Writing Reports that Earn Trust and Drive Decisions

Learn how to write clear, compelling, and professional reports that reflect your value, support confident decisions, and set you apart, whether you're advising clients, reporting to boards, or responding to SARS.

1 CPD unit 15 September 2025 1 presenter

What will set you apart

By completing this course you will gain the following competencies

By attending this webinar you will gain the following competencies
✅ How to structure and write reports clients and stakeholders actually read
✅ What separates a sloppy report from one that builds trust and authority
✅ How to explain technical issues without sounding like a textbook
✅ When and how to use visuals, headings, and summaries to drive home the message
✅ The language, tone, and formatting that gets reports noticed (and acted on)

Event breakdown

Why Writing Matters More Than Ever – The role of reporting in your professional credibility – How bad writing undermines your value
Different Reports, Different Goals – Advisory vs operational vs compliance reporting – Who are you writing for? Adjusting tone and focus
Anatomy of a Powerful Report – Purpose statement, executive summary, structure – Headings, subheadings, and logical flow
Clarity Over Complexity – Plain language writing (without dumbing it down) – Translating technical content into actionable language
Tone, Style and Formatting – Using white space, fonts, charts and tables effectively – Tips for Word and PDF formatting – How to make your report look polished and professional
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them – The 5 report sins (and how to avoid them) – Review checklists and real-world examples
Getting Your Report Read (and Used) – Executive summaries that grab attention – Structuring for decision-making – Call-to-action and follow-through
Turning Reporting Into a Billable Service – Charging for what you already do – Framing reports as expert deliverables – Positioning yourself as a trusted advisor

Category: Financial ReportingType: CPD CourseCPD category: Financial Reporting

Description

Too many good accountants lose credibility because of bad reports. Whether you’re preparing a client summary, writing up a set of management accounts, or drafting a risk report for the board. What you say and how you say it matters. In this practical CPD session, we’ll show you how to write reports that are clear, convincing, and professional. You’ll learn how to structure your thinking, avoid common writing mistakes, and present information in a way that drives decisions. If you want your reports to stand out, support your value, and get clients to take you seriously, this is for you.

Presenters

Leana van der Merwe — Leana van der Merwe is a Chartered Accountant and Registered Auditor with over 18 years of experience in business accounting, audit and corporate governance. A former Audit Director and professional-body Technical and Standards Executive, she has guided more than 14,000 professionals through complex regulatory matters. Leana also serves on the PAFA Technical Advisory Group, the IFAC Anti-Money Laundering Committee and the IFRS Foundation SME Implementation Group.

You will earn a certificate

On successful completion you will receive a certificate for 1 CPD unit in Financial Reporting.

Requirements

Laptop, desktop, or mobile device with internet access
Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Safari, or Firefox browser