Project Status Report Template

A project status report template helps project managers prepare clear and concise reports of project status and performance information. Because it’s a template, it prompts reporting in a consistent manner.

A project status report provides the reader with insight regarding the health of a project. Typically, it provides an analysis of past performance and an analysis of project forecasts. It does this by reporting work performance information that’s gathered during the monitoring and controlling processes. That data comes from validating and controlling scope and controlling: schedule, costs, quality, communications, procurements, risks and stakeholder engagement.

The status report sets forth information regarding the current reporting period. In addition, it might also include the work planned for the next reporting period, the status of change requests and the status of issues.

From a communications perspective, the project status report is arguably the most important project management document. Where there is effective status reporting, stakeholders receive early indications of problems with the project. Where there is early detection, preventative and corrective measures can be swiftly implemented.

For this reason, the project status report should be drafted to suit the informational needs of those receiving the report. These needs may vary stakeholder to stakeholders. Some prefer a short, simple format and others prefer the more detailed, in-depth information that the template below is designed to capture.

During the project planning phase, take time to discover the status reporting requirements and develop an agreed upon (approved) reporting format. The template below should make this job easy. It prompts a rather detailed project status report; however, it’s completely editable. Simply modify it to fit the reporting needs of your project.

The project manager is the person responsible for preparing and distributing the project status report. It should be prepared and distributed frequently and at regular intervals.

The project status report is prepared and distributed frequently and at regular intervals. It’s used to inform the project sponsor and other stakeholders about the health of the project so that, if necessary, preventative or corrective measures can be swiftly implemented.