20+ SAMPLE End of Year Report

What Is an End of Year Report?

An end of year report, also known as an annual report or a year end report, is a business document that details the activities and events of an organization throughout the preceding year. The purpose of the report is to communicate the overall performance of an organization, financial information, and all other key performance indicators that describe the business. Public or government organizations must submit the report as a part of their legal accountability to their shareholders. Collecting and interpreting data on a natural rhythm enables companies to reflect on their performance over the previous year. The information enables different organizations and companies to make accurate predictions, adjust goals and timelines, and identify the deficiencies and areas for improvement. Writing an end of year report can either be for internal or external use of stakeholders. With all things laid out, the end of year report functions similarly to a student report card. It accounts for all the performance data coming from a thorough evaluation of information from multiple sources and points of view. When creating and end of year report, you can also choose to section monthly or quarterly reports for a lower-range view of business performance.

According to the homepage of AnnualReports.com, they hold over 112 thousand annual reports from more than nine thousand global companies. The list includes reports from different organizations, including Primerica Inc., Hess Corporation, CIT Group Inc., and Black Hills Corporation.

Components of an End of Year Report

The end of year report or annual report remains an integral part of business and corporate reporting. Since the context and content of the report still stem from legal requirements, the components of the end of year report vary from one industry to another. Many of the annual reports that companies produce contain a fundamental overview of the organization from the previous year. The section below covers the various components that the end of year report typically contains to deliver the production and performance information for internal or external affairs.

Chairman’s letter: Most annual reports start with a chairman’s letter that contains an introduction from the chairman, primary owner, or CEO of the organization to the company’s stakeholders. The letter provides an overview or a snapshot of the most significant developments from the past year, company plans and initiatives, and a brief summarization of the financial health and status of the organization. The key elements of this section of the end of year report consist of the key challenges the business faced over the past year, including its successes and insight into the growth and development of the company.Business profile: The business profile section covers the vision statement and mission statement of the organization. It also details information about the organizational structure and the names of the directors, officers, and the names of the registered and corporate offices. It also covers the investor profile, the products and services that serve as the principal revenue of the organization, competitor profiles, and the possible risk factors that the business encounters.Management discussions and analyses: This section of the end of year report presents an overview of the overall business performance that covers the past three years. It discusses the profit margins, sales, and income for the reporting period. If the company launches a new product or service for the public market or the company suffers fluctuations in its income and overall marketing strategies, they must be visible in this section. The management analysis and discussion section also cover different topics of discussion including new hires, business and asset acquisitions, and any additional information that the management thinks is beneficial to the stakeholders.Total projects delivered: This section of the end of year report documents the total number of accomplished projects or programs. This key performance indicator in the report details the productivity and efficiency of the organization to implement processes and procedures, providing context to go with the numbers they present.Project deliverables: This section of the report covers the total number of completed projects. It discusses specific details of the project, starting from the deliverables to the client relationships and project scope. It also talks about the project budget and project schedule performed against estimates. It also calls to the attention the successes, failures, and areas for improvement. Financial statements: The financial statements section is the most significant portion of the end of year report. It allows the current and future investors, stakeholders, partners, clients, and employees to determine how well the company performed in the past year. It gauges the ability of an organization to pay off its debts and its plans for growth and development. The financial statements that the end of year report must contain include the balance sheet, cash flow statement, income statement, and shareholder’s statement. Incorporating these statements will show stakeholders whether the company has made revenue or loss over the past year. It also demonstrates how much company earnings it accumulated over the year and the portion of revenues between the expenses. Apart from the financial statements that the company needs to present, it also provides necessary information about the market price of company shares and the dividends they pay for loans, other fees, and payments.Accountant perspective: The accountant perspective section of the end of year report is also known as the auditor’s report. The accountant provides external and unbiased feedback and review on the financial and operational status and health of the organization. It is especially useful for many public agencies and companies.Conclusion: The final section of the end of year report is the conclusion section. Here, there must be a formal and written conclusion in which the author reiterates the key points and elements of the end of year report.

