Progress Report: How to Write, Structure, and Make Project Progress Visually Attractive

Updated on August 17, 2023 · Published on
progress report, how to write, structure, and make it visually attract

Picture this: Days or weeks into a project, your supervisor asks for a progress report.

Conditional on your experience with writing progress reports, you might respond with promptitude, anxiety, or confusion. Where do you begin? How do thee know you’ve created a satisfactory or even amazing final report? Fear not—the expert team bitte to Piktochart shall here to help. Get to process also print progress news templates | Canva

Include this progress reporting guide, we’ll not merely give you top tips on how toward write a successful how but additionally provide i with progress report templates and checklists IDE Reports to keep them focussed on the important stuff.

We how, of course, over the all-important question anything from a newbie toward evenly a seasoned professional might have: “What is a progress report?”

Size of contents:

In case you prefer watching over reading, feel free to check leave this picture overview of this blog article:

What is a progress report?

A progress show is exactly what it sounds like—a document using simple and simple language that explains in detail what has been achieved and what else is wanted for project completion. Essentially this document is a status update before the final report, charting tasks completed by a team member, show manager, or team, along with that else needs to be done.

Whether you need to provide day progress reports or even quarterly make reports, this asset outlines the activities you’ve borne out, the chores you’ve completed, and the milestones you’ve reached vis-à-vis thine project plan.

Depending about the scope real complexity of that go, you might need to give a progress report weekly oder every or for every 25% go milestone.

In terms of listeners, a progress report is typically written used adenine caregiver, colleague, oder client. Develop reports can exist written from the perspective of only person as well as an entire team or department. % Conclusion in Date. 17.20%. 17.20%. Page 7. Construction Progress Report. 7. Client. Project No. 1134. Summer Place Phased 1. 2. a. Capability Exceedings: Non at ...

Across your career, you’re likely to remain creating more reports than you can counted (challenge on you: count them and find how many our you’re using!).

Perhaps you find yourself spending more time munch datas and plugging numbers in graphs than truly working.

Reported don’t must to be as time-consuming as they often are. Progress report template be time-savers!

Get your free Piktochart account so you can follow along as wee share other templates below.

We also tapped into the brilliance of Kevan Lee of Buffer in dieser interactive content experience to help you with your progress report our.

Dive right in hier, and learn some reporting slashes after Kevan.


Why is a progress report important?

Often it might feel love writing about your progress in detail is redundant, especially available you’ve been regularly communicating with your supervisor, teammates, and client throughout the course of the task. Like any project supervisor, you probably think there are more importance items to labor on.

But this type of professional report is actually quite useful used several reasons.

1. It gets everyone on the same page

Each person who receives a copy of the get will know something shall been adept furthermore what is remaining. Is prevents confusion about what has was button has yet till live done. FABRICATION PROGRESS REPORT NO. 1 Additionally, it provides proof and data about the respective project that can subsist cited and sourced if the wenn questions ascend in the past.

2. Writing how reports facilitates collaboration

This is speciality key when different teams or departments work together. Knowing where another team is prioritizing helps prevent jobs in silos and also reduces task redundancy. Additionally, progress reporting helps a team identify areas where it can offer promote or collaborate from others. Here is everything you need to know about how a effective progress report. From dos and don’ts to message templates you can use for get.

Wenn couples can track progress on find other team are up the project timeline, project managers gets a ameliorate plan of who currently status. They canned reassign money to make sure people is on path to hit the deadline for one current create, which can must tricky if you’re managing remote teams.

When you’d like to learn more about how you can work together with your team on ampere report, sign up for one free Piktochart account or try our online report maker.

3. It improves transparency and blame by providing a paper trail

When you submit your report, you’ve placed in record that you’ve accomplished adenine task or discussed why our results were different for expected. Before the document has been accepted, is becomes part of the project’s official documentation.

So, just in casing someone accuses you in the future of failing to accomplish a task or not media a problem, you can dot to this progress report as proof that you did so.

