Write a crisp project status update

Turn scattered progress notes into a status update with RAG status, risks, asks and next steps that leaders actually read.

Change note: Initial version

Prompt

Write a project status update from the notes below.

Project: {{project}}
Audience: {{audience}}
Reporting period: {{period}}
Notes (progress, issues, blockers, anything relevant):
{{notes}}

Format and rules:
- Start with a one-sentence headline and an overall status: Green, Yellow or Red, with a one-line reason. Pick the status honestly from the notes; if notes suggest slippage, do not default to Green.
- **Done this period**: up to 4 bullets, outcomes not activities.
- **Next period**: up to 4 bullets.
- **Risks and blockers**: each with impact and what is being done. Add an explicit "Ask" for each one that needs a decision or help from the audience, naming who and by when.
- **Metrics or dates**: only if the notes include them. Never invent numbers or dates.
- Length limit: {{max_words}} words. Plain language, no jargon the audience would not know, no filler like "we are excited".

If the notes contradict each other, point it out in a note at the end instead of choosing silently.

Variables

• {{project}}Projecttextrequired

  Default: Mobile app v2

• {{audience}}Audiencetextrequired

  Default: Executive sponsor and department heads

• {{period}}Periodtextrequired

  Default: Week ending 14 March

• {{notes}}Noteslongrequired

  Default: Login redesign finished and in QA. Payments integration 3 days behind because vendor sandbox was down for 2 days. Android crashes on older devices found, fix in progress. Design for settings screen approved. Need decision on whether to drop support for Android 8. Launch date still April 22 but tight. Hired a second QA contractor starting Monday.

• {{max_words}}Max wordsnumberrequired

  Default: 200

Example output

**Mobile app v2: login redesign complete; payments integration slipped by 3 days. Status: Yellow, launch April 22 remains possible but has little slack.**

**Done**
- Login redesign finished and in QA
- Settings screen design approved
- Second QA contractor hired, starting Monday

**Next**
- Complete payments integration
- Fix Android crashes on older devices
- Begin QA on login flow

**Risks and blockers**
- Payments is 3 days behind because the vendor sandbox was unavailable for 2 days. The extra QA contractor offsets some risk.
- Android crashes on older devices. A fix is in progress.
- **Ask:** Decide whether to drop Android 8 support. Owner: executive sponsor. Needed by next Friday, as it shapes the crash fix scope.

**Note:** The launch date is stated as firm in the notes but described as tight; confirm whether a one-week buffer is acceptable.

Notes

Telling the model to choose status honestly and to attach an explicit ask to each blocker makes the update actionable rather than decorative. Keep the notes in one doc and paste the new week each time.