What should progress reports include

These sections might include. The final section provides an overall assessment of the current state of the project and its expected completion, usually reassuring the reader that all is going well and on schedule.

It can also alert recipients to unexpected changes in direction or scope, or problems in the project that may require intervention. Skip to content 7. The introduction may also contain the following: date the project began; date the project is scheduled to be completed people or organization working on the project people or organization for whom the project is being done overview of the contents of the progress report.

Project status This section which could have sub-sections should give the reader a clear idea of the current status of your project. Depending on the size of the progress report, the length and importance of the project, and the recipient, the progress report can take the following forms: Memo —A short, informal report to someone within your organization Letter —A short, informal report sent to someone outside your organization Formal report —A formal report sent to someone outside your organization In our course, you will write a progress report in the form of a thorough memo, and you will attach an outline to that memo to give your recipient an idea of the content in your final report.

In other words, the following three sections are key in any progress memo or progress report: Work accomplished in the preceding period s Work currently being performed Work planned for the next period s Other Parts of Progress Reports In your progress memo or report, you also need to include the following sections: a an introduction that reviews the purpose and scope of the project, b a detailed description of your project and its history, and c an overall appraisal of the project to date, which usually acts as the conclusion.

Opening paragraph introducing the purpose of the memo and a reminder about the project topic Summary of the project Specific objectives of the project Scope, or limits, of the project Research gathered Overall assessment or appraisal of the project at this time Revision Checklist for Progress Reports As you reread and revise your progress report, watch out for problems such as the following: Make sure you use the right format. Remember that for our course, you will be providing your progress in a memo.

Write a clear opening paragraph reminding your recipient of the project you are working on and that you are providing progress on that project Use headings to mark off the different parts of your progress report, particularly the different parts of your summary of work done on the project.

Use lists as appropriate. Be sure and address the progress report to the real or realistic audience—not your instructor. Smart search: Bit has very robust search functionality that allows anyone to search and find their documents swiftly. Media integrations: Companies use an average of 34 SaaS apps! No wonder why most of our time is spent hopping from one app to the next, looking for information.

This is why Bit. Multiple ways of sharing : Bit documents can be shared in three different states :. A well-defined progress report is like the pulse of a project! It determines your relationship with your readers, highlights all the updates- big or small, and keeps everyone on the same page.

Remember, depending on the complexity and scope of the project, you might need to share your progress report on a weekly or monthly basis for better efficiency! Once you follow all the steps that are mentioned above, your reports are surely going to feel like a breeze of fresh air to your readers, making you look credible and professional. So what are you waiting for? Do you write such reports in your organization, if yes, which tool do you use?

With this intuitive, cloud-based solution, anyone can work visually and collaborate in real-time while creating internal notes, team projects, knowledge bases, client-facing content, and more. The smartest online Google Docs and Word alternative, Bit.

Document , Technology. Editorial Team , 1 year ago 10 min read. Collaboration , Document. Related posts. Document , Features. Document , Sales. Collaboration , Technology. The accomplishments you write should correspond to your goals. What were your goals for the period covered by the report? This could be a goal for the day, week, month, or quarter.

On the other hand, it could be a team goal, too. Be proactive and present an action plan and timeline for resolving the roadblocks. Include details, such as funds, materials, and human resources you may need to implement the solution. To guide you better, here are progress report template examples that are visually attractive and highly readable. These templates are available if you sign up for a free Piktochart account. Once you log in, use any of the templates below and edit the elements and text to make it your own.

A daily progress report includes your goals for the day, as well as your accomplishments the previous day. It also explains challenges encountered in performing tasks and achieving goals. A weekly progress report provides a week-by-week breakdown of what has been accomplished and what tasks remain to be completed. Just like a daily progress report, a weekly progress report may include challenges and lessons learned. Examples are included in the templates below.

A monthly progress report is necessary for projects with longer durations. The report may provide both monthly and quarterly data on project progress. A team progress report provides information on both team and individual milestones and progress status.

Now this one is more complicated, simply because it involves several people who may have worked on different tasks. Of course, one person can do the typing, but everyone must provide input and feedback. To do this, simply enable tracking of changes on a Word document, or on Pages for Mac users.

On the other hand, team members can insert progress report comments or questions. Again, you can do this easily on a Word document, as well as on software that let you comment on shared documents, like Google Docs and Piktochart.

Re-read the article, edit the content as needed, then ask a teammate to proofread with a fresh pair of eyes. Dive right in here, and learn some reporting hacks from Kevan. It improves transparency and accountability by providing a paper trail.