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If you’ve never written a project status report before, don’t worry—you’re in the right place. I’ve written lots of them over the years, and I’ve learned that simple updates go a long way in keeping everyone informed and focused. In this post, I explain what project status reports are, how I write them, and how you can create one that’s clear, helpful, and easy to share.
What is a project status report?
A project status report is a document that shows how a project is doing right now. It includes updates on the work done so far, what still needs to be done, any possible problems, and other important details that project stakeholders need to know about.
What is the purpose of a project status report?
The purpose of a project status report is to keep everyone updated on how a project is going. From my experience, a project status report encourages honest communication. If something is going wrong, like a delay in delivering a task or not enough people to do the work, the report helps us spot it early and fix it together.
4 Types of project status reports
Not all project status reports are the same. Depending on what you need to share and who you're sharing it with, there are a few different types. Here are four common ones:
Daily status report: This is shared at the end of every day. It gives a quick look at what was done today, what’s planned for tomorrow, and if there are any existing or expected issues. It’s helpful for complex or fast-moving projects.
Weekly status report: This gives a quick update on the project every week. It shows what's been done, what’s next, and if there are any issues or blockers. It’s great for keeping the team and stakeholders in the loop without too much detail.
Monthly status report: This report shows overall progress, budget updates, deliverables, and problems. It’s useful for clients who want a big-picture view of the project.
Quarterly status reports: This one looks at a project’s progress over three months. It helps teams and stakeholders review long-term goals, check if the project is on track, and plan for the next steps. These reports are often used for large projects or during company-wide planning.
Benefits of a project status report
Over the years, I’ve found that regular project status reports can make a huge difference in how a project runs. They keep everyone informed, minimize confusion, and help teams work better together. Here are some of the biggest benefits I’ve seen:
Better communication: Status reports cut down on confusion, missed messages, or repeated questions. When everyone knows what’s going on, it's easier to work together and hit deadlines.
Increased transparency: By sharing updates openly, people can see both the progress and the challenges. It builds trust because nothing is hidden. Even when something goes wrong, it’s better to talk about it early so the team can help solve it.
Fewer surprises: Nobody likes last-minute problems (especially at work). Regular reports help catch delays before they grow into bigger issues. This way, the team and stakeholders have time to react and adjust plans if needed.
Clear direction: A project status report reminds everyone what we’ve done so far, where we are now, and what’s coming next. This helps keep the team focused. It’s also a great way to show progress and celebrate wins along the way.
Who needs to be included in a project status report?
A project status report should include everyone who needs to know how the project is going. This usually includes:
The project team, so they can stay on the same page and solve problems together
Project managers, to track progress and keep the project on schedule
Clients or stakeholders, to show that their expectations are being met
Other departments like finance or marketing, if their work depends on the project
How to write a project status report in 6 steps
Writing a project status report doesn’t have to be difficult. Follow these six steps to create a clear and helpful update that keeps everyone informed:
Start with a summary: Begin your report with a short overview of the project’s current status. Explain whether the project is on track or if there are any challenges or bottlenecks. This helps readers see the main idea before reading the details.
List what’s done: Next, list the tasks or milestones your team has completed since the last update. This section shows the work that’s moving the project forward. Be specific so everyone knows exactly what progress has been made.
Explain what’s next: Tell everyone what the team plans to work on next and when these tasks should be finished. It helps the team stay organized and lets stakeholders know what to expect.
Highlight any problems: Be honest about any issues or delays the project is facing. Don’t try to hide problems! Explain how these issues might affect the timeline or budget. Calling them out early allows the team to find solutions quickly.
Include key numbers: Add important details like project budget updates, hours spent, or percentage of work completed. Numbers make the report easier to understand. They show if the project is staying within budget and on schedule.
End with a plan: Finish the report by outlining how you will move the project forward. Mention any actions needed to solve current problems. This shows that your team is proactive. A strong finish makes stakeholders feel sure the project is on the right track.
Recommended templates
Get a head start on your projects with easy-to-use templates. These templates are designed to help you manage projects more efficiently, stay organized, and save time. Whether you're tracking progress, managing tasks, or setting goals, there's a template here to support your workflow.
1. Project tracker template
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Being able to quickly see the status of each project is essential to hitting deadlines, keeping clients happy, and spotting bottlenecks before they become problems. Use our project tracker template to break your work into clear steps, so you can easily see and share progress, manage everything in one place, and save time by automating your admin tasks.