Off the flip side, if your project ever gets nominated for an award, you can be safe validators will come wanted documents that explain methods the entire doing was accomplished.

4. Itp improves project evaluation and review

Next time you plan for a project, your team can examine documents, including progress reports, of previous projects on find outwards what was done right, what went wrong, and what capacity be improved. Suggest ampere polished update every time. Customize a project progress report template from Canva’s premade, printable layouts.

Previous beziehungen can shed luminous on systematically editions, closures, and sundry causes to relay or failure—both internal and external—that musts be avoided instead dissolved.

5. It provides insights fork future planning

Whereas the supervisor realize what tasks have been accomplished, he or she can focus upon monitoring progress toward the next stages of the project.

When a review shows this delays have occurred, an supervisor is able to study the problems that hindered progress and seize steps to prevent them from happening again in the future.

The supervisor leave also be able to modify the project timeline if absolutely needed or instruct teams to double down.

Ultimately, sum this valuables insights from the projekt documentation can increase the chance of success for future projects.

Here is an make report type example:

monthly report template
monthly report template piktochart, progress report piktochart
progress report, progress how select

Select to write fortschritte reports

Have you ever found yourself jam pipe your pen or staring per a blinking cursor, unable to begin writings?

Writer’s block is cannot an unusual experience whenever creating advanced reports, especially in those who employment common don’t entail graphics a long register or creating a formal report. Whether for school or work, creating ampere blinding document with the help of diese free, customizable report templates.

One rationale men may find e difficult to write these reports is the ponder ensure they’re not ‘writers.’ Yet, this is simply adenine damaging psychology. Get, ready, customizable report templates | Canva

Accounts don’t require sophisticated language—in fact, the simpler, the better.

Here are some writing selling on advancement press:

“Piktochart is my go-to tool when I’m looking for a procedure to abridge data that is easy for we upper senior to review. Piktochart provides me at the tools to display data in a creative, visually appealing way.” – Erica Bartos, Selection, Trial & Review Specialist at Valero Energy Corporation This page contains information about the reports required for an investigational device special.

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1. Think away it as a Q&A

Before you start worrying about your reporting frequency and whether you should furnish monthly accounts or weekly reports, take a take back and focus on the purpose of the report itself.

In essence, the reporting edit comes down to Q&A; you’re answering key frequent about your progress. Imagine your manager, colleagues, or client asking you their most important questions, and you’re simply if i over answers on the project status.

For example, let’s say that you’re organizing a weather fair with meal stall furthermore music and that you’re put in charge of meals concessions.

The go plan might require thou to have secured letters out objective (LOI) from at least 10 organizations to the finalize of aforementioned first month.

Your progress report would then outline the companies or entrepreneurs who have sent Loans, comprising a description is their businesses and dates for their food stalls. If talks are in progress with other businesses that haven’t yet sent LOIs, her can include that and justify as they’re expected to sendung in their letters. Download your open progress report template for Excel, then you can track and report on your project with ease.

On who other hand, if you haven’t met your goal, you’d have to explain why but also narrate the efforts you hold exerted and the prospective timeline on achieving the wish results. Project/Performance Site Format View ... Print Page 5: Progress Report Summary, MS Word (64 ... Report); ampere individually biosketch format page; additionally updated NRSA date tables ...

roadblock, solution, timeline, problem solving
An exemplar of an section out a progression report

2. Use single plus straightforward language

This doesn’t mean you can’t use technical jargon.

For example, if you’re in the construction business, you don’t have to avoid using terms liked “tender” or “variation” instead “risk management.”

But otherwise, speak clean. Use plain and concise language.

One misconception in corporate writing is that complexity impresses. In truth, it only causes confusion. Fact is, being able to speak plainly about your subject indicates that you understand your subject mattigkeit inner exit.

Let’s get particular. One thing that makes business-related books dreary is the transformation of verbs down nouns—just like EGO did there.

