Business reports convey information in a format that is more formal and usually longer than a letter. Reports cover a variety of topics, such as safety compliance, sales figures, financial data, feasibility studies and marketing plans.

They may include statistics, charts, graphs, images, case studies and survey results. Some reports are published for the benefit of investors. If a report is periodic, such as a monthly sales report, a template is used for convenience and to enable comparison with previous reports.