How To Communicate a Powerful Story at the End of Year Report

An end of year report is a vital element that showcases a brand’s transparency and accountability. Instead of composing targeted and ponderous documents, organizations and companies aim to produce a report that resonates with a broader group of individuals. The report plans to communicate the values and goals that the brand has. Construct creative annual reports that utilize pleasing visual representations and are narrative-driven. Doing so helps businesses to connect and form relationships with stakeholders, investors, and consumers. The section below details how individuals can create a compelling narrative for their end of year report.

  • 1. Choose the Right Format To Produce the Report

    Annual reports matured and evolved over the past years. Most yearly reports from decades ago follow specific formats, making them bland and plain. There are different ways to deliver the end of year report through an engaging and exciting way to tell the brand story. As such, the organization must select the best format to use. The point of creating an end of year report is to showcase the achievements and accomplishments of the brand. As such, the audience and the company’s product, services, and brand mission influence the format the organization chooses. Print annual reports are the most user-friendly. They are straightforward. The digital format provides an organization to get more creative. Digital content also has the advantage of easy sharing, which allows more individuals to engage with the report. Interactive content, on the other hand, encourages individuals to engage with the content the organization has. Interactive annual reports are effective if the company has large data sets.

  • 2. Develop an Effective Narrative For the Report

    There is plenty of valuable information that is available at the end of year report, and without proper presentation, the entire report goes to waste. Remember that the annual report must communicate the brand story effectively. The author of the report must find a core narrative for the annual report. In this way, it is easier to craft the report, making its contents easier to digest for readers and showcasing the brand story in a positive light.

  • 3. Demonstrate the Brand Impact and Humanize the Work

    Creating an annual report provides an opportunity to highlight company accomplishments, build trust with the organization, and demonstrate success to shareholders. The goal is to make an emotional attachment and impact consumers and stakeholders to invest in the company. Utilize data, consumer testimonials, customer feedback, reviews, and stories to provide context to the information in the document. Nowadays, consumers expect transparency from companies. It must speak to people about how the brand is unique and its identity. When crafting the annual report, find opportunities to humanize the brand. Use images that speak about people, and incorporate interesting and effective quotes that showcase the organization.

  • 4. Create Visual Information with Factual Numbers

    If the end of year report deals with large data sets in numbers, make sure to supply data visualization tools as it is an effective form of communication while keeping the work visually pleasing to the audience. Presenting information is crucial to the annual report, so incorporate best design practices. The author can include callouts or any other additional context to ensure that readers understand the significance of the data sets the organization provides.

  • 5. Implement and Follow Best Design Practices

    The visual elements that are in the report influence how the organization tells its story. The visual elements that the author includes in the end of year report affect how readers view and interpret the information of the report. Think about how to use the design element to enhance the reading experience. It also pays to choose a visual theme according to the core narrative the company wants to deliver. Make sure that the visual elements in the report still reflect the brand identity.

  • 6. Use the Element of Surprise To Your Advantage

    Make the end of year report memorable to readers by incorporating delightful images, stories, and experiences in the report. The organization can even opt to include freebies together with the annual report. No matter what the company chooses to do, it must be within the company budget. The report is the opportunity that the company needs to make it stand out and to make a bold statement.

FAQs

How do you create a good annual report?

Remember that the annual report is a chance to share what makes the company unique. The company can introduce and illustrate stories, use photography materials boldly, showcase various multimedia elements, and adopt multiple formats.

What is a year-end statement?

A year-end statement or an IRS tax form 1908 is a status update on a mortgage payment. It contains information about the mortgage, including the interest rate, points, and property taxes.

How do you choose a financial year-end date?

Most companies choose their fiscal year-end dates based on seasonal fluctuations of the operating business and the availability of resources.

Creating an end of the year report or an annual report helps the company reach out to its stakeholders and shareholders about what makes them unique in comparison to its competitors. The contents of the annual report must provide sufficient background information about the organization. It also talks about the financial health and status and business performance to determine whether or not investors and customers will invest in the organization. Create a compelling, creative, and informative end of year report by downloading from the 20+ SAMPLE End of Year Report in PDF templates when you visit Sample.net.