How to create a weekly report (with templates & examples)

When you’re managing a team of people or even an entire business, it can be hard to keep track of everything. You have multiple individuals taking care of different tasks, each at their own pace.

How can you make sure everyone is keeping up and moving in the right direction? A weekly report is the answer. When done right, a weekly report improves transparency and communication, and shows a broad snapshot of an individual’s activities — past, present, and future. It can also help measure employee performance, address roadblocks, and improve workflows. This makes it a valuable tool for team leaders and employees.

Keep reading to learn about the value of weekly reports and what they typically include.

Summary/Overview

Levels

What is a weekly report?

A weekly report is a document that gives an overview of the work an employee has completed in a given week. It provides a progress update on ongoing work and details the work planned for the following week.

A typical weekly report is a one-page document that outlines completed, ongoing, and future weekly tasks. Whereas an annual report details a comprehensive long-term summary of an organization’s activities and achievements, a weekly report focuses on short-term activities, progress, and challenges that revolve around immediate tasks and goals.

What is the purpose of a weekly report?

Managers can use weekly reports to get an overview of each employee’s activities and understand what the individual is doing with their time each day.

From a big picture perspective, managers, project managers and team leaders can use reports to assess an employee’s performance.

Team members can also benefit from the reporting process, which is an easy way to demonstrate their productivity to leadership. A record of weekly reports can help an employee make a case for advancement, for example, by highlighting strong key performance indicators (KPIs) and outstanding deliverables.

Weekly activity reports also benefit managers and employees more generally by:

Improving communication. A weekly update promotes a regular information exchange between the employee and the employer. For example, say an employee is experiencing an issue that keeps them from progressing on a project — like a supplier ghosting them. They can communicate this to their manager quickly through their weekly report.
Enhancing transparency. Regular communication eliminates confusion. Both the employer and employee know what the employee is doing and how they’re progressing; all stakeholders are in the know. Taking the above example, consider an employee who’s stuck in a project because of a supplier delay. By flagging this exact issue to their manager in their report, the employee eliminates any confusion (or worse, frustration) as to why a project isn’t moving forward.
Simplifying decisions. Better information sharing can lead to smarter decision making. Continuing the above example, once the manager knows the employee’s problem (in this case, a supplier issue), they can make an informed decision about what to do about it. The manager may sign off on switching suppliers, for instance. The employee can continue their work, the project progresses, and the manager is satisfied.

What’s included in a weekly report?

The word “report” might make you worried about creating Excel or Google Sheet tables with complex charts and graphs. Don’t worry — making a weekly report is simple. You just have to fill in three sections: past, present, and future.

Past: projects completed

This section details what projects have been completed in the past week. It’s basically the employee’s chance to say, “Here’s what I’ve been up to.”

Here, you’ll find a summary of individual or team achievements set against any preset weekly goals, alongside a progress update. It's considered best practice to clearly differentiate between projects so any progress or issues inherent to each project can be discussed in their own space. If relevant, key performance indicators (KPIs) should be highlighted here.

Present: what’s currently in progress

It’s important to note which projects are still in progress and provide a status update about what state they’re in and what needs to be done to finish the project. This area can provide an opportunity for teammates to communicate whether or not they need help with anything in particular.

There should be a list of current goals for the week and any objectives associated with them. Additionally, any issues or challenges should be identified with proposed solutions. If there are any team updates — like a significant contribution by a particular team member — they can be found here.

Future: upcoming projects

Finally, it’s crucial to plan for the coming weeks and highlight any unfinished business. This area also provides a chance to flag new projects that will start next week.

Typically, this is where you can find a list of tasks and goals for the next week. Prioritized items should be highlighted, and long-term initiatives with timelines longer than a week can be included here too.

How to write a weekly report in 5 steps

Writing a good weekly report involves the following steps:

Start with a clear summary. Begin your report with a brief overview of the main accomplishments, challenges, and upcoming priorities for the week. This sets the context for the rest of the report.
Highlight key accomplishments. List the significant achievements, milestones, or completed tasks during the week. Focus on outcomes that align with the team or organization's goals and objectives.
Address challenges and solutions. Briefly mention any notable challenges encountered and the corresponding solutions or strategies implemented to overcome them. This demonstrates problem-solving skills and resilience.
Outline upcoming priorities. Identify the main priorities and tasks for the upcoming week. This helps provide clarity on the team's focus and objectives and ensures alignment with organizational goals.
Keep it concise and organized. Use bullet points or numbered lists to present information in a clear and concise manner. Headings and subheadings should be utilized to separate different sections of the report.

Weekly report templates

As you now know, a weekly report is pretty straightforward. That said, there are a few types of weekly business reports. Here’s a roundup of some common report styles.

1. Basic weekly report template

A basic weekly report provides a daily update of the week’s progress, Monday through Friday. There’s a slot for updates for each day of the week. You can simply add bullet points for each one.

