations or hypotheses. However, if you discovered something startling and unexpected through your research, you may want to at least mention it.
  • This typically will be the longest section of your report, with the most detailed statistics. It also will be the driest and most difficult section for your readers to get through, especially if they are not statisticians.
  • Small graphs or charts often show your results more clearly than you can write them in text.

Step 5 State your conclusions.

  • When you get to this section of your report, leave the heavy, statistical language behind. This section should be easy for anyone to understand, even if they skipped over your results section.
  • If any additional research or study is necessary to further explore your hypotheses or answer questions that arose in the context of your project, describe that as well.

Step 6 Discuss any problems or issues.

  • It is often the case that you see things in hindsight that would have made data-gathering easier or more efficient. This is the place to discuss those. Since the scientific method is designed so that others can repeat your study, you want to pass on to future researchers your insights.
  • Any speculation you have, or additional questions that came to mind over the course of your study, also are appropriate here. Just make sure you keep it to a minimum – you don't want your personal opinions and speculation to overtake the project itself.

Step 7 List your references.

  • For example, if you compared your study to a similar study conducted in another city the year before yours, you would want to include a citation to that report in your references.
  • Cite your references using the appropriate citation method for your discipline or field of study.
  • Avoid citing any references that you did not mention in your report. For example, you may have done some background reading in preparation for your project. However, if you didn't end up directly citing any of those sources in your report, there's no need to list them in your references.

Step 8 Keep your audience in mind.

  • Avoid trade "terms of art" or industry jargon if your report will be read mainly by people outside your particular industry.
  • Make sure the terms of art and statistical terms that you do use in your report are used correctly. For example, you shouldn't use the word "average" in a statistical report because people often use that word to refer to different measures. Instead, use "mean," "median," or "mode" – whichever is correct.

Presenting Your Data

Step 1 Label and title all tables or graphs.

  • This is particularly important if you're submitting your report for publication in a trade journal. If the pages are different sizes than the paper you print your report on, your visual elements won't line up the same way in the journal as they do in your manuscript.
  • This also can be a factor if your report will be published online, since different display sizes can cause visual elements to display differently.
  • The easiest way to label your visual elements is "Figure," followed by a number. Then you simply number each element sequentially in the order in which they appear in your report.
  • Your title describes the information presented by the visual element. For example, if you've created a bar graph that shows the test scores of students on the chemistry class final, you might title it "Chemistry Final Test Scores, Fall 2016."

Step 2 Keep your visual elements neat and clean.

  • Make sure each visual element is large enough in size that your readers can see everything they need to see without squinting. If you have to shrink down a graph to the point that readers can't make out the labels, it won't be very helpful to them.
  • Create your visual elements using a format that you can easily import into your word-processing file. Importing using some graphics formats can distort the image or result in extremely low resolution.

Step 3 Distribute information appropriately.

  • For example, if you have hundreds of samples, your x axis will be cluttered if you display each sample individually as a bar. However, you can move the measure on the y axis to the x axis, and use the y axis to measure the frequency.
  • When your data include percentages, only go out to fractions of a percentage if your research demands it. If the smallest difference between your subjects is two percentage points, there's no need to display more than the whole percentage. However, if the difference between your subjects comes down to hundredths of a percent, you would need to display percentages to two decimal places so the graph would show the difference.
  • For example, if your report includes a bar graph of the distribution of test scores for a chemistry class, and those scores are 97.56, 97.52, 97.46, and 97.61, your x axis would be each of the students and your y axis would start at 97 and go up to 98. This would highlight the differences in the students' scores.

Step 4 Include raw data in appendices.

  • Be careful that your appendix does not overwhelm your report. You don't necessarily want to include every data sheet or other document you created over the course of your project.
  • Rather, you only want to include documents that reasonably expand and lead to a further understanding of your report.
  • For example, when describing your methods you state that a survey was conducted of students in a chemistry class to determine how they studied for the final exam. You might include a copy of the questions the students were asked in an appendix. However, you wouldn't necessarily need to include a copy of each student's answers to those questions.

Statistical Report Outline

how to write a data report

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Community Answer

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Write a Report

  • ↑ https://www.ibm.com/docs/en/iotdm/11.3?topic=SSMLQ4_11.3.0/com.ibm.nex.optimd.dg.doc/11arcperf/oparcuse-r-statistical_reports.html
  • ↑ https://www.examples.com/business/report/statistics-report.html
  • ↑ https://collaboratory.ucr.edu/sites/g/files/rcwecm2761/files/2019-04/Final_Report_dan.pdf
  • ↑ https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/49386/what-is-the-recommended-font-to-use-for-a-statistical-table-in-an-academic-journ
  • ↑ https://psychology.ucsd.edu/undergraduate-program/undergraduate-resources/academic-writing-resources/writing-research-papers/citing-references.html
  • ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl3JOCmuil4

About This Article

Grace Imson, MA

Start your statistical report with an introduction explaining the purpose of your research. Then, dive into your research methods, how you collected data, and the experiments you conducted. Present you results with any necessary charts and graphs, but do not discuss or analyze the numbers -- in a statistical report, all analysis should happen in the conclusion. Once you’ve finished writing your report, draft a 200 word abstract and create a cover sheet with your name, the date, and the report title. Don’t forget to cite the appropriate references when necessary! For more formatting help, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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The Complete Guide to Understanding Data Reporting

how to write a data report

Raw data is collected from various channels and stored in databases, but in order to make it useful, it has to be processed to be displayed. The first step is Data Reporting. It involves using various tools to define and store data , while professionals monitor trends, the process of data collection, and the performance of the enterprise.

Thus, data reporting is the process of collecting, storing, and displaying data to monitor the performance of a process. It requires certain skills and tools.

Data Reporting and data analytics , though often used interchangeably, are two different processes, but analytics is dependent on data reports. Here is the complete guide to understanding data reporting solutions and services.

Table of Contents

  • Definition of data reporting
  • What are data reports
  • What is the purpose of data reports
  • What is the importance of data reporting
  • Here’s how to write a data report
  • Reporting versus analytics – what’s the difference?

What is Data Reporting?

Data Reporting can be defined as the process of collecting, storing, and displaying data to monitor the performance of a process. It can help engineers, marketers, managers, or other professionals monitor the performance of their processes.

Data Reporting is also a type of service where a company collects data from a variety of sources and then sends it to clients or other companies for further action.

Such data reports can then be used to determine trends in the performance of processes by monitoring the data over time. That is data analysis .

The analytics provides answers to questions like, “What improvements need to be made in your product sales process”, or, “Why are our costs changing? Why are we losing/gaining business?”

Data analysis is defined as the process of analyzing data collected by a data reporting system. Data analysis helps improve the process of data reporting. Reports should raise questions about the business from their end-users. But data reports do not have context, they simply present the facts.

By interpreting the data at a deeper level and providing actionable recommendations, the analysis seeks to answer questions.

This comprehensive guide will help you understand data and data reporting, and its use. You’ll learn what information is collected, how it is collected, how it’s used, and the skills required, among other things.

Achieve business success with our data analytics consulting services

Data reporting basics.

What are data reports , how do they work, and what are the common types of data reports? Here are some answers:

Basics include:

What is a data set?

A data set is made up of the data that you want to capture and present. These are the actual source documents that contain the data that you are interested in.

The following are common data sets that are used for data reporting:

Financial and operational data: Data that is provided by an organization’s accounting system or other financial and operational systems such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) software.

You can extract financial and operational data from the source documents and bring it into a data mart before sending it to a reporting server for reporting.

Customer relationship management (CRM) data: Data from various systems that can be extracted from source documents to a data mart.

For example, you can extract customer information from a CRM system and put the data into a data mart for reporting.

Archival data : Data that was captured in source documents. If you need the same data several times, extract it from the source documents and load it into a data mart before sending it to a reporting server for reporting to save time and effort.

What are Data Reports and the Types of Data Reports?

Data reporting is the process of creating digestible data by translating raw data into formats that help you assess the success of your organization.

There are several different kinds of data reports. They can be classified by the kind of information they report on and the manner in which they do so.

When it comes to presenting your data, there are two different types of reports: static and interactive. Static reports are simple to create and understand but do not allow users to interact with them. Most pull data from a single source, hence are called static.

Static reports provide “historical” data, i.e. of events that have already occurred. Eg: What was the cost per lead acquisition?

Interactive reports also called real-time or dynamic reports, provide access to data as it is collected in real-time. Because they update data continuously, they allow users to drill down into the data to uncover a deeper meaning.

What types of reports do you typically create? The primary type of report is a list, which provides a brief view of the facts from source documents without presenting them in a context that can then be used down the line to make decisions.

For example, you can create a list of key facts, key dates, or key costs. An example would be: How many customers opened bank accounts, in which months, last year?

What Data are You Reporting?

The next step in designing reports is to determine the information you want your users to view and the results you want them to get.

A report is a detailed presentation of facts and can come in summary form, too. Then, there’s the query. Data Report summaries provide a snapshot of an organization’s performance.

They are usually generated for top management, who then disseminate the information to their staff.

Form queries are more complex. They are typically requested by users to filter the information they want.

For example, an analyst might want to look at sales growth by individual products, geographical locations, or customers within particular organizations.

They may want to know how many customers opened their accounts in the previous year. So they ‘query” the database for the answers.

data reporting

What is the Purpose of Data Reports?

  • To present information to analysts and managers so they can make effective business decisions
  • To present information to analysts and managers so they can improve the performance of their organization
  • To improve the quality of existing information
  • For managers, it is to satisfy information needs so they can make informed decisions

How do you format it?

  • Each column is a separate information item or entity
  • Each line of a report summarizes a specific set of information
  • If a set of information items is too large to fit on one page, it is broken into sections or lines
  • A report usually contains several sections: title, purpose, list of information items, and organization chart
  • The sections should be labeled, described, and described in detail

Data Reporting Tools

A data reporting tool performs the actual data reporting by collecting data from within your business processes.

The data reporting tool collects data from the business processes being conducted by the company. The data reporting tool can be an Excel spreadsheet or some other type of electronic reporting tool.

The Importance of Data Reporting

Here’s why should you care about data reporting.

If data is not reported, there are two reasons why:

1) the data was not measured or

2) the data was measured but not reported

Not measuring is never an option, but reporting is often optional. If the data is not reported, it does not exist, in a sense. The data can’t be used for making decisions. This can be a problem.

Also, not all data should be reported to make a decision. If a person is making a decision based on certain assumptions, they need the actual data to see if it supports the assumptions.

Why Measure the Data?

There are many reasons you would want to measure data, but there are five main ones:

1) it helps to mark the stages/progress of a business

2) it helps understand what is going on with competitors

3) it is a valuable measurement tool for taking action

4) it helps you improve your data management process

How to Write A Data Report?

These are the basic components of a good data report:

1) title and introduction

2) business logic

3) data summary

4) group by and sort criteria

5) visualizations

6) drill down

7) conclusions and recommendations

8) references and appendices

9) footnotes and credits

A good data report should include all of these elements, but it doesn’t need to be perfect.

The main points to remember when writing a data report are:

1) make sure your report isn’t too long

2) Define the type of data report you are trying to create

This includes the purpose and objective of the report. Data should be presented in a way that allows decision-makers to make an informed and confident decision based on your data and analysis.

3) Make sure to explain the purpose of the report

The data report should be designed in a way that helps the user answer the following questions:

1) What is the data in this report?

2) What conclusions can be drawn from this data?

3) What actions should take place because of this information?

The target audience should be able to clearly define the key issue being addressed by the report. This is very important.

What are Data Reporting Skills?

Many organizations simply store raw data from various sources within Excel, Access, SQL Server, MongoDB, NoSQL database, etc. But to prepare a data report, you need the following skills:

  • Ability to compile a list of all the data that you have from research or other sources
  • Identify important data and use it
  • Compile a list of reports for end-users
  • Present these reports to end-users in different formats

Report Vs. Analytics: Know the Difference

If you’re considering using the data to make the decision about what should happen next, should report or analytics be your guide?

A data report is a process of compiling data. It can be as simple as having a list of activities. But to take it a step further, the report has to be analyzed to deliver a statistical measure of a company, individual, product, or service.

The analysis  uses data to answer strategic business questions, while a report uses data to track the business’ performance.

Think of a story as a presentation to an audience. Storytelling allows you to use the actual data and show the inner workings of your data model or analysis in such a way that people can understand what they’re seeing and why it matters.

Here’s an explanation by QuestionPro :

Reporting : The process of organizing data into informational summaries in order to monitor how different areas of a business are performing.

Analysis : The process of exploring data and reports in order to extract meaningful insights, which can be used to better understand and improve business performance.

So data analytics is a mathematical representation of the data and models that can also be used to describe how to predict what will happen in the future. Think of analytics as a set of formulas; it’s what you use to predict the results.

Understanding the difference between a Report and Analytics could be one of the most important things to do if you’re looking to build meaningful insights from your data.

Reports will usually be much more ‘raw’, meaning they’re not quantified, and they don’t include any data analysis. They’re a way of getting your data out there so you can look at it and understand what’s going on.

If you just wanted to see the number of new visitors that have come to your site, then you’d use a report. So, reports generally include facts and statistics about a particular topic or event, but because there’s no quantifying, it’s not likely that the information will be very meaningful.

Analytics , on the other hand, will almost always include some kind of analysis of the data that you’ve collected.

It may be that the only insight that they’ll provide is what proportion of visitors are returning or how much time people spend on your site.

Or maybe you want to find out how many visitors are coming from specific countries or what type of device they’re using to view your site.

So clearly, the difference is in what they provide. In data-driven decision-making, analytics is often referred to as the “ visualization part ” .

What makes one a reporting tool and the other an analytics solution? The report is usually printed out in PDF format, sent to the user by email or Excel, or uploaded to a website.

The reports are usually visually oriented, but not generally specific enough to be useful in the decision-making process.

On the other hand, an analytics solution provides a specific set of tools to help users make better decisions.

Often this means it has a graphical user interface (GUI) which allows a user to click a few buttons and have graphs and charts appear on the screen. Other times it means that the analytics are embedded within another system.

The data provided by the analytics tool is used to identify trends, spikes, anomalies, and anomalies (e.g., outliers). If you’re not familiar with statistics then this might be an area that’s beyond your capabilities.

In conclusion: To make raw data useful, it has to be processed and displayed. Data is collected from various sources and stored in databases, but it must be processed to extract value. Data reporting, not to be confused with data analytics, involves the use of various tools for defining and storing data, along with the monitoring of trends, the collection process, and overall performance.

Therefore, data reporting refers to the process of collecting, storing, and displaying data to monitor a process’ performance. The process requires a certain level of skill and a certain set of tools. Reporting and analytics are distinct processes, despite often being used interchangeably.

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Table of contents

What is data reporting?

Types of data reports, why is data reporting important for a business, 5 steps to follow when creating data reports, modern business data reporting tools, best practices for effective data reporting:, data reporting examples and templates, how to improve your data reporting, key takeaways.

  • Blog Articles
  • Use Cases & Examples
  • Guides & Resources
  • Dashboard Templates
  • Case Studies
  • Testimonials

What Is Data Reporting And How To Create Data Reports For Your Business

Vlada Malysheva ,  Creative Writer @ OWOX

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Collecting and analyzing data helps professionals track and monitor a company’s progress and success. As you know, half of your marketing budget will be spent in vain, but it’s essential to determine which half and adjust your strategy on time. According to McKinsey data reporting can reduce marketing costs by 30%.

Just as your car’s speedometer shows you how fast you’re driving (and perhaps whether you’ll be late for your meeting), a well-configured report helps you determine the success of your brand’s promotions and the effectiveness of your marketing channels to evaluate whether you’ll have time to fulfill your marketing or revenue plan. 

In this article, we are going to cover what data reporting is, how to create a data report, and what dashboards you can use as a guide or template.