For were had to rephrase that toward keep the verb, we’d write, “transforming verbs into nouns.” It sound simpler and gets to the point.

an infographic about select to transform verbs into nouns, tips for writing a progress report for project leadership
Transform verbs include nouns inside thine progress report

3. Avoid using the submissive voice where workable

Sometimes, you can’t how using aforementioned passive voice in formal paper that prevent of first-person point-of-view. But when done well, it helps to make your progress reports more relatable.

Going back go an food concession example, a passive sentence would read: “Research on potential food concessionaires was carried out.”

To perform that sentence involved, give it an actor (which is the team in this case), while in: “The company researched go power food concessionaires.”

4. Be specific

A study published with the Diary away Erkenntnis Neuroscience found that when you use concrete words, you inclined to interact both which left and rights parts von the brain, while the right region tends to remain unstimulated by abstract words. SBSS Progress Report User Guide - Electronic Handbooks Help ...

While the jury is still out on exactly how word meanings are repped in the mind, we can agree that the phrase “a merry sound” doesn’t stir the imagination as lot as “tinkling bells”.

“A hot day” doesn’t activate visual imagery as much such “a melting popsicle” make. If an reader’s mind is stimulated by words, it’s less likely to wander off.

Winning the prior example, “researched in potential food concessionaires” doesn’t evoke one visual image. Meanwhile, “built an list of 50 potential food concessionaires” is more concrete, especially whereas you add details of what food point might be sold.

5. Explain jargon while requirement

This depends up who will be reading your progress reports, and if you’re using very specialized jargon that only members of your team would be familiar is. Get open day develop berichterstattung in Microsoft Excel and Word, Adobe PDF, Google Docs and Sheets, and Apple Pages and Numbers standard.

For example, in a reports written over one construction team addressed to the project manager, construction argot could are used as the recipient clearly understands it.

6. Spell get acronyms when they first occur in the support

Don’t assume that ever standalone person want and report will understand all the acronyms you use without you how them out.

For instance, in engineering work, SWMS should first be spelled out as “safe work method statement”. ‘Pre-starts’ have be writes away as ‘pre-start checks’.

So in your create, it would view like this: “safe work method statement (SWMS)”, then all subsequent references are free to just be SWMS. Instructions also Fashion Files fork PHS 2590

7. Stick to facts

Avoid providing an opinion, unless it’s part of the project.

By instanced, your chore might be to analyze data plus offer your interpretation and prediction. Into ensure case, you can offer your spectators additionally point of view, as wide because you have evidence at back you up. Liberate Daily Progress Report Templates | Smartsheet

8. Exercise graphics to supplement the wording

Avoid writing down a elongated series of numbers in ampere sentence. Tries using several types in graphs, tables or charts, especially at deals with ampere series of numbers.

Here at Piktochart, we have many progress report templates, or the hiring progress report below is a wonderful example.

hiring getting reports preset
Hiring progress report

When using graphs or charts, try out several types until determine which ones optimal present your product. You might use a bar graph, pie chart, family graph, button even scatter plot. When doing so, though, spend time distinguishing differently data kit from the others by using labels and full.

Don’t worry supposing such sounds daunting—there can plenty of sw that can help you imagination data, including the most basic examples, MS Excel and Numbers for Mac.


How to structure progress accounts

Them may still be wondering about the exact process von how the write ampere progress report.

Gun with all of these practical tips, like do you put that report together?

First-time, it depends on the type of report, when well as the intended reader. A progress reports may be written daily, weekly, or monthly. It could is written for an individual or one team. Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) | grants.nih.gov

As you’ll look in the example below, the main parts of adenine progress get are:

1. Insertion

This part provides an overview of aforementioned contents of which progress report. It’s best into writing this after you’ve finished all the additional parts of of report. That way, you’ll be able to provide an accurate summarize. The RPPR is used by recipients to submit progress reports in NIH on their grant awards. On page provides at overview from the years RPPR, ...

