How to Create a Client Report

The Client Report is your go-to tool for turning complex cybersecurity data into a clear, digestible summary your clients can actually understand — no tech jargon required (unless you really want to).

It’s designed to give your clients — and prospects — a high-level overview of their overall cybersecurity posture, without overwhelming them with pages of detail. Whether you’re running a quarterly review or kicking off a sales conversation, the Client Report helps you tell a compelling story about their IT security: what’s working, what’s not, and what needs urgent attention.

The Client Report isn’t just a pretty PDF — it’s a versatile, high-impact tool that helps you clearly communicate value to both prospects and existing clients. Whether you’re in sales, onboarding, or delivering ongoing service reviews, it gives you the power to tell a compelling security story backed by real data.

Here are some of the most valuable ways MSPs use the Client Report:

Many MSPs prefer to send the Client Report ahead of scheduled meetings to give clients time to review. During the meeting itself, they’ll walk through the printed report (yes — printed!), instead of navigating HighGround live. Why? It reduces distractions, avoids awkward login issues, and keeps the conversation focused on the client — not the clicks.

However you choose to use the Client Report — as a pre-sales asset, a QBR centerpiece, or an accountability tool — you’re in full control of what’s included. as detailed below in 3.0 - Customizing the client report.

No two clients are the same — and neither are their reporting needs. That’s why HighGround gives you full control to customize each Client Report, so you can spotlight what really matters.

Want to tweak the layout? Pick and choose which data points to include? Dial up or down the level of detail? You’re in charge. With just a few clicks, you can build reports that align perfectly with your client’s priorities — whether you’re speaking to a tech-savvy IT manager or a less technical business owner.

The result? Reports that are clear, relevant, and easy to understand — helping you drive better conversations, make smarter recommendations, and demonstrate real value.

Let’s take a closer look at the powerful customization options available to you.

A great client report isn’t just about showing data — it’s about telling a story your client actually cares about. That’s where the cover note comes in.

The cover note lets you add a personalized message right at the top of the report - giving you the perfect space to:

Whether you’re celebrating a security milestone or flagging an urgent issue, the cover note helps frame the conversation and adds a human touch to what could otherwise feel like a wall of stats.

It’s your chance to turn a technical report into a relationship-building tool — helping clients not only see the data, but truly understand what it means for their business.

Not all clients care about the same things — so why should every report follow the same structure?

With HighGround’s simple drag-and-drop interface, you can easily rearrange the sections of your Client Report to put the most important insights front and centre. Want to lead with risk insights? No problem. Prefer to start with asset visibility or user behaviour? Just drag it to the top.

Here’s how it works:
Click and hold any section, then drag it to your preferred spot in the report. That’s it. No complex menus, no hidden settings.

This customizable layout makes it easy to tailor each report to your client’s priorities — helping you deliver a clearer, more relevant summary that keeps them focused on what matters most.

Sometimes less is more — especially when it comes to helping clients focus on what really matters. That’s why HighGround lets you easily hide sections and subsections of the Client Report using the built-in toggle feature.

With just a click, you can collapse any part of the report that isn’t immediately relevant to the conversation. Whether it’s a section you’ve already covered or one that doesn’t apply to the client’s current setup, toggling it off helps keep the report clean, focused, and easy to navigate.

Here’s how:

Just hit the toggle button next to any section or subsection to hide or reveal its content. You can streamline the report view without losing access to the full data — it’s still there whenever you need it.

This simple feature helps you deliver a report that’s clutter-free, client-friendly, and tailored to the conversation at hand.

Client Reports are designed to bridge the gap between technical data and business decisions. They present key insights in a clear, jargon-free format — perfect for business owners who want to stay informed without needing a crash course in cybersecurity.

You can include a range of high-impact insights, such as:

By tailoring each report to the client’s business goals and risk tolerance, you’re not just handing over data — you’re delivering context, clarity, and trusted advice.

Let’s face it — most business leaders don’t want to read a wall of technical detail. That’s why HighGround translates complex cybersecurity data into clear, visual KPIs that make security posture easy to understand at a glance.

Here’s how we do it:

These visuals turn technical assessments into business-level insights — making it easier for clients to see where they stand, where they need to go, and how you’re helping them get there.

Tracking technology spend isn’t just about keeping the accountants happy — it’s about giving clients visibility into where their IT budget is actually going, and making sure it’s working for them.

HighGround’s Client Report includes a detailed breakdown of costs across all major technology areas, including:

By presenting this breakdown clearly, you help clients understand:

Whether you're trying to justify a security upgrade or highlight cost-saving opportunities, this section turns financial data into practical insights — so you can have smarter, more strategic budget conversations.

Client Reports can also provide a detailed view of all active software and service subscriptions — giving both you and your clients a clearer picture of where their money is going beyond your MSP.

This visibility helps you:

Armed with this data, you can lean into budget conversations with confidence. Whether it’s identifying unused or overlapping tools, consolidating services, or migrating subscriptions under your management, you’re in a strong position to:

It’s not just about saving money — it’s about helping clients spend smarter, with you as their trusted advisor.

Understanding a client’s current security posture is key to identifying both their strengths and their vulnerabilities — and that’s exactly what the Client Report helps you deliver.

By including a clear, high-level assessment of their cybersecurity capabilities, you can show:

This level of insight not only helps clients better understand their risk exposure, but also opens the door for deeper, more strategic conversations. It gives you a great reason to get more face time with clients, work together to fill in the gaps, and position yourself as a trusted advisor in their ongoing cybersecurity journey.

Including a summary of a client’s digital assets provides a clear understanding of how well their IT inventory is understood.

The Assets section highlights some key points:

By discussing your clients understanding of their digital assets, including the importance of adequately mapping and managing them, this helps clients understand why these have a negative impact on their security posture and demonstrates the value in mitigating these issues.

When working with clients in HighGround, it’s easy to turn insights into action. You can quickly create tasks to ensure important actions aren’t missed — and just as importantly, you can assign clear ownership from the start.

Each task can be marked as either:

These tasks — typically security-related actions — can be included directly in the Client Report. This makes it crystal clear who’s doing what, and helps avoid confusion or missed follow-ups.

By listing these actions in the report, you’re not only showing that the next steps are under control — you’re also reinforcing trust. Clients can see that there’s a plan in place, responsibilities are clearly assigned, and progress is being tracked. That builds confidence and keeps everyone aligned.

Rarely will a clients security posture be in tip-top, perfect condition. In the majority of cases, you will be presenting some improvements or changes to their current security capabilities which you can address through one of your managed security packages.

HighGround lets you include both your recommended security package and an alternative package directly in the Client Report — making it easy for clients to see exactly what you’re proposing, what it will cost, and how it will improve their security posture.

Each package is documented in clear, professional detail, including:

This comprehensive view gives your clients everything they need to make an informed decision. It takes the guesswork out of pricing and value, positions you as a trusted advisor, and gives clients a clear, confident path forward.

Whether you're upselling, repositioning services, or simply formalizing what you already deliver, these packages turn technical expertise into tangible business value — right there in the report.

Once a client report is complete, you can print it to PDF by clicking 'export' or 'print'.