Checklist
Monthly Reporting Checklist
Purpose
Make sure a monthly programme report says what leadership actually needs — status, exposure and the decision required.
Who it’s for
Planners and controls managers preparing monthly reports.
When to use it
Every reporting cycle, before the report is issued.
Key areas covered
- Progress & data-date discipline
- Critical path & forecast
- Risk & change
- Decisions & actions
Related framework Decision Intelligence →
A report exists to drive a decision, not to prove that work happened.
Headline & decisions
- One-line status and the trend since last period
- The decisions required this period, stated up front
Time
- Progress against baseline (planned vs actual)
- Current critical path and how it has changed
- Forecast completion, with its basis
Cost & change
- Cost position and forecast (with EVM indices where used)
- Change status — approved, pending and potential
Risk, claims & actions
- Top risks with owners and movement since last period
- EOT and claims status, without contractual overstatement
- Actions with owners and dates; last period’s actions closed out
Discipline
- Figures reconcile with the schedule and cost systems
- Bad news is early and plainly stated, not buried