What to Include in Your Project Report: A Complete Guide for Construction Project Reports for Project Managers

Creating a project report isn't exactly the highlight of a construction project manager's day. Wrangling critical data, juggling timelines, and keeping everyone in the loop can feel like a never-ending construction or capital project in itself. Where's the in in that?

But here's the good news: a well-crafted project report is the secret weapon that can transform your project from chaotic to controlled. A project report can guide you throughout the entire project lifecycle, helps you foresee for any risks ahead, and helps you look organized and in control (in short, helps you look good among stakeholders!)

This is your guide in mastering the art of project reporting. We'll walk you through the why, the what, and the how, equipping you with the tools and templates to create reports that not only impress stakeholders but also empower you to make smarter decisions, mitigate risks, and ultimately deliver your construction projects on time and within budget. And trust me, it doesn't have to be a painful process. In fact, we'll even share some tips to make it almost (dare I say) enjoyable!

Project Report Template

The truth is, there's no one-size-fits-all template for a project report. Every audience is unique, and whichever project report template you use should be tailored to their specific needs and interests. Think of it like this: you wouldn't explain a complex construction project the same way to a seasoned investor as you would to your grandmother.

The secret to an effective report is striking the perfect balance between detail and brevity. Overload your stakeholders with information, and their eyes will glaze over faster than you can say "change order." But leave out crucial details, and you risk miscommunication and misunderstandings.

Let's break down the essential components of a winning project report, whether you're starting from scratch or fine-tuning an existing template. We'll cover everything from executive summaries and project timelines to budget breakdowns and risk assessments, ensuring you have all the tools you need to communicate clearly, concisely, and convincingly.

The best part? This isn't just for one specific report. These principles apply to every type of capital project report, whether it's a PCG report, monthly update, or executive dashboard. No matter where you are in the world or what stage your project is in, these insights will help you create reports that inform, engage, and ultimately drive your project to success.

What to Include in Your Project Report

Project Details

The first thing your team should see in your project report are the specific Project Details. This gives the complete information of the project for proper identification. This include:

• Project Name
• Project Code/Number (if applicable)
• Report Series Number (e.g. Project Report #10).
• Report's Published Date
• Project Manager's Name (you may also include the name of your team or company if you work for a PMO)
• Start Date and Expected End Date
• Customer/Client's Name
• Other related information about their company or the project.

Adding the project details in the first page ensures that all the information and records are accurate, and that everyone is on the same page (literally and figuratively speaking!) It is also important that these are the first things you see on top of the document to easily sort and identify which report to pull out during the meeting. You don't want to hand everyone the wrong project report, would you?

Project Overview or Executive Summary

A Project Overview, also called the Executive Summary, is a high-level summary of the project that would dig deeper than just the basic details. It consists of key details, such as:

• Project Goals and Objectives
• Overview of the Critical Aspects of the Project
• An introduction to the rest of the report

Adding a compelling project overview gives the reader and idea on what they should expect to see in the report. This summary is a balance between giving enough details to get the bigger picture, but not too much of the specifics that it would deem redundant with the rest of the report.

Project Scope

The Project Scope defines the project's boundaries, detailing what's included and excluded. Clear communication of this scope to stakeholders is essential for managing expectations and preventing misunderstandings.

In your project report, highlight:

• Progress towards key milestones
• Comparison of progress to the baseline
• Completed deliverables
• Scope changes
• Unapproved additions (scope creep) and proposed solutions

Regular updates, especially when significant changes occur, help ensure everyone is on the same page and the project stays on track.

Project Report Dashboard  

A visual representation, like a report dashboard, enhances understanding when dealing with complex data. It's a one-page snapshot summarizing key information, offering a TLDR version for quick reference.

Dashboards come in various formats, including:

• Charts
• Graphs
• Maps
• Tables
• Brief text summaries

These visuals improve transparency, communication, and decision-making by simplifying data interpretation. While they might seem like extra work, various tools and software can automate dashboard creation, making them valuable investments for project managers.

Need help arranging or optimizing your dashboard? Check out our blog: 10 Tips for the Best Project Status Report.

Review of Your Project's KPIs

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the yardstick for measuring a project's progress and success. Established at the outset, they anchor the project in terms of budget, schedule, resources, and overall plan.

Regularly monitoring, updating, and reviewing KPIs in your project report reveals trends and indicates whether the project is on track. Fluctuations are expected, aiding in swift decision-making.

Consider including KPIs like:

• Schedule Progress vs Plan: Difference between planned and actual progress in project timeline.
• Cost vs Budget: Difference between budget and actual project costs.
• Scope vs Plan: e.g. things like number of change orders issued during the project.‍
• Planned Value (PV): Budgeted cost of work scheduled.‍
• Earned Value (EV): Budgeted cost of work performed.‍
• Actual Cost (AC): Actual costs incurred for completed work.‍
• Cost Performance Index (CPI): Ratio of earned value to actual costs, indicating cost efficiency.
• ‍Schedule Performance Index (SPI): Ratio of earned value to planned value, indicating schedule efficiency.
• ‍Safety Incidents: Number of safety incidents or near misses reported.‍
• Cash Flow: Net cash inflow or outflow over a specific period.

