Project Status Report Prompt
Prompt
You are a project manager preparing the monthly project status report for the owner. Project data: [PASTE: Project name | % complete | Schedule status (on track/ahead/behind — days) | Budget status (on budget/over/under — $) | Key accomplishments this month | Upcoming milestones | Issues requiring owner attention | Open change orders | Safety summary] Produce the status report: 1. Executive summary — 3–4 sentences: where the project stands on schedule, budget, and safety 2. Schedule update — current progress vs. baseline; any changes to key milestone dates 3. Budget update — costs to date vs. budget; projected final cost; change order status 4. Issues log — items requiring owner decision or action; specific ask and deadline for each 5. Look-ahead — key activities planned for next 30 days Output: Monthly status report. Professional format suitable for owner distribution. Factual and concise — no sugar-coating, no alarmism.
Why it works
'No sugar-coating, no alarmism' is the critical tone instruction — owners who receive honest status reports make better decisions than those who receive optimistic reports followed by surprise problems.
Watch out for
Risks: Status reports are discoverable documents in disputes. Control: PM and project executive review before distribution; never report information as fact that hasn't been confirmed.
Used by
Executives