Tuesday Brief: The difference between project managers who spend hours creating reports and those who generate insights in minutes isn't what most people think. While many PMs drown in manual status updates and endless spreadsheets, the most effective leaders have discovered how to transform reporting from a time drain into a strategic advantage. This week, we explore both the mindset and technology shifts that make this transformation possible.
June 10, 2025
In This Issue:
Featured Article: Too Many Project Reports? Here's How to Write Fewer!
Resource Article: 8 Essential Strategies for Keeping Projects Under Budget
Forum Discussion: Power BI vs. Excel vs. Project's Built-in Reports - What's Your Go-To?
Live Event (6/11): Turning on the Power - Supercharge Your Project Online Experience with Power BI
PM Best Practices: The Dashboard Decision Test
Featured Article: Too Many Project Reports? Here's How to Write Fewer!
Spending more time writing reports than managing projects? You're not alone - 42% of project managers would eliminate status update chasing if they could. This practical guide from Elizabeth Harrin shows you how to streamline reporting without sacrificing stakeholder communication.
Key strategies for reducing reporting overhead:
Create combined report templates for multiple small projects using visual status indicators
Group projects by common themes or shared stakeholders to eliminate redundant updates
Focus on benefits and outcomes rather than just project-level milestones
Build an informed culture where proactive communication reduces meeting demands
The article includes specific template examples and approaches that work especially well when you have overlapping stakeholders or shared resources across projects. These manual streamlining techniques set the perfect foundation for the automated reporting capabilities you'll discover in tomorrow's Power BI session.
Keeping Projects Under Budget: 8 Essential Strategies
Budget overruns plague project managers across every industry, but the most successful PMs have developed systematic approaches to cost control. This comprehensive guide reveals eight proven strategies for maintaining financial discipline while delivering quality results.
Essential cost management techniques include:
Establishing clear budget baselines with appropriate contingencies
Implementing regular budget review cycles to catch overruns early
Using value engineering principles to optimize cost-benefit ratios
Creating transparent cost tracking systems that stakeholders can understand
Whether you're managing small initiatives or enterprise-scale projects, these practical strategies provide the framework for consistent budget performance that builds stakeholder trust and project success.
Forum Discussion: Power BI vs. Excel vs. Project's Built-in Reports - What's Your Go-To?
One of our community members started an interesting discussion about project reporting tool preferences. The conversation is already generating some great insights from experienced PMs about what works best in different scenarios.
Live Event (6/11): Turning on the Power: Supercharge Your Project Online Experience with Power BI
Ready to transform your Project Online data into executive-ready dashboards? Join Brian Rogers tomorrow for a hands-on demonstration of Power BI's reporting capabilities with Microsoft Project Online.
In this comprehensive session, you'll discover:
API integration fundamentals - How Project Online's data structure provides access to key metrics
Step-by-step connection process - Authentication and data retrieval best practices
Live report building - Watch as Brian creates actionable dashboards in real-time
Security and optimization - Best practices for API authentication and efficient data queries
Automation possibilities - Enhance real-time reporting and workflow efficiency
MPUG host live events with leading experts on Wednesdays from 12:00pm - 1:00pm ET! MPUG members get access to live events where you get direct access to industry leaders, actionable insights, hands-on training, and opportunities to earn PDU's.
Learn more and register for upcoming events:
6/4: Stop Using Summary Tasks! Building Stable and Auditable Project Schedules in Microsoft Project | Learn More / Register Here
6/11: Turning on the Power: Supercharge Your Project Online Experience with Power BI | Learn More / Register Here
Before building any project dashboard or report, ask yourself: "If I could only show stakeholders three numbers, what would they be?" This simple test forces you to identify what truly matters to decision-makers and eliminates the temptation to create comprehensive-but-overwhelming reports. Start with those three critical metrics, then add complexity only if it serves a specific decision-making need.
