Standards of Reporting

Everyone on the audience will have different needs and the amount of data can be daunting. You can name hundreds of possibilities and some will yield very long reports. Some might require a huge binder for every update.

I believe a better approach is to define most report formats and create company templates to be used on every job. Distribute a file reader specific to your software so everyone in the audience can see 100% of data the way that best fits their particular needs. This shall be accompanied by the update narrative that will add understanding to issues not visible, such as ongoing delays. Then some basic reports in PDF shall follow, perhaps an updated Gannt unfiltered - showing all activities, a lookahead for short term issues, a Gantt filtered for critical an near critical activities, Cost Reports, Changed Data Report [Digger Report in Primavera Products] and the infamous Progress Payment S curves. The remaining reports can be selected from the electronic file that shall include all required templates for most used reports [can be many on complex jobs].

Cost reports shall be distributed with caution and in some cases cost data shall be removed from the electronic file.

In summary:

• Electronic Files of the update
• Narrative report
• PDF Reports
  • Updated Gantt
  • Lookahead Gantt
  • Critical and Near Critical activities Gantt
  • Cost Report - distribution might be limited
  • Changed Data Report [Digger Report in Primavera Products]
  • S curves

Wow and this is the minimum!

As I see it the narrative plus the electronic files shall be enough for those who understand scheduling. All involved in operations management shall be proficient on what CPM is and at minimum shall be able to pull down whatever data they need from the electronic files using full software or the viewer.

I have seen in this computer era some specifications that required 8 copies of a monstrous report that required a 3in binder for every copy. Someone forgot about the paper reduction act!