Start with the project and reporting date
Name the project, identify the client and state the date the information was prepared. Add a short explanation of the report's scope: the whole renovation, a furniture package or a particular stage. This prevents a partial update from being mistaken for the complete project budget.
Use the same structure each time. A recognisable summary helps clients compare updates without searching through a new layout at every meeting.
Show the budget, changes and outstanding decisions
Place the agreed budget and the latest expected total together, then explain the important differences. Make clear which changes have been agreed and which options are still under discussion. Unpriced work should remain identifiable; a blank amount must not appear to mean that the work is free.
Keep the next decisions specific. Instead of 'confirm finishes', write which finish needs a decision, when it is needed and what happens if the order is delayed. If an amount is provisional, say what is needed to confirm it.
- The agreed budget and the latest forecast on a consistent tax basis.
- A short explanation of changes since the previous report.
- Important orders, delivery dates and work still awaiting a price.
- Decisions required from the client, with useful target dates.
Choose figures that fit your role
An interior designer managing a client's purchases may report the client's expected expenditure. A contractor selling a package may report the agreed selling price and changes. These are different reporting needs; choose the appropriate template rather than forwarding your internal working table.
Keep internal supplier costs, margins and private notes out of a client-facing contractor report. Review the actual exported file, including its columns and attachments, rather than relying only on what is visible on screen. Use a fresh export after changes; an earlier downloaded copy does not update itself.
End with a short, actionable update
A useful closing note might say: 'The lighting selection is agreed. The joinery quote is still pending. Please confirm the kitchen finish by Thursday so we can keep the planned ordering date.' This gives the client a clear next step without hiding an uncertainty in the total.
Formendi provides project report templates and a preview before export. Check the intended recipient and the figures shown, then use the available HTML or CSV export. Where suitable, the browser's print dialog can save the report as a PDF. Sending a report does not by itself record contractual approval.