Contents
Invoices, statements, reports, quotes and receipts, your business needsto communicate specific and accurate information with clients and staffand make sure that everything is watertight from a legal and businessperspective. You want to make sure there is no confusion at all when itcomes to what services you are providing, and the relevant agreementsinvolved.
To create effective, relevant documents, there are four primary factorsyou have to consider:
Audience
Who is going to be receiving and reading the document? Are they familiarwith your industry and its technicalities? Alternatively, are theyoutsiders whom you need to take through these details in a clear anddirect manner? It is essential to get the tone or “voice” of thedocument just right.
Professional documents will need to be written formally and may requirespecific stipulations laid out in a precise manner. If you are writingto persuade potential new customers, then the tone can be more relaxedand friendly. It is good to have a look at other examples of the samedocument by other companies in your field to get an indication of whatworks best.
A good test is to read your text aloud and see if the tone is fit forpurpose. If it sounds stilted or doesn’t get to the point, you will hearthat, and be able to make the necessary changes.
Format
Depending on what you are trying to achieve, the type of document youare creating can vary widely. Accounting documentation has itsconventions, with set formats for invoices, statements and reminders,respectively.
Things are less set in stone when you are looking to create a report orproposal. You will have to carefully consider what it is that the readeris looking for, and what benefits you regarding conveying thatinformation. For example, if you are creating a report for potentialinvestors, you want to bring figures for productivity and profitabilityto the fore. Often, people will have a set idea of what information theyneed beforehand, and it is your job to make it as easy as possible forthem to find it.
Layout
By designing your document with ease-of reading in mind, you can engagethe recipient more effectively. Break up different sections withdistinct start and end points. Include headings, an index, page breaksand white-space to keep the reader’s eye moving.
You should avoid huge, unwieldy walls of text at all costs. If thereader cannot scan through and find what they need quickly, then you mayhave lost their interest, or have to waste time explaining details at alater point.
Graphics such as charts and illustrations can be useful, but think avoidincluding too many unnecessarily. You may have a limited amount of pagespace, and graphics that don’t serve a definite purpose will eat thatup. As with the text, think about what you are trying to communicate.
Style
It is tempting to base the visual style of your document of personalpreferences, but it is better overall to research what is expected as anindustry standard and conform to that. The feel of the document shouldreflect its purpose, and a consistent look should hold up throughout. You can achieve this by sticking to one or two fonts and two or threecolours. Too many variations will create a disjointed, jumbled style.
The visual style should complement your layout, and appeal to yourtarget audience. Once you have completed the document, spend some timeto look over it and see if it does work as a whole, in conveying themessage you need it to.
Automatic Generation
The alternative is to use software that automatically generates thedocuments you need, based on criteria previously entered into thesystem. Automation has the advantage of a consistent look and layoutevery time and avoids the need to input the same information over andover again.
If you are interested in automatically creating attractive, clearbusiness documents that convey a clear message, SwiftCase can help. Askfor ademonstration of our powerful business process managementplatform, today.
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