Turn work logs into a monthly summary table and chart

01What you will complete in this article

The result you will complete is not a report packed with numbers, but a table and explanatory sentences that readers can understand the same way at first reading. First fix the scope of the table, check the calculations, and write the sentences with units last. Following this order reduces cases where different bases get mixed, such as a table based on August data and text based on July.

02First define the scope of the table in one line

Even if the numbers themselves are right, you cannot compare them if they count different things. This example counts “requests received in each month that were completed by the end of the same month.” Requests received in the previous month and completed this month are not included. Keeping this definition under the table connects the completed count to the received count, which is its denominator.

• Target: distinguish whether it is people, requests, or the number of times something was processed.
• Period: state whether months are divided by received date or completed date.
• Exclusions: record how cancelled, duplicate, and carried-over items are handled.
• Source: do not write only a file name; also record the version or extraction date and the relevant table and row.

03Order for turning a table into sentences

1. Keep the source data and make a working copy. Before changing sorting and filters, record the total number of rows and the current filters.
2. Put the target, period, and unit in the table title and each column name. Convert numbers in different units first, then put them in the same column.
3. Check what totals and subtotals include. Do not add subtotals again to a total made by adding the detail rows.
4. Recalculate ratios by putting the numerator and denominator side by side. If the denominator is 0 or missing, do not write 0 %; show why it cannot be calculated.
5. Keep enough digits during calculation and round to the chosen number of digits only when displaying.
6. Compare the numbers in the text with the table, then attach the source and unresolved items. If you corrected a number, also find and fix the title, summary, and chart description.

04Monthly results table example created for this article

7월 완료율 = 96 ÷ 120 × 100 = 80.0 %
8월 완료율 = 123 ÷ 150 × 100 = 82.0 %
완료율 차이 = 82.0 − 80.0 = +2.0 %p
접수량 증가율 = (150 − 120) ÷ 120 × 100 = 25.0 %

Example sentence: “The completion rate, based on requests received in the same month, rose 2.0 pp from 80.0 % in July to 82.0 % in August. Received requests increased 25.0 % from 120 to 150.” Here, the 2.5 % relative increase in completion rate and the 2.0 pp difference in completion rate are different calculations. Choose the expression that fits the purpose of the report and label it.

05Change numbers and units together

If you change the column title to mm but leave the value as 1.25, it means something 1,000 times different from the original length. When you change the unit of an entire table, check the values, column title, footnotes, and text together. If a table uses only one unit, you can state it in the title, such as “Length (mm),” instead of repeating the symbol in every cell.

BIPM's SI Brochure explains the principles of a space between the number and the unit symbol, consistent use of unit symbols, and a uniform number format within the same table column. Write 23.5 °C, and distinguish mm from m or MPa from Pa. For amounts and counts in work documents, follow your organization's style, but state the currency and any multiplier such as thousands or millions.

06How to check that it is complete

1. Re-read the received and completed counts in the two rows of source-data.json. Compare them one by one with 120, 96, 150, and 123 in the table.
2. Calculate the two completion rates, their difference, and the growth in received requests independently. Check that the results are 80.0 %, 82.0 %, 2.0 pp, and 25.0 %.
3. Check the synthetic unit examples 1.25 m = 1250 mm and 2450 g = 2.45 kg.
4. Search the document for “completion rate,” “received,” “mm,” and “kg” to see that the same value is not repeated with a different unit or period.
5. Leave completion marks in checklist.txt, and confirm unresolved criteria with the owner or the source data. A check mark does not guarantee that the source data is accurate.

07Common errors and where to fix them

08Scope and how to use the downloaded files

This check is a procedure for finding errors in the process of moving numbers into a document. It does not verify gaps in the source data, the validity of work definitions, or the calibration of measuring equipment. If values conflict, do not pick the one that looks better; record both sources and the difference. If a statutory form or a contract requires specific unit or rounding rules, check those rules separately.

• README.txt: practice steps and file descriptions
• checklist.txt: blank checklist and example answers
• source-data.json: synthetic source data and unit conversion examples

References were checked on the official pages on September 19, 2026. The 2026 update on the BIPM page and NIST's style guidance were used as the basis for the unit explanations. The rest of the work steps and the synthetic example were written for this article.

Execution and verification record

Windows local Python standard library; official sources checked 2026-09-19

• Checked the synthetic data's completion rates of 80 % and 82 %, the 2 pp difference, and the 25 % growth in received requests with Fraction
• Checked the length and mass conversions with Decimal
• Checked the article JSON structure and that the download files exist

Site-wide writing and verification principles

References

The explanations and examples were written for this site. See the official sources below for the related behavior and concepts.

• BIPM, SI Brochure 9th edition · 2026 update, Section 5.4 ↗ (New tab)
• NIST, Guide to the SI, Chapter 7: Rules for expressing values of quantities ↗ (New tab)