Note: This blog post was written in 2021 and updated with new context to suit current state of marketing reporting and trends in 2023.

Data reporting helps you track what’s happening to your business and evaluate its performance. It’s the process of collecting, merging, and visualizing raw data from all available sources. 

Most often, it's presented in the form of tables, graphs, or charts.

Also, you shouldn’t forget that:

In most cases, data-based records show only historical data, so you see an assessment of past actions that you can no longer change.

To correctly evaluate your brand’s ongoing performance, you need to apply the business context (such as the industry and niche in which your company works).

data reporting process

With modern martech tools, you can evaluate past events, monitor what’s happening in real time, and use machine learning to predict your customers’ future actions.

You need to gather all possible information to get specific and validated answers to business questions. Using data analysis, you can get powerful insights, detect errors or problems, and fix them before significant damage is done.

With  OWOX BI , your data is ready for analysis and reporting. Build any report you need in minutes. Eliminate hours of manual work with automated accurate user behavior tracking, data collection, data preparation, and reporting .

how to write a data report

Your personal demo will include:

  • An overview of the OWOX solutions to empower better business decisions
  • A complex and clear analytics workflow for achieving higher ROI and lower ads spend with accurate reporting and insights
  • After the demo, you’ll receive a customized solution for reaching your business goals.

1. Performance Reports:

Performance reports are crucial for evaluating a business's achievements over a designated timeframe. They encapsulate key metrics (KPIs) like sales, revenue, and market share to provide a comprehensive view of business performance.

Example : A quarterly performance report could illustrate a company's sales figures, revenue generation as well as advertising costs or expences, comparing AOV with CAC, allowing stakeholders to assess the business's health and competitive position during that quarter.

2. Real-time Monitoring Reports:

These reports provide immediate insights into ongoing business operations by monitoring real-time data. They enable swift responses to operational changes, thereby enhancing efficiency and effectiveness.

Example : A real-time website KPI dashboard displaying website traffic and conversions can provide immediate insights into customer engagement and the effectiveness of online marketing campaigns, facilitating timely adjustments if necessary.

3. Historical Analysis Reports:

Historical analysis reports help evaluate past actions and performance, facilitating a deeper understanding of trends and informed decision-making. Businesses can identify growth patterns and areas needing improvement by comparing data over a period.

Example: A yearly sales report comparing performance over several years could highlight trends in sales growth or decline, helping to pinpoint successful strategies or areas for improvement.

4. Predictive Analysis Reports:

By employing statistical techniques and machine learning, predictive analysis reports analyze current or historical data to forecast future events. This forward-looking approach helps in better planning and preparedness.

Example: A report predicting the next quarter’s sales based on historical data and industry trends could help in inventory planning and budget allocation.

5. Industry Benchmarking Reports:

Benchmarking reports compare a business's performance against industry standards or competitors, providing a relative understanding of the business's position in the market.

Example : A report comparing your marketing ROI against industry standards could unveil where your marketing efforts stand compared to the broader market.

6. Problem Detection Reports:

These reports aim to identify errors, issues, or areas of improvement within business operations, aiding in maintaining the quality and efficiency of processes.

Example : A report identifying bottlenecks in the production process could help find solutions to enhance production efficiency.

7. Insights and Recommendations Reports:

These reports delve into data analysis to provide insights and suggestions for improving business operations.

Example : A report suggesting marketing strategies based on customer behavior analysis could help optimize marketing campaigns for better engagement and conversions.

8. Visual Data Reports:

Visual data reports present data in graphical forms like graphs, charts, and tables, making it easier for stakeholders to comprehend the information.

Example : A visual report displaying customer demographic information could help understand the target audience better.

9. Automated Reports:

These reports involve automated data transfers, preparation, and reporting to save time and ensure accuracy, making the process more efficient.

Example : A monthly report automatically generated and sent to stakeholders displaying key performance indicators could streamline the reporting process and keep stakeholders informed.

10. Custom Reports or Ad-hoc reports (e.g., using OWOX BI Transformations):

Custom reports are tailored based on specific business needs and questions, providing bespoke insights that are highly relevant to the business.

Example : Data is prepared for a custom report with a transformation tool, and theb visualized in Looker Studio displaying the effectiveness of different marketing channels could help allocate marketing budgets more effectively.

These types of data reports can help a business monitor its performance, understand historical trends, identify issues, and make data-driven decisions for future strategies.

Data reporting is crucial for businesses for various reasons, as it helps in informed decision-making and strategy optimization. Here are some points elucidating the importance of data reporting for businesses:

1. Informed Decision-Making:

Data reports provide factual evidence and insights, which are vital for making informed decisions. They help understand the current situation, predict future trends, and make choices that propel the business forward.

2. Performance Monitoring:

Through regular data reporting, performance monitoring assesses different sectors' effectiveness, pinpointing improvement areas. Concurrently, data-driven insights promote continuous improvement by highlighting strengths and weaknesses, thereby guiding focused efforts for better results.

3. Identifying Trends and Patterns:

By analyzing data over time, businesses can identify patterns and trends that can be harnessed for competitive advantage. It also helps in understanding market dynamics and customer behaviors.

4. Cost Efficiency:

Data reporting can help identify areas where costs can be reduced without compromising quality. It also helps in optimizing resource allocation to get the best returns.

5. Clear Communication:

Data reports facilitate communication within the organization by providing a clear and factual basis for discussions. It ensures everyone is on the same page regarding performance, goals, and strategies.

6. Compliance and Accountability:

Accurate reporting ensures that the business complies with legal, financial, and operational requirements. It also fosters a culture of accountability as performance and results are documented and reviewed.

7. Real-time Problem-Solving:

Real-time data reporting allows immediate problem identification. It helps in addressing issues as they arise, preventing them from escalating.

8. Measuring Return on Investment (ROI):

Through precise data reporting, businesses can measure the ROI of various initiatives, helping to justify investments and prioritize future spending.

9. Improving Customer Satisfaction:

Analyzing customer data helps understand their needs, preferences, and issues, which in turn aids in improving products, services, and customer satisfaction.

10. Competitive Advantage:

Having a robust data reporting system can provide a competitive advantage as it helps in reacting quickly to market changes, optimizing strategies, and staying ahead of competitors.

11. Long-term Strategic Planning:

Data reporting provides the historical data and current insights necessary for effective long-term strategic planning.

By investing in effective data reporting, businesses enhance their operational efficiency and build a foundation for sustainable growth and success.

By analyzing data, you can make informed decisions and test working hypotheses. You can specify where your company’s resources go, what progress has been made, and what your company should focus on most.

Want to know how to write a data analysis report? Let’s look at the steps you need to take to create what perfectly fits your company:

Step 1: Determine the Report’s Purpose

Identify the primary goal of the report and the specific questions it needs to answer. Different stakeholders require different insights, so ensure that the report is tailored to address the concerns of the intended audience. Avoid overloading the dashboard with excessive questions, which may dilute the focus.

Step 2: Define Metrics and Data Sources

Select the key metrics that will be monitored and analyzed in the report. Determine the data sources that will provide the necessary information. Ensure these metrics and data sources align with the previously identified questions and are relevant to the intended audience.

Step 3: Ensure Accurate Data Collection

Establish processes to ensure that data is collected accurately and consistently. This might involve setting up automated data collection systems or validating the data collection methodologies. Tailor the attribution model to suit your business needs, ensuring it reflects the operational realities of your organization.

Step 4: Design and Build the Report

Design the report layout and decide on the visualization formats (such as graphs, tables, and charts) that best convey the information. Ensure the report is clear, intelligible, and that visualizations precisely answer the specified questions. Utilize modern data reporting tools to create a well-structured report which can be easily interpreted.

Step 5: Establish Monitoring and Update Frequency

Determine how often the report will be updated and reviewed—daily, weekly, monthly, or in real-time. Set up systems for regularly monitoring and updating the report to reflect the most current data. Ensure there’s a feature to filter information by specified parameters to allow for more granular analysis when needed.

how to create data reports

These steps form a structured approach to creating comprehensive and insightful data reports. By adhering to these steps, you will be able to produce reports that provide valuable insights, aid in informed decision-making, and effectively channel resources toward priority areas in your company.

In the past, marketing reports included slides from presentations, screenshots of PDF files, and huge, incomprehensible tables. Naturally, they couldn’t provide any real-time data or predictive insights. However, with the advent of modern tools, it’s possible to say goodbye to this suffering.

With modern marketing services, you don’t need to be a professional to build the reports you require and get answers to your questions. Nowadays, martech tools provide real-time data and offer easy-to-understand visualizations. With business intelligence solutions, you can collect all the information you need, perform advanced analytics, and bring businesses more value.

Modern services allow even inexperienced specialists to make data work and transform tables with numbers into understandable dashboards with options such as real-time updates, critical notifications, and the ability to share insights with colleagues. Also, modern cloud-based solutions are easily customizable to meet any business requirements and are optimized for mobile devices, which means you’ll have 24/7 access to business-boosting information. So you can control what happens at any time of the day or night, from anywhere in the world.

In the online world, information is everything and everywhere.

According to Gartner , 74% of CMOs expect to increase spending on digital advertising, and 66% expect to increase spending on paid search in 2021. This means companies will spend million-dollar budgets without properly organized and customized processes for tracking their performance.

Effective data reporting is about sharing information from data in a clear and easy way so that people can make good decisions.

Simplicity is Key:

Focus on core metrics relevant to business objectives to avoid information overload.

Use tools like ThoughtSpot for in-depth analysis, allowing users to explore further as needed.

Visual Representation:

Employ charts, graphs, and interactive visualizations to convey complex data briefly.

Choose data reporting tools based on integration capability, ease of usage and requirements. Only with the correct tool complex data can be broken down into understandable, actionable insights.

Contextual Clarity:

Clearly outline the data collection context to ensure accurate interpretation and actionable insights.

Utilize tools like Sage with GPT for natural language narrative, enhancing stakeholder understanding and alignment.

Consistency Across Board:

Maintain consistent data quality metrics, sources, and reporting periods for reliable reporting.

Establish a cloud data platform as a single source of truth to eliminate data discrepancies.

Take Feedback from Stakeholders:

Establish clear reporting processes and ensure stakeholders are well-informed to prevent misunderstandings.

Engage stakeholders in feedback loops for continuous improvement in the reporting process.

Compliance and Record-Keeping:

Adhere to legal and organizational data privacy, security, and documentation standards.

Clearly document methodologies, data sources, and assumptions for transparency and auditability.

These guidelines will streamline data reporting practices, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and effectiveness, pivotal for informed decision-making and efficient communication within your organization.

As we mentioned above, each business has different requirements, even within the same industry. If you want to meet any inquiry fully armed, consider your marketing analytics system in advance. You can begin to structure necessary reports by how often they’re needed (on demand, daily, monthly, or once a year) and which departments or specialists need them (some metrics are essential for PPC specialists, and entirely different metrics are crucial for the CMO).

Below are data reports that may be useful to you.

When you need to assess performance and monitor your KPIs in real time, an overall report is what you need. For example, this  CMO dashboard  from OWOX BI shows the performance of all marketing channels, traffic, advertising platforms, website user bahavior metrics, attribution models and company growth.

overall report from OWOX BI

Overall reports are also actively used for monthly, annual, or any other summaries. For example, this one from OWOX BI shows the effectiveness of a website’s performance.

the effectiveness of a website’s performance

If you want to get such dashboards customized specifically for your company’s needs, book a demo with our specialists!

Note! Of course, not all templates are suitable for everyone. But you can adjust these dashboards and use the most successful ideas for yourself. Looker Studio , one of the most popular  data visualization  services, has a great gallery of dashboard solutions (see the Looker StudioReport Gallery). 

Let’s have a look at some data reporting examples.

1. Chief Marketing Officer Dashboard Template

Google Ads - CMO

Website traffic is multichannel. Whether it's Facebook ads, Google Ads, SEO, or referrals - as a marketing leader you need to know whether your digital marketing efforts are paying off and generating the desired ROI.

Paid Ads Overview

Questions you can answer with this dashboard:

Which channels are driving the most traffic or sales to our website, and how has this changed over time?

What was the return on investment (ROI) for each ad platform, campaign, or keyword?

What is the conversion rate for each traffic source?

What are the best-performing ads across all platforms? 

How many conversions I’m getting from my campaigns?

What’s my ad spend? Break down by period, platform, or campaign;

What was the cost per click (CPC) and cost per order (CPO) for each ad?

What are the keywords people are using that drive traffic to your website?

and much more...

Attribution Check

2. PPC Report Template

Creating a Pay-Per-Click (PPC) report can be crucial for reviewing the performance of advertising campaigns and for making data-driven decisions. A good PPC report should be clear, concise, and provide insights that can be acted upon.

PPC Report Template

What is covered in this template:

Campaign Performance Overview: (Clicks, Impressions, CTR, CPC, Spend, Conversion Rate, Cost Per Conversion, Conversions)

Performance Comparison (previous periods, different campaigns)

Keyword Performance: (Top Performing Keywords, Keywords Needing Improvement, New Keyword Opportunities)

Ad Performance (Top Performing Ads, Ads Needing Improvement)

Audience Demographics (Age, Gender, Location, Device)

Geographic Performance

Performance by Device Type

Budget Analysis (Budget Utilization, Budget Recommendations)

3. Google Analytics 4 & paid channels report template

Get a clear overview and analysis of your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Ads, TikTok Ads, Twitter Ads campaigns and Google Analytics 4 events on one Google Looker Studio dashboard .

Google Analytics 4 & paid channels report template

4. Google Merchandise Store E-commerce Report

This ecommerce report would typically include metrics crucial for understanding the online retail performance of the Google Merchandise Store. It would provide insights into sales figures, website visitor behaviors, and conversion rates.

Google Merchandise Store Ecommerce Report

Overview (Summary of key findings)

Total Revenue and Revenue Breakdown (by product categories, regions, etc.)

Traffic Overview (number of visits, page views, etc.)

Conversion Rate Analysis

Customer Behavior Analysis (new vs. returning customers, etc.)

Product Performance (sales, refunds, etc.)

5. Website Performance Report

This website performance report provides an overview of a website's overall performance, including speed, uptime, user engagement, and more.

Website Performance Report

Traffic Analysis (visits, unique visitors, page views)

Engagement Metrics (bounce rate, average session duration)

Technical Performance Metrics (page load time, uptime)

Conversion Metrics (conversion rate, goal completions)

6. SEO Report Template

An SEO report focuses on a website's performance in organic search. It covers keyword rankings, backlink profiles, and organic traffic metrics.

SEO Report Template

Keyword Rankings (keyword performance, visibility, etc.)

Organic Traffic Analysis (traffic, engagement metrics)

Backlink Profile (new backlinks, lost backlinks, domain authority)

On-Page SEO Analysis (meta tags, heading structure, mobile optimization)

7. Organic Traffic Template

This organic report dives into the performance of organic traffic acquisition, focusing on metrics like traffic volume, behavior, and conversions from organic search.

Organic Traffic Template

Traffic Volume (sessions, users, new users from organic search)

Engagement Metrics (bounce rate, pages per session, average session duration)

Conversion Analysis (goal completions, conversion rate)

Landing Page Performance (top-performing pages in organic search)

Keyword Performance (top keywords driving organic traffic)

These outlines provide a structured way of presenting vital information in each report to help stakeholders understand the performance in each respective area and make informed decisions accordingly. Each section within the reports can be visualized using graphs, charts, and tables for clearer comprehension.

Correct and timely reports are critical to your company’s success. Therefore, it’s important not only to choose the tool that best suits your business needs but also to ensure that all interested colleagues can access it and work with it. After all, to remain relevant in a constantly changing market, you need to use all available information. Your data should work for you.

There are two common ways to improve data reports:

Go from manual reporting to automated marketing reporting .

Convert static reporting to real-time automated updates.

