================================================================ FREELANCE PROJECT STATUS UPDATE TEMPLATES SoloStack | solostack.madethis.app/resources/freelance-project-management ================================================================ Five core templates for keeping clients updated throughout a project, plus three templates for common awkward situations. Fill in the [brackets] with your project details. All templates are designed to be under 200 words — short enough that clients actually read them. ================================================================ TEMPLATE 1: WEEKLY STATUS UPDATE (Ongoing project) ================================================================ Subject line options: A) [Project Name] — Weekly Update (Week [X]) B) Your [Project Name] Update — [Date] C) [Project Name] Status: On Track / Week of [Date] --- Hi [Client Name], Here's your weekly update on [Project Name]. STATUS: On track ✓ COMPLETED THIS WEEK: — [Specific item completed, e.g., "Drafted homepage copy (v1)"] — [Specific item completed] — [Specific item completed] NEXT WEEK: — [What you're working on next] — [What you're working on next] WAITING ON YOU: — [Item you need from client, with due date] — OR — — Nothing needed this week. I'll send the next update on [day of week]. Reply if anything comes up before then. [Your Name] --- Personalization notes: - Use a specific day for next update ("Friday" beats "next week") - Keep "Waiting on You" items specific with dates — vague asks get ignored - If a milestone is coming up, mention it here so the client isn't surprised by an approval request ================================================================ TEMPLATE 2: MILESTONE COMPLETION NOTICE ================================================================ Subject line options: A) [Project Name] — [Milestone Name] Complete B) [Milestone]: Ready for Your Review C) [Project Name] Milestone [X] — Your Input Needed --- Hi [Client Name], [Milestone name] is complete and ready for your review. What's included: — [Deliverable 1] — [Deliverable 2] — [Deliverable 3] Access the files here: [link to shared folder / attachment] To keep the project on schedule, I need your feedback by [specific date, e.g., "Thursday, July 10"]. This is Round [X] of [X] included revision rounds. If you'd like changes beyond the current scope, I'll send a quick quote before proceeding. Once this milestone is approved, I'll move to [next phase]. [Your Name] --- Personalization notes: - Always give a specific feedback deadline — open-ended requests sit in inboxes for weeks - Remind the client of remaining revision rounds so there are no surprises if they run out - Link directly to files rather than attaching — easier for clients to access and re-access ================================================================ TEMPLATE 3: REVISION ROUND COMPLETE ================================================================ Subject line options: A) [Project Name] — Revision [X] Complete B) [Project Name] v[X]: Updated Files Ready C) Revisions Applied — [Project Name] Ready for Review --- Hi [Client Name], I've applied the revisions from your last round of feedback. Here's a summary of what changed: CHANGES MADE: — [Specific change 1, e.g., "Updated hero copy to reflect new positioning language"] — [Specific change 2] — [Specific change 3] NOT INCLUDED (out of scope or deferred): — [Any item left out and why — "This fell outside our original scope; I'll quote separately if you'd like to add it"] Updated files: [link] This is revision round [X] of [X] included in our agreement. If you'd like further changes, I'm happy to quote them. Please confirm approval by [date] so I can proceed to [next step]. [Your Name] --- Personalization notes: - Document what you DID change and what you DIDN'T — this protects you if there's a dispute later - Noting out-of-scope items professionally (not defensively) keeps the relationship intact while protecting your time - Confirm the revision round count after every round ================================================================ TEMPLATE 4: PROJECT DELAY NOTICE ================================================================ Subject line options: A) [Project Name] — Updated Timeline B) Heads Up: [Project Name] Revised Delivery Date C) [Project Name] — Timeline Update --- Hi [Client Name], I wanted to give you advance notice: [Project Name] is running approximately [X days] behind schedule. ORIGINAL DELIVERY DATE: [date] NEW ESTIMATED DELIVERY: [date] What happened: [Brief, honest explanation — e.g., "The first round of feedback took longer to incorporate