“Here is my work progress”: how to say it politely
Why it can fall flat
“here is my work progress”
People usually say “here is my work progress” when they send an update or attach a file, but it lands like a handoff with no context. The reader has to guess what is done, late or needed.
Say this instead
- 01
Status on the Q3 report: data cleaning and charts are done. I'm writing the summary now and will send the full draft by Thursday noon.
Boss · Email
Fits a regular check-in because it names what is finished, what is in progress and when the next piece arrives.
- 02
Where we are with the onboarding guide: sections 1 to 3 are done and slide 6 still needs new screenshots. Can you take those while I start section 4?
Coworker · Chat
Useful when work is shared, since it shows the gap and asks for the specific help you need.
- 03
Invoice matching: March and April are done, May is next. I'll have all three months matched by 4 pm today.
Boss · SMS
Good when your manager wants a fast read on a busy day, because it states what is done, what is next and when.
- 04
Project progress as of Friday: the homepage and contact pages are built and ready for your review. The pricing page is next, and you'll have it on Tuesday.
Client · Email
Gives a client something concrete to review now and a clear date for the next piece.
- 05
I've read sections 1 and 2 of your plan and left comments in the doc. Section 3 is next on my list, so you'll have my notes by Wednesday.
Someone you manage · Chat
Helps someone you manage know where their work stands and when your feedback is coming, so they aren't left waiting.
- 06
On the take-home task: parts 1 and 2 are finished, and I'm working on part 3 now. I plan to send everything together by Thursday, 5 pm.
Recruiter / HR · Email
Suits a recruiter who asked for progress on a task, though if the hiring manager asked directly, reply to them instead.
- 07
Your repair is under way: the new screen is fitted and we're testing the battery now. We'll text you as soon as it's ready to collect.
Customer · SMS
Reassures a waiting customer by saying what has been done and what happens before pickup.
Examples
Hi Chiara, Status on the supplier contract review: I've finished clauses 1 to 9 and flagged two payment terms for legal. Clauses 10 to 14 are taking longer than planned because the annex arrived late, so I now expect to finish on Friday instead of Wednesday. If you need the first part sooner, I can send my notes on it today. Thanks, Matthew
Release notes: the login fix is merged and tested. The export bug needs another day because I can't reproduce it on staging yet. Next I'll try it with the larger test file.
What to avoid
- Vague progress words like “almost done” or “going well” on their own tell the reader little, so say what is finished and what comes next.
- A delay hidden at the bottom of a long message gets missed, so put the new date near the top and briefly say why it moved.
- Burying the update in a long chat thread makes it hard to find later, so send it as a fresh message.
- Waiting until someone has had to ask for the update looks bad, so share it at a regular time or when something changes.
- Listing every small task you touched buries the point, so pick the two or three things the reader cares about.