Project Status Report

Template & Guide

Version 2.4 (November 2008)

This Guide is intended to be read in conjunction with the following template for the development of a
Project Status Report. As such the Guide should be removed from the front of your final document.
The Project Management templates are being continuously improved. Feedback on suggested
improvements to this Template would be appreciated, and may be made to Project Services by
emailing project.management@dpac.tas.gov.au.

DISCLAIMER

This material has been prepared for use by Tasmanian Government agencies and Instrumentalities. It
follows that this material should not be relied upon by any other person. Furthermore, to the extent
that ‘this material is relied upon’, the Crown in Right of the State of Tasmania gives no warranty as to
the accuracy or correctness of the material or for any advice given or for omissions from the material.
Users rely on the material at their own risk.

Inter Agency Policy and Projects Unit

Department of Premier and Cabinet
What is a Project Status Report?  Any general information.
 Recommendations.
The Project Status Report is a document
that is used by Project Managers for It is important to keep the report focused
formal regular reporting on the status of a and to report on/against milestones and
project to the Steering Committee, Project not percentage of work complete.
Sponsor, Senior Manager or other Key
Stakeholders, depending on the size of Why would you develop a Project
the project. It is important to remember Status Report?
that the role of the Steering Committee,
Project Sponsor or Senior Manager is to A Project Status Report is developed by
take responsibility for the business issues the Project Manager to provide regular
associated with the project. progress reports to:

Regular status reports also provide an  the Steering Committee, Project

ongoing history of the project, which Sponsor, Senior Manager or other Key
become useful in terms of tracking Stakeholders with information on the
progress, evaluation and review. management issues of the project and
for endorsement of any
The Project Status Report should include, decisions/directions made in the report;
as a minimum, the following:  the Inter Agency Steering Committee
(IASC) if the project extends across
 Status of the project - description, government;
milestones for the last reporting  individuals or Committees who are
period; milestones for the next overseeing progress of the project; and
reporting period; impact of  ensure that no additional work or scope
achievement/non-achievement of creep occurs.
milestones for the remaining period of
the project. Milestones should reflect When would you develop a Project
any relevant high-level milestones Status Report?
listed in the Business Plan as well as
major milestones and achievements The frequency of status reporting will vary
from the Project Work Plan (or Project depending on the size of the project and
Execution Plan). the requirements of the Steering
 Budget Report - with respect to Committee/Project Sponsor.
planned expenditure, actual
expenditure deficit/surplus and With very small projects this may consist
revenue against planned output of fortnightly consideration of any issues
delivery, if appropriate. that could affect progress and/or a
 Risk Management Report - specifying meeting with the Project Sponsor/Senior
any changes to the major risks Manager.
identified since the previous report
and modification to the strategies put For large and/or more complex projects
in place to manage them; any new the status report forms an integral part of
risks that have arisen since the last the project, as information for the reports
report, as identified in the Risk is drawn from the project management
Register. processes in place for the project.
 Issues Report - including areas of
concern, specific problems, and any
What you need before you start
action/decision that needs to be taken
by the Steering Committee or Project
Sponsor/Senior Manager, as  An agreed Project Business Plan or
identified in the Issues Register. Project Brief.

PM030 Project Status Report: Guide

Tasmanian Government Project Management Framework
Page ii
 Knowledge and understanding of the
project activities, schedule, issues, How to use this template
risks and budget, stakeholders,
contractors and staff. The template consists of a number of
 Knowledge and understanding of headings and simple tables that reflect the
issues management and risk nature of the information that is to be
management. addressed.
 Project budgetary information.
 Schedule of meetings. The completed status report should be
 Knowledge of the Tasmanian brief and to the point, so it quickly conveys
Government Project Management the essential information.
Guidelines.
A number of different text styles have
Other references you may need been used within the template, as follows:

 Corporate/Business Plan for the  Text in blue italics is intended to

Department/Business Unit. provide a guide as to the kind of
 Tasmanian Government Project information that can be included in a
Management Guidelines. section and to what types of projects it
 Departmental Project Management might be applicable.
Guidelines.  Text in normal font is intended as
examples.
What you will have when you are  Text enclosed in <angle brackets> is
finished intended to be replaced by whatever it
is describing.
A complete Project Status Report that is  This document has been formatted for
ready for presentation to the Senior duplex printing. If you intend to print
Manager, Project Sponsor, Steering single sided, you may need to delete
Committee or other Key Stakeholders, some page breaks.
depending on the size of the project.
As no two projects are ever the same, the
Project Management Knowledge Base at
www.egovernment.tas.gov.au includes
various examples of Project Proposals
that describe the different approaches
taken to ensure the initiation process is
appropriately managed.

Checklist

Have you remembered to remove:

 The versioning statement from the
front cover of your document?
 This guide and checklist from the front
of your document?
 All blue italic instructional text and
< text enclosed in angle brackets>
within the template

PM030 Project Status Report: Guide

Tasmanian Government Project Management Framework
Page iii
 PM030 Project Status Report: Guide
Tasmanian Government Project Management Framework
Page iv
 <Error! Unknown document
property name.>
Status Report No.<n>
<dd-mm-yyyy>
File No.: <xxxxxxx>

The version number starts at one and increases by one for each release. It shows the release number and a
revision letter if in draft. The original draft is 0.A and subsequent drafts are 0.B, 0.C etc. The first accepted
and issued document is 1.0. Subsequent changes in draft form are 1.0A, 1.0B etc.. The accepted and issued
second version is 1.1 or 2.0, depending on the magnitude of the change.