​As you can see, it all comes down to using modern cloud-based business intelligence tools that are flexible enough to evaluate and visualize complex data. OWOX BI is easy to use and helps you automate data collection and get ready-made marketing reports without the help of analysts.

Useful links

How to build advanced marketing reports in Looker Studio

The OWOX BI guide for digital marketers: data collection, dashboards, and templates

The most common reports for e-commerce and retail

Marketing report templates and examples of daily, weekly, and monthly reports

Top 6 Irreplaceable Digital Marketing Services to Boost Your Website Effectivenes

Marketing Dashboards:

SaaS report

Advertising performance & Attribution report

Retail performance report on HubSpot data

E-commerce dashboard. Item position effectiveness report

PPC report template based on item availability

ROPO dashboard

Microconversion report

Digital marketing dashboard

Marketing dashboard. Landing page effectiveness report

Facebook and Instagram advertising performance dashboard

PPC marketing report template

Facebook advertising dashboard template

Facebook and Instagram ads campaign performance dashboard template

Twitter advertising performance report template

Google advertising performance report template

Digital marketing report template

With the development of martech tools, you no longer need to be a professional analyst to build data reports and get answers to help reach your business objectives. All-in-one platforms such as OWOX BI help you manage your disparate data sources and evaluate your marketing effectiveness.

When you control your data, you can get valuable insights and grow your business. If you want to start creating modern reports, test hypotheses faster, and keep your hand on the pulse of your business, sign up for a demo! Our specialists will show you how you can quickly achieve your business goals with the help of OWOX BI.

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Table of Contents

1) What Is An Analytical Report?

2) Why Is Analytical Reporting Important?

3) How To Create An Analytical Report?

4) Top Analytical Report Examples

5) Analytical Reporting Mistakes To Avoid

In recent years, analytical reporting has evolved into one of the world’s most important business intelligence components, inspiring companies across industries to adopt a more strategic mindset.

While many companies struggle to leverage an effective business intelligence strategy, the importance of analytical information creates a fluctuation of knowledge that cannot be simply collected into a single spreadsheet. It has become harder to create and use a single report and communicate a wide range of vital insights between departments, stakeholders, and important parties in a single company. That’s why a business needs a proper analytical report that will filter important data and improve the creation of the full management report that can lead to a successful business operation.

That doesn’t mean that creating these kinds of statements should only be intended for specialized analysts who can read and interpret complex information more swiftly, but with self-service BI tools that expand the knowledge of all employees in a company, analytical reports can become one of the most invaluable instruments that force progress, directly affect operating costs and use modern interface which everyone understands.

That said, we will delve deeper into analytical reporting as well as its value in real-world business content. We will also look at how to create them with the assistance of professional online reporting software .

Let’s get started.

What Is An Analytical Report?

An analytical report example showing sales metrics such as the revenue, new customers, profit, etc.

An analytical report is a type of business report that uses qualitative and quantitative company data to analyze as well as evaluate a business strategy or process while empowering employees to make data-driven decisions based on evidence and analytics.

While analytical reporting is based on statistics, and historical data, and can deliver a predictive projection of a specific issue, its usage is also spread in analyzing current data in a wide range of industries. For instance, a hospital has seen in its analytics that the average waiting time can be reduced by conducting specific actions. A marketing agency can decide to allocate its budget differently after the team has seen that the most traffic comes from a different source of the invested budget. Applications of these kinds of reports are different, and, therefore, the writing style and generating valuable insights are distinctive in every industry.

Why Is Analytical Reporting Important?

Now, let's consider the business-boosting benefits of operating with powerful indicators.

Analytic reports are the gateway to business intelligence (BI). And when your organization becomes more intelligent, you will push yourself ahead of the competition. Working with them will empower you to land informed, accurate decisions while allowing you to problem-solve or respond to change with pinpoint accuracy.

To put their importance into perspective, here is a rundown of the top benefits of effective report analysis:

  • Communication & collaboration : By investing in effective BI reporting tools and processes, you can give everyone in the business access to valuable visual indicators from one central location. This will empower them with the knowledge they need to perform better in their roles while preventing any interdepartmental friction due to poor or inaccurate information. Armed with powerful analytics report metrics, everyone in the company will be on the same page, creating a culture of open collaboration and communication in the process.
  • Productivity : In addition to better communication, analytics will also give you a panoramic view of your internal processes. By gaining this level of shared insight, you can streamline inefficient processes across the board while motivating your team to focus on more strategic activities to grow the business. The result? A more engaged, more productive business that is not only more adaptable but also more profitable.
  • Innovation : A modern business tool offers a wealth of valuable KPIs all in one place. With the assistance of a dashboard creator ,  you also get dynamic data visualizations designed to provide deep-dive insights into your business’s most vital functions or processes. Thanks to report analysis, you will be able to identify weaknesses, capitalize on trends, uncover patterns you never knew existed, and generate accurate predictions. You can also assess and improve your customer satisfaction score by making data-driven decisions to enhance the overall customer experience. From an accessible dashboard, you can create logical narratives and share details that will ensure your sales, marketing, customer service, financial, HR, and fulfillment activities are all the more innovative. When you do that, you will stand out in your niche and, ultimately, grow the business.
  • Evolution : The digital world is in a state of constant motion. What works today may be obsolete tomorrow, so keeping up with the changes is essential to not only survive but thrive. A report provides 24/7 access to historical info and live data thanks to reporting automation , and predictive features that will empower you to respond to continual change, refining your business models or processes according to the landscape around you while keeping down operational costs and maintaining staff engagement. As every noteworthy report is interactive and customizable, you can easily make continual tweaks or adjustments and stay ahead in your field as you and your industry grow. 

The take-home here is: With the right analytical report template, you will improve vision, efficiency, and communication in every key facet of the business, which will boost your bottom line while attracting more clients or customers to your business.

Your Chance: Want to build your own analytical reports completely free? Try our professional reporting software for 14 days, completely free!

How To Create An Analytical Report?

Analytical reports best practices

Now that we've looked at a definition and some top benefits, we’ll consider how to create an analytics-style report to enhance business intelligence across the board with the assistance of modern and professional tools.

1. Use digital dashboards

The first step should always be to think about the best medium in terms of usability and presentation. It’s possible to create a comprehensive report using a spreadsheet, whitepaper, or a simple Word document or file. But these more traditional methods are usually clunky and time-consuming. It is possible to structure data across a broad range of spreadsheets, but the final result can be more confusing than productive.

By using an online dashboard , you will be able to gain access to dynamic KPIs in a way that’s digestible, actionable, and accurate. No more sifting through droves of spreadsheets, no more patchwork data analysis, and static presentations. With digital analytical reporting, you will see the insights unfolding before your very eyes.

2. Be dynamic

Traditional reports have a standard structure that doesn’t facilitate editing. Traditional types of analytical reports typically consist of a title page, table of contents, introduction, methodology, body section, conclusions, recommendations, and a bibliography. But with dynamic, interactive dashboard reporting software , your structure will be far simpler and more holistic. As such, you can retain all the conventional information you require, but the dynamism will provide facts you can use live and dig deeper while drilling down into pockets of knowledge with the swipe of a screen or the click of a button.

3. Choose the right chart types

Perhaps one of the most important steps is choosing the right chart type. Once you’ve made a conscious commitment to work with dynamic analytical reports, the next phase of the operation comes in the form of choosing the right chart type. A modern data report offers a host of interactive charts and visualizations you can use to your advantage.

If you choose the right types - those that represent the information you’re looking to convey with your data analysis report - you will enhance communication and productivity. Common chart types include interactive bar charts, line charts, bubble plots, area charts, and maps. To assist you in picking the right ones, here is a guide to choosing the best types of graphs and charts for your business.

4. Use real-time data

In addition to working with the right chart types, using dynamic real-time data is one of the cornerstones of analytical reporting success.

Interacting with real-time data through dynamic visualizations will ensure you can respond to any potential issue as it unfolds. Moreover, working with real-time data that aligns with your exact goals or objectives will improve your in-the-moment decision-making. At the same time, it will give you the capabilities to evolve your strategic efforts in line with the ever-changing commercial landscape surrounding your business.

5. Follow design best practices

When you’re considering the preparation of these reports, presentation is everything. Regardless of how powerful your dashboard software is, without following best practices, you will dilute your most vital organizational information, making it far less effective. When it comes to the design aspect, a clear, concise layout with a balanced mix of visuals is the way forward. For powerful analytical reporting, you must ensure your layout provides clear-cut answers to the questions linked to crucial aspects of your business’s progress. You should avoid packing too many charts and widgets into any analytics reports as it will only detract from your most valuable information. Also, for maximum data-driven success, focus on following a logical format that will allow you and your users to extract actionable insights at a glance. Adding tables at the bottom of the page will enable you to achieve a logical format as they usually provide more value than charts, graphs, or similar metrics.

6. Work with the right KPIs

As well as the many different types of analytical reports that exist in the digital age, there are also many types of dynamic KPIs you can use. The visually rich and interactive nature of these KPIs means that you can gain access to a wealth of invaluable facts, both past, predictive, and real-time. For an informational-style report format to work at its optimum capacity, selecting the right KPI template to consistently work toward your business goals is vital. When you’re creating or developing a business analytics report, you should consider which trends you are looking to uncover or benchmark and choose your KPIs accordingly.

Focusing on your primary business goals will ensure you reach a suitable conclusion when picking dynamic KPIs - doing so will ensure your business is more adaptable, more responsive, and more innovative with the initiatives you develop for the organization. By choosing your indicators well, you gain the ability to spot strengths and weaknesses while making your information more accessible to other stakeholders, both internal and external. This is an essential component of making sure that you get the structure of an analytical performance report just right.

7. Make your reports accessible

Expanding on our previous point, your business analytics report must always be accessible. In addition to developing a visually accessible, logical design and format, your relevant information should always be available to the right people in your organization whenever and wherever they need it. By working with pre-defined templates, you will be able to provide 24/7 access to your company’s most important KPI dashboards as employees will be able to log in and extract insights from a multitude of devices, including smartphones and tablets. The primary aim of a business analytical report is to improve internal business intelligence while empowering everyone with the knowledge they need to perform better - this limitless level of accessibility will do just that.

8. Tell a tale

You’ve probably noticed that we’ve already mentioned the importance of “telling a tale or story” - and for good reasons. The human brain favors strong narratives or a plot it can follow, so if your analysis report format is developed with storytelling in mind, you will make your business reporting efforts far more powerful.

To learn more about how to improve your efforts, you can read our comprehensive guide on data analysis methods and techniques.

9. Use interactive features

When fine-tuning an analytical report, it’s important to consider the features and functionality that will make your data more interactive.

Working with certain features will bring your most valuable insights to life while helping your users to perform better within their roles. These dynamic features include:

  • Clickable chart or graph filters
  • Detailed data visualization drill-throughs and drill downs
  • Chart zoom-in functionality
  • Dynamic text boxes and images
  • Practical informational toolkits

By enabling the right features and helping everyone within the business understand how to use them, you will ensure your analytical reports offer maximum value, offering a consistently healthy return on investment (ROI) in the process. If you want to see this interactive dashboard feature more in detail, then take a look at our complete guide on the topic!

10. Benefit from artificial intelligence (AI)

Leveraging the power of AI technology will make your data analysis report template all the more powerful. The best modern AI software is equipped with autonomous functionality that streamlines and optimizes the analytical process.

Without a doubt, two of the most valuable AI features that drive today’s types of analytical reports are predictive analytics and intelligent alerts . With AI-powered predictive analytics, it’s possible to visually map out accurate future trends or patterns that will optimize your strategic planning. This level of vision will also allow you to take targeted measures to nip any potential inefficiencies in the bud before they spiral out of control. With intelligent alerts, your reports will inform you when you’ve reached a specific benchmark or any informational abnormalities occur. As a result, you will become exponentially more adaptive, responsive, and able to evolve your analytical efforts.

11. Implement a self-service approach

When it comes to analytical reports, it’s important that every key user or stakeholder can interact with the right insights with minimal support or intervention.

Adopting a self-service approach will empower everyone in the business to explore, examine, and extract valuable information that will optimize their abilities and ultimately, push the business forward. The right type of analysis report tool will make your data accessible while presenting each metric in a way that offers maximum value across the board. As a result, everyone will benefit from your company’s most pivotal data.

12. Gather internal feedback from your stakeholders

Once your analytical reporting tool is up and running, gathering feedback from every relevant stakeholder is vital to ensure ongoing success.

When working with such instruments, it’s critical to get your initial design and formatting correct—but it’s equally important to focus on continual maintenance.

By holding focus groups and workshops (or requesting online feedback) split into two main segments—your internal users and external stakeholders who you present your discoveries to—you will identify any gaps (both functional and informational) in your analytical report format (or formats).

Regardless of your sector or industry, adopting this mindset is vital, as it will ensure your data remains accessible and every single facet of your dashboard helps your users perform to the best of their abilities.

13. Keep on moving, improving, and evolving

Expanding on our previous point: once you’re up and running with your business analysis report and everyone is on board, moving with the landscape around you is vital.

Make a point of checking in with your analysis report format, design, and KPIs on a frequent basis. Consider whether the visualizations and benchmarks you’re using still represent the industry around you as well as the phase of the journey you’re currently on.

If you’ve found that you’ve suddenly scaled your business, for instance, you might find that you need to realign your core organizations and perhaps drill down deeper into your recruitment, talent retention, and fulfillment data.

The point here is that if you want to keep winning through business intelligence, committing to changing, and evolving your efforts continually is the best way forward.

14. Think about privacy and security

In the age of information, having watertight cybersecurity policies is of paramount importance — especially when you’re working with data.

That said, when you’re building an analysis report template or working with analytical software, prioritizing privacy as well as security is critical. It’s important to create your reports using dashboards with in-built features or functionality that will protect your (or your consumers’) most sensitive data from devastating attacks, breaches, or leaks. Plus, placing privacy at the very top of your analytical priority list will ensure you remain compliant concerning legislation like GDPR and CCPA.

Benefit From These 22 Analytical Report Examples

Many industries are discovering that analytical reports are essential for healthy and consistent business development across the board. These 22 strikingly different but equally powerful analysis report examples prove it.

Let’s take a look at them, one by one.

1. Healthcare: How can we reduce the patients waiting time in our hospital?

Analysis report template: hospital analytics gathered on a hospital management dashboard.

**click to enlarge**

Primary KPIs:

  • Treatment Costs
  • ER Wait Time
  • Patient Wait Time

Next, we look at an analysis report sample in the health and wellbeing sector. The healthcare dashboard above emphasizes healthcare metrics that combine historical information, and statistics and delve deeper into the analysis of trends, therefore, it can serve as a fundamental part of generating future decisions that are important to run and modify a successful hospital strategy. Although big data in healthcare is becoming expansive and increasing in the variety of information it can provide, it also uses reports in the form of a dashboard (like the one above) so that every piece of information generated has its own measurement and quality of evidence. The average waiting time by division can clearly increase the effectiveness of different hospital departments if used correctly. Also, the number of patients can explain why some divisions have a bigger amount of waiting time, and, therefore, propose a solution to reduce it, and also reduce costs that directly affect the department.

This metric is important for the finance department, but the holistic view of all the informational scopes created and presented in this arrangement will assist management in making better decisions. The image above can also serve as an analytical report template, which can then be used as a roadmap to a successful hospital strategy.

2. Sales: How to exceed targets next year?

The next analysis report example comes from the sales industry.

Sales performance analytical report template

  • Sales Growth
  • Sales Target
  • Acquisition Cost

This sales dashboard combines a lot of important KPIs, like the average weekly revenue, customer acquisition cost, and yearly overview of the revenue and profit. You can even go further and interactively explore these units on a daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly time frame. The importance lies within the interpretation of big data compiled into just one central hub and a quick summary of the crucial factors that a sales report should have.

