[tab name=’Guidelines’]
Guidelines : Progress Reports
Progress Reports
Guidelines
- Summarize status or progress in one or two statements up front, followed by next action, then details, then comments about attachments. If your progress report covers several projects, format each item individually–summary message, action, details, attachments.
- Don’t be negative about your own efforts. Even if progress has been limited, state the progress in positive terms.
- Be straightforward about problems or progress inhibitors, but be sure to state how you plan to overcome them. Show confidence rather than defeat by your tone. If you have problems, strain for the proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.”
- Use headings and lists in reporting on multiple items.
- If you must have approval or further information from the reader and have mentioned several separate items, you may close with a recap statement of the reader’s total expected actions.
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[tab name=’Example 1′]
Example 1: Progress Reports
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Progress Report–September 2 through September 14, 19–
Sale of Tall Oak Ranch
I have prepared and mailed a letter of intent as preliminary to the contract and am in the process of drafting a full contract. This contract should be ready for your signature October 1. A first draft is attached for your comments about payment schedule.
Payment on Atlanta Land
To Title Option and Loan I have mailed the TFT check for $10,000 for option and TFTG check for $38,000 for the loan. The original executed documents and stock certificates have been filed permanently in Melvin Harris’s office.
Purchase of San Pedro Plant
The deal is on hold, pending your decision on who is going to buy the plant. Warren doesn’t want to spend the cash. Procedures prohibit Metcalf from owning two plants in one county. Benjamin doesn’t want to merge the two county plants he manages, because he’s expecting to market one in the next six months. The owner is determined to close the deal as soon as possible and no later than December 15, 19–.
New Claim Files Opened
1. Claim of fraud–MC 303 ($33,000)
2. Limitation-boundary dispute–BD 4
3. Delinquent tax claim ($1,062)
I will advise you on these details as the claims progress. Please let me know your preference on the Tall Oak Ranch payment schedule and your decision about who will purchase the San Pedro plant.
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[tab name=’Example 2′]
Example 2: Project status report template
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: WNT Pilot Project Update
The WNT pilot project is now in the field-test stage.
Engineering reports that as of August 15, 19–, two tools are in service at the Los Angeles site. Although minor electronic problems have developed, the tools have run five jobs with good hyd-mechanical performance. One additional tool was shipped to Lafayette in July; however, the job was unsuccessful due to major electronics malfunctioning.
Engineering would like to do a few more tests on the tools before releasing them for production. The new target date for field-test sign-off is mid-October.
Revised charts are attached for your information.
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[tab name=’Example 3′]
Example 3: Employee progress letters
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Update on office reorganization project
I have made significant progress in reorganizing the front office. All receipts of bills paid prior to 1990 have been destroyed. I am currently cleaning out the customer files. This particular task has taken longer than expected as the latest documents were often located within the file rather than on top. Our office volunteer has begun sorting the supply cabinet. She comes in twice a week, so this task should be completed by the end of the summer.
I anticipate the entire reorganization to be completed by the end of September. At this time the new filing system will be specifically outlined so that all office workers and volunteers are able to maintain it properly.
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[tab name=’Example 4′]
Example 4: State your progress in project
Memorandum
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT: Update on Research Project
I am very pleased to be participating in such a well-planned research project. A lack of funding on other projects has always caused us to cut corners. This project, however, is top-of-the-line. Not only is our equipment running without a glitch, but we also have dependable subjects. The following is a brief update on both:
Equipment
The computer program seems to have excellent control over the calibration devices, the trial runners, and the stimulus presenters. The subjects have reported a steady flow of trials at intervals with varying frequencies and intensities. The responses and scores are reported instantaneously on the screen and a running record is kept of the percentages.
Subjects
All eight subjects have shown up for all 15 sessions, with the exception of one subject missing one session. However, she stayed late for two days to make up what she had missed. All trials have been run on schedule. Three subjects were determined to discriminate best at 800 Hz, two at 600 Hz, two at 500 Hz, and one at 300 Hz. They have been running according to these discrimination levels. So far our hypothesis seems correct, as all subjects have better discrimination levels when the stimulus is present forward.
If you have any questions or are interested in further details, please contact me in the lab between 8 a.m. and noon, Monday-Friday.
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