# How to Write Activity Reports

Salespeople write activity reports to share with management their actions and the results of these actions over a certain period. Required weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually and/or annually, activity reports help management understand how each salesperson is performing in certain areas and with which products or services, allowing them to tweak responsibilities or reorganize the structure as needed. Some companies provide their salespeople with activity report forms to fill out; others ask for spreadsheets; some require a short report.

Gather sales figures needed for the dates being reported on. This is easier for salespeople who keep their records up to date than those who wait until report-writing time to do so.

Complete an activity report form if your company provides one, filling in each section fully.

Compile the data needed to complete activity report spreadsheets, if necessary. Double-check the information before turning in to management.

Use a memo format if the company does not provide a form and expects more than a spreadsheet.

Present the necessary information, which will vary from company to company. Consider discussing the following: how many customer visits you made, which vendor shows you attended and/or participated in, how many demonstrations of the product you performed, how many proposals you sent out and how many proposals remain outstanding. Most importantly, tell your reader how many new clients the company has because of your sales efforts.

Write clearly and succinctly, using labeled graphs and charts when possible to show the data versus write about it.

Proofread your activity report before printing it and/or sending it to management.