Report Header
Identify the project and reporting period
- Project Name: _________________________________
- Report Date: _____________ Reporting Period: _____________
- Project Manager: _________________________________
- Overall Status: [ ] Green — On Track [ ] Amber — At Risk [ ] Red — Off Track
Executive Summary
2–3 sentences: what is the project status and what matters most right now
- Overall project health: _________________________________
- Key highlight this period: _________________________________
- Primary concern / risk: _________________________________
Milestones Status
Track each milestone — completed, on track, or at risk
- Milestone | Target Date | Status | Notes
- _________________ | _________ | [ ] Done [ ] On Track [ ] At Risk | _____
- _________________ | _________ | [ ] Done [ ] On Track [ ] At Risk | _____
- _________________ | _________ | [ ] Done [ ] On Track [ ] At Risk | _____
- _________________ | _________ | [ ] Done [ ] On Track [ ] At Risk | _____
Accomplishments This Period
What was completed or progressed since the last report
- ✓ _________________________________
- ✓ _________________________________
- ✓ _________________________________
Planned for Next Period
What the team will focus on in the next reporting period
- → _________________________________
- → _________________________________
- → _________________________________
Risks & Issues
Active risks and current blockers requiring attention
- Risk / Issue | Severity (H/M/L) | Owner | Mitigation / Resolution
- _________________ | _______ | _______ | _________________________________
- _________________ | _______ | _______ | _________________________________
- _________________ | _______ | _______ | _________________________________
- Escalation needed: [ ] Yes — escalate to: _____________ [ ] No
Budget & Resources
Budget consumption and resource utilization snapshot
- Budget Allocated: $_____________ | Spent to Date: $_____________
- Remaining Budget: $_____________ | Forecast at Completion: $_____________
- Budget Status: [ ] On Budget [ ] Under Budget [ ] Over Budget
- Resource issues: _________________________________
Action Items
Open action items from this report
- Action Item | Owner | Due Date | Status
- _________________ | _______ | _________ | _____________
- _________________ | _______ | _________ | _____________
- _________________ | _______ | _________ | _____________
Status Report Tips
Use RAG Status Consistently
Green/Amber/Red (RAG) status needs a shared definition. Amber means "at risk without intervention", Red means "off track, needs escalation".
Send Every Week, Even When Nothing Happened
Status reports build trust. Silence creates anxiety. Even "no change — on track" is valuable information for stakeholders.
Executive Summary First
Executives read the first 3 lines. Put the most important thing at the top. If the project is red, say so in the first sentence.
Track Forecast, Not Just Actuals
The most useful number is "Forecast at Completion". If you are 10% over budget with 50% of work done, you are in serious trouble.
Auto-Generate Status Updates
FifthDraft's AI can draft project status updates from meeting notes and standup recordings automatically.
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