This style of report provides a snapshot of the week without going into project-specific tasks and additional details. This might be enough if the week’s work isn’t project-heavy, but instead focuses on the same core tasks.

For example, say you have a team of social media managers responsible for promoting different brands. You might highlight the ongoing social media promotions they’ve been doing throughout the week, from collaborating with influencers to making content.

Here’s a basic weekly report template to get you started:

Week: [Insert week of reporting]

Summary: Provide a brief overview of the work and achievements during the week, highlighting key accomplishments and progress made towards goals or projects.

Tasks completed: List the tasks and projects completed during the week, along with any relevant details or milestones achieved.

Challenges and solutions: Outline any challenges or obstacles encountered and include a brief description of the solutions implemented to overcome them.

Upcoming priorities: Identify the main priorities and tasks that will be focused on in the upcoming week, providing a clear direction for their work.

Additional notes: Include any additional notes, feedback, or comments relevant to the week’s performance or any upcoming events or deadlines.

2. Weekly status report template

Knowing your employees’ status is a crucial part of successful project management. A weekly project status report is designed to provide updates about one specific project. It includes separate sections for each day of the week, but it’s more detailed, including:

Subheadings to note which tasks have been completed
What the results are for each project
What’s next in terms of progress (or challenges blocking intended progress)

If the job is largely project-based, a weekly progress report could be right for your team. For example, if you manage a graphic designer, they can make one report for every project they’re working on, detailing progress and setbacks (like a client asking for additional edits to an otherwise finished graphic). They can provide one report per project.

You can work from this project status weekly report template:

Week: [Insert week of reporting]

Summary: Provide a summary of the project's overall progress during the week, highlighting key accomplishments, milestones reached, and any notable challenges faced

Tasks completed: List the specific tasks completed during the week, including any relevant details or deliverables achieved.

Key Milestones: Highlight any significant milestones or goals reached during the week, demonstrating progress towards project completion or specific project objectives.

Challenges and solutions: Identify any challenges or obstacles encountered during the week and briefly describe the solutions or mitigations implemented to address them. This section should include any lessons learned or recommendations for improvement.

Upcoming priorities: Outline the main priorities and tasks that need to be addressed in the upcoming week, providing a clear focus and direction for the employee's work within the project.

Additional notes: Include any additional notes, updates, or comments that are relevant to the project's status, including upcoming deadlines, meetings, or significant changes to the project plan.

A social media weekly report summarizes key metrics, activities, and outcomes related to a company or an individual's weekly marketing activities on social platforms. It gives a performance overview, including KPIs like engagement, reach, and follower growth.

The report may also include insights into trends, audience demographics, and competitive analysis. It helps track progress, inform strategy, and evaluate the effectiveness of social media efforts.

Here’s an example template that a marketing team can use to make a social media weekly report:

Week: [Insert week of reporting]

Summary: Provide a summary of the overall performance and key highlights of the social media channels during the week, including notable achievements or trends.

Metrics overview: Include a concise overview of the key metrics for the week, such as follower growth, engagement rate, reach, impressions, and any other relevant metrics specific to the social media channels being reported on.

Content performance: Highlight the top performing content pieces or campaigns during the week, including the highest engagement posts, most shared content, or any notable trends. Briefly analyze the factors contributing to their success.

Competitive analysis: Provide a brief analysis of the competitors' social media performance, highlighting any significant trends or insights that can be drawn from their activities. Identify areas where the company's social media presence stands out or opportunities for improvement.

Actionable insights: Offer actionable insights based on the performance data and analysis provided. Identify areas of strength and opportunities for growth, suggesting potential strategies or optimizations to enhance the social media presence and achieve goals.

4. Executive summary weekly report template

An executive summary weekly report is a concise overview of the most important information and key highlights from a broader weekly report. It provides a high-level summary of the main findings, accomplishments, challenges, and upcoming priorities.

The purpose is to give executives or stakeholders a quick snapshot of the overall progress and key insights without delving into all the detailed information contained in the full report.

This template can serve as a guide:

Week: [Insert week of reporting]

Summary: Summarize the main accomplishments, challenges, and upcoming priorities for the week, giving a high-level overview of the overall progress and key insights.

Accomplishments: Highlight the significant achievements and milestones reached during the week, focusing on the outcomes that contribute to the organization's goals and objectives.

Challenges and solutions: Outline any notable challenges faced and the corresponding solutions or strategies implemented to overcome them.

Upcoming priorities: Identify the main priorities and tasks for the upcoming week, providing a clear direction for the team's focus and objectives.

5. KPI weekly report template

A KPI weekly report is a concise summary of the key performance indicators relevant to a project, department, or organization. It provides an overview of the progress made towards achieving these KPIs during the week, highlighting any notable trends or insights.

The report may include an analysis of the data, actionable recommendations, and an action plan for the upcoming week to improve KPI performance. Its purpose is to track activity, drive decision-making, and ensure alignment with organizational goals.

