What is the Difference between a Progress Report and a Status Report?

Back to: Academic and Professional Writing Unit 3

What is the Difference between a Progress Report and a Status Report?

A progress report refers to the description of an ongoing project. It is used to communicate time. It shows what happened and at times, can also predict what can happen. It shows the progress of a team towards the completion of a given project. It updates the concerned team about the progress of various tasks being carried out by someone. In simple terms, it shows how much work has been done upon a certain task. 

A status report is also referred to as an activity report. It is used to describe a department or division’s entire range of operations. It is used to communicate stasis and shows what is true at a certain time. Although assumed to be interchangeable, it is important to be aware that there is a difference between these two types of report. They are sent to the management team regularly for understanding the status of a project. The Cambridge Dictionary states that a status report is,

“a document describing the situation of something such as a project at the present time.”

Here are some of the main differences between a status report and a progress report. 

Status Report	Progress Report
1. It lays stress on achievement.	It lays stress on events.
2. It is relatively shorter.	It is relatively longer.
3. It is more useful for an executive audience.	It is more useful to a project manager.
4. It describes the current standing of the concerned project.	It can be referred to as a sort of historical report.
5. Status reports are usually used for governance and controlling purposes by strategic stakeholders.	Progress reports are mostly used for tactical purposes.

Both of these reports are important for staying updated on the ongoing status and progress of a given project. Hence, combining both of these types of reports can be highly helpful.