Project status report template
A one-page status report clients actually read. Copy it, fill it in, and send it — or let ProjectPulse keep it current for you.
The template
Plain text, so it works in email, Docs, Notion or Word. Replace everything in [brackets].
PROJECT STATUS REPORT Project: [Project name] Client: [Client name] Report date: [DD Mon YYYY] Reporting period: [start] – [end] Prepared by: [Your name] 1. SUMMARY [Two or three sentences: where the project stands and the one thing the client must know.] 2. OVERALL HEALTH Status: [On track / At risk / Off track] Reason: [One line explaining the status.] 3. PROGRESS Overall completion: [xx]% Target delivery date: [date] Forecast delivery date: [date] 4. MILESTONES | Milestone | Owner | Due | Status | |-----------|-------|-----|--------| | [Milestone] | [Name] | [Date] | [Done / In progress / Not started] | 5. COMPLETED THIS PERIOD - [Item] 6. PLANNED NEXT PERIOD - [Item] 7. RISKS AND ISSUES | Risk / issue | Impact | What we are doing | |--------------|--------|-------------------| | [Description] | [Low / Medium / High] | [Action] | 8. DECISIONS OR INPUT NEEDED FROM YOU - [Question or approval] — needed by [date] 9. FILES AND LINKS - [Link to latest design, build or document]
How to fill in each section
What to write in each part — and what ProjectPulse fills in for you automatically.
Summary
Write it last. If the client reads only this, they should know whether to worry and what you need from them.
In ProjectPulse: Your latest posted update leads the client page.
Overall health
Use one of three plain states. A status without a reason invites a follow-up call, so always add one line explaining it.
In ProjectPulse: Health is worked out from progress against your dates.
Progress
Base the percentage on finished work weighted by effort, not on time passed. Show the forecast date next to the target so slips are visible early.
In ProjectPulse: Completion is calculated from finished tasks, weighted by effort.
Milestones
List the handful of checkpoints the client recognises, not every internal task. Each needs an owner and a date.
In ProjectPulse: Phases and milestones show on a timeline with their dates.
Completed and planned
Short bullet lists. Completed items build trust; planned items set expectations for the next report.
In ProjectPulse: Done and upcoming work is shown as you tick tasks off.
Risks and issues
Name the problem, its impact and your response. Raising a risk early is far easier than explaining a missed date later.
In ProjectPulse: Blocked and overdue tasks are flagged for you.
Decisions needed
The most valuable section. Put a due date on every request — client delays are the most common cause of late projects.
In ProjectPulse: Clients approve or reply from their page, with no login.
Files and links
Link the latest version of each deliverable so nobody hunts through email threads.
In ProjectPulse: Shared documents sit on the client page, always the latest.
Tips for reports that land
- Send on a fixed rhythm (weekly for active builds, fortnightly for longer projects).
- Keep it to one page. Detail belongs in linked documents.
- Use the same structure every time so clients know where to look.
- Never let a report be the first time a client hears bad news.
Manual reports go stale the day you send them
Every section above is already data you track: milestones, dates, files, open questions. ProjectPulse turns that into a live status page your client opens from one link — progress, health, timeline, files and approvals update as you work, with no login for the client and no report to rewrite each week.
Stop writing status reports by hand
Give each client one link that always shows where the project stands.