Refer to the Project Management Fact Sheet: Document Control, for more information at
www.egovernment.tas.gov.au

Version No: <n.n> <dd-mm-yyyy>

Copy: uncontrolled

<Enter name of Unit>

<Enter name of Department>
 Acknowledgements

The contribution of the following individuals in preparing this document is gratefully

acknowledged:

<Contributors/reviewers/developers>

This document has been derived from a template prepared by the Department of Premier
and Cabinet, Tasmania. The structure is based on the Tasmanian Government Project
Management Guidelines.

For further details, refer to www.egovernment.tas.gov.au

<Project Title> Status Report

Version <n.n, dd-mm-yyyy>
Page 6
 The Walsh Bay Arts Precinct project Steering Committee
REPORT FOR:

PROJECT MANAGER: Izeta Staljo Rakic

PROJECT OBJECTIVE: As stated in the Project Business Plan

1 Project Progress Summary:

The Walsh Bay Arts Precinct project is nearing 70% tender completion. At 70% the
responsibility for project delivery will transfer from Arts NSW (who has led
the detailed design phase and will submit the Detailed State Significant Development
Application) to Infrastructure NSW (who will lead the tender and construction phases)

1.1 Milestones
Table 1 - Milestones scheduled for achievement since last report and performance
against those milestones:

Milestone Baseline Date Target Date Achievement

70% tender completion dd-mm-yyyy dd-mm-yyyy dd-mm-yyyy

completed by Arts NSW (who has

led the detailed design phase as
listed in the Business Plan as
well as major milestones and
achievements from the Project
Work Plan (or Project
Execution Plan).

Table 2 - Impact of achievement / non-achievement of milestones for the remaining

period of the project:

Milestone Impact

Submission of the Detailed No changes have been made to the project schedul
State Significant Development
Application by Arts NSW to
Infrastructure NSW

<Project Title> Status Report

Version <n.n, dd-mm-yyyy>
Page 7
Table 3 - Milestones scheduled for achievement over the next reporting period and
changes to those milestones with respect to the previous plan:

Milestone Baseline Date Previous Target Current Target

Date Date
dd-mm-yyyy dd-mm-yyyy dd-mm-yyyy
Finalising remaining 30 percent as
outlined by Project Work Plan
(or Project Execution Plan).

1.2 General Information

There are no additional general comments that may support/add to the above sections
including:

2 Budget:
Table 4 - Funding Sources
Department of … (NSW Government)
Department of … (Australian Government) (plus)
Total project funding (equals)

Table 5 - Project Budget Overview

Total Project funding $1 000 000
Expenditure for <Financial Year A/B> (minus) $ 200 000
Expenditure for <Financial Year B/C> (minus) $ 250 000
Remaining budget for life of project (equals) $ 550 000
Preliminary allocation for <Financial Year C/D> $ 300 000

<Project Title> Status Report

Version <n.n, dd-mm-yyyy>
Page 8
Table 6 – Simple budget to <end mm-yyyy C/D>
Date Planned Expenditure Actual Deficit/Surplus1
<mm> Expenditur
e
<mm>
dd-mm-yyyy

Table 7 - <financial year C/D>

Date Planned Expenditure Actual Deficit/Surplus1

Expenditur
e
dd-mm-yyyy

Table 8 – Detailed budget for medium-large projects2

Operating Expenses Current Budget YTD Deficit/Surplus1

<start> mm-yyyy to (Planned Expenditure) Actual
<end> mm-yyyy Expenditure
Salary
Salary and Related
Expenditure
Other Employee
related expenses
Total for salaries and
other related
expenditure

Operating Costs
Rent and
Accommodation
related expenses
Communications
Travel (including
motor vehicle
expenses)
Advertising and
promotion
Consultancies
Information
Technology
Other administrative
expenses

Total for operating

expenditure

<Project Title> Status Report

Version <n.n, dd-mm-yyyy>
Page 9
 Overall total
1
Deficit reflects whether the project has expended more than the anticipated budget for the reporting period
(overspend). Surplus reflects whether the project has expended less than the anticipated budget for the
reporting period (underspend).
2
These fields are standard reporting items on Finance 1.

2.1 Comments
No additional comments

3 Project Risk Management Statement

Risk Likelihood Seriousness Grade Change

Negotiations with the proposed key
arts tenants regarding their
tenancy arrangements are now
delayed, as they seek to revisit
their lease terms and they have Increase
High High A
expressed concern that their
spaces as designed do not allow
room for growth

Risk Grading Key:

Grade
E Extreme
A High/High
B High/Medium or Medium/High
C High/Low or Medium/Medium
D Medium/Low
N Low/Low

3.1 Comments:
Negotiations with the proposed key arts tenants regarding their tenancy arrangements are now
delayed, as they seek to revisit their lease terms and they have expressed concern that their spaces
as designed do not allow room for growth. Signed Agreements for Lease are required
before Infrastructure NSW will take responsibility for the project.

4 Issues:
Negotiations with the proposed key arts tenants regarding their tenancy arrangements are now
delayed, as they seek to revisit their lease terms and they have expressed concern that their spaces
as designed do not allow room for growth. Signed Agreements for Lease are required
before Infrastructure NSW will take responsibility for the project.

<Project Title> Status Report

Version <n.n, dd-mm-yyyy>
Page 10
5 Recommendations:

Brief statement(s) for the Steering Committee, Project Sponsor or Senior Manager to
consider and/or endorse. Where no recommendations are raised for endorsement, this
section should state that ‘the Steering Committee note the Status Report.’

<Project Title> Status Report

Version <n.n, dd-mm-yyyy>
Page 11