Business reports and business letters are two different genres in the area of workplace writing. While a business report may be preceded by a business letter and a business letter may have a business report as an enclosure, these are two entirely different documents that serve two different purposes. It is important to understand how to write both of them if you want to be a successful business person.
Genre
-
Because a business report and a business letter are two different genres, different content and formatting rules govern each. While both a business report and letter should be written clearly and as to-the-point as possible, a business letter should rarely extend beyond a page. However, business reports are often several pages long, comprised of appendices, charts, graphs and photos in addition to text. Further, letters are generally used when a person has a specific issue to communicate. Reports, on the other hand, may be used in conjunction with making a specific decision, but they may also be compiled simply to share information about a project.
Purpose
-
Business letters and reports can be written for a variety of purposes. In some cases, both may be written to inform. A business letter may be written to notify an employee that she has been hired or fired. Business letters may also be sent out to everyone working in a company, along with its stockholders, to inform them of a certain company success. Both publications may also be written to persuade. Business letters are often requests for a bigger salary, more resources, time off or permission to head a certain program, for instance. In addition, reports may be written in order to persuade a manager not to discontinue a certain program or to give more funds to one sector of a business. Business people who need to write a document that either persuades or informs, may have to choose between a business letter or a report. If you have a great deal of information to communicate, a report allows for the greatest expansion, and it is your better option. If you want to communicate a specific, concise success, a letter is your best option.
Audience
-
Both writers of business letters and reports need to consider their audiences when they write. While reports are generally written for wide audiences, as they can be used by anyone from executives and shareholders to employees and potential clients, letters usually have a more specific audience. Although you can write a business letter to more than one person, or copy several people on one letter, people usually write business letters to one certain colleague or group. In each case, the information, language and other elements you include should be dictated by your audience. For example, if you write a statistical report for employees who don't have a stats background, you will need to add a detailed explanation of the implication of your statistics.
Format
-
Business letter and report formats change based on the type of letter or format that you are writing. However, letter and report formats are significantly different from one another. Business letter format begins with an address, salutation and the name of the addressee. The body of the letter is usually written in block format with all items flush left. The letter is short -- sometimes only a paragraph, but generally never longer than a page -- and it ends with a closing, signature and the sender's typed name. Most business reports begin with a title page and an abstract or summary. Information is then divided and organized by subheadings. For example, if you are writing a report on a recent program launch, you might have the following sections: overview, participants, successes, challenges and implications. Often, reports end with a conclusion that discusses the implications of the findings or information.
