financial reports or treasurer's reports

Does anyone have any models or suggestions for good financial reports? The balance sheet and budget/actual, check register, bank reconciliation, etc. pages are standard, I know, but it can be hard to see what's important among all the data, unless you're a financial professional. The treasurer doesn't seem to be able to say a few words pointing out what's essential at our monthly board meetings. Let me quote from a book that pretty much describes how I feel:

"Is the information comprehensible? Directors should insist that reports, including financial reports, be understandable. The monthly treasurer's report to a board I chaired was computer-generated and ran to six pages. It was hard to follow, and it left me and the whole committee feeling illiterate. Such reports are not only useless, they are dangerous. They give the appearance of reporting, while still leaving everyone in the dark. Our board was better served by a one-page report that concentrated on the essentials."

[Edgar Stoesz, Doing Good Even Better]

I felt a little less inadequate when I read this. If an experienced director (Heifer Project, Habitat for Humanity and others) could feel the same way as I do, maybe it is possible to do the financial reporting a little better.

I put together something for my association a couple of months ago. You might find it useful. The link is below.

http://mountainglen2.org/Understanding%20Your%20Financial%20Reports.pdf

DonnaR, we provide by email monthly to all Board members - a Balance Sheet, Income statement with actual vs budgeted for month and YTD line item amounts for all income and expenses, check register, and aged receivables. Also, for those HOAs which request them, a cash flow chart and quarterly bank statements.

All accounting is cash basis and is comprehensive and easy to understand by anyone.

Yes, we are self managed and the reports are prepared by the Treasurer.