The sales target is exceeded by 115%, which means that managers can quickly conclude their targets are on track, provide feedback to their team and generate more ideas on how to proceed with the next steps of a strategy. Incorporating this kind of report into a business practice can bring value to a company, as smart KPIs are presented in a clear and efficient way. Combining these indicators, which provide straightforward evidence and an overview of the overall strategy, managers can reduce operational costs and set additional targets on how to decrease customer acquisition costs, which is one of the main goals of any solid strategy.

We can go even deeper on a monthly level.

Data analysis report example: sales dashboard that shows the efficiency and analysis of the sales cycle on a monthly level

This monthly report combines data of sales reps, their whole funnel, the average length of stages within their journey, and the average cycle length. You can see the single efficiency and conversion rates of a specific manager or representative, and gather information on the number of opportunities, proposals, negotiations, and closing times each one had. This sharp series of sales charts and analyses can project evidence of an effective selling cycle, meaning each member of a team can visually see their part of the strategy and make decisions based on the presented data. Since these kinds of reports can be used by different teams and stakeholders, the important value of clear analysis and numbers can define future actions while analyzing current data.

3. Marketing: Where should we allocate our budget?

Our third example of an analytical report comes from marketing. Digital marketing KPIs have expanded since the use of digital media has entered the marketing scene and reports have become more broad and detailed. Although you can combine your tracking KPIs into a single spreadsheet, it is often more useful to have a clear overview of specific campaigns, return on investment, cost per click, or landing page conversion rate.

This analysis report example displays a Web Analytics Data Dashboard presenting important marketing metrics

  • Traffic Sources
  • Conversion Rate
  • Bounce Rate

This data analysis report template shows a perfect overview of web analytics metrics. It quickly shows the total amount of visits, average session duration, bounce rate, page views, and the total goal conversion rate. Based on this info, a marketing department can quickly grasp into their analytics and conclude whether to make changes to their strategy or make an additional decision for a specific campaign. Monitoring traffic sources can easily define where to invest more or less, and the systematization of top campaigns, channels, and conversions can easily provide evidence of historical data based on the last year’s performance, or a weekly rundown of trends. This kind of marketing dashboard can bring consuming writing and exporting documents into the pains of the past since the dynamics of digital reports have gone into the future of the digital age.

4. Finance: How can we reduce the operating expenses ratio?

The fourth in our examples of analytical reports comes from the finance sector.

Financial analytical report template showing how much money was generated or lost over a certain period of time

  • Return on Assets
  • Return on Equity
  • Working Capital

This financial dashboard is a simple representation of how you can meet all your financial objectives in one analytical report, as it combines: gross profit margin, operating expenses ratio, operating profit margin, and net profit margin. All these indicators offer valuable and succinct insights into one central point of access which can be then analyzed in more detail by providing data and, therefore, a base for making future decisions. After seeing this visual representation of the most important performance indicators, stakeholders, managers, or employees can benefit from insights and decide whether to reduce the operating expenses or take action into developing a new strategy to increase revenue and profit.

5. FMCG: How do we make our supply chain more efficient?

Our next sample comes in the form of our FMCG dashboard . A business analysis report focused on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), this report sample is ideal for businesses turning over large amounts of inventory on a regular basis.

An analysis report in the form of a FMCG dashboard showing the products sold within freshness date, on time in full deliveries, out of stock rates, etc.

  • Out of Stock Rate (OOF)
  • Delivered On-Time & In-Full (OTIF)
  • Average Time To Sell
  • Percentage of Sold Products Within Freshness Data

Boasting a cohesive mix of supply chain metrics designed to give business owners the capabilities to develop efficient strategies for streamlining their stock handling and fulfillment activities, this analytical report sample offers both at-a-glance and long-term strategic performance indicators based on average selling times and out-of-stock rates, among other invaluable nuggets of information.

This is a powerful report that will save you time and money while significantly improving both your supplier and consumer relationships in the long run.

6. Market research: How is our brand awareness? 

This analysis report template is based on improving your business’s market research strategies to gather critical insights using a more efficient, effective, and value-driven approach.

Data report template: Market research dashboard for brand analysis showing brand awareness, top 5 branding themes, celebrity analysis, etc.

  • Unaided Brand Awareness
  • Aided Brand Awareness
  • Brand Image
  • Celebrity Analysis

An analysis report format offers a two-fold solution — the mix of KPIs featured within this real-time dashboard can help businesses across industries boost their brand awareness and leverage influencer relationships while collecting market insights that will help in the development of smarter, more results-driven marketing and communication initiatives.

This is a visual tool that will help you create a brand image that resonates with your target audience while taking advantage of business-boosting opportunities across a range of mediums, from email to social media and beyond.

7. Manufacturing: How efficient are my costs and processes?

Manufacturing cost management analytical reports

  • Asset Turnover
  • Maintenance Costs

This balanced analysis report offers an at-a-glance snapshot of all core manufacturing metrics related to costs over a set period.

In today’s fast-paced, hyperconnected world, manufacturing companies or departments are under enormous pressure to fulfill high-quality products that meet stringent QC regulations while keeping costs at a consistent minimum.

Equipped with charts that display accessible financial trends, this analysis report is designed to give manufacturing decision-makers the tools to assess KPIs such as unit costs and return on assets swiftly and confidently. By using this key data report template, you will strike the perfect balance of quality, consistency, and financial efficiency – the operational sweet spot. 

8. Support Team: Are we meeting our customers’ needs?

Support team performance dashboard as an analysis report template

  • First Contact Resolution Rate
  • Utilization Rate
  • Net Promoter Score

In an age where customer service and experience are considered even more important than price or product, you cannot afford to be complacent with your support efforts. That’s where this data report template comes in.

This support-centric Zendesk dashboard will help you optimize your support team for continual success. The analysis report example offers an overview of general customer support KPIs such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), first contact resolution rate, and the amount of open and unassigned support tickets for a 30 days period. Among these, it displays an interactive chart showcasing the individual performance of your support agents, like this you can reward the employees with better numbers and help or incentivize the ones with lower ones.  By tracking and measuring your support success you will gain the ability to make strategic decisions to make your service department incredibly efficient. 

9. Procurement cost: Can I improve my return on investment?

Report analysis example displaying a procurement costs report that tracks KPIs involved in the entire purchasing cycle. This is valuable in order to make cost-related decisions

  • Cost of Purchase Order
  • Procurement Cost Reduction
  • Procurement Cost Avoidance
  • Procurement ROI

This procurement-based analysis platform is focused on costs and purchases. The design showcases interactive charts tracking metrics like the cost of the purchase order, cost reduction, cost savings, cost avoidance, and procurement ROI, all of them displaying the actual number and a 5 years trend. In addition, you can see a detailed breakdown of the cost reductions, cost savings, and avoidance, among cost reductions related to suppliers.   

By drilling down into this cohesive mix of procurement KPIs , it’s possible to omit any unnecessary costs from your procurement processes while understanding the ROI of specific items within your inventory. Tracking these metrics regularly will enable you to optimize every element of your procurement chain, ensuring that your efforts are not only value-driven but also won’t drain your budget with minimal gain. This is an essential data analysis report example for businesses across industries.

10. Employee performance: How well is my team doing?

HR is one of the beating hearts of your business. Keeping your employees engaged and motivated will improve your productivity levels significantly. This HR-centric data analysis template will help you do just that.

This analytical report example tracks employee performance with absenteeism and effectiveness metrics

  • Absenteeism Rate
  • Overtime Hours
  • Training Costs
  • Employee Productivity

Built to track labor effectiveness and absenteeism as well as staff productivity, overtime rates, and labor costs, this detailed tool will ensure your talent remains engaged while operating to the best of its abilities. Tracking these HR KPIs frequently will help you provide support, resources, or training where required while tackling any inefficiencies or staff-related issues head-on with a productive, valuable solution. This is a tool that will create continual success and cohesion in every department.

11. Supply chain: Are my operations optimized from end to end?

Historically, businesses across industries have hemorrhaged money with poor, inefficient supply chains and operational bottlenecks. But by taking a data-driven approach to your supply chain-based activities, you can cut out inefficiencies or operational snags.

Analysis report template example: supply chain management dashboard

  • Inventory Accuracy
  • Inventory Turnover
  • Inventory to Sales Ratio

This logistics dashboard is a business analytics report that will help you track turnover, out-of-stock items, and inventory-to-sales ratios with pinpoint accuracy. By doing so, you can reduce redundant supply chain costs while keeping your entire process flowing from end to end. This is an analytics report example designed for sustainable supply chain success.

12. Energy: How sustainable & power-efficient is my business?

Many companies overlook their energy consumption – but it counts. If you have several offices, warehouses, or commercial sites to manage, you will suffer without proficient energy management solutions or strategies.

Energy management dashboard with selected KPIs as a data analysis report example

  • Power Cuts & Average Duration
  • Consumption by Sector

This energy dashboard allows you to compare your energy consumption to other sectors while gaining vital information on power cut durations, emissions, overall consumption, and costs. Armed with a melting pot of energy usage data, you can use this tool to become more financially efficient as well as greener and more sustainable – which is vital in an increasingly progressive and competitive digital landscape. By putting a data-driven energy management strategy in place, you will make your business more sustainable while reducing your annual costs.

13. YouTube Performance: What content works for my target? 

With customers choosing videos over regular content more and more, brands have the opportunity to give important information in a more engaging and interactive way. For instance, by using explainer videos you can tell your audience about a new product, a service, or even what your brand is about, without putting them through the pain of reading long texts to find the information they need. With this type of content, you can also close more deals and increase conversions by adding extra value to your company.  

This data report template tracks YouTube video performance with specific video-related metrics and indicators

Primary KPIs: 

  • Audience Retention 

Our YouTube dashboard is an invaluable tool to measure the performance of your video content. It contains detailed charts showcasing forms of engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares, and views along with two graphs displaying the average audience retention by seconds and the average watch time for the specific video. 

By tracking these metrics you can see the overall outcome of a specific video and compare it with others to understand what kind of content your target audience enjoys the most. In addition, by looking at the average watch time you can get a notion of how long your videos should be to keep the viewers entertained. This will lead to an optimization of resources and better content for your audience. 

14. IT CTO: are your high-level tech-centric decisions working?

The role of a CTO is high-pressure and all-encompassing. The execution, rollout, and development of technology within a company have a direct impact on its ongoing success. That said, as a CTO, your decisions must be swift, razor-sharp, and built for consistent growth.

Our slick CTO IT dashboard is designed to provide senior tech decision-makers with access to quality high-level metrics at a quick glance.

A CTO dashboard example showing relevant metrics focused on internal processes, learning, finance and customers, and users.

  • Number of Critical Bugs
  • Reopened Tickets
  • Accuracy of Estimates
  • New Developed Features
  • Team Attrition Rate

With a balanced design and a wealth of visual information including critical IT KPIs such as user trends, critical bug quantifications, team attrition rates, newly developed features, and more, here you have everything at your disposal to act at the moment while formulating business-boosting strategies in a number of key technological areas.

15. CMO: how can I drive more efficiency from my campaigns?

The next of our dynamic analytical reports examples is for a company's CMO. Marketing and communications are key in delivering consistent brand messaging to specific segments of your audience across a wealth of channels. It's a colossal task, and if done right, it can bring exponential value to any business.

An analysis report example showcasing high-level marketing KPIs such as cost per lead, MQL, SQL, and cost per customer

  • Sales Target & Growth
  • Website-Traffic-to-Lead Ratio
  • Cost per Lead
  • Lead-to-MQL Ratio
  • MQL-to-SQL Ratio

This highly-informative analytical report template is built to provide busy CMOs or senior marketers with the insight to measure campaign success with pinpoint accuracy while managing budgets and ensuring the best possible return on marketing investment (ROMI) with every promotional initiative.

The information delivered by this template also offers a level of insight that will ultimately improve the collaboration between sales and marketing departments.

16. Customer retention: how can I inspire customer loyalty?

In our hyper-connected digital age, consumers are well and truly in the driver’s seat. As such, taking measures to improve customer retention and loyalty is critical to your business’s ongoing growth.

This analytical report template showcases relevant metrics related to customer retention

  • Customer Churn
  • Net Retention Rate
  • Revenue Churn
  • MRR Growth Rate

Not only are existing customers more cost-effective to maintain, but a loyal consumer will also act as a brand advocate, which, in turn, will expand your brand reach further with minimal effort. This retention dashboard will give you a clear insight into your levels of churn, retention, and growth, making it easy to target any potential issues affecting loyalty.

Armed with this invaluable information, you can set about developing strategies that will reduce your customer churn across every relevant channel and touchpoint.

17. Content quality: can I improve the impact of my communications?

Content is everything in the digital age of business. Without delivering a consistent flow of quality content that enlightens, helps, or inspires your audience, you will eventually come to a grinding halt.

Analytical reporting example for digital media content quality control

  • Flesch Reading Ease
  • Average Comments per Article
  • Story Turnaround Time

Our panoramic analytical report sample provides professional reporting based on the accessibility, efficiency, and engagement of your business’s content.

Working with these critical insights, you will ensure your content reads naturally while discovering new ways to reduce turnaround time and gaining a clear understanding of the type of articles, mediums, or ideas that resonate most with your audience, driving better results in the process.

18. IT costs: how can I optimize my expenditure & boost ROI?

As the very backbone of any forward-thinking organization, the IT department is responsible for keeping the whole ecosystem ticking. But, with so many processes and applications to consider, budgets can become strained.

IT analytical report: a costs breakdown

  • IT Costs Break Down
  • IT Costs vs Revenue

This expense-oriented analytical report example is visually balanced and offers a vivid breakdown of the entire department's costs, revenue, and ROI over a monthly, quarterly, or annual timeframe. Not only is it possible to map out your budget versus spending over a specific period, but you can also pinpoint exactly where you’re spending most of your budget.

Gaining a firm visual grasp of your IT costs breakdown, you can take strategic measures to drive down any fiscal inefficiencies while distributing your resources in a way that is more balanced and built for sustainable success. One of the most striking features of this analysis report sample is the fact that you can keep a close eye on your department's overall ROI with a quick glance. As a result, you will keep your IT department operating at maximum efficiency while earning the very best returns for your ongoing efforts.

19. Retail optimization: how can I streamline my marketing and selling activities?

Retail is an ultra-competitive but incredibly rewarding industry — as long as you have the right strategy in place. To develop a sustainable strategy that results in continual growth and evolution, sweating the right data is key — that’s where analytics reporting comes in.

Retail analytics report template tracking online and offline sales metrics

  • Website Traffic/Foot Traffic
  • Sell-Through Rate
  • Retail Conversion Rate
  • Monthly Revenue Per Employee

As an analytical report template designed to help stretched retail brands take charge of their most impactful data, this retail dashboard drills down into trend-based KPIs, including web or foot traffic, sell-through rates, conversions, GMROI, and revenue.

Armed with this melting pot of information, you can track the ongoing balance between your investments and returns while making accurate comparisons on inventory received versus sold. Gaining access to real-time data based on revenue per employee as well as traffic and cart abandonment rates will give you the capacity to optimize every phase of your consumer-facing retail journey for complete success. Working in close collaboration with this insightful analysis report format will result in consistently solid conversion rates while preserving the financial integrity of your physical or online store.

20. Google Analytics optimization: how can I drive greater analytical conclusions from the platform?

Google Analytics (GA) is one of the most rewarding data-driven platforms and offers a wealth of consumer-facing intelligence for brands across any niche or vertical imaginable. But, with so many using GA to improve the digital experiences they offer, cutting through the noise can prove challenging.

This marketing analytics report provides the perfect overview of your KPIs, and enables you to discover early-on if you are on track to meet your targets

  • Sessions and Users
  • New and Returning Visitors
  • Goal Conversion Rate

An analytical report format designed to offer additional depth and context when using the platform, our Google Analytics dashboard will help you pinpoint exactly where and how in your digital journey you can drive consumer engagement.

