In a way, business report covers are similar to shoes. Most people have a variety of shoes because some are better for certain occasions than others. Similarly, there are covers that fit certain reports and certain situations better than others. Variety is the key to a good shoe closet, and it’s also the key to effectively using report covers and report cover folders.
One-piece report covers include a spine and do not require binding.
One-Piece Covers
Standard One-Piece Cover
A business report cover sheet made from one piece of stock allows you the freedom to either bind your materials together or leave them loose inside, like a folder. The inclusion of a spine makes one-piece report covers look more like a book or magazine. Add a spine attachment so that you can easily bind your materials in-house by hand instead of sending them out to a printer or using a binding machine. Some one-piece covers also come with tabs that allow you to bind small packets using a stapler. The only downside to using one-piece covers is that the spine is not very large, so you are limited to the amount of materials you can store without compromising the integrity of the cover.
Report covers with tabs make it easier for recipients to organize information.
File Tab Cover
Add a tab to your professional report covers to turn them into makeshift file folders. This makes it easier to store materials in a drawer or cabinet and quickly find them again for future reference. File tab covers are great for annual or quarterly reports because you can print the year or quarter directly onto the tab and then organize all of your reports in chronological order. File tab covers can be designed either vertically or horizontally, though you should always design the tab horizontally because that’s how it will sit in a drawer.
A manuscript cover helps make a single document look its best.
Manuscript Cover
A manuscript cover gives your business a better package with which to present legal documents. Manuscript covers give special occasions (like signing a new business deal or closing on a sale) a little more pageantry, which helps to make your business look good. These report covers are made out of one piece of stock folded up to create a neat little package. Manuscript covers are available in both letter and legal sizes, so no matter what type of document you have, you can present it in an impressive way. The downside to using manuscript covers is that they’re limited in terms of how much they can hold inside.
Three panel report covers give you more design space an a unique reading experience.
Three Panel Report Cover
A three-panel report cover gives you extra design space to include pictures, graphics and important information. Your report is bound to one end while the other two panels fold out, creating a completely different reading experience. Three-panel report covers let you have bigger, bolder designs since there is a much larger canvas to work with.
One-piece report covers can include a die-cut window that reveals a portion of the cover's contents.
One-Piece Window Report Cover
A die-cut window can be added to one-piece report covers to create a dynamic aesthetic. The addition of a window lets your recipients have a small preview of the content inside, which helps to pique their curiosity. Windows provide more than just an interesting look; they let you customize your folder by changing what’s behind the window. This lets you use the same cover for multiple reports or create personalized reports for your recipients.
Two-piece report covers have no spine, which means they work for any size report.
Two-Piece Covers
Standard Two-Piece Cover
A two-piece report cover has a detached front and back cover that is used to bookend larger reports. Since there is no spine, you’re free to make as large of a report as you want without worrying about storage space. A two-piece cover is intended for bound reports since this is the only way to attach the cover to your materials.
Two-piece report covers may also feature additions like a pocket or business card slit.
Pocket Report Cover
The lack of storage space in a two-piece report cover can be rectified by adding pockets to the inside panels. Pocket report covers let you include additional materials with your report, such as brochures, booklets, pamphlets and even small product samples. Add a business card slit so that your report always includes your contact information.
Vertical report covers provide the same storage space, but a unique design aesthetic.
Vertical Pocket Report Cover
Some pockets go vertically down the interior of the report cover to create a unique look. You can store the same materials in a vertical pocket as you can horizontally, the only difference is the aesthetic. Vertical pockets give you room to print additional information and material. We read from top to bottom, so a vertical pocket design is better at grabbing your audience’s attention.
A two-piece report cover with a window provides a preview of the contents inside.
Two-Piece Window Report Cover
Just like one-piece report covers, a two-piece report cover can be customized with a die-cut window to give recipients a taste of what’s inside.
This post is a part of our Report Covers 101 product guide.
