The Periodic Progress Report

• The Summary contains a brief description of the work completed during the report period. If you write weekly periodic progress reports, then you would detail the work completed in the past week. It should also tell if the project is on schedule and will be completed on time. This information can be pulled from the Work Done and Schedule compartments.


• The Background compartment should be very detailed in the first periodic progress report you write for a specific project. After the first report, you only need to tell about the project number or ID, the dates that make up the reporting period that you're covering (if it's a weekly report, then give the beginning and end dates for the week), and a review of the situation written about in the last report. Be sure to mention if the project was on schedule or not in the last report.


• The Progress compartment has four sub-compartments. You can omit a compartment if there isn't any information for it.

1. The Planned Work sub-compartment tells what should have been accomplished during the period of time the report covers. It's usually combined with the Work Done compartment, or it can be omitted completely.


2. The Work Done sub-compartment tells what was actually done during the reporting period. To make writing this sub-compartment easier, open up with a summary of what has been done, use sub-paragraphs to detail what has been done, refer to any attachments, and then explain any deviations from the plan or schedule, as well as anything that affected progress.


3. The Problems sub-compartment tells about anything that's caused the plans or schedule to change. In addition, it should detail any actions taken to overcome any problems, if the actions were successful, if the problems still exist, and what actions will be taken to avoid future problems or make up for time lost on the project.


4. The Schedule sub-compartment tells if the project was on schedule, ahead of schedule, or behind schedule during the reporting period. Use hours, days, or weeks to state the time. It also tells when the project will be back on schedule, if behind. In addition, it gives a revised schedule for the next reporting period when necessary.

• The Plans compartment is brief, if a project is on-time. However, if there are problems, it should detail expectations for the next reporting period, or outline a revised schedule for the entire project. For example, if the project was delayed in the current reporting period, but is expected to be back on schedule for the next, then this should be noted in the Plans compartment.


• The Evidence compartment is optional; however, it's used to store attachments, such as forms that contain tests, inspections, etc.