With dynamic KPIs including sessions and users, new and returning visitors, bounce rates, and goal conversion rates on the visual menu, here you can dig deeper into essential pockets of data that will boost your regional, as well as international, success. Harnessing this essential data, along with the dashboard’s superior machine learning capabilities and drill-down functions, you can optimize your user flows, consumer content, and multi-channel marketing strategies for success across the board.

21. Facebook marketing: how do I improve engagement & boost brand awareness with my content?

Facebook remains one of the world’s most popular and actively subscribed-to social media platforms. By understanding your Facebook audience on a deeper level, you will unlock the key to knowing which type of content earns the best rates of engagement.

Facebook page dashboard provides insights into all the important metrics on this social network

  • Number of Fans
  • Follower Demographics
  • Page Views by Sources
  • Actions on Page

This particular analytical report sample is visually striking and offers a granular breakdown of key Facebook engagement metrics, including page views by source, on-page actions, fan numbers, and follower demographics.

Each informational element in this Facebook dashboard works in harmony to provide the tools necessary to create communications that appeal to specific audience segments while understanding where your content is leading your Facebook users. If you discover, for instance, that your Facebook posts are prompting a healthy number of website clicks but a consistently low level of desired CTA clicks, you can reassess the times you’re posting, as well as the content or sentiment of your messaging, to drive more social conversions.

Here, you have everything you need to level up your Facebook marketing strategy in one accessible analytical report outline — an essential tool for any ambitious modern company.

22. Procurement analytics: how can I optimize every key phase of my procurement funnel?

If you deal in tangible goods, your procurement strategy will dictate many core aspects of your organizational efficiency and flow.

Procurement quality dashboard as an analytical report template

  • Supplier Quality Rating
  • Vendor Rejection Rate & Costs
  • Emergency Purchase Ratio
  • Purchases In Time & Budget
  • Spend Under Management

This data analysis report example is equipped with interactive KPIs that will help you appraise the quality of your suppliers, along with any associated operational costs, with pinpoint accuracy. Working with this powerful procurement dashboard will also empower you to uncover key patterns related to your ongoing expenditures throughout the year while drilling down into your emergency purchases ratio.

Here you can set actionable benchmarks for every key component of your procurement strategy while identifying any suppliers or parts of your process that might be draining your budget. Tracking your vendor costs and rejection rates will also play a pivotal role in your ability to examine your ongoing quality management strategies. As a result, you can reassess your supplier relationships while ensuring you keep the entire chain flowing from end to end.

Analytical Reporting Mistakes to Avoid

We’ve looked at an official analytical report definition and explored various types of analytical tools—we’ve even walked through a comprehensive list of samples. Now, let’s look at the essential mistakes you should avoid when generating them.

  • Not knowing your goals and objectives

The first cardinal sin of analysis-based report building is not taking ample time to work through your core business goals or objectives in a collaborative environment. Without looking at your existing functions and setting actionable goals or outcomes, you will choose the wrong metrics and essentially analyze information that offers very little value to the growth of your business. The bottom line? Do not skip this vital phase of the operation. Set aside ample time for goal setting and make sure that you involve the relevant personnel or stakeholders.

  • Not considering your users or audience

The next mistake boils down to a failure of considering your end-users and those who will need to read your reports. Think about what various users across different departments will need in terms of KPIs, visualizations, and access to perform better at their roles while ensuring your templates are set up for external stakeholders to understand the information before them and you will ensure your efforts deliver maximum results across the board, all while building collaborative bonds.

  • Choosing style over substance

W hen designing your dashboards, you should never choose style over substance. Making your design visually appealing is good, but you should never prioritize aesthetics over practicality. Work through your reports in detail and ensure every relevant strand of information is clear, accessible, and fully interactive to ensure the best (and most informational) user experience possible. Refer to our design tips in the report building section for inspiration.

  • Not providing training

Developing wonderful data templates is all well and good, but without training everyone within the business, your efforts will offer little value. That said, you must run workshops on your new data tools and make sure that everyone in the business understands why they should use them as well as how to use them to the best of their abilities. No exceptions, no compromises.

By avoiding these key mistakes, you will ensure that every analysis-centric report you write will improve business intelligence across the business. And in doing so, you will thrive.

Takeaways From Analytical Reports

The digital age has transformed the way we interact with the world around us. Now, businesses across sectors have the power to collect, curate, and interpret data in a way that improves intelligence and accelerates success. In this bold new world, BI tools have emerged as must-have tools for getting and staying ahead in a competitive digital landscape.

After asking the question, “What is an analytical report” and exploring an official definition, looking at a mix of real-world samples, and drilling down into how to make an analysis report, it’s clear that these dynamic, interactive, and highly visual displays offer no end of the business-boosting value.

We’ve uncovered an official analytical report definition, and explored a wealth of analytical reports examples and the data-driven benefits are clear.  It’s easy to see how these kinds of reports can be used across industries by offering actionable insights that cover a host of departments, activities, and internal functions. Using BI dashboard tools will ensure that you stay on top of today’s market while reducing operational costs and propelling yourself ahead of the competition with powerful data-driven initiatives. 

An online data visualization tool, coupled with the right analytical reports examples, can help track the specific and holistic progress of your company and improve your decision-making. Welcome to the future.

If you want to start rocking your reports today, try datapine for a 14-day trial . It’s time to take your data to the next level.

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How to write a Data Analysis Report like a Pro

How to write a Data Analysis Report

In the last article, I discussed the great use of new software to build interactive dashboards to show the most important indicators in a company while retaining interactivity. But, beyond the dashboards, you would want to know that how to write a data analysis report like a pro.

Why? Because there are times when you don’t want only to show information to your audience – you want to make a point.

Probably it’s because you found something while investigating those huge datasets that really caught you off guard, and you want everyone to know about it.

Perhaps you found a faulty process and you want to analyse many courses of corrective action.

Or you may want to implement new ideas to improve sales.

In these cases when your analysis leads to a story that you can tell your audience to make them arrive at the same conclusions you made, reports come in. That’s why it really important for you to know how to write a data analysis report like a pro so that you can make a rock-solid impact!

I’ve worked in many companies where dashboards weren’t implemented and the main way to communicate indicators to the executive with periodical measurements of certain indicators was to mail them a report.

Sometimes these reports included some analysts’ explanation of the changes of the numbers from point A to B in time, but, mostly, these reports were some static version of a dashboard. With technology nowadays on our side, this isn’t the idea of reports that I’m trying to tell you about.

  So, what is a report?

A report tells your audience a story and backs it up with indicators and stats. However, they aren’t scientific papers.

While reports can include methodologies, be rigorous and have a thread like paper. Most of the times your readers won’t care about how you conducted your investigation while replicating your findings, not even to assess whether your methods are correct. This is your job and probably your boss’.

What they want to hear is a compelling story. They are waiting to be convinced of your conclusions.

Great, where do I get started?

Here I answer and suggest some of the most crucial things to suggest how to write a data analysis report.

First of all, whatever your report is about, you start with a problem or a question you want to solve. You’ll write about this in your introduction , where you’ll also write, albeit briefly, about the tools and methods you used for the data analysis.

Most of the times you can omit these things and leave your problem statement only, so as not to lose your reader’s attention from the very beginning, especially when reports go to high executives.

Once the problem is introduced, you’ll have a body where you further describe and analyse the problem with the available data. Here you’ll measure and plot all the necessary indicators to support the conclusions you’ll make at the end of the report.

In this point, I suppose you’ve arrived to correct conclusions and that you’ve tested them in order to gather evidence of the correctness of them. Testing them could be done by either using statistical tests or by searching for hard evidence against your hypothesis.

If you do not find conclusive and strong proofs against your hypothesis, it stays. If you do find then go back and do the work again, please do not lie to yourself and your bosses.

The report tries to make a point arriving at a certain conclusion, therefore, gather all the evidence in the body of the report. Isolate the most convincing arguments and, if possible, show opposing views that can’t be supported with the available data. This kind of intellectual honesty will gather strong support for the opposing view and add more credibility to the conclusions

You can also have a descriptive report , where you want to find why certain indicators changed the way they did. Or you would also want to know whether this is positive or negative and if there are any correlations among variables that affect these indicators.

You should avoid making a conclusion in a descriptive report. Sometimes, executives want to be the ones making conclusions or suggestions from the report and want to have an accurate description of the changes in indicators and highlight the most important ones with the biggest changes.

This is in contrast with dashboards, where they are left to figure it out for themselves.

Warning! When graphs become your enemy

I’ve talked lots about reports being stories, but they’re kind of boring stories. Or, in fact, they’re like trying to explain the story to someone who hasn’t heard of it and does not have much time to listen to you anyway.

So, with this in mind, your main goal is coming as clear as it’s possible to what you’re trying to convey with the minimal amount of wording possible. And seriously, that’s the best advice for how to write a data analysis report like a pro.

Anything else it’s just a distraction. This is especially true for plotting data sets in your reports.

Many like including lots of plots in their reports. This can lead to cluttering the reader’s vision and diverting his attention to unimportant things.

Avoid it at all costs.

Memorize this for your entire career: any graph that doesn’t back any of your points and that you don’t refer to in the main body of your argumentation, it’s best to eliminate it .

When you’re talking to someone and this person strays from the thing they’re trying to tell you and you’re becoming increasingly upset by this, you say: ‘Okay, but, go to the point!’. Keep this attitude with your reports. If possible, get someone else to do proofreading for you – only then you can receive criticism from someone who can abstract from the problem you’ve faced and for which you’re writing your report.

Choosing the right graphs

Even if many graphs are backing the main point, you should consider whether your arguments are evident in this visualizations. If not, better try to aggregate your data or change the visualization completely.

There are many considerations that can be had with graphs. There are entire courses and lots of scientific research that’s done on the topic of visualization of information.

You should be faithful to these points when graphing:

  • Be minimalist: don’t make things more complex than they need to be, they obscure the intent of the graph.
  • Beware of distortions in the visualization with respect to the data being mapped to a visualization. Many graphs vary more than one visual element for each variation on a single variable in data (see the graph below). Never EVER do something like that. This is plain lying, do not compromise your credibility by designing something of this sort.
  • Give context to the data. Don’t distort your conclusions by avoiding comparisons of the same indicator at different points in time, for example. Give spatial and temporal context for the reader to compare.
  • Avoid cluttering a charts area with many things happening at once in your graph. Keep it as simple as you can while the data can still be understandable.

How to write a data analysis report

Just look at this graph, for example.

This is an abomination from the same depths Cthulhu came.

It’s beyond repair. It’s better to not plot anything than plotting something so misleading.

You can also calculate a “lie factor” by calculating the ratio of variation in data with the variation of the visual metaphor, in this case, the coin. In this example, it goes through the roof. Any number apart from approximately 1 is heavily distorting the data, giving the reader the impression of a variation in data that doesn’t exist.

For those of you who want to delve deeper into this fascinating world, check the following books:

  • “ Readings in Information Visualization. Using Vision to Think.” Card, S., Mackinlay, J., and Shneiderman, B. Morgan Kaufmann Pub., 1999.
  • “ Beautiful Evidence” , Edward R. Tufte, Graphics Press, 2006

Tools you can use

Basic tools.

In this case, there aren’t many specific tools for reporting. You can use any standard text processor like LibreOffice, Abiword, Google Docs, MS Word, etc. for standard writing. Then you can include plots coming from other tools, like those we’ve seen for dashboards, and also spreadsheet software like LibreOffice, Google Sheets and MS Excel.

More advanced tools

For those of yearning for something deeper, there are tools that help integrating code for data analysis, graphing and text for reports, compiling later to reports in various formats, like Rmarkdown (R code) and Jupyter Notebooks.  There’s also LaTeX, which is a way of formatting documents with code, it’s outcome looks super professional and it’s a standard in scientific publishing.

I’ll add two great open source code libraries for those who want to draw with them. You’ll find lots of templates of graphs and give you more freedom to do complex, innovative visualizations.

  • D3.js (JavaScript)
  • Processing (Java, JavaScript)

D3 How to write a data analysis report

Whew! Lots of info for you to go through. We’ve explored lots of things about how to write a data analysis report like a pro in this article! I’ve illustrated some key points for you to consider for your reports and for you to explore for yourself from now on. Look at other reports made in your sector and that other person made to learn both from the good and the bad. Read and write reports with a critic mind. Get started right now!

See you in the next article!

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How to build a marketing data analysis report (template and examples)

Creating a data analysis report is an underrated yet critical skill for marketers. A marketing report can impact team, stakeholder, and company decisions, so highlighting (and omitting) the right information is crucial.

But how do you consistently churn out clear and compelling reports? This guide will help you tie your reports up in a neat little bow, ensuring alignment with and buy-in from your audience—and beneficial decisions for your end-users. 

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how to write a data report

Data analysis reporting is a process that combines quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate performance, share findings, and inform future decisions. One common example is reporting on the results of a marketing campaign, but there are plenty more reasons marketers might create a data analysis report.

More examples—plus the reporting steps, tools, and template—await below, so keep reading.

Get started fast with our  free monthly data analysis report template , and follow these six key steps to creating a persuasive report:

Nail down the elements : provide a title, timeframe, and summary. Present data visually and close with action points.

Determine your purpose : figure out why you're making this report so you can focus on the right information

Identify your audience and their needs : define your readers and tailor your report to their requirements

Put your key insights first : maximize Hotjar, a multi-product data analytics platform, to track metrics and gather meaningful insights 

Visualize your data : incorporate charts, heatmaps, and other visuals to convey facts and insights effectively

Ask your audience for feedback : collect your audience's feedback to continuously improve your reporting approach

How to write a data analysis report in 6 easy steps

Knowing how to write a data analysis report is vital—especially in a data-informed field like marketing. Organizing and visualizing your data helps you

Evaluate strategies and performance

Inform future decisions and actions

Share findings and recommendations to serve users better

However, even marketers dealing with data regularly may find the task time-consuming. But we can promise you one thing: it won’t feel that way once you have a repeatable process and fewer data analysis and visualization tools to work with.  

1. Nail down the elements

This chapter of our data analysis guide focuses on creating an executive report. But regardless of the type of report (we'll touch on a few more of them later), most share the same building blocks:

Title: use a straightforward title to convey your report's intent. Call it as it is, whether it's your overall marketing performance or a multi-channel marketing campaign.

Timeframe: reporting intervals include daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually. Monthly data analysis reports work best for marketing teams, clients, and executives.

TL;DR: summarize your key objectives and findings, such as insights, issues, and recommendations, in an executive summary. This sets your audience's expectations and helps busy team members focus on what matters to them. 

Body: your bar charts, graphs, tables, and heatmaps go here. Add visual evidence from your analysis that supports your conclusion to win buy-in from decision-makers.

Conclusion: backed by the data in the body, state your plan for making progress with your goals. For instance, say you need additional dollars to spend on social media advertising since it's shown a consistent return on investment (ROI).

Discover actionable data, enhance business decisions

Craft compelling marketing reports fast. Collect, analyze, and report on crucial insights using Hotjar’s multi-product platform to get stakeholder buy-in and team alignment.

2. Determine your purpose

What data should you incorporate in your report? The answer lies in the purpose of your data analysis report.

Consider this: what do you hope to achieve when you share the results of your analysis? Is it to show stakeholders how customers use your products so you can improve them? Or is it to enlighten your team about what customers like so you can tailor campaigns to each segment?

Pulling the relevant data becomes a breeze once you’ve locked in your report’s primary purpose.

Collect meaningful data in real time with Hotjar

Marketers conduct quantitative data analysis to answer questions like, “How many?” or “How often?” In other words: this type of analysis involves numerical data, such as traffic and conversions. 

But numbers alone don't provide the whole picture—you need to uncover the why behind them. Why did traffic from France increase yesterday? Why do certain customers rage-click on a call-to-action (CTA) button on your Demo page?