These KPIs are the core of your report's tracking. Ensure accuracy and consider dedicating subsections with commentary for each KPI. We'll delve deeper into several of these in upcoming sections.

Health and Safety

Construction projects are inherently risky, and prioritising safety is paramount. Demonstrating a strong safety record through a Health and Safety Report reassures stakeholders that the project is in capable hands.

Include at least these four in your report:

• Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR): Number of recordable incidents per 200,000 hours worked.
• Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR): Number of lost-time injuries per million hours worked.
• Severity Rate: Average time lost per lost-time injury.
• Near Miss Frequency Rate: Number of near misses reported per 200,000 hours worked.

Highlight your commitment to safety by detailing proactive measures taken, such as:

• Safety activities and drills
• Training and workshops
• Inspections and observations
• Other safety initiatives (e.g., materials, equipment, emergency preparedness)

This demonstrates your dedication to a safe and healthy work environment for all project personnel.

Risk and Opportunity Assessment

The Risk and Opportunity Assessment summarises factors that could positively (opportunities) or negatively (risks) impact the project. This allows for evaluation, mitigation of threats, and maximisation of potential benefits.

The assessment also facilitates the creation of action plans, particularly for urgent issues. This enhances project control, informs decision-making, and improves overall project outcomes.

Regularly update your risk and opportunity registers alongside this assessment. Attach the full risk registers to the project report and include a summary table of key risks within the report body.

Community Engagement & Stakeholder Communications

If your project interacts with the community, include this section in your report to demonstrate a positive relationship.

Community Engagement should highlight:

• Efforts to inform the community about the project and its impact
• Community feedback, especially major concerns
• Engagement activities (e.g., council meetings, newsletters, community paper)

The goal is to build trust, minimise disruptions, and maximise benefits for the community. Thoroughly update stakeholders on community sentiment and any valuable input that could affect the project.

Stakeholder Communications provides updates on interactions with key individuals or organisations invested in the project. This includes design input and approvals.

Your report must include all your efforts and a thorough update of what the community thinks about your project being in their neighbourhood. As mentioned, they may have any concerns and input that can be valuable to present to the stakeholders, especially if it will also affect the construction project. On the other hand, Stakeholder Communications provides updates on any interaction with stakeholders about the project. A project's stakeholders include any key persons or organisations with a buy-in on the construction project. Thus, any input, including design input and approvals.

Other Information to Include in Your Project Report

In some instances, there is a need to include additional information or parts in your project report, such as:

• Table of Contents: This directs readers to specific sections, saving time for busy stakeholders and executive managers. It also aids in reviewing specific points without scanning the entire report.
• Report Guidelines: These remind you and others how to write the report, covering content, formatting, and tone. This ensures consistency and eases transitions between project managers.
• Appendices: Include any detailed data, tables, supporting documents, glossaries, definitions of jargon, and technical information for reference.

Important Project KPIs on Your Monthly Report

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are vital to the project, providing quantifiable metrics to measure its progress regarding parameters and goals.

Including KPIs in your report ensures transparency and accountability, offering critical insights for improved decision-making among managers and stakeholders.

While each project may have unique KPIs, these four are common among construction projects and essential for understanding overall progress:

Schedule Progress vs. Plan

Illustrating progress (towards a milestone, completed deliverables, or both) versus the baseline schedule helps everyone involved evaluate if the project will finish on time or be behind schedule.

Scope vs. Plan

A project's plan is a blueprint for handling all aspects of the project: time, budget, resources, and others. However, like most plans, these can change as the project progresses.

This section visualises scope changes since the project's start, aiding in setting expectations and managing resources for future phases.

Cost vs. Budget

Like the timeline, a comparison between the project's planned budget versus the forecast final cost clearly shows whether there's enough wiggle room for future scope or cost adjustments.

Knowing the financial status allows for more precise, informed decisions on cost-related aspects.

Planned vs. Actual Resourcing

This comparison of projected and actual resources (materials, equipment, time, labour) is recommended for those dealing with resourcing. It helps reallocate resources in case of over- or under-allocation.

These KPIs are often interrelated. For example, being behind schedule can affect the budget, scope, and resource allocation.

For each KPI, mention changes since the last report and your plans to address specific concerns.

Effective Tools for Monthly Reporting

Creating monthly reports can be tedious, involving gathering and collating data from various sources. This time-consuming process is crucial for ensuring the project's successful completion regarding timeline, budget, and quality standards.

Available tools can ease this process. Inputting or uploading the necessary data allows these tools to generate essential information for your report. Even more convenient is a project management tool with built-in reporting features.

A tool like Mastt provides a centralised solution for construction project management needs, streamlining monthly report creation. It acts as a one-stop shop for the latest project data, ensuring accuracy in your reports.

How Mastt can help with Project Reports

👉 Head to Mastt's Reporting Module or download our free Project Report template.