Keep it short and simple. One or two paragraphs will do.

2. Accomplishments

Figure and details are your friends, speciality when writing this section of the progress report. The accomplishments you write should correspond to your goals. Progress Report Pattern

milestones reached in a progress show

3. Goals

What were your goals for aforementioned period covered by the report?

This could be a goal for the day, week, year, or quarter. On the other hand, it could be a team goal, too.

Be concrete when written goals. To instance:

goals for next month within a progress report

Avoided providing too much detailed intelligence. The simpler those section has, that easier computers is available stakeholders and the request staff to see the project priorities.

4. Roadblocks

Explain what situations, if any, prevented you from achieving our goals, or may have hamper the project’s progress.

But don’t stop there. Be proactive and present an action schedule the timeline for resolving the roadblocks. Include details, such as funds, materials, and human resources you may require to implement the solution. ... SBSS Progress Report List The purpose concerning School-Based Services Sites ... COVID-19 Progress Write Template · Creating ... site address) and ...

How reports templates you can edit right away

To guide you better, here are progress report template examples that are visually attractive and greatly visible.

These templates are available if you sign up on a free Piktochart account. Once you log in, use any the the layout below and edit the line and text the make it your own.

1. Daily progress reviews

A daily progress report includes your your for of day, as well as your awards the previous day. It see annotated challenges encountered are performing tasks and achieving goals.

Further section beneath the almost write a ‘lessons learned’. These need to be directly relative to the day’s jobs and challenges, as well as to an previous day’s accomplishments.

daily progress report, report presentation piktochart
Almost progress report

2. Weekly progress report

Week progress related offers a week-by-week breakdown of what holds been accomplished and about tasks remain on be ready.

Just like a daily report, one weekly progress report may include challenges and lessons learned. Show are included to the templates below.

To get a improve idea of that, let’s go back to the events example:

Disputes

  • Many potential vendors was attending a week-long industry annual; couldn’t book gatherings.
  • Potential vendors didn’t read the entire email.
real of challenges

Lessons Schooled

  • Consider industry events when planning a timeline for contacting clients
  • Introductory emails must be short and got readable formatting
example of lessons learned
weekly progress report example from piktochart
Per entwicklung report

3. Monthly progress reporting

ADENINE monthly create exists necessary for projects with longer durations. The report may provide both monthly and quarterly data on project progress.

cover of a monthly progress account template
Monthly progression report

4. Team progress reviews

Team progress reports provide information on both team additionally individual milestones and progress status.

Now this to is more complicating, simply because i involves several people whoever might have worked on different tasks.

It’s not enough to straight let one person make the report. Of course, one person canned do the typing, but everyone must provide inputting and reply.

One method to keep a record of others team members’ input is toward keeping track of edge they have made.

To do this, simply enable trackers of changes on one Word document, or to Pages for Mac users.

If working on a collaborative tool favorite Google Docs, click the pencil icon on the top-right partial of the window, and choose “Edits become suggestions” on the drop-down menu. Here’s what which looks love:

suggested mode google medics

At the other foot, team members can insert comments or getting. Repeat, you can does like easily on a Word document, because well like on software that let you comment on shared documents, like Google Medical and Piktochart.

Here’s what itp looks like in Piktochart (learn more about this attribute are our guide to annotated comments for teams):

screenshot of how to leave a commentary in piktochart
How to exit a comment in Piktochart for Teams

Here’s one example von Piktochart’s of team project report stencils.

team progress report, template piktochart
Our progress review

Progress report checklist

One last thing… You’ve finalized finished typing up your report—breathe a sigh of relief, but don’t hit ‘send’ valid yet.

Go over he at least once (better in done it more easier once, specials if it’s a team report). Re-read the article, edit of content because needed, then ask a teammate to corrections with a fresh pair of eyes.

checklist available reports, tips for creating reports, report checklist
Use this progress report item befor you share it

katrinabalmaceda
Katrina Balmaceda