It's qualitative data that reveals the reasons customers behave a certain way. This non-numerical data includes behavioral observations, interview clips, and survey responses. 

In Hotjar, an analytics platform for user behavior and digital experience insights, you can gather qualitative data via Surveys , Feedback, and Interviews , plus visualize quantitative data via Heatmaps and capture user behavior in real-time with Recordings, all from a single platform.

Here, it's easier than ever to collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data, and build a user-centric marketing report based on your analysis.

Complement quantitative data with qualitative insights

3. Identify your audience

Always determine two audience types for your report: primary and secondary.

Company executives, clients (for marketing agencies), team members, and cross-functional collaborators, such as product managers, can fit into either category, depending on your report. Once you've categorized your primary and secondary audiences, it's easier to customize the report to their needs. Here are a few tips on how to do it:

Speak their language: in any business setting, this means striking a balance between not too formal and not too casual—think business in the front, party in the back 

Discuss results, not methodologies: immediately dive into the insights gleaned from your quantitative and qualitative data analysis  

Present key takeaways in the summary: as we said earlier, highlight your main points at the top of your report so the reader can instantly note what they think is interesting

Place eye-catching visuals in the body: your audience may skim through and search only for additional details in the body, so ensure your data visualization is easy to interpret

📋 Need a hand? Try using a template 

If you’re unsure how to design your report or prefer not to build from scratch each time you run it, use a data analysis report template. Ensure it’s a well-crafted one aimed at showing—instead of telling—your audience what works and what doesn’t.

Aside from making you look good (😎), an excellent template saves you time, and gives your readers something to rely on during each reporting period.

So, what would an extremely occupied marketer do? Streamline the creation process, of course! Plug, play, and present your insights with our free monthly data analysis report template to get started 📈.

how to write a data report

Click the link above to make a copy of our handy template

4. Prioritize key insights

Here comes the exciting part: assembling the data to draw a clear picture for your audience. Before you discovered this guide, you might have gathered data manually from various sources, such as Google Analytics, your preferred A/B testing platform, and even Hotjar.

Luckily for you, there's a faster way to track and spot patterns occurring in your custom metrics. Hotjar Trends enables you to find the behavioral data you need, such as visitors who viewed any of the two landing page variations you were A/B testing, or users who rage clicked (a sign of frustration) before exiting your checkout page. 

Compare your A/B test participants or new and returning users to see if one segment encountered any issues. Or view your rage clicks over time to understand what makes users frustrated. Then, click the ‘play’ icon to dive straight into your session recordings and discover the reason behind their actions.

how to write a data report

Go from quantitative to qualitative data in a single click with Hotjar Trends

Finally, screencap the charts in Trends and link to some relevant recordings in your trend report .

A sample trend report showing rage clicks over time, created via Hotjar Trends

What else can you do within Hotjar? Use Highlights and Collections to group snippets of recordings and heatmaps to support your conclusion. Add these meaningful insights to your monthly report or share them with teammates on an ordinary day, without having to switch between multiple analytics tools. 

Trends, Highlights, Recordings…will my audience remember all these names?  

They may even start looking for them in every report from now on. Our tools and features are self-explanatory, so everyone, from the marketing and sales teams to clients and C-suite execs, can quickly understand them.

Personally I love using Highlights and Collections together. I see each highlight as a self-contained explanation for the case I’m making to the product team. I’ve got the video. I’ve got the tags if I need them. I’ll add comments and a thread for a response. 

There’s no risk of distraction and minimal lift to get my stakeholders directly to the central issue. 

And then the Collections view basically creates a visual report of all the evidence I have for a given case. Here's how much this hurts (one Highlight); click on the rest of these if you can stomach it (a Collection of Highlights).

5. Incorporate visual data

Whether you're comparing past and present conversion rates or sharing multiple data sets, it's crucial to get your point across quickly. After all, you're not the only team or department vying for your audience's attention. This is where data visualization plays a considerable role: maps and charts allow you to effectively convey your message by making your data interactive, digestible, and enjoyable. 

To visualize data, use your spreadsheet of choice (for example, Excel or Google Sheets) or a dedicated platform like Tableau . You can also screenshot your data in the Hotjar Dashboard to save time and effort. Showcase relevant heatmaps, recordings, survey responses, interview snapshots, and direct feedback to drive your point home and get everyone on the same page.

6. Collect feedback from your audience

Just as Surveys and Feedback let you connect with actual customers, they also prove valuable in asking your audience’s thoughts once you’ve sent out your reports. By building a custom survey—for free—in Hotjar, you can include and analyze open-ended questions like, “How did this data analysis report help you?” and “What would you want to see in the next report?”

This enables stakeholders to give you proper feedback, especially if they didn't get the chance to speak after your presentation.

4 examples of data analysis reports 

Now, we’re tackling four popular types of data analysis reports. Practice makes permanent, so let’s go over the ones you’ll likely produce regularly (you'll ace them in no time).

Executive report or digital marketing report

This comprehensive report combines vital insights into your marketing efforts across various channels. It tracks metrics like advertising ​​cost, conversion rate, customer acquisition cost, and online revenue. 

Remember: you'll send this document out to company executives who want to see how marketing directly contributes to the bottom line. Be sure to connect your efforts to revenue. And what better way to demonstrate your impact than showing heatmaps or recordings of people responding positively to your campaigns?

Search engine optimization (SEO) report

While an executive report may contain an SEO performance overview, this specialized report breaks down organic traffic in detail. Show your keyword rankings, conversion rates, and top traffic channels to explain your strategy to executives and stakeholders.

#Hotjar’s senior SEO and content strategist creates a quarterly SEO report summarized on Slack, along with a Loom walkthrough and presentation

Note that you can track these essential metrics in Hotjar's Dashboard. Screenshot your customized dashboard or share it live with your audience as you discuss key insights. Pull up a recording or two or highlight customer feedback to strengthen your case.

For example, if session recordings reveal an unclear CTA has caused conversions for several landing pages to decline, you might recommend changing the CTA by running an A/B test and going with the winning variation.

Social media marketing report

This data analysis report example unpacks multiple channels. Which ones are helping you spread brand awareness and enhance customer loyalty? As such, you should track social key performance indicators (KPIs) like new followers, total reach, share of voice (SOV), engagement, and website referrals.

You can access relevant data and insights in your social media pages’ in-app analytics or analytics tools like Buffer and Hootsuite .

Marketing funnel report

Conversion funnels allow you to home in on the few steps users take from first contact to final conversion. Here’s a basic conversion path if you’re marketing an ecommerce brand:

Homepage > category page > product page > cart > checkout > thank you page

Initially, you’ll look at how many people visit your main pages and who they are. Take your data analysis further with Hotjar Funnels , where you can measure conversion and drop-off rates. Add filters like traffic channels and user attributes to compare performance. To deepen your insights, jump into relevant recordings and see what causes users to leave before they convert. 

The best part? You can gradually collect data, conduct funnel analysis , and integrate your findings into your report with in Hotjar and with out manually handling data: no hassle, no fuss.

#A conversion flow with four steps, visualized in Funnels

Create data analysis reports that drive action

Ensure your team, stakeholders, and executives make data-informed decisions regarding your marketing campaigns and strategies with compelling data analysis reports.

Needle-moving, user-centric insights deserve the spotlight. Start with our free template and populate it with numerical and non-numerical data from Hotjar and other sources. Go ahead and tell a visual story that inspires action today. 

FAQs about data analysis reports

What is a data analysis report.

A data analysis report is a document containing key insights derived from quantitative and qualitative data analysis. Marketers, for instance, use it to share findings and recommendations with teammates, stakeholders, clients, and company executives. This is to ensure everyone is on the same page before deciding on any improvements to marketing strategies and campaigns.

What is an example of a data analysis report?

One example of a data analysis report is the executive report on a company’s digital marketing efforts. It presents evidence backed by data on how different channels create opportunities for a business to serve its customers better and, in return, achieve sustainable growth.

How do you write a data analysis report?

Here’s how to develop your marketing report in seven simple steps:

Nail down the elements

Determine your purpose

Identify your audience and their needs

Enhance your reports using templates

Put your key insights first

Visualize your data

Ask your audience for feedback

Data analysis tools

Previous chapter

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  • How to write a lab report

How To Write A Lab Report | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on May 20, 2021 by Pritha Bhandari . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A lab report conveys the aim, methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific experiment. The main purpose of a lab report is to demonstrate your understanding of the scientific method by performing and evaluating a hands-on lab experiment. This type of assignment is usually shorter than a research paper .

Lab reports are commonly used in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This article focuses on how to structure and write a lab report.

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Table of contents

Structuring a lab report, introduction, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about lab reports.

The sections of a lab report can vary between scientific fields and course requirements, but they usually contain the purpose, methods, and findings of a lab experiment .

Each section of a lab report has its own purpose.

  • Title: expresses the topic of your study
  • Abstract : summarizes your research aims, methods, results, and conclusions
  • Introduction: establishes the context needed to understand the topic
  • Method: describes the materials and procedures used in the experiment
  • Results: reports all descriptive and inferential statistical analyses
  • Discussion: interprets and evaluates results and identifies limitations
  • Conclusion: sums up the main findings of your experiment
  • References: list of all sources cited using a specific style (e.g. APA )
  • Appendices : contains lengthy materials, procedures, tables or figures

Although most lab reports contain these sections, some sections can be omitted or combined with others. For example, some lab reports contain a brief section on research aims instead of an introduction, and a separate conclusion is not always required.

If you’re not sure, it’s best to check your lab report requirements with your instructor.

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Your title provides the first impression of your lab report – effective titles communicate the topic and/or the findings of your study in specific terms.

Create a title that directly conveys the main focus or purpose of your study. It doesn’t need to be creative or thought-provoking, but it should be informative.

  • The effects of varying nitrogen levels on tomato plant height.
  • Testing the universality of the McGurk effect.
  • Comparing the viscosity of common liquids found in kitchens.

An abstract condenses a lab report into a brief overview of about 150–300 words. It should provide readers with a compact version of the research aims, the methods and materials used, the main results, and the final conclusion.

Think of it as a way of giving readers a preview of your full lab report. Write the abstract last, in the past tense, after you’ve drafted all the other sections of your report, so you’ll be able to succinctly summarize each section.

To write a lab report abstract, use these guiding questions:

  • What is the wider context of your study?
  • What research question were you trying to answer?
  • How did you perform the experiment?
  • What did your results show?
  • How did you interpret your results?
  • What is the importance of your findings?

Nitrogen is a necessary nutrient for high quality plants. Tomatoes, one of the most consumed fruits worldwide, rely on nitrogen for healthy leaves and stems to grow fruit. This experiment tested whether nitrogen levels affected tomato plant height in a controlled setting. It was expected that higher levels of nitrogen fertilizer would yield taller tomato plants.

Levels of nitrogen fertilizer were varied between three groups of tomato plants. The control group did not receive any nitrogen fertilizer, while one experimental group received low levels of nitrogen fertilizer, and a second experimental group received high levels of nitrogen fertilizer. All plants were grown from seeds, and heights were measured 50 days into the experiment.

The effects of nitrogen levels on plant height were tested between groups using an ANOVA. The plants with the highest level of nitrogen fertilizer were the tallest, while the plants with low levels of nitrogen exceeded the control group plants in height. In line with expectations and previous findings, the effects of nitrogen levels on plant height were statistically significant. This study strengthens the importance of nitrogen for tomato plants.

Your lab report introduction should set the scene for your experiment. One way to write your introduction is with a funnel (an inverted triangle) structure:

  • Start with the broad, general research topic
  • Narrow your topic down your specific study focus
  • End with a clear research question

Begin by providing background information on your research topic and explaining why it’s important in a broad real-world or theoretical context. Describe relevant previous research on your topic and note how your study may confirm it or expand it, or fill a gap in the research field.

This lab experiment builds on previous research from Haque, Paul, and Sarker (2011), who demonstrated that tomato plant yield increased at higher levels of nitrogen. However, the present research focuses on plant height as a growth indicator and uses a lab-controlled setting instead.

Next, go into detail on the theoretical basis for your study and describe any directly relevant laws or equations that you’ll be using. State your main research aims and expectations by outlining your hypotheses .

Based on the importance of nitrogen for tomato plants, the primary hypothesis was that the plants with the high levels of nitrogen would grow the tallest. The secondary hypothesis was that plants with low levels of nitrogen would grow taller than plants with no nitrogen.

Your introduction doesn’t need to be long, but you may need to organize it into a few paragraphs or with subheadings such as “Research Context” or “Research Aims.”

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A lab report Method section details the steps you took to gather and analyze data. Give enough detail so that others can follow or evaluate your procedures. Write this section in the past tense. If you need to include any long lists of procedural steps or materials, place them in the Appendices section but refer to them in the text here.

You should describe your experimental design, your subjects, materials, and specific procedures used for data collection and analysis.

Experimental design

Briefly note whether your experiment is a within-subjects  or between-subjects design, and describe how your sample units were assigned to conditions if relevant.

A between-subjects design with three groups of tomato plants was used. The control group did not receive any nitrogen fertilizer. The first experimental group received a low level of nitrogen fertilizer, while the second experimental group received a high level of nitrogen fertilizer.

Describe human subjects in terms of demographic characteristics, and animal or plant subjects in terms of genetic background. Note the total number of subjects as well as the number of subjects per condition or per group. You should also state how you recruited subjects for your study.

List the equipment or materials you used to gather data and state the model names for any specialized equipment.

List of materials

35 Tomato seeds

15 plant pots (15 cm tall)

Light lamps (50,000 lux)

Nitrogen fertilizer

Measuring tape

Describe your experimental settings and conditions in detail. You can provide labelled diagrams or images of the exact set-up necessary for experimental equipment. State how extraneous variables were controlled through restriction or by fixing them at a certain level (e.g., keeping the lab at room temperature).

Light levels were fixed throughout the experiment, and the plants were exposed to 12 hours of light a day. Temperature was restricted to between 23 and 25℃. The pH and carbon levels of the soil were also held constant throughout the experiment as these variables could influence plant height. The plants were grown in rooms free of insects or other pests, and they were spaced out adequately.

Your experimental procedure should describe the exact steps you took to gather data in chronological order. You’ll need to provide enough information so that someone else can replicate your procedure, but you should also be concise. Place detailed information in the appendices where appropriate.

In a lab experiment, you’ll often closely follow a lab manual to gather data. Some instructors will allow you to simply reference the manual and state whether you changed any steps based on practical considerations. Other instructors may want you to rewrite the lab manual procedures as complete sentences in coherent paragraphs, while noting any changes to the steps that you applied in practice.

If you’re performing extensive data analysis, be sure to state your planned analysis methods as well. This includes the types of tests you’ll perform and any programs or software you’ll use for calculations (if relevant).

First, tomato seeds were sown in wooden flats containing soil about 2 cm below the surface. Each seed was kept 3-5 cm apart. The flats were covered to keep the soil moist until germination. The seedlings were removed and transplanted to pots 8 days later, with a maximum of 2 plants to a pot. Each pot was watered once a day to keep the soil moist.

The nitrogen fertilizer treatment was applied to the plant pots 12 days after transplantation. The control group received no treatment, while the first experimental group received a low concentration, and the second experimental group received a high concentration. There were 5 pots in each group, and each plant pot was labelled to indicate the group the plants belonged to.

50 days after the start of the experiment, plant height was measured for all plants. A measuring tape was used to record the length of the plant from ground level to the top of the tallest leaf.

In your results section, you should report the results of any statistical analysis procedures that you undertook. You should clearly state how the results of statistical tests support or refute your initial hypotheses.

