BLogic Systems

Report Formatting Standard

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A financial report in Excel must be clear, structured, and professional, ensuring easy analysis and print-ready formatting. The design must follow these best practices to avoid unnecessary adjustments when exporting to PDF or other formats.

Checklist for Report Design

★ Avoid excessive color fills – Keep it clean & professional

★ The report must be export-ready with minimal modifications

★ Columns & rows are properly sized for PDF/Print

★ The summary section is clearly visible

★ Numbers are properly formatted

★ The report follows a consistent standard

A. Font Type & Size

•    Font Type: Calibri (Professional & space-saving)

•    Font Size:

      • Title/Header: 14–16 pt, bold
      • Subheadings: 12–14 pt, bold
  • Data (Numbers & Text): 8–10 pt (for saving space)
  • Notes/Disclaimers: 8–10 pt, italicized

B. Text Alignment

•    Headers: Left or right-aligned + Bold

•    Numeric Data: Right-aligned (for easy comparison)

•    Text Labels: Left or right-aligned + Bold

Column Width (px):

 

Column Type

Width (px)

Description

 

General Data

 

12–15 px

 

Ensures proper readability

Currency Columns

7–12 px

Based on digit length

Up to 6 digits + 2 decimals

7 px

e.g., 123456.00

10-11 digits + 2 decimals (Millions)

11 px

e.g., 1,234,567.00

Date Columns

6 px

Use MM/DD/YY format to save space

 C. Row Height

•    Default Row Height: 15 px (Ensures proper visibility)

•    Header Rows: 25–30 px (For clear separation)

D. Numbers & Currency Format

•    Use Number Format without $ to save space → 1,000.00

•    Use Comma Style → 1,000.00 (For large numbers)

•    Use Percentage Format → 10.25% (For financial ratios

•    Round to 2 decimal places for clarity (Avoid unnecessary decimals)

E. Conditional Formatting for Quick Insights

•      Use RED font or parentheses (500.00) for negative numbers

•    Use GREEN highlights for positive financial growth

 F. Standard Report Sections

•    Column Headings: Left or right-aligned + Bold + Wrap Text

•    Total Summary: Bold

•    Title/Header: Merged, Bold

H. Page Setup for Printing & PDF Export

•      Margins: 0.2” – 0.5”

•      Fit to Page: Set width to 1 page wide (avoids cutting off data).

•      Header/Footer: Include Company Name, Report Title, and Date.

•      Page Orientation:

      • Portrait for standard financial tables.
      • Landscape for wide reports with multiple columns.