Identify the standard model adapted to your objective
There are various standard email report templates used in business. Choosing the right format based on the purpose of your report is essential to conveying your message clearly and effectively.
For a regular monitoring report such as a weekly or monthly report, opt for a table structure with key figures (sales, production, etc.).
For a budget or resource request, write a file structured in parts with an introduction, your detailed needs, an argument and a conclusion.
In a crisis situation requiring an urgent reaction, bet on a direct and powerful style by listing the problems, consequences, and actions in a few shocking sentences.
Whatever the model, take care of the formatting with intertitles, bullets, tables to facilitate reading. The concrete examples below will help you choose the best format for each situation for professional and effective email reports.
The regular monitoring report in the form of tables
The regular monitoring report, for example monthly or weekly, requires a clear and synthetic structure highlighting the key data.
The format in tables makes it possible to present the important indicators (sales, production, conversion rate, etc.) in an organized and readable way, in a few seconds.
Title your tables precisely, for example “Evolution of online sales (monthly turnover 2022)”. Remember to mention the units.
You can incorporate visual elements like graphics to reinforce the message. Make sure the data is correct and the calculations correct.
Accompany each table or graph with a short commentary analyzing the major trends and conclusions, in 2-3 sentences.
The table format makes it easy for your recipient to read the essentials quickly. It is ideal for regular monitoring reports requiring a summary presentation of key data.
The impactful e-mail in the event of a crisis
In an emergency situation requiring a quick response, opt for a report in the form of short, punchy sentences.
Announce the problem from the outset: “Our server is down following an attack, we are offline”. Then detail the impact: lost turnover, affected customers, etc.
Then list the actions taken to limit the damage, and those to be implemented immediately. End with a pressing question or request: “Can we count on additional resources to restore service within 48 hours?”
In a crisis, the key is to quickly inform about the difficulties, consequences, and answers in a few direct sentences. Your message must be brief and mobilizing. The punchy style is most effective for this type of emergency email report.
Example XNUMX: Detailed Monthly Sales Report
Please find below the detailed report of our March sales:
- In-store sales
In-store sales were down 5% from last month to €1. Here is the evolution by department:
- Household appliances: turnover of €550, stable
- DIY department: turnover of €350, down 000%
- Garden section: turnover of €300, down 000%
- Kitchen department: turnover of €50, up 000%
The decline in the garden department is explained by the unfavorable weather this month. Note the encouraging growth in the kitchen department.
- Online sales
Sales on our website are stable at €900. Mobile's share rose to 000% of online sales. Sales of furniture and decoration are up sharply thanks to our new Spring collection.
- Marketing actions
Our email campaign for Grandmothers' Day generated an additional turnover of €20 in the kitchen department.
Our operations on social networks around interior design also boosted sales in this segment.
- Conclusion
Despite a slight drop in stores, our sales remain solid, driven by e-commerce and targeted marketing operations. We must continue our efforts on decoration and furniture to compensate for the seasonal decline in the garden department.
I am at your disposal for any clarification.
Sincerely,
Jean Dupont Seller East sector
Second example: Additional budget request for the launch of a new product line
I have the honor to request from you an additional budget as part of the launch of our new range of products scheduled for June 2024.
This strategic project aims to extend our offer to the buoyant segment of organic products, where demand is growing by 20% per year, by offering 15 additional references.
To guarantee the success of this launch, it is essential to mobilize additional resources. Here are my numerical proposals:
- Temporary reinforcement of the team:
- Recruitment of 2 full-time developers over 6 months to finalize the packaging and technical documentation (cost: €12000)
- Support of a digital marketing agency for 3 months for the web campaign (8000€)
- Marketing campaign :
- Media budget to sponsor our publications on social networks (5000€)
- Creation and sending of emailings: graphic design, shipping costs for 3 campaigns (7000€)
- Consumer tests:
- Organization of consumer panels to collect feedback on products (4000€)
That is a total of €36 to deploy the human and marketing resources necessary for the success of this strategic launch.
I am at your disposal to discuss it during our next meeting.
Pending your return,
Sincerely,
John Dupont
Project Manager
Third example: Sales department monthly activity report
Please find below the activity report of our sales department for the month of March:
- Prospecting visits: Our sales representatives contacted 25 prospects identified in our customer file. 12 appointments have been fixed.
- Offers sent: We have sent 10 commercial offers on flagship products from our catalogue, 3 of which have already been converted.
- Trade shows: Our stand at the Expopharm show attracted around 200 contacts. We have converted 15 of them into future appointments.
- Training: Our new collaborator Lena followed a week of field training with Marc to familiarize herself with our products and sales pitches.
- Objectives: Our commercial objective of 20 new contracts over the month has been achieved. The turnover generated amounts to €30.
We are continuing our efforts to develop our client list, do not hesitate to send me your recommendations.
Sincerely,
Jean Dupont Sales Manager
Example Four: Detailed Weekly Activity Report – Supermarket Bakery
Please find below the detailed activity report of our bakery for the week of March 1-7:
Production:
- We produced an average of 350 traditional baguettes per day, for a total of 2100 over the week.
- The overall volume is up by 5% thanks to our new oven, which allows us to meet the growing demand.
- The diversification of our range of special breads (countryside, wholemeal, cereals) is bearing fruit. We baked 750 this week.
Sales:
- The overall turnover is 2500€, stable compared to last week.
- Viennese pastries remain our best seller (€680), followed by lunch formulas (€550) and traditional bread (€430).
- Sunday morning sales were particularly strong (turnover of €1200) thanks to the special brunch offer.
Supply :
- Reception of 50kg of flour and 25kg of butter. Stocks are adequate.
- Thinking about ordering eggs and yeast for next week.
Staff :
- Julie will be on vacation next week, I will reorganize the schedules.
- Thanks to Bastien who provides overtime for sale.
Problems :
- Breakdown of the coin mechanism on Tuesday morning, repaired during the day by the electrician.
Sincerely,
Jean Dupont Manager
Fifth example: Urgent problem – Accounting software malfunction
This morning, our accounting software has bugs preventing the entry of invoices and the monitoring of the general ledger.
Our IT service provider, whom I contacted, confirms that a recent update is in question. They are working on a fix.
In the meantime, it is impossible for us to record transactions and cash monitoring is disrupted. We run the risk of falling behind very quickly.
To temporarily fix the problem:
- Write down your invoices/expenses on an emergency excel file that I will retrieve
- For client enquiries, call me to verify accounts live
- I do my best to keep you informed of progress.
Our service provider is fully mobilized and hopes to resolve this problem within 48 hours max. I know that this malfunction is bad, thank you for your understanding. Please let me know of any urgent issues.
Sincerely,
Jean Dupont Accountant