The main results to report include:

  • any descriptive statistics
  • statistical test results
  • the significance of the test results
  • estimates of standard error or confidence intervals

The mean heights of the plants in the control group, low nitrogen group, and high nitrogen groups were 20.3, 25.1, and 29.6 cm respectively. A one-way ANOVA was applied to calculate the effect of nitrogen fertilizer level on plant height. The results demonstrated statistically significant ( p = .03) height differences between groups.

Next, post-hoc tests were performed to assess the primary and secondary hypotheses. In support of the primary hypothesis, the high nitrogen group plants were significantly taller than the low nitrogen group and the control group plants. Similarly, the results supported the secondary hypothesis: the low nitrogen plants were taller than the control group plants.

These results can be reported in the text or in tables and figures. Use text for highlighting a few key results, but present large sets of numbers in tables, or show relationships between variables with graphs.

You should also include sample calculations in the Results section for complex experiments. For each sample calculation, provide a brief description of what it does and use clear symbols. Present your raw data in the Appendices section and refer to it to highlight any outliers or trends.

The Discussion section will help demonstrate your understanding of the experimental process and your critical thinking skills.

In this section, you can:

  • Interpret your results
  • Compare your findings with your expectations
  • Identify any sources of experimental error
  • Explain any unexpected results
  • Suggest possible improvements for further studies

Interpreting your results involves clarifying how your results help you answer your main research question. Report whether your results support your hypotheses.

  • Did you measure what you sought out to measure?
  • Were your analysis procedures appropriate for this type of data?

Compare your findings with other research and explain any key differences in findings.

  • Are your results in line with those from previous studies or your classmates’ results? Why or why not?

An effective Discussion section will also highlight the strengths and limitations of a study.

  • Did you have high internal validity or reliability?
  • How did you establish these aspects of your study?

When describing limitations, use specific examples. For example, if random error contributed substantially to the measurements in your study, state the particular sources of error (e.g., imprecise apparatus) and explain ways to improve them.

The results support the hypothesis that nitrogen levels affect plant height, with increasing levels producing taller plants. These statistically significant results are taken together with previous research to support the importance of nitrogen as a nutrient for tomato plant growth.

However, unlike previous studies, this study focused on plant height as an indicator of plant growth in the present experiment. Importantly, plant height may not always reflect plant health or fruit yield, so measuring other indicators would have strengthened the study findings.

Another limitation of the study is the plant height measurement technique, as the measuring tape was not suitable for plants with extreme curvature. Future studies may focus on measuring plant height in different ways.

The main strengths of this study were the controls for extraneous variables, such as pH and carbon levels of the soil. All other factors that could affect plant height were tightly controlled to isolate the effects of nitrogen levels, resulting in high internal validity for this study.

Your conclusion should be the final section of your lab report. Here, you’ll summarize the findings of your experiment, with a brief overview of the strengths and limitations, and implications of your study for further research.

Some lab reports may omit a Conclusion section because it overlaps with the Discussion section, but you should check with your instructor before doing so.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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A lab report conveys the aim, methods, results, and conclusions of a scientific experiment . Lab reports are commonly assigned in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

The purpose of a lab report is to demonstrate your understanding of the scientific method with a hands-on lab experiment. Course instructors will often provide you with an experimental design and procedure. Your task is to write up how you actually performed the experiment and evaluate the outcome.

In contrast, a research paper requires you to independently develop an original argument. It involves more in-depth research and interpretation of sources and data.

A lab report is usually shorter than a research paper.

The sections of a lab report can vary between scientific fields and course requirements, but it usually contains the following:

  • Abstract: summarizes your research aims, methods, results, and conclusions
  • References: list of all sources cited using a specific style (e.g. APA)
  • Appendices: contains lengthy materials, procedures, tables or figures

The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.

In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.

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How to Write a Solid Progress Report for Project Success

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Progress reports are like project status updates that help everyone involved understand how things are going. Writing a solid progress report is crucial for keeping your project on track and ensuring its success. In this guide, we’ll break down the process of creating a great progress report, making it easy for you to communicate your project’s progress effectively. We have also included progress report templates for you to get started right away.

Progress Report Template

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What is a Progress Report

A progress report is a document that provides an overview of the status, advancements, and achievements of a project or task. It typically outlines what has been accomplished, what is currently in progress, and any challenges or obstacles encountered. Progress reports are commonly used in various settings, such as work, education, or personal projects, to keep stakeholders informed about the project’s developments and to ensure everyone is on the same page regarding the current state of affairs.

Progress Report Templates to Keep Track of Project Progress

Daily Progress Report Template

Project Status Report Template

Project Status Summary

Project Dashboard Template

Project Status Summary Template

Why You Need to Use a Progress Report

A progress report promotes a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement in project management. Here are several reasons why a progress report is important.

Clear communication: Keeps everyone on the same page by sharing what’s happening in a project.

Tracking achievements: Highlights what has been successfully completed, boosting team morale.

Problem-solving: Identifies and addresses challenges, helping to find solutions and stay on track.

Decision-making: Provides real-time information for informed decision-making during the project.

Accountability: Holds team members responsible for their tasks and deadlines.

Learning and improvement: Creates a record of progress, facilitating learning for future projects.

Efficiency: Keeps the team working efficiently by preventing confusion and misunderstandings.

Collaboration: Encourages collaboration and coordination among team members.

Key Components of a Progress Report

The following components of a progress report collectively provide a comprehensive view of the project’s progress, challenges, and future plans, enabling effective communication and decision-making.

  • Introduction : Brief overview of the project, including its purpose and objectives.
  • Work completed : Summary of tasks or milestones achieved since the last report.
  • Work in progress : Description of current activities, tasks underway, and their status.
  • Challenges and issues : Identification and discussion of any problems, roadblocks, or challenges faced.
  • Achievements : Recognition and celebration of significant accomplishments and milestones.
  • Upcoming tasks : Outline of the next steps, tasks, or milestones planned for the future.
  • Timeline and schedule : Review or adjustment of the project timeline or schedule, if necessary.
  • Budget overview : Overview of the project’s financial status, including spendings and any budget changes.
  • Recommendations : Suggestions for improvements or changes to improve project efficiency.
  • Conclusion : A brief summary and conclusion, often including an overall project status assessment.

Challenges of Creating and Using a Progress Report

While project reports are handy for keeping track of project progress, they can pose some challenges.

Time-consuming: Writing a progress report can take time away from actual project work.

Communication issues: Making sure that everyone understands the report may be challenging.

Data accuracy: Getting accurate information for the report can sometimes be difficult.

Overlooking details: Important details may be unintentionally left out.

Balancing detail and brevity: Finding the right level of detail without making the report too lengthy can be tricky.

Tracking complex projects: Managing and reporting progress for complex projects may pose a challenge.

Ensuring regular updates: Getting everyone to consistently update progress can be a hurdle, especially in dynamic work environments.

Best Practices for Creating an Effective Progress Report

Creating an effective progress report involves following some best practices:

  • Keep your report clear and straightforward, avoiding jargon or overly complex language.
  • Highlight the most important information, emphasizing achievements and addressing challenges.
  • Use a consistent format and structure for easy comprehension.
  • Submit reports on time to make sure that the information is relevant and up-to-date.
  • Provide enough detail to convey the message, but avoid unnecessary information that may overwhelm.
  • Use charts or diagrams to visually represent data and trends for better understanding.
  • Include potential solutions when discussing challenges, promoting a proactive approach.

Create Your Next Progress Report with Creately

Simplify the process of creating progress reports and streamline project management, communication, and improve overall project success with Creately ’s visual collaboration platform.

Task tracking and assignment

Use the built-in project management tools to create, assign, and track tasks right on the canvas. Assign responsibilities, set due dates, and monitor progress with Agile Kanban boards, Gantt charts, timelines and more. Create task cards containing detailed information, descriptions, due dates, and assigned responsibilities.

Notes and attachments

Record additional details and attach documents, files, and screenshots related to your tasks and projects with per item integrated notes panel and custom data fields. Or easily embed files and attachments right on the workspace to centralize project information. Work together on project documentation with teammates with full multiplayer text and visual collaboration.

Real-time collaboration

Get any number of participants on the same workspace and track their additions to the progress report in real-time. Collaborate with others in the project seamlessly with true multi-user collaboration features including synced previews and comments and discussion threads. Use Creately’s Microsoft Teams integration to brainstorm, plan, run projects during meetings.

Pre-made templates

Get a head start with ready-to-use progress report templates and other project documentation templates available right inside the app. Explore 1000s more templates and examples for various scenarios in the community.

Comprehensive shape libraries

Create any visual aid from flowcharts to timelines with comprehensive shape libraries for over 70 types of diagrams including icons. Illustrate or make annotations easily with freehand drawing and format text without leaving the keyboard with markdown shortcuts.

Progress reports are indispensable in project management. They foster communication, accountability, and a culture of continuous improvement. Make use of the progress report templates we have provided to track your progress and stay organized.

Join over thousands of organizations that use Creately to brainstorm, plan, analyze, and execute their projects successfully.

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Amanda Athuraliya is the communication specialist/content writer at Creately, online diagramming and collaboration tool. She is an avid reader, a budding writer and a passionate researcher who loves to write about all kinds of topics.

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Trump civil fraud trial ruling

Judge orders Trump and companies to pay nearly $355 million in civil fraud trial

By Lauren del Valle , Kara Scannell , Jeremy Herb , Dan Berman and Elise Hammond , CNN

Key takeaways from the civil fraud trial ruling against Donald Trump

From CNN's Jeremy Herb, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell

 Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate, Friday, February 16, in Palm Beach, Florida.

Judge Arthur Engoron hit Donald Trump with his biggest punishment to date on Friday, in a ruling that fined the former president $355 million for fraudulently inflating the values of his properties.

Engoron found Trump liable for fraud, conspiracy and issuing false financial statements and false business records, and he barred him from serving as director of a company in New York for three years. But while he stopped short of dissolving the Trump Organization altogether, Engoron issued a blistering  93-page opinion  that painted the former president as unremorseful and highly likely to commit fraud again.

Here are key takeaways from the decision:

  • The biggest fines yet against Trump: Engoron found that the defendants’ fraud saved them about $168 million in interest, fining Trump and his companies that amount. He also ruled that Trump and his companies were liable for $126 million in ill-gotten profits from the sale of the Old Post Office in Washington, DC, and that Trump and his companies were liable for $60 million in profits from the sale of Ferry Point in the Bronx. Engoron also wrote that Trump would be required for interest on those payments.
  • The judge gets the last word: Trump repeatedly attacked Engoron and the case throughout the 11-week trial on social media, outside the courtroom – and even to the judge’s face while he testified. On Friday, Engoron got the last word, painting Trump as a “pathological” fraudster who would not stop unless forced. The judge acknowledged that the sins Trump committed — which his lawyers frequently argued had no victim because banks were repaid and often eager to do business with Trump’s company — were not as serious as some crimes. But he faulted Trump and his co-defendants for a complete lack of contrition.
  • No corporate death penalty: The judge banned Trump from serving as an officer or director of a New York corporation for three years, but did not issue the so-called corporate death penalty. Engoron pulled back from a decision he issued a summary judgment in September dissolving Trump’s business certificates in finding that Trump and his co-defendants were liable for persistent and repeated fraud. But, the independent monitor installed last fall will stay in place for at least three years and an independent director of compliance should be put in place at the Trump Org. at the company’s expense, the ruling said.
  • Judge says Cohen told the truth: Engoron recapped Michael Cohen’s theatrical trial testimony, acknowledging the credibility issues with Trump’s former lawyer and fixer. But ultimately, Engoron said, he believed Cohen.
  • Trump’s adult sons banned for 2 years: Trump’s eldest sons – who’ve essentially run the Trump Organization since 2017 – are barred from serving as executives in New York for two years, according to Engoron’s order. The Trumps will have to navigate the two-year penalty as they sort out the future of the family-run real estate company.

Get up to speed on the ruling and more takeaways .

Trump will likely be forced to turn over full judgment amount of $355 million to move ahead with appeal

From Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell

Former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants will likely need to come up with the full judgment of $355 million  ordered by Judge Arthur Engoron Friday, with potentially more in interest, in order to move forward with an appeal, sources familiar with the matter have confirmed to CNN.

Those sources explained that this is the typical procedure required by the law, though some of the details, including the total amount to be frozen, could change. 

Trump and his lawyers said Friday they intend to appeal the decision.

That money will be held in an account pending the appellate process, which could take years to litigate.

The 9% interest Judge Engoron ordered Trump and his company to pay on the nearly $355 million judgment will continue to accrue until it’s paid per the order. 

Typically, the state requires a notice of appeal within 30 days of the judgment.

Fact check: Trump’s baseless claim that Biden and the Justice Department are behind his civil case

From CNN's Daniel Dale

In his remarks Friday evening, President Donald Trump claimed,  as he has before , that President Joe Biden was a hidden hand behind the civil fraud case in New York.

“All comes out of the DOJ, it all comes out of Biden,” Trump said. “It’s a witch hunt against his political opponent, the likes of which our country has never seen.” 

Facts First:  There is no basis for Trump’s claim that Biden or the Justice Department is behind the civil case. The case was brought by New York state Attorney General Letitia James – after an investigation  she began in 2019 , roughly two years before Biden became president. As Trump has repeatedly noted, James, a Democrat,  campaigned  in 2018 on a pledge to pursue Trump. Also, federal agencies do not have jurisdiction over state cases like this.

James filed the lawsuit that led to this trial  in September 2022  – about two months before Trump  launched his 2024 campaign .

Trump: We will appeal New York civil fraud ruling

From CNN staff

Former President Donald Trump speaks to the media on Friday.

In remarks from Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump slammed Judge Arthur Engoron, New York Attorney General Letitia James and vowed to appeal Friday's ruling that orders he and his companies pay nearly $355 million.

“It’s a very sad day for, in my opinion, the county," the former president said speaking from Palm Beach, Florida.

"We’ll appeal, we’ll be successful, I think,” Trump said

More on the ruling: The ruling in  the New York civil fraud case also says Trump will be  barred  from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in the state for three years, among other restrictions.

Earlier Friday, Trump called the ruling a sham on Truth Social.

CNN's Kate Sullivan contributed reporting to this post.

New York attorney general: The court ruled in favor of "every hard-working American who plays by the rules"

From CNN’s Samantha Beech

New York Attorney General Letitia James speaks to the media on Friday, February 16.

Attorney General Letitia James celebrated today's civil fraud ruling in remarks from New York, saying the court ruled "in favor of every hard-working American who plays by the rules."

“Today justice has been served, today we proved that no one is above the law. No matter how rich, powerful, or politically connected you are, everyone must play by the same rules," the attorney general said.

James added, “Donald Trump may have authored the ‘Art of the Deal,’ but he perfected the art of the steal.”

"And so after 11 weeks of trial, we showed the staggering extent of his fraud, and exactly how Donald Trump and the other defendants deceived banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions for their own personal gain," she continued. "We proved just how much Donald Trump, his family and his company unjustly benefited from his fraud."

James said, “I want to be clear, white collar financial fraud is not a victimless crime. When the powerful break the law, and take more than their fair share, there are fewer resources available for working people, small businesses and families.”

The attorney general thanked those in her office who helped work on the case.

“The scale and the scope of Donald Trump’s fraud is staggering, and so to is his ego, and his belief that the rules do not apply to him. Today, we are holding Donald Trump accountable,” James said.

James did not take questions from reporters and departed the room directly after her remarks, which largely reflected the written statement issued by her office earlier Friday. 

Judge: Common excuse that "everybody does it" is all the more reason to be vigilant in enforcing rules

From CNN’s Jeremy Herb, Laura Dolan and Nicki Brown

Judge Arthur Engoron presides over closing arguments in January.

The New York judge criticized one of the defenses put up by Donald Trump’s lawyers in the civil fraud case, writing in his ruling that claiming “everybody does it” is no reason to get away with fraud.

In fact, Judge Arthur Engoron argued it’s all the reason to be more vigilant in actually enforcing the rules. 

