What is a Progress Report?
A Progress Report is a comprehensive document that details the status or progress of a Capital Project. Often prepared by the Project Manager, Progress Reports are typically issued weekly, monthly or quarterly and include information about the capital project's objectives, activities, performance, milestones, budgeting and finances, and any issues or risks encountered. During construction, the Progress Report will also include information from the General Contractor.
The Progress Report serves as a key communication tool between the capital project team, project owners, investors, and other key stakeholders.
How to write a Progress Report
Writing a Progress Report can be difficult and often time consuming, especially when you’re starting out and setting up the format. We recommend starting with a best practice Progress Report template that you can download here for free, saving you the time of setting up the Progress Report in the traditional Microsoft Word document format.
Here are key steps to consider when writing your Progress Report:
- Create a Progress Report Template: Start by downloading a template, or opening a new Microsoft Word document. Typically, Progress Reports that are long form present best in A4 Portrait style. Create a few headings that you like and get ready to start writing!
- Project Information: Include on the cover page or contents page, the Project's essential details such as the project name, Project Manager, General Contractor, the reporting period, and any relevant project identifiers. This section sets the context for the report.
- Executive Summary: Draft a brief overview of the project status, highlighting key achievements, issues, and next steps. Aim to make the executive summary informative enough that a stakeholder could grasp the project's current state without reading the full Progress Report.
- Goals and Objectives: Clearly state what the project aims to achieve and review the status of these objectives. This helps stakeholders understand the project's content, direction and progress for when they review the rest of the Progress Report.
- Progress Overview: Discuss what has been completed during the reporting period, including construction progress, milestones reached and tasks executed. Be honest about the status and provide explanations for any delays or deviations from the plan.
- Project Timeline & Milestones: List critical milestones and their current status. Indicate whether these are on track, ahead, or behind schedule. You may want to attach your project timeline / project schedule / gantt chart in an appendix.
- Challenges and Risks: Identify any challenges faced during the period and potential risks moving forward. This section is crucial for risk management and helps in preparing stakeholders for risk assessment, possible impacts and an oppportunity for risk mitigation. You may want to attach a risk register in an appendix.
- Project Budget: Offer a summary of budgetary expenditures, financial health, and forecast for the upcoming period. This provides transparency and helps in financial planning.
- Actions and Recommendations: End the report with conclusions drawn from the documented data and provide recommendations for future actions. This can guide the next steps and decision-making processes.
- Review and Edit: Before finalizing the report, review it to ensure accuracy, clarity, and completeness. Check for grammatical errors and ensure the report is professionally presented.
- Distribute: Share the completed report with all relevant stakeholders to keep them informed and engaged in the project's progress.
Best Practice Free Progress Report Template
✔ We've researched thousands of Progress Reports to create a gold standard template with best practices.
✔ Get this Progress Report template certified as part of your Quality Management System.
✔ All the formatting, sectioning, headings, sub-headings, appendicies, cover page, contents page, document control is all ready to go.
✔ Start authoring your Progress Report today in this easy to use Microsoft Word format.
What is included in the Progress Report Template
✔ 1 x Microsoft Word format Progress Report template in A4 portrait style.
How Mastt can help with Progress Reports
👉 Head to Mastt's Reporting Module
