Status reports that are too long get skimmed. Reports that are too vague create more questions than they answer. This template gives you a seven-section weekly status report that covers everything a client needs to know in a format they will actually read.

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What the status report covers

The template is structured around seven sections. Each one handles a distinct part of the status update, from the overall project health through to budget tracking and next steps.

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Project overview

The first section captures the project name, reporting period, project lead, and an overall RAG status: red, amber, or green. The RAG indicator gives stakeholders a one-second read on whether the project is on track before they read anything else. Having a consistent status indicator also makes it easier to spot patterns across projects when reviewing multiple reports at once.

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Executive summary

Two to three sentences covering the most important update for this reporting period. This is what a senior stakeholder reads if they only have thirty seconds. It should state the current status, any significant development since the last report, and the most important action or decision needed.

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Milestones

A table of key milestones with planned dates, actual dates, and status indicators. Including the planned date alongside the actual date makes slippage visible without requiring the reader to cross-reference a previous report.

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Completed and planned work

A bullet list of what was completed in the reporting period and what is planned for the next period. Clients who review these sections across multiple reports quickly develop a reliable sense of project velocity.

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Risks and issues

A four-column table covering each risk or issue, its impact level, the mitigation or resolution plan, and who owns it. This section also creates a paper trail that protects the agency if a client later claims they were not warned about a particular problem.

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Budget snapshot

Total budget, spend to date, remaining budget, and a progress bar showing percentage used. A client who sees that 80% of the budget has been spent when the project is 50% complete will ask questions immediately rather than at invoice time.

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Sign-off

A simple acknowledgement block for the client to confirm they have reviewed the report. Optional, but useful for projects where formal record-keeping is required.

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Who this template is for

This template is for account managers, project managers, and digital agencies that send regular status updates to clients. It works for any project type: web builds, campaigns, retainers, or one-off engagements. If you currently send status updates as unstructured emails or long narrative documents, this template gives you a consistent format clients can review in under three minutes.