Many marketing professionals appreciate how a well-designed report can enhance the organization’s credibility and brand recognition among their readers. Knowing the potential impact of the report, marketing teams are increasingly turning to report designers to take their written content and bring it to life.

But, you can’t expect designers to create a visual masterpiece complete with infographics, charts, and stunning graphics without some preparation beforehand. Putting together a successful report requires more than just text. To create a polished report, your designer will need you to provide some essential items (and sometimes, in specific formats).

You are likely aware that you will need to provide the style guide, logos, and photos that you would like to use. But are the logos in the right format? Did you select high-resolution images? These may seem like minor issues, but your report designer knows that these minor issues can have a large impact on the quality of the final report. If the items are not prepared properly, it will lead to a lot of back-and-forth exchanges over what is needed. While these exchanges with your designer can be time-consuming, they are usually avoidable.

Collaboration is key to a successful report design. In this post, we’ll go over everything you need to provide your report designer with to ensure a smooth process and successful outcome.

I encourage my clients to use my report design checklist to prepare the content they’re planning on sending to their designer. In addition to saving a lot of time and aggravation, there are other benefits, including:

You can avoid extra fees
You will receive a high-quality report ready for print and digital platforms
You will increase trust with your audience
You will receive a report that is consistent with your brand

Use the following checklist as a guide to achieve superior results and ensure a smooth report-design process.

A list of design assets needed

Brand guidelines

We will use your brand style guide to match the colors and fonts already established in your guide. It’s very important to have a branded document to guide your designer while she creates your report design. If you don’t have brand guidelines yet, we can help you create a style guide before we design your report.

Logo in vector format

Please provide your logo in AI, EPS, or SVG (vector/editable) format, so we can resize it or change the colors depending on the design needs.

What is a vector file?

A vector file is an image that can be made infinitely large without losing quality. It usually comes with one of the following extensions: .AI, .EPS, .PDF, or .SVG file.

Why don’t JPG and PNG files work?

JPG and PNG files can't be resized without losing quality; they tend to become pixelated when enlarged. Additionally, unlike vector formats, changing colors in JPG and PNG files is difficult.

Existing design files

If you have an existing design file that you would like to continue using, please send it to us. We can use it as a template and create your report based on the existing design. Even if you want a new design, we can refer to the existing font sizes, color palette, and design format to inform the new report design. This can save you money since we won’t have to create a new template from scratch.

Photos

Whenever possible, provide your designer with high-quality photos. The photos should look crisp and sharp. If you would like to create a print booklet, I strongly recommend using images with a resolution of 300 dpi (you can find more information on how to prepare a high-quality print project here). If you can’t locate high-quality photos, we can find the perfect stock images for your project.

Tip: When you select a photo for a report cover, use an image that isn’t busy. A simple image allows the audience’s attention to be drawn to the headline. Using this tip will help your designer create a report design that will get results.

Data in Excel

It’s a great idea to include charts, graphics, and infographics in your report design to make it more engaging for readers. If you have data you’d like to add, you can send us the database created in Excel.

Content (the final draft)

Please provide us with the final draft of your content to eliminate multiple costly revisions. Normally, we have three to five rounds of revisions. However, additional charges may be required for revisions beyond the scope agreed upon in the contract.

Your business information

The business information for your organization is an essential part of your report. You want to make it easy for a potential client to get in touch with you, so make sure to include items, such as:

Website URL

Mailing address

Phone number

Social media accounts

QR code that links to a site for further information (These days, most of my clients prefer to include a QR code in the report)

Tip: If you want your report to be printed, create a document that has a multiple of 4 pages (4, 8, 12 pages, etc.). Keep this in mind when you write the content for your report, so you don’t have to make big adjustments when you add or eliminate text.

The average length of report design projects is 20-24 pages.

Print deadlines

If you plan to print your report, remember to factor in 3-5 days for print production and some extra time for shipping. Depending on how long you’d like your report to be, you should plan at least one month before your final deadline. In other words, you should write the content and allow one month for the design and print process.

Discover how NN Design can help you

Are you ready to start a successful report design? Visit my report design services page for more information. Do you have a specific project you’d like to get a quote for? Contact me and we can discuss your project.

What to Prepare Before Working with a Designer to Create a Successful Report Design