Highlight Report Template

The regular report to a sponsor — short enough that they read it, structured so the ask is impossible to miss.

Sponsors do not want the detail. They want to know whether the project is fine, what changed, and whether you need anything from them. This report gives them exactly that, in five sections.

What's inside

1. Executive status — RAG rating and the position in a sentence
2. Progress and performance — what was completed this period, against what was planned
3. Milestones and products — what has been delivered and accepted, and what is next
4. Top risks, issues and changes — only what needs attention, not the whole register
5. Decisions and next period — what you need decided, by whom, by when

Thirteen pre-built tables.

Why it works

Because section five exists. Most status reports describe activity and end there, so the sponsor reads it, nods, and does nothing. This format forces you to state the ask, which is the only reason to send a report upward at all.

Who it's for

Project managers reporting to a sponsor, steering committee or client, at whatever cadence you have agreed — weekly, fortnightly or monthly.

Editable Word document. No macros, no subscription. Pairs with the Executive Project Highlight & Board Report (the Excel version, which calculates the numbers), the Exception Report for when tolerances break, and the End Stage Report at each gate.

Built in Australia from more than twenty years of program delivery experience. Instant download, yours to keep, use it for as many reporting periods as you like.