A project status report gives stakeholders a clear view of what has been completed, what is coming next, and whether the project is on track. A useful report does more than list activity. It highlights schedule and budget health, risks, blockers, decisions needed, and the actions that will move the work forward.
This guide includes a project status report template you can copy into a spreadsheet, a filled example, and practical guidance for weekly and executive updates. You can also download a starting template from Microsoft and download the free My SaaS Journey workbook with weekly status, executive summary, risk and issue log, milestones, and a blank report template.
Get a project status report template and try it now
Start with a spreadsheet you can adapt for your team. Download the free Project Status Report Excel Templates and try them now, then use the sample report and fields below to structure your weekly update.
Want to copy and paste? The template in this article is ready to use in Excel or Google Sheets.
Project status report template: copy and paste
Copy the tab-separated fields below into cell A1 of Excel or Google Sheets. Add rows for additional risks, milestones, or tasks. The example values are fictional, so replace them before sharing.
PROJECT STATUS REPORT Project name: Website redesign Project manager: Project manager Reporting period: Week ending 16 October 2026 Overall status: AMBER Last updated: 16 October 2026 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Core page development is progressing. Content approvals are late and could reduce the time available for quality assurance. A sponsor decision is needed on whether two optional landing pages stay in phase one. COMPLETED THIS PERIOD - Homepage and navigation approved - CMS configuration completed - Six of ten priority pages drafted PLANNED NEXT PERIOD - Complete remaining priority page copy - Finish mobile and browser testing - Confirm analytics events HEALTH CHECK Schedule: AMBER - content approval is forecast three days late Budget: GREEN - spending remains within the approved amount Scope: GREEN - no approved scope change Quality: GREEN - no critical defects confirmed at this point RISKS AND ISSUES Item | Impact | Response | Owner | Due date | Status Late content approval | Could delay QA | Escalate outstanding reviews | Content lead | 16 Oct 2026 | Open Analytics event mapping | Conversion data may be incomplete | Fix mapping and retest | Analytics lead | 20 Oct 2026 | In progress DECISIONS NEEDED Decision | Decision owner | Needed by | Impact if late Move two optional landing pages to phase two? | Project sponsor | 16 Oct 2026 | QA window may shrink NEXT MILESTONE Milestone: Acceptance testing complete Owner: QA lead Forecast date: 27 October 2026 NEXT REPORT DATE: 23 October 2026
Tip: Use a consistent status vocabulary. For example, Green means on track, Amber means at risk and needs attention, and Red means off track or blocked. Define what triggers each status so different teams use the same criteria.
What is a project status report?
A project status report is a time-specific summary of a project’s progress against its plan. It helps a project team, sponsor, client, or leadership group understand current performance and decide whether action is required.
A status report is not the same as a full project plan. The plan describes the intended approach, scope, schedule, resources, and risks. The status report compares the current situation with that plan and explains meaningful changes.
What should a project status report include?
- Project details: Name, report owner, reporting period, and date updated.
- Overall health: A short status and a plain-language reason for it.
- Executive summary: The most important progress, forecast changes, and decision needed.
- Completed work: Deliverables or milestones finished during the reporting period.
- Upcoming work: Next priorities, owners, and target dates.
- Schedule and budget: Whether the project is on track and why any variance matters.
- Scope and quality: Changes, acceptance concerns, defects, or unresolved requirements.
- Risks and issues: Potential problems and current blockers, each with an owner and response.
- Dependencies: Decisions, suppliers, teams, or inputs needed before work can proceed.
- Decisions and actions: What is needed, who owns it, and by when.
Not every update needs every field. A small project can use a short report, while a large or high-risk initiative may need detailed budget, resource, quality, and risk tracking. Include information that helps the audience make a decision or take action.
Filled project status report example
Imagine a team rebuilding a company website. Most development tasks are progressing, but content approvals are late. A useful report states the impact and asks for a decision instead of saying only that the project is “mostly on track.”
| Report area | Example update | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Overall status | Amber: content approvals may delay QA. | Signals a concern before it becomes a missed launch. |
| Progress | Homepage approved, CMS configured, six priority pages drafted. | Shows completed outcomes rather than general activity. |
| Schedule | Content review forecast three days late. | Explains the likely impact on the next milestone. |
| Budget | Within the approved budget at the report date. | Gives stakeholders visibility into cost health. |
| Risk | Late copy could shorten the QA window. | Connects a risk to a consequence and response. |
| Decision | Approve moving two optional pages to phase two by Friday. | Makes the required action and deadline explicit. |
| Next milestone | Acceptance testing forecast for 27 October. | Sets an observable checkpoint for the next report. |
Weekly vs. monthly vs. executive status reports
| Report type | Audience | Focus | Typical cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly project update | Delivery team, project manager, key stakeholders | Completed work, next steps, blockers, risks, milestones | Weekly |
| Monthly status report | Department heads, sponsors, portfolio owners | Overall progress, budget forecast, major risks, scope changes | Monthly |
| Executive status report | Senior leadership or steering committee | Project health, business impact, major decisions, forecast | At agreed governance checkpoints |
| Agile sprint report | Product owner, Scrum team, delivery stakeholders | Sprint goal, completed stories, carryover, blockers, next sprint | Each sprint |
Use the same underlying facts across reports, but change the level of detail for the audience. Executives usually need the impact and decision, not a long list of individual tasks. The delivery team needs enough detail to resolve blockers and coordinate work.
