Status Reports

The Status Reports system provides automated client communication through templated reports with configurable schedules and email delivery. It ensures consistent, professional project updates throughout the engagement lifecycle.

Overview

Status reporting in SPEAR includes:

Report Creation - Structured reports with milestones, metrics, and narrative sections
Templates - Customizable report templates with configurable sections
Scheduling - Automated cadence with draft generation
Delivery - Email distribution to configured recipients

Status Reports

🖥️ Status Report Structure with All Sections Screenshot

Report Structure

Each status report contains:

Section	Description
Period	Reporting date range (start/end)
Summary	Executive overview of progress
Highlights	Key accomplishments and wins
Challenges	Issues and blockers encountered
Next Steps	Planned activities for next period
Milestones	Project milestone status tracking
Metrics	Quantitative progress indicators

Creating Reports

Navigate to Status Reports for the project
Click “New Report”
Select reporting period
Complete each section:
- Write executive summary
- List highlights and achievements
- Document challenges and mitigations
- Define next steps and action items
Add milestones with status
Enter metrics with values and targets
Save as draft or send immediately

Report Statuses

Status	Description
`draft`	In progress, not yet sent
`sent`	Delivered to recipients
`approved`	Reviewed and approved by recipient or manager
`rejected`	Returned for revision during review
`archived`	Historical record

Milestones Tracking

Track project milestones within reports:

Milestone Status	Description
`not_started`	Work not yet begun
`in_progress`	Currently being worked
`completed`	Successfully finished
`at_risk`	May miss target date
`delayed`	Will not meet original date

Milestone fields:

Name/title
Target date
Current status
Notes/comments

Metrics Tracking

Quantitative progress indicators:

Field	Description
Name	Metric identifier
Value	Current measurement
Target	Goal value
Unit	Measurement unit (%, hours, count)
Trend	Direction (up, down, stable)

Example metrics:

Completion percentage (75% of 100%)
Hours consumed (120 of 160 hours)
Findings identified (15 total)
Vulnerabilities remediated (8 of 12)

POC Selection

Choose report recipients from project contacts:

Select primary Point of Contact (POC)
Add CC recipients
Configure delivery preferences

Report Templates

🖥️ Report Template Configuration Interface Screenshot

Template Purpose

Templates provide:

Consistent report structure
Pre-defined sections
Standard formatting
Email subject/body templates

Creating Templates

Navigate to Template management
Click “New Template”
Name the template
Configure sections (order and type)
Set email templates
Save template

Section Types

Type	Description
`text`	Free-form narrative section
`milestones`	Milestone tracking table
`metrics`	Metrics dashboard
`highlights`	Bulleted achievements
`challenges`	Issues and blockers
`next_steps`	Action items list

Section Configuration

Each section can include:

Section title/heading
Help text/instructions
Required flag
Display order

Email Templates

Configure email appearance:

Subject Template

[Project Name] Status Report - {{period_start}} to {{period_end}}

Body Template

Dear {{poc_name}},

Please find attached the status report for {{project_name}} covering the period {{period_start}} to {{period_end}}.

Summary:
{{summary}}

Best regards,
{{pm_name}}

Default Template

Set organization default:

Select template
Mark as default
New reports use this template

Report Scheduling

🖥️ Schedule Configuration for Different Frequencies Screenshot

Frequency Options

Frequency	Description
`daily`	Every day
`weekly`	Every 7 days
`biweekly`	Every 14 days
`monthly`	Once per month
`milestone`	Triggered when project milestones are reached
`engagement_start`	Sent at the start of an engagement
`engagement_end`	Sent at the end of an engagement
`custom`	User-defined interval

Schedule Configuration

Define reporting cadence:

Weekly/Biweekly

Select day of week (e.g., Friday)
Time for draft generation

Monthly

Select day of month (e.g., 1st, 15th, last)
Time for draft generation

Custom

Define interval in days
Set start date

Recipient Configuration

For each schedule:

Primary recipient (POC)
CC list (additional stakeholders)
Reply-to address

Automatic Draft Generation

When schedule triggers:

System creates draft report
Populates template sections
Carries forward milestones/metrics
Notifies PM of draft ready
PM reviews and sends

Next Report Date Calculation

System calculates next due date based on:

Last report sent date
Configured frequency
Day of week/month setting

Displayed on project dashboard for visibility.

Sending Reports

🖥️ Send Modal with Email Preview Screenshot

Send Workflow

Review completed draft
Click “Send Report”
Verify recipient list
Preview email content
Confirm and send

The send dialog shows:

Selected POC (from project contacts)
CC email addresses
Email preview
Send confirmation

Email Preview

Review before sending:

Subject line
Body content
Attached sections
Recipient list

Sent Report Tracking

After sending:

Report marked as “sent”
Timestamp recorded
Delivery logged
Available in report history

Template Section Reference

Section Type	Content	Best For
Summary	2-3 paragraph overview	Executive stakeholders
Highlights	Bulleted accomplishments	Quick wins visibility
Challenges	Issues with mitigations	Risk communication
Next Steps	Action items with owners	Planning alignment
Milestones	Status table with dates	Progress tracking
Metrics	KPIs with targets	Quantitative progress

Report Workflow

flowchart TD
    A[Schedule Triggers] --> B[Generate Draft]
    B --> C[PM Notified]
    C --> D[PM Reviews Draft]
    D --> E{Draft Complete?}
    E -->|No| F[Edit Content]
    F --> D
    E -->|Yes| G[Select Recipients]
    G --> H[Preview Email]
    H --> I{Ready to Send?}
    I -->|No| F
    I -->|Yes| J[Send Report]
    J --> K[Mark as Sent]
    K --> L[Log Delivery]
    L --> M[Calculate Next Due]

Best Practices

Report Creation

Use templates for consistency
Write clear, concise summaries
Quantify progress where possible
Be honest about challenges
Include actionable next steps

Milestone Management

Define milestones early
Update status regularly
Flag risks promptly
Celebrate completions

Metrics Selection

Choose meaningful indicators
Set realistic targets
Track trends over time
Align with client expectations

Schedule Management

Set cadence during project planning
Match frequency to project complexity
Coordinate with client preferences
Allow time for review before send

Template Design

Keep sections focused
Order logically (summary first)
Include clear instructions
Test with sample content

Integration with Projects

Status reports connect to:

Project details - Name, dates, team
Milestones - From project timeline
Metrics - From component progress
Contacts - POC selection from client
Team - PM signature in emails