Top 7 tips for writing investigation reports analysts and decision makers understand

A guide to making your findings clear, useful, and ready for action

You’re not just documenting what happened.
You’re handing off an investigation.
Your report needs to work for:

- Analysts, who may continue the case
- Decision makers, who need to act fast and clearly

These tips will help you write reports that are easy to understand, easy to trust, and easy to act on.

1. Start with what matters

- Begin with your main finding.
- Don’t make analysts or decision makers search for the point.
- Say what happened and why it matters first, in a short summary and bullet points.

Details come after.

2. Know who’s reading

Different people use reports in different ways.
- Analysts need sources and proof
- Decision makers need risks, impact, and next steps

Write your report so both can get what they need without confusion.

3. Show your path, not just your result

Don’t just say what you found.
Show how you found it.
If something came from a document, a message, or a database:
- Say where it came from
- Add the date
- Link the source

This helps others trust your work and continue the investigation.

4. Keep it clear and structured

Use:
- Headings
- Bullet points
- Simple sections
Group your findings by topic:
- People
- Activity
- Locations

This makes the report easy to scan for both analysts and managers.

5. Use visuals only if they help

Timelines, maps, and charts are great when they explain things faster than text.
Use visuals to show:
- Who is connected to who
- What happened first and what came after
- Patterns and trends

Don’t use visuals just to decorate.

6. Don’t rewrite what your tools already build

If your platform already organizes:
Data
- Links
- Evidence
- Summaries
Use it.

Don’t waste time copying and pasting the same information into another format.

7. End with what happens next

Always close your report with:

- A short summary
- Open leads
- Recommended next steps

Decision makers should instantly see:
- What action is needed
- What the priority should be
- What’s still unknown

Reporting in Falkor: clear, structured, done in minutes

• Choose exactly what to include (case info, leads, evidence, files, conclusions)
• Automatically link sources and connected entities
• Customize reports for different audiences (analysts vs. decision makers)
• Export clean, timestamped reports with full traceability

Fast. Clear. Built for action.

From case to report in seconds. Explore more about reports.