Project Status Report Template
This project status report template enables you to record all key data needed to communicate with all those connected with the project. The report needs to include the status of the projects key deliverables, a financial report and key performance indicators, as well as updates on risks, issues and change requests.
This report will be one of the most significant and updated reports of the whole project. This will form the foundation of how you communicate and monitor the progress of your project within the project team and its third parties. As part of your communications plan you will have defined whom within the project team, which stakeholders and sponsors should receive copies of this report.
As project manager you will also have provided detailed reporting criteria for each activity and work package 'owner' so that you have all the necessary inputs you require for this report in a timely and efficient manner. Any meetingsthat you hold as part of the process of producing your project status report must be properly chaired with a timed agenda and accurate minutes produced so that only those who need to be kept informed receive the minutes. Avoid falling into the trap of informing too many people about the project details, inappropriate communication will cause delays and hold-ups.
Many senior members of the project team, its sponsor and stakeholders will be very attentive to the financial and KPI section of your project status report. This is because you record the full costing details of your project's budget items. This will show what the planned budget was for the item, what has actually been spent so far with any remaining balance. It also details any forecast expenditure that may have not been foreseen and then gives a grand total for each item.
An important area that this report also communicates is that of the management of requested changes and their stats. It describes each one along with its change request number, unique work breakdown structure number and its inter-dependencies.
