The Assembled Growth Hub
Free to readBusiness Operations

Project Status Update Template

A short, honest update format that keeps clients calm and prevents surprise conversations.

Best for

Anyone delivering work over more than a week.

Use this when

On a fixed cadence — weekly for most projects, agreed at kickoff.

The resource

The update

PROJECT UPDATE — [Project Name]
Week of [Date] | Prepared by [Your Name]

STATUS: [ON TRACK / AT RISK / DELAYED]
[One sentence explaining that status.]

DONE THIS WEEK
- [Completed item]
- [Completed item]
- [Completed item]

IN PROGRESS
- [Item] — [% or stage] — expected [Date]
- [Item] — [% or stage] — expected [Date]

NEXT WEEK
- [Planned item]
- [Planned item]

WAITING ON YOU
- [What you need] — needed by [Date] — [why it matters]
(If nothing: "Nothing from your side this week.")

ISSUES AND RISKS
- [Issue] — impact: [impact] — what we're doing: [action]
(If nothing: "No issues to report.")

TIMELINE
Next milestone: [Milestone] — [Date] — [on track / moved, and why]
Completion: [Date] — [unchanged / revised, and why]

BUDGET
[X]% of budget used | [X]% of work complete
[Flag any variance now, not at the end.]

Questions? [Phone] / [Email]

Rules for status updates

- Report bad news early and plainly. Delay is what damages trust, not the problem itself.
- "At risk" a week ahead beats "delayed" on the deadline.
- Never let budget and progress drift apart silently.
- Keep it under one screen. Long updates go unread.
- Send it even in a quiet week. Silence gets interpreted as trouble.
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This resource is general educational information, not legal, financial, tax, or HR advice. Review anything you send or publish against the rules that apply to your industry and location, and consult a qualified professional when the stakes are high.

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