Project Status / Progress Report
A status for each area written in words and shapes, milestone progress with the overall figure worked out, a cost snapshot, what was done and what comes next, open issues and the decisions you need.
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Country versions
- International
A template, not advice.
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What it is
A project status report tells the people who fund a project or depend on it where it stands: what is going well, what is not, what has been done, what comes next and what you need from them. Its value comes from being short, regular and honest. A reader should see within a minute whether they have to do anything.
This form gives every area (scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk) a status and a trend, written in words and with a shape (circle, triangle or square), so the report still reads in black and white and for readers who cannot tell the colours apart. The overall status is the worst of the areas unless you choose one yourself. Each milestone has a planned date, a forecast date and a percent complete; the form works out the slip in days, the overall progress and the gap to the plan. A cost snapshot, the work done and the work ahead, a table of issues and risks and the decisions you need complete the page. There is one international version. It is a general template, not legal or accounting advice.
When to use it
- You report to a sponsor, a steering committee or a client every week, every two weeks or every month.
- A gate review or a milestone meeting needs a one-page state of the project.
- A project passes from one manager to another and the new manager needs the current picture.
- You want a fixed format so readers can compare one period with the last.
How to fill it in
- Enter the project, the period the report covers and the date you write it; your name comes from your saved details.
- Write the summary of one or two sentences first, then give each area a status and a trend with a short reason.
- Update each milestone with its forecast date and percent complete; type 0 for those not yet started.
- Enter the planned progress for the end of the period; the gap to the plan and the longest slip appear by themselves.
- Fill in the cost snapshot, what was done and what comes next, then list issues, risks and decisions with an owner and a date.
- Print the report or download it as a Word or Excel file to send it on.
Common mistakes
- Reporting everything as green until it is suddenly red. Showing amber early is what makes the report useful.
- A status without a reason. "Amber" alone tells the reader nothing; add one line on why.
- Treating the overall progress as exact. It is the plain average of the milestones, so one very large milestone among many small ones can make it look better than it is.
- Leaving out the decisions needed. If something can only move when the reader acts, say what, who and by when.
- Changing the planned dates quietly. Keep the planned date and change only the forecast, so the slip stays visible.
Steps at a glance
- Fill in
- Check the preview
- Save as PDF, Word or Excel
Country versions
Pick the country you need. Each version uses the wording and layout commonly found there; a version marked “check with local advice” should be read by someone who knows the local rules before it is used.
- International (XX): Written in English, Korean, Japanese, German
Designs
The same form in several designs. The fields and the wording stay the same; only the look changes.
- Ledger
- Banner
- Executive
- Classic
- Modern
- Formal
- Minimal
- Side band
- Compact
- Boxed form
- Warm
- Plain (black and white)
Your details fill it in
Fields that ask for your name, address or company details are filled from My details, so you do not type them again; you can still change any field for one form. Signed in, your details stay in your account; otherwise they stay in this browser only. A passport, identity or social security number is never saved.
Questions
- How often should I send a status report?
- As often as decisions can still change the outcome: weekly for fast projects, every two weeks or monthly for slower ones. Keep the same format each time so readers can compare periods at a glance.
- How is the overall status chosen?
- By default it is the worst status among the areas. If your judgement differs, choose a status yourself in the overall status field; your choice then replaces the automatic one.
- How is the overall progress calculated?
- It is the plain average of the milestones that have a percentage. A milestone with nothing typed is left out, so enter 0 for those that have not started. If the milestones differ a lot in size, say so in the summary.
- What do slip and longest slip mean?
- The slip of a milestone is its forecast date minus its planned date, in days: a positive number is late, a negative one early. The longest slip is the largest of them.
- Do I need colours for the statuses?
- No. Each status is written as a word and a shape, so it does not depend on colour. If your organization wants coloured cells, you can add them in the Word file.
- Is this form legal, tax or accounting advice?
- No. It is a template: it gives you the usual structure and wording, not advice. Rules differ by country and case, so have someone qualified read anything that matters before you sign, send or file it.
- Which countries and designs does it come in?
- It comes in 1 country versions: International. 12 designs.
A form is a template, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules differ by country and case.