2. Task management template
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When you're managing many projects, it’s easy to lose track of everything that needs to be done. Our task management template helps you save time by automating boring and repetitive admin work, making it easier to stay organized and focus on getting things done.
3. OKR template
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Our OKR template helps you plan your team’s goals for specific projects and your overall workload. You can set clear objectives, assign tasks to team members, and mark goals as done. It gives you a full view of all your work in one easy-to-access spot.
6 best practices to create actionable project status reports
Over the years, I’ve learned a few simple ways to make project status reports more useful and actually worth reading. These best practices help keep your updates clear, helpful, and action-focused for everyone involved:
Show progress and celebrate wins: A project status report isn’t just about updates. It’s also a great way to show that projects are moving forward. When clients or project stakeholders see progress, they feel satisfied. And when the team sees their hard work is making a difference, it motivates them. I always try to highlight key wins, like finishing a big task or hitting a milestone, while still being honest about any issues.
Avoid adding too much detail: Keep things short and focused. It’s easy to add too much information. Just share what’s most important to your team and stakeholders. Using a report template really helps here, because it reminds me what to include and what to leave out.
Use visuals to tell a story: Most people understand things faster when they can see them. I like to add simple visuals like progress bars, charts, or a Gantt timeline to make key updates clearer. It also makes the report more interesting to look at, which makes people want to read it.
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Make the report accessible: People may need to go back and check previous updates, so it’s important to store reports in a place everyone can access. I use Teamwork.com as it keeps all reports in one place. That way, I’m not wasting time digging through emails or a million different spreadsheets to find the one I’m looking for.
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Use tools that do the heavy lifting: I always recommend using a good project management tool to help track everything. With Teamwork.com, for example, I can keep an eye on progress, timelines, and tasks, and easily turn that data into a project status report. It saves me time and helps me create clearer, more accurate updates without starting from scratch each time.
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Ask for feedback on your reports: If people are reading your reports, it makes sense to ask them what they think. I like to check in with senior management now and then to see if the reports are helpful or if something’s missing. I usually set up a short chat, or just let people know at the end of a meeting they can always share suggestions. It’s a great way to learn how to improve your workflow.
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Project status report example
Here’s an example of what a good project status report looks like.
Project name: Website Redesign
Date: May 16, 2025
Prepared by: Sarah, Project Manager
Project summary
We’re redesigning the company website to improve user experience and increase conversions. The project is currently in the development phase and moving along as planned.
What’s been completed
Finalized new homepage and product page designs
Approved mobile layout and navigation
Set up staging environment for development
What’s in progress
Development team is building the homepage and main navigation
Content team is rewriting product descriptions
QA checklist is being drafted for upcoming testing phase
What’s coming next
Begin internal QA testing next week
Client review scheduled for May 24
Launch plan draft due by end of the month
Issues
Waiting on two missing product images from the client, which could delay content upload
Slight delay in mobile testing due to limited device availability
Budget & resources
Currently on budget and using planned resources
No additional needs at this time
Next steps
Continue development and content updates
Follow up with client for missing assets
Prepare for QA and client review
Generate top-notch project status reports with Teamwork.com
Creating clear, useful project status reports doesn’t have to take hours. With Teamwork.com, you can track your project’s progress in real time and turn that data into professional reports in just a few clicks. Whether you need to share updates with your team, stakeholders, or clients, Teamwork.com makes it easy to include the right details like milestones, timelines, and next steps without starting from scratch each time.
What I really love is how Teamwork.com helps keep everything in one place. You don’t have to jump between tools, and you can use built-in templates to save even more time. If you want reports that are easy to create, easy to read, and actually useful, Teamwork.com is a great way to get there.
FAQs about project status reports
What is the difference between a progress report and a project status report?
A progress report focuses mainly on what has been completed so far. A status report, on the other hand, gives a full picture of where the project stands right now including progress, current issues, and what’s coming next. So, while a progress report shows how far you've come, a status report shows where you are overall.
How to give a status update?
Start by briefly explaining what the project is and where things currently stand. Mention what’s been completed, what’s in progress, and any blockers or issues the team is facing. Then, share what’s coming up next and any help you need from others. For example: “We’ve finished the design phase and started development. We're on track, but waiting on feedback from the client, which may delay the next milestone.”
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