How to write a project status report in six steps
- Set the reporting date. State the period covered and when the information was last updated. This prevents old information from being mistaken for the current forecast.
- Compare progress with the baseline. Use the approved plan, milestones, budget, and scope as reference points. If the baseline changed, explain the approved change.
- Report outcomes, not just activity. Prefer “four of six pages approved” over “worked on content.” Be specific and measurable where possible.
- Explain status changes. If a project is Amber or Red, state the cause, likely impact, and response. Avoid assigning a color without explaining it.
- Assign risks and actions. Name an owner and due date for each material risk, issue, or decision. Escalate urgent blockers when they occur rather than waiting for the next report.
- Keep it concise and consistent. Use the same headings and definitions each period. Include enough context to make a decision, and move detailed logs to an appendix or linked tracker.
How to use Green, Amber, and Red status
RAG status uses traffic-light colors to communicate project health at a glance. The labels are only useful when the team agrees on what they mean.
- Green: Work is tracking to the agreed plan, with no material issue requiring intervention.
- Amber: A milestone, cost, scope, or quality target is at risk, but a response may keep the project within acceptable limits.
- Red: The project is materially off track, blocked, or needs a decision or recovery plan.
Set thresholds that fit your project. For example, a team may define Amber when a milestone forecast slips beyond a chosen tolerance, but another project may use risk exposure or budget variance. Never rely on color alone. Include the reason, impact, owner, and recovery action in text so the report remains useful and accessible.
Common project status reporting mistakes
- Reporting activity without outcomes. Explain what was delivered and whether it met acceptance criteria.
- Hiding bad news. Report material risks early, with a response plan and decision deadline.
- Using vague language. Replace “some delays” with the affected milestone, forecast variance, and cause.
- Leaving out the owner. Every significant action should have a person responsible for moving it forward.
- Changing status definitions. Use shared thresholds so Amber means roughly the same thing from one report to the next.
- Overloading the executive summary. Keep the top section focused on outcomes, forecast, risks, and decisions. Put detail in the supporting tables.
- Waiting for the reporting cycle to escalate. Urgent blockers should be raised when they occur, not held until Friday’s report.
Project status report template: blank version
Copy the fields below into a document or spreadsheet to create a reusable report.
PROJECT NAME: PROJECT MANAGER / REPORT OWNER: REPORTING PERIOD: STATUS DATE: OVERALL STATUS: GREEN / AMBER / RED EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: [Key progress, forecast, and decision needed] COMPLETED THIS PERIOD: - [Deliverable, milestone, or measurable outcome] PLANNED NEXT PERIOD: - [Next action, owner, and due date] HEALTH CHECK: Schedule: Budget: Scope: Quality: Resources: RISKS AND ISSUES: Item | Impact | Response | Owner | Due date | Status DECISIONS NEEDED: Decision | Decision owner | Needed by | Impact if delayed NEXT MILESTONE: Milestone: Owner: Forecast date: NEXT REPORT DATE:
When should you use project management software?
A spreadsheet can be enough for a small project or a team with a simple reporting cadence. Consider a dedicated tool when updates are spread across multiple teams, dependencies change often, leaders need portfolio-level dashboards, or manual reporting takes too much time. Compare tools based on the workflow you need, not the number of features in a pricing page.
See our guide to free project management software if you need a shared place to track work, and our guide to project plan templates for planning tasks, owners, and deadlines before reporting progress.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a project status report be?
Use the shortest format that gives the audience a reliable view of progress, forecast, risks, and decisions. A weekly update may fit on one page, while a complex project may need supporting logs and dashboards.
Who prepares the project status report?
The project manager or designated project lead usually coordinates the report. Task owners provide accurate updates, finance or operations owners confirm relevant figures, and the sponsor or steering group makes decisions that fall within their authority.
How often should I send a project status report?
Weekly reporting is common for active delivery work, while executive updates may be monthly or tied to governance meetings. Choose a cadence based on project speed, risk, and stakeholder needs. Escalate urgent changes immediately.
What is the difference between a risk and an issue?
A risk is a possible future event that could affect delivery. An issue has already happened and needs a response. Both should have an owner, impact, next action, and due date when relevant.
Can I use the template in Excel or Google Sheets?
Yes. Copy the fields and tables into Excel or Google Sheets. You can add dropdowns for status, conditional formatting for RAG indicators, and formulas for budget or schedule variance if you have reliable baseline data.
Final takeaway
A good project status report makes the current situation easy to understand and the next action easy to identify. Report progress against the plan, explain status changes, assign owners to risks and decisions, and tailor detail to the audience. Consistency and honest forecasts matter more than elaborate formatting.
Sources and further reading
- Smartsheet: Project status report templates
- Smartsheet: Guide to project status reports
- Microsoft Excel: Project planning and to-do list templates
Example note: The sample project, status, dates, and risks are fictional and are included to show how a report can be structured. Replace them with verified project information.
