Status report template

Think about the last time you tracked down the status of a project. You probably had to manually pull information from several sources, like spreadsheets, email threads, and project partners—then send it out in a lengthy email hoping your key stakeholders would read it.

To be effective, a status report should be easy to assemble and quickly digestible, so project team members and stakeholders can quickly see what’s on track, what’s blocked, and what’s coming up. That’s where Asana’s status report templates can help. With pre-populated sections like project status, summary, accomplishments, and blockers, it makes it easy for your stakeholders to quickly glean important project information. Plus, since the report connects directly with your team’s work in Asana, you can skip time-consuming data collection. Say goodbye to the manual status email and hello to a new way of working. 

What is a project status report?

A project status report is a timely document that provides updates on the progress of a project. Status reports give your team and key stakeholders a high-level overview of the project’s progression, so they can quickly see what’s on track, what’s running behind, and what’s coming up. They also highlight upcoming blockers and project risks, so you can pivot to keep the project on track and avoid scope creep. 

Typically sent out on a weekly or monthly basis, project status reports keep everyone in the loop, so you can spend less time sending out status updates and more time accomplishing high-impact work. 

What is a status report template?

A status report template is a templated version of a project status report. It acts as a framework for your status updates, outlining key sections and information each status report should include. Since the sections are pre-populated in the status report template, all you have to do is fill them out and send them to your project team. 

Look for a status report template built into a larger work management platform—like Asana. That way, status updates are directly connected to the work your team does, meaning you can pull data from any project or team without switching between apps. Instead of manually tracking down information or pulling numbers from various sources, project status report templates let you centralize your information—and keep everyone up to date in one place.

What to include in a status report template 

The key to writing an effective progress report is efficiently summarizing project progress, recent accomplishments, upcoming blockers, and next steps. A succinct status update keeps key stakeholders and project team members in the loop and provides all the information they need at a glance.

Luckily, status report templates in Asana are pre-populated with sections that make it easy to highlight important project information. When you create a status update for your project, the report comes pre-filled with sections for:

• The name of the report, which should summarize what project you’re reporting on and any information related to the specific update, such as the dates the status report covers.

• Specific project details, such as the project name, project manager, project timeline, and the priority of the project. 

• A status tag indicating project health, such as on track, at risk, or off track. 

• A summary of the project’s current status, which should include an overview of the project’s progress to date.

• Specific accomplishments the team has achieved since the last update, such as project milestones they’ve hit or statistics you want to highlight.

• Current project blockers slowing project progress, as well as any upcoming roadblocks you want to proactively address.

• The next steps you and your team will take following the status update.

Additionally, you can use the “highlights” section of the status report to showcase team accomplishments completed since your last update, such as milestones, tasks, or approvals completed. Since the status report template pulls figures straight from Asana, it’s an easy way to keep stakeholders in the loop without having to manually pull data.  

The benefits of status report templates

Status reports keep team members and cross-functional stakeholders informed about and aligned on how the project is progressing. By using a status report template in Asana, you can directly link the work your team does to your status updates, cutting down on manual data collection and providing quick visibility into the progress you’re making toward project goals.  

With Asana’s status report template, you can:

• Quickly communicate project status to project team members and key stakeholders. 

• Provide real-time visibility into what’s on track and what needs attention. 

• Summarize the status of the project at a high level, cutting down on unnecessary communication while ensuring everyone gets highlights and key metrics. 

• Keep track of project health and ensure your whole team is confident about how the project is progressing. 

• Proactively catch and fix roadblocks, keeping your project on track and ensuring you hit project deadlines. 

• Directly connect your status updates with where work happens, reducing app switching and cutting down on manual data collection. 

• Take advantage of portfolios to track your team’s progress across multiple projects.

• Keep your team aligned by sharing next steps and action items. 

• Cut down on unproductive status meetings and emails. 

Features and apps to use with Asana’s status report template

The average knowledge worker switches between nine apps per day—and all that toggling back and forth leads to distraction and lowered productivity. That’s where our integrations and apps come in. By taking advantage of features that let you track project data in one place and syncing apps like Google Drive, you can create a centralized system of record for all your project work in Asana.

Integrated features

1. Reporting. Reporting in Asana translates project data into visual charts and digestible graphs. By reporting on work where work lives, you can reduce duplicative work and cut down on unnecessary app switching. And, because all of your team’s work is already in Asana, you can pull data from any project or team to get an accurate picture of what’s happening in one place.

2. Milestones. Milestones represent important project checkpoints. By setting milestones throughout your project, you can let your team members and project stakeholders know how you’re pacing towards your goal. Use milestones as a chance to celebrate the little wins on the path towards the big project goal. 

3. Approvals. Sometimes you don’t just need to complete a task—you need to know if a deliverable is approved or not. Approvals are a special type of task in Asana with options to “Approve,” “Request changes,” or “Reject” the task. That way, task owners get clear instructions on what actions they should take and whether their work has been approved or not. 

4. Project status updates. Say goodbye to sorting between multiple tools to find project status information or sitting through another meeting that could have been an email. Project status updates in Asana aren’t just easier to use—they’re also directly connected to the work your team does. This makes it easy for team members to access additional project information, like your project plan, communication plan, project goals, milestones, deliverables, and more. Ultimately, project status reports reduce your manual work, centralize information, and keep everyone up to date. 

Recommended apps

1. Dropbox. Attach files directly to tasks in Asana with the Dropbox file chooser, which is built into the Asana task pane.

2. Box. Attach files directly to tasks in Asana with the Box file picker, which is built into the Asana task pane.

3. Google Workplace. Attach files directly to tasks in Asana with the Google Workplace file chooser, which is built into the Asana task pane. Easily attach any My Drive file with just a few clicks.

4. OneDrive. Attach files directly to tasks in Asana with the Microsoft OneDrive file chooser, which is built into the Asana task pane. Easily attach files from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.

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