than planned, which compressed the remaining timeline" or "A technical issue required rebuilding [specific element] from scratch."] What I'm doing about it: [Concrete action — e.g., "I've cleared my schedule for the next three days to focus entirely on this" or "I've brought in additional help for the [specific task]."] I'll send a daily update until delivery is back on track. Please let me know if the revised date creates any issues on your end — I want to make sure this still works for you. Sorry for the inconvenience. [Your Name] --- Personalization notes: - Send this the moment you know there's a delay — never let a client discover a missed deadline on the day it was due - Keep the explanation factual, not emotional — one sentence is enough - The "what I'm doing about it" section is the most important part — it shows you're in control - Offer to discuss if the new date creates downstream issues ================================================================ TEMPLATE 5: FINAL DELIVERY EMAIL ================================================================ Subject line options: A) [Project Name] — Final Delivery B) [Project Name]: Everything's Here C) Final Files: [Project Name] --- Hi [Client Name], [Project Name] is complete. Everything is packaged and ready for you. WHAT'S INCLUDED: — [Final deliverable 1] — [Final deliverable 2] — [Final deliverable 3] ACCESS YOUR FILES: [link to final folder] File structure: /[Project Name]_FINAL ├── [Deliverable 1 — filename] ├── [Deliverable 2 — filename] └── [Assets / source files — if applicable] NEXT STEPS: — Review the files and confirm receipt — [Any handoff instructions — e.g., "Let your developer know the design files are in Figma at [link]"] — Final invoice attached — payment due [date] It's been a pleasure working on this with you. If you need anything after handoff, reply to this email. [Your Name] --- Personalization notes: - Send the invoice in the same email as the final delivery — never wait to invoice separately - A clear file structure makes the client feel organized and reduces "where is [X]?" emails - Keep the door open for future work without being pushy ================================================================ BONUS TEMPLATES: COMMON AWKWARD SITUATIONS ================================================================ --- SITUATION 1: Client Not Responding on Approval --- Subject: Following Up: [Project Name] Approval Needed Hi [Client Name], Just following up on the [deliverable / milestone] I sent on [date]. I need your approval to move to the next phase. If I don't hear back by [specific date], I'll proceed with the assumption that the current version is approved. Let me know if you have any questions. [Your Name] --- Note: The "I'll proceed if I don't hear back" clause is powerful — it creates a deadline without being aggressive, and it's documented in writing. --- --- SITUATION 2: Client Keeps Expanding Scope --- Subject: [Project Name] — Scope Check Hi [Client Name], As we're making good progress on [Project Name], I wanted to flag a few items that have come up that fall outside our original scope: — [Request 1 — brief description] — [Request 2 — brief description] I'm happy to take these on. Before I do, I want to make sure we're aligned on the additional investment. I'll put together a quick quote for your approval. Does that work for you? [Your Name] --- Note: Frame scope creep proactively — "I want to make sure we're aligned" is less confrontational than "that's not in scope." --- --- SITUATION 3: Client Wants to Pause Mid-Project --- Subject: Re: [Project Name] — Pause Request Hi [Client Name], No problem — I can pause the project. To make the handoff clean, here's where things stand: — COMPLETED: [list what's done] — IN PROGRESS: [list what's mid-stream] — NOT STARTED: [list what hasn't begun] A few things to note: 1. I'll hold your spot for [X weeks / until [date]]. After that, I'll need to prioritize other clients. 2. When you're ready to resume, I'll need [X business days] to get back up to speed. 3. [If you invoice for work completed] — I'll send an invoice for the work completed to date: [amount or estimated hours]. Just reply when you'd like to restart and we'll pick up from [milestone]. [Your Name] --- Note: Always document project state in writing when pausing — this protects you if the client disputes what was or wasn't done when they return. ================================================================ Download more free templates at: solostack.madethis.app/resources/freelance-project-management ================================================================