“Here, despite the false financial statements, it is undisputed that defendants have made all required payments on time; the next group of lenders to receive bogus statements might not be so lucky. New York means business in combating business fraud," the judge said.

Known for his colorful writing, the judge also quoted an "ancient maxim" before saying the frauds at issue in this case "shock the conscience."

"As an ancient maxim has it, de minimis non curat lex, the law is not concerned with trifles. Neither is this Court," Judge Arthur Engoron wrote in his ruling. "But that is not what we have here." "The frauds found here leap off the page and shock the conscience," the judge wrote.

Remember: Trump’s attorneys argued during the trial that the attorney general’s claims against Trump had no victims — the banks were paid back and were eager to do business with Trump.

But the attorney general argued, and the judge agreed, that the fraudulent loans Trump received at lower rates had an impact on the marketplace. Plus, the law used to bring the claims against Trump does not require there to be victims of fraud in a traditional sense. 

Does Trump have to pay the nearly $355 million judgment immediately? What we know

From CNN's Fredreka Schouten

Legal experts say former President Donald Trump is likely to use a bond, secured with his assets as collateral, as the first step in satisfying the judgment in the New York civil fraud case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.

On Friday, Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump and his companies to pay nearly $355 million, which Trump has vowed to appeal.

Under a so-called appeal bond, Trump would put up a percentage of the judgment and a third-party company that is the guarantor “is on the hook for the full amount,” said Joshua Naftalis, a former federal prosecutor now in private practice in New York.

“It’s not just the president: Anybody faced with this size of a judgment would probably go the appeal-bond route, because to put up that kind of money is enormous,” Naftalis said. “That could be his entire cash position.”

What Trump has available: It’s difficult to determine the full assets available to Trump, because his business is a privately held concern and does not regularly file reports with regulators. In a deposition taken last year as part of the case brought by James, the former president said his company had more than $400 million in available cash.

Adam Leitman Bailey, a real estate attorney in New York, said Trump likely would have to put up 10% of the judgment in cash, plus an additional fee. 

In January, a jury in a civil defamation case  ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million  to former magazine columnist E. Jean Carroll, on top of the $5 million verdict she had already won against him last year.

2-year ban on Trump’s adult sons leaves Trump Org leadership in question

From CNN’s Lauren del Valle

Eric Trump, left, and Donald Trump Jr. wait for their father to speak at the White House in 2020.

Donald Trump’s eldest sons — who’ve essentially run the Trump Organization since 2017 — are barred from serving as executives in New York for two years, according to Judge Arthur Engoron's order.

The Trumps will have to navigate the two-year penalty as they sort out the future of the family-run real estate company that also hasn’t filled the chief financial officer or controller positions vacated by former Trump Org. execs Allen Weisselberg and Jeff McConney.  

During closing arguments last month, Engoron questioned whether the attorney general presented any evidence that Trump’s eldest sons knew that there was fraud going on at the company — but ultimately found them liable for issuing false financial statements, falsifying business records, and conspiracy claims. 

The judge knocked Eric Trump’s credibility in his ruling, pointing out inconsistent testimony he gave at trial.  He “begrudgingly” conceded at trial that he actually knew about his father’s statements as early as 2013 “upon being confronted with copious documentary evidence conclusively demonstrating otherwise,” the judge wrote. 

Engoron also said Eric Trump unconvincingly tried to distance himself from some appraisals of Trump Org properties that offered a much lower valuation than reported on Donald Trump’s financial statements. 

More on the ruling: Eric and Donald Trump Jr. were both ordered to pay more than $4 million in disgorgement, or “ill-gotten” profits, they personally received from the 2022 sale of Trump’s hotel at the Old Post Office building in Washington DC. 

Ivanka Trump gets to keep her profits on the building sale because she was dismissed as a defendant in the case by an appeals court ahead of trial. But that didn’t stop Engoron from weighing in on her trial testimony, calling it “suspect.” 

Trump has been ordered to pay $438 million this year in fraud and defamation cases

From CNN's Jeremy Herb

President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference held at Mar-a-Lago on February 8, in Palm Beach, Florida.

Judge Arthur Engoron hit Donald Trump with his biggest punishment to date Friday, in a ruling that fined the former president nearly $355 million for fraudulently inflating the values of his properties.

The dollar amount dwarfed the verdict against Trump issued last month in the defamation case brought by E. Jean Carroll — an $83 million judgment — hitting home just how much the New York attorney general’s civil fraud case threatens Trump’s business empire.

Engoron found Trump liable for fraud, conspiracy, issuing false financial statements, and falsifying business records, barring him from serving as director of a company in New York for three years.

While the judge pulled back from trying to dissolve the Trump Organization altogether, Engoron issued a blistering 93-page opinion that painted the former president as unremorseful and highly likely to commit fraud again.

"This Court finds that defendants are likely to continue their fraudulent ways unless the Court grants significant injunctive relief,” Engoron wrote. 

The judge also ruled that Trump will have to pay millions in interest on the judgement amount.

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A young person using the TikTok app on a smartphone.

Social media algorithms ‘amplifying misogynistic content’

Researchers say extreme content being pushed on young people and becoming normalised

Algorithms used by social media platforms are rapidly amplifying extreme misogynistic content, which is spreading from teenagers’ screens and into school playgrounds where it has become normalised, according to a new report.

Researchers said they detected a four-fold increase in the level of misogynistic content suggested by TikTok over a five-day period of monitoring, as the algorithm served more extreme videos, often focused on anger and blame directed at women.

While this particular study looked at TikTok, researchers said their findings were likely to apply to other social media platforms and called for a “healthy digital diet” approach to tackling the problem, rather than outright bans on phones or social media which “are likely to be ineffective”.

The study , by teams at University College London and the University of Kent, comes at a time of renewed concern about the impact of social media on young people. Research last week found young men from generation Z – many of whom revere social media influencer Andrew Tate – are more likely than baby boomers to believe that feminism has done more harm than good.

Meanwhile, the mother of murdered teenager, Brianna Ghey, called for social media apps to be banned on smartphones for under-16s after hearing evidence about the online activities of her daughter’s killers.

The UCL/Kent study, called Safer Scrolling, argues that harmful content is presented as entertainment through the algorithmic processes of social media. Toxic, hateful or misogynistic material is “pushed” to young people, with boys who are suffering from anxiety and poor mental health at increased risk, it said.

“Harmful views and tropes are now becoming normalised among young people,” said principal investigator Dr Kaitlyn Regehr (UCL Information Studies). “Online consumption is impacting young people’s offline behaviours, as we see these ideologies moving off screens and into schoolyards.”

Researchers interviewed young people engaging with and producing radical online content to help create a number of archetypes of teenage boys who might be vulnerable to becoming radicalised. Accounts were set up on TikTok for each archetype, each with specific interests – they might be seeking content on masculinity or loneliness – and researchers then watched more than 1,000 videos that TikTok suggested on its “For You” page over seven days.

The initial suggested content was in line with the stated interests of each archetype, but after five days researchers said the TikTok algorithm was presenting four times as many videos with misogynistic content including objectification, sexual harassment or discrediting women, which increased from 13% of recommended videos to 56%.

“Algorithmic processes on TikTok and other social media sites target people’s vulnerabilities – such as loneliness or feelings of loss of control – and gamify harmful content,” said Regehr. “As young people microdose on topics like self-harm, or extremism, to them, it feels like entertainment.”

Researchers also interviewed young people and school leaders about the impact of social media and found that hateful ideologies and misogynistic tropes have moved off screens and into schools, and have become embedded in mainstream youth cultures.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, which collaborated with the research, said: “UCL’s findings show that algorithms – which most of us know little about – have a snowball effect in which they serve up ever-more extreme content in the form of entertainment.

“This is deeply worrying in general but particularly so in respect of the amplification of messages around toxic masculinity and its impact on young people who need to be able to grow up and develop their understanding of the world without being influenced by such appalling material.

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“We call upon TikTok in particular and social media platforms in general to review their algorithms as a matter of urgency and to strengthen safeguards to prevent this type of content, and on the government and Ofcom to consider the implications of this issue under the auspices of the new Online Safety Act .”

Andy Burrows, adviser to the Molly Rose Foundation, which was set up in memory of Molly Russell, who killed herself after falling into a vortex of despair on social media, said: “This research reinforces how TikTok’s algorithms ruthlessly target and bombard young people with harmful content, and within days can serve teens a near constant barrage of unhealthy and sometimes dangerous videos.

“It couldn’t be clearer that the regulator Ofcom needs to take bold and decisive action to tackle high-risk algorithms that prioritise the revenue of social media companies over the safety and wellbeing of teens.”

Speaking on a trip to Northern Ireland, prime minister Rishi Sunak said: “As a parent, I am always worried about social media and what my young girls are exposed to. That’s why I’m pleased we have passed the Online Safety Act over the last year and that means the regulator now has tough new powers to control what is exposed to children online.

“And if the big social media companies do not comply with that, the regulator is able to levy very significant fines on them and the priority now is making sure that act is up and running.”

A TikTok spokesperson said: “Misogyny has long been prohibited on TikTok and we proactively detect 93% of content we remove for breaking our rules on hate. The methodology used in this report does not reflect how real people experience TikTok.”

An Ofcom spokesperson said: “Tackling violence against women and girls online is a priority for us. Our research shows that women are less confident about their personal online safety, and are more affected by harmful content like trolling.

“Under the Online Safety Act, online services such as social media and search services will have duties to protect users’ safety and their rights – understanding and addressing content which disproportionately affects women and girls online is central to this.”

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Create a form in Word that users can complete or print

In Word, you can create a form that others can fill out and save or print.  To do this, you will start with baseline content in a document, potentially via a form template.  Then you can add content controls for elements such as check boxes, text boxes, date pickers, and drop-down lists. Optionally, these content controls can be linked to database information.  Following are the recommended action steps in sequence.  

Show the Developer tab

In Word, be sure you have the Developer tab displayed in the ribbon.  (See how here:  Show the developer tab .)

Open a template or a blank document on which to base the form

You can start with a template or just start from scratch with a blank document.

Start with a form template

Go to File > New .

In the  Search for online templates  field, type  Forms or the kind of form you want. Then press Enter .

In the displayed results, right-click any item, then select  Create. 

Start with a blank document 

Select Blank document .

Add content to the form

Go to the  Developer  tab Controls section where you can choose controls to add to your document or form. Hover over any icon therein to see what control type it represents. The various control types are described below. You can set properties on a control once it has been inserted.

To delete a content control, right-click it, then select Remove content control  in the pop-up menu. 

Note:  You can print a form that was created via content controls. However, the boxes around the content controls will not print.

Insert a text control

The rich text content control enables users to format text (e.g., bold, italic) and type multiple paragraphs. To limit these capabilities, use the plain text content control . 

Click or tap where you want to insert the control.

Rich text control button

To learn about setting specific properties on these controls, see Set or change properties for content controls .

Insert a picture control

A picture control is most often used for templates, but you can also add a picture control to a form.

Picture control button

Insert a building block control

Use a building block control  when you want users to choose a specific block of text. These are helpful when you need to add different boilerplate text depending on the document's specific purpose. You can create rich text content controls for each version of the boilerplate text, and then use a building block control as the container for the rich text content controls.

building block gallery control

Select Developer and content controls for the building block.

Developer tab showing content controls

Insert a combo box or a drop-down list

In a combo box, users can select from a list of choices that you provide or they can type in their own information. In a drop-down list, users can only select from the list of choices.

combo box button

Select the content control, and then select Properties .

To create a list of choices, select Add under Drop-Down List Properties .

Type a choice in Display Name , such as Yes , No , or Maybe .

Repeat this step until all of the choices are in the drop-down list.

Fill in any other properties that you want.

Note:  If you select the Contents cannot be edited check box, users won’t be able to click a choice.

Insert a date picker

Click or tap where you want to insert the date picker control.

Date picker button

Insert a check box

Click or tap where you want to insert the check box control.

Check box button

Use the legacy form controls

Legacy form controls are for compatibility with older versions of Word and consist of legacy form and Active X controls.

Click or tap where you want to insert a legacy control.

Legacy control button

Select the Legacy Form control or Active X Control that you want to include.

Set or change properties for content controls

Each content control has properties that you can set or change. For example, the Date Picker control offers options for the format you want to use to display the date.

Select the content control that you want to change.

Go to Developer > Properties .

Controls Properties  button

Change the properties that you want.

Add protection to a form

If you want to limit how much others can edit or format a form, use the Restrict Editing command:

Open the form that you want to lock or protect.

Select Developer > Restrict Editing .

Restrict editing button

After selecting restrictions, select Yes, Start Enforcing Protection .

Restrict editing panel

Advanced Tip:

If you want to protect only parts of the document, separate the document into sections and only protect the sections you want.

To do this, choose Select Sections in the Restrict Editing panel. For more info on sections, see Insert a section break .

Sections selector on Resrict sections panel

If the developer tab isn't displayed in the ribbon, see Show the Developer tab .

Open a template or use a blank document

To create a form in Word that others can fill out, start with a template or document and add content controls. Content controls include things like check boxes, text boxes, and drop-down lists. If you’re familiar with databases, these content controls can even be linked to data.

Go to File > New from Template .

New from template option

In Search, type form .

Double-click the template you want to use.

Select File > Save As , and pick a location to save the form.

In Save As , type a file name and then select Save .

Start with a blank document

Go to File > New Document .

New document option

Go to File > Save As .

Go to Developer , and then choose the controls that you want to add to the document or form. To remove a content control, select the control and press Delete. You can set Options on controls once inserted. From Options, you can add entry and exit macros to run when users interact with the controls, as well as list items for combo boxes, .

Adding content controls to your form

In the document, click or tap where you want to add a content control.

On Developer , select Text Box , Check Box , or Combo Box .

Developer tab with content controls

To set specific properties for the control, select Options , and set .

Repeat steps 1 through 3 for each control that you want to add.

Set options

Options let you set common settings, as well as control specific settings. Select a control and then select Options to set up or make changes.

Set common properties.

Select Macro to Run on lets you choose a recorded or custom macro to run on Entry or Exit from the field.

Bookmark Set a unique name or bookmark for each control.

Calculate on exit This forces Word to run or refresh any calculations, such as total price when the user exits the field.

Add Help Text Give hints or instructions for each field.

OK Saves settings and exits the panel.

Cancel Forgets changes and exits the panel.

Set specific properties for a Text box

Type Select form Regular text, Number, Date, Current Date, Current Time, or Calculation.

Default text sets optional instructional text that's displayed in the text box before the user types in the field. Set Text box enabled to allow the user to enter text into the field.

Maximum length sets the length of text that a user can enter. The default is Unlimited .

Text format can set whether text automatically formats to Uppercase , Lowercase , First capital, or Title case .

Text box enabled Lets the user enter text into a field. If there is default text, user text replaces it.

Set specific properties for a Check box .

Default Value Choose between Not checked or checked as default.

Checkbox size Set a size Exactly or Auto to change size as needed.

Check box enabled Lets the user check or clear the text box.

Set specific properties for a Combo box

Drop-down item Type in strings for the list box items. Press + or Enter to add an item to the list.

Items in drop-down list Shows your current list. Select an item and use the up or down arrows to change the order, Press - to remove a selected item.

Drop-down enabled Lets the user open the combo box and make selections.

Protect the form

Go to Developer > Protect Form .

Protect form button on the Developer tab

Note:  To unprotect the form and continue editing, select Protect Form again.

Save and close the form.

Test the form (optional)

If you want, you can test the form before you distribute it.

Protect the form.

Reopen the form, fill it out as the user would, and then save a copy.

Creating fillable forms isn’t available in Word for the web.

You can create the form with the desktop version of Word with the instructions in Create a fillable form .

When you save the document and reopen it in Word for the web, you’ll see the changes you made.

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