Here’s a template you can use as a starting point:

Week: [Insert week of reporting]

KPIs: List the specific KPIs relevant to the project, department, or organization. Include metrics such as sales revenue, customer acquisition, website traffic, conversion rates, or any other measurable indicators.

KPI progress: Provide a concise update on the progress made towards each KPI during the week. Include both the current value and any changes compared to the previous week or set targets.

Analysis and insights: Offer a brief analysis of KPI-related performance, highlighting any notable trends, patterns, or factors influencing the results. Provide actionable insights or recommendations based on the analysis.

Action plan: Outline the action plan or initiatives that will be implemented to improve the KPIs further in the upcoming week. Identify specific steps, responsible team members, and expected outcomes.

6. Reflection-based weekly report template

A reflection guide encourages employees to take a more analytical look at their work and the challenges they face. Again, there’s a section for every weekday.

Instead of zeroing in on core tasks or project specifics, here the employee can reflect on each day’s successes and setbacks.

Use prompts written in simple language to get employees’ brains ticking, like:

How well did I perform today?
What did I do well today?
How can I improve for tomorrow?
What challenges am I experiencing?

These questions can offer a more meaningful dialogue between employer and employee.

A reflection-based report is valuable for all types of workers, whether their job is focused on repetitive core tasks or more project-based. This kind of report is also valuable in discussions regarding advancement and can help pinpoint problem areas that individuals need help with.

7. Infographic weekly report template

An infographic performance report focuses on numerical data. Instead of providing information using only writing, it gives an overview based on numbers and backed by visuals. It can highlight figures like X tasks completed, X% of time spent on this task, or X amount of budget spent.

An infographic-driven employee weekly status report can be especially useful for individuals who work with numbers. For example, a sales professional can boil down their week to metrics like the number of deals closed and the number of leads chased.

These data visualizations can make a weekly sales report more interesting.

Sample of a weekly report to a manager

Here’s what a weekly report written by an employee for their manager might look like:

Week: June 14 - June 18, 2023

Summary: Throughout this week, the team demonstrated exceptional performance and made significant progress towards our quarterly targets. We successfully launched the new website feature, resulting in a 15% increase in user engagement and positive feedback from customers. Despite experiencing some supply chain disruptions, we quickly implemented alternative sourcing strategies to ensure timely product delivery. Looking ahead, our main focus will be on expanding our social media presence and launching a customer loyalty program.

Accomplishments:

Website feature launch: We successfully rolled out the new product recommendation feature on our website, driving a 15% increase in user engagement and a 10% boost in conversion rates. Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the enhanced user experience and improved product discovery.
Supply chain resilience: Despite facing supply chain disruptions due to global shipping challenges, we swiftly collaborated with alternative suppliers and optimized logistics routes. As a result, we minimized delivery delays and maintained high customer satisfaction, with only a marginal impact on order fulfillment.
Social media growth: Our social media presence witnessed substantial growth, with a 20% increase in followers across all platforms. Engagements and interactions also surged, indicating an expanded reach and improved brand visibility. We are actively engaging with our audience through compelling content and strategic collaborations to foster further growth.

Challenges and Solutions:

Supply chain disruptions: Due to unforeseen shipping delays, we faced challenges in maintaining inventory levels. To address this, we worked closely with our suppliers to identify alternative transportation methods, expedite shipments, and adjust production schedules to mitigate the impact on product availability.
Customer support capacity: With the increased customer engagement resulting from the website feature launch, our customer support team experienced higher call volumes and inquiries. To ensure timely and efficient support, we temporarily allocated additional resources, implemented self-service options, and provided comprehensive training to address customer concerns effectively.

Upcoming Priorities:

Customer loyalty program: Our priority for the upcoming week is to finalize the development of our customer loyalty program, which aims to enhance customer retention and drive repeat purchases. We will focus on refining the program's structure, designing rewards, and planning the launch campaign.
Social media campaigns: To sustain the momentum of our social media growth, we will develop engaging content, explore influencer partnerships, and implement targeted advertising campaigns. Our objective is to further expand our online presence, increase brand awareness, and drive traffic to our website.
Sales performance analysis: We will conduct an in-depth analysis of our sales performance for the quarter, including revenue trends, customer segmentation, and product performance. This analysis will enable us to identify opportunities for improvement and develop actionable strategies to optimize sales and drive profitability.

Should you have any questions or require further information, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Start making standout weekly reports

The templates and examples we’ve covered here make it easy to make the perfect weekly report. Whatever you’re reporting on, you can modify these and tailor them to your needs. Add anything your managers, clients, or stakeholders might need to know about, and outline avenues of communication for resulting feedback, questions, or new information that should be included.

Want to make your weekly reports and employee record-keeping really stand out? Check out our guide on the top design tips for reports. You can also add design assets and tailor details like fonts and images with Adobe Express. We put thousands of design assets, templates, and royalty-free photos right at your fingertips.

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