Project status report: Alder Property Services (an invented client)
Invented example • Website and booking form project • March 2–6, 2026 • Previous period: February 23–27, 2026 • Report owner: Maya Chen
Summary
Status: At risk. The new website will let tenants send repair requests to the right property team. Eight of twelve agreed tasks are complete. The booking form passed our internal checks, but the final contact list is still missing. The March 20 launch remains possible if you approve that list by March 10. The agreed $5,000 budget has not changed.
The numbers
| Measure | This period | Last period | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agreed tasks completed — total to date | 8 of 12 | 6 of 12 | +2 tasks |
| Hours used — total to date | 40 hours | 30 hours | +10 hours |
| Cost — total to date | $3,200 | $2,400 | +$800 |
| Open blockers | 1 | 1 | No change |
| Expected launch date | March 20, 2026 | March 20, 2026 | No change; now at risk |
Budget left: $1,800. Figures come from the project task list and approved time entries through March 6. Completed means the task met its agreed check, not that work has merely started.
What needs you
- March 10, 3 p.m. Eastern — Approve the repair-request contact list. Choose one shared inbox or a separate inbox for each property. We recommend one shared inbox for launch so the team can check every request in one place. Decision owner: client contact Jordan Lee. If no reply arrives, we will pause routing setup and move the expected launch to March 23.
- Blocker: Final request routing cannot be set up until Jordan confirms the contact list.
- Risk: The client's team may find routing errors during testing. Maya has reserved March 16–18 for fixes before launch.
Done without asking
- Completed the mobile page checks and fixed two text overlaps. Tenants can now read the repair instructions on a small screen. Evidence: Mobile checks, March 6, in the shared project folder.
- Tested required fields and the confirmation message within the agreed scope. Requests cannot be sent without a property address. Evidence: Booking form test log, March 6.
Next period
- Maya will set up request routing by March 11, if the contact list is approved on March 10. Complete when a test request reaches the approved inbox.
- Jordan will run three sample repair requests by March 13. Complete when all three arrive with the correct address and contact details.
- Maya will send the next report on March 13, including the test results and a confirmed launch date.
One-page project status report checklist
- Identify the client, project, report owner, report date, and exact reporting period.
- State the goal and agreed finish date. Choose on track, at risk, or off track and explain why.
- Summarize the main change and its effect on the client's date, cost, or agreed work.
- Compare this period with the last using the same measures. Label totals to date separately from work done in the period.
- Check the change column and budget left. Use Not available for missing figures; do not treat missing data as zero.
- List finished work with proof the client can open. Explain what the finished work lets them do.
- Name blockers: things stopping work now. Name risks: things that might cause trouble later. Give each an owner and response.
- Put a reply date or added cost first in each decision request. Include choices, your recommendation, the decision owner, and what happens without a reply.
- Give every next step an owner, due date, and clear completion test. Note any dependency.
- Check access to files, confirm the recipient, and set the next report date.
Choose weekly or monthly reporting
Use weekly reports when work or decisions change quickly. Use monthly reports when the client needs a broader view and the project can safely wait between updates. Keep the same measures each time. Send an urgent blocker or approval request when it appears; do not hold it for the next report.
Common mistakes to avoid
- A long activity list with no result. Replace “worked on the form” with what is finished and how you checked it.
- A percentage with no meaning. Show completed agreed tasks, or explain how you measure progress.
- Calling a project on track while a needed approval is late. Tie the status to the finish date, budget, and agreed work.
- A vague request such as “please review.” Name the decision, person, and reply deadline.
- Mixing weekly spending with total spending. Label each figure so the comparison is fair.
- Hiding bad news until the end. Put a change to cost or timing in the summary and explain the next action.
Make client reporting repeatable with Mycel
Use the same five report sections for each client in Mycel. Keep the agreed dates, budget, evidence, and open decisions with the project. Assign one person to check the figures and wording before sending. Confirm who receives each approval request. At the next report date, compare against the last report and close